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03/21/2018 08:30 AMSpending an entire night at school sounds like every student’s nightmare, but the Nite in Hand graduation celebration at Daniel Hand High School (DHHS) is no ordinary night.
As the chair of the Nite in Hand Senior Auction fundraiser, Michele Freund is one of many parents and community members who make the magic happen, decorating the school for a fun, substance-free evening and giving graduating seniors the opportunity to say a memorable goodbye to their high school years.
“Nite in Hand is one of the biggest community events every year in Madison. It was created to keep kids and the community safe on graduation night—and it’s been very successful doing this for 30 years,” Michele says. “There is almost 100 percent attendance at Nite in Hand and so many seniors say it’s the best night of their lives. They are so appreciative of what the community has created for them.”
Michele’s first involvement with Nite in Hand was as a parent volunteer in 2011.
“When I walked into the school, I was just amazed. Every year, there’s a secret theme and the whole school is transformed. In the past, there has been a games room with big blow up toys and carnival games, an airport terminal, even a huge King Kong in the cafetorium. I’m in awe of what people have created for the event. It truly looks magical.”
Making the Auction a Success
Michele joined the Nite in Hand Auction team in 2014 and has chaired the event committee for the past three years.
“I got the bug for Nite in Hand when my children were a part of it. A lot of time and money goes in to creating Nite in Hand and I knew that if we didn’t make money on the auction, the event may not exist anymore, so I was motivated to ‘up the game,’” she says.
Michele says that the secret of the auction’s great success is the dedicated team of volunteers who put their hands up for many hours of hard work for months leading up to the event.
“It’s amazing how many people in the community want to help. I’ve been so fortunate to find very good people and we have a great committee. They are capable, committed, dedicated, and hard working. They take charge and responsibility for their tasks and just get it done,” she says.
The generosity and support of local businesses and organizations are also vital for the auction.
“We are lucky to have so many repeat donors. We don’t have to search for donations, and rarely do people say ‘No.’ Lots of local businesses donate money and want to be involved,” Michelle says.
This year’s Senior Auction is at the school on Friday, April 27 with more than 90 items up for bid including tickets to the New England Patriots, Boston Red Sox, New York Yankees, and Boston Celtics games; boating excursions; overnight hotel stays; golf outings at Madison and New Haven country clubs; and concert tickets at Mohegan Sun.
“At the auction, we want the seniors to be front and center. Many of them volunteer on the night, selling raffle tickets and setting up the auction tables. They also offer items for the auction, such as lacrosse clinics, yard work services, or babysitting hours,” she says.
Calling Madison Home
Madison Elementary Schools Social Worker Missy Hartmann says Michele is always willing to step in and volunteer for committees, events, and fundraisers that benefit local children.
“I am so impressed with her commitment and hard work. She is a kind and committed lady and deserving of recognition,” she says. “As a mom of a younger basketball player, she has been so inclusive and inviting of the younger girls and moms. Her enthusiasm to help is contagious and so she gets people on board to help make things great for the kids.”
With her children active in several sports, Michele is the booster leader for girls basketball and volleyball at DHHS, and has been involved in the booster clubs of lacrosse, golf, and boys basketball over many years.
“The booster club’s primary responsibility is to support the players and coaches to make the season run smoothly and promote a positive team experience,” she says. “We raise money to support the teams with events, pasta dinners, gifts for the coaches and the seniors. We run concession stands at home games and pack sandwiches for them to take on away games.”
Michele says she is always impressed by the student athletes’ commitment to raising money for charities including Coaches for Cancer, Smilow Hospital, and Special Olympics Seaside Saybrook.
“The charity game is a way for the players to give back to the community, showing civic responsibility. We have great kids in this community, and it’s nice to see that they know how lucky they are and want to give back to those that are not so fortunate.”
Born in Glastonbury, Michele moved to Madison with her family at the age of four. Her father was a commercial pilot who flew out of Kennedy International Airport, often taking Michele or one of her four younger siblings on a trip.
“My parents were major travelers and sightseers, and so we traveled a lot as kids. I went to the Bahamas and Florida, Mexico, and Brazil. We would fly stand by back when you could still get on a plane and go anywhere,” she says.
“We lived in Madison near the beach, so every day after school we’d ride our bikes around with the neighborhood kids or walk to the beach,” she says. “We grew up with good people, good friends.”
After high school, Michele studied and played tennis at the University of Rhode Island, graduating with a marketing degree.
“For a while I studied fashion merchandising, but I hated it. I did an internship at Filene’s and asked if they could put me in the back so I could learn the accounting. I just hated to shop,” she laughs.
Michele met her husband Jim, who grew up in Branford, and they settled in Madison to raise their three children, Catie, Justin, and Halle. After a career in sales management, she enjoyed eight years as a stay-at-home mom, while volunteering with the PTO and running the cultural arts program at Island Avenue Elementary School. She also returned to the tennis court.
“For many years, I played competitive tennis and captained my team at the Guilford Racquet & Swim Club to the USTA nationals in Arizona,” she says.
Michele’s involvement with local schools led to a job as a substitute teacher in the Madison school system, and then her current position as a full-time paraprofessional at Polson Middle School.
“As a substitute teacher, I went to every school in town and spent lots of time in the kindergartens. I knew all the schools, the teachers and the kids,” she says. “Now, I still love going to school every day to work and I just enjoy being with the students.”
The Nite in Hand Senior Auction is on Friday, April 27 at 6:30 p.m. There are silent and live auctions, a raffle and refreshments. The event is free with refreshments and light appetizers served. For more information, call 203-245-6350.