NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Gabriel Abbott Memorial School's 351 Project has raised just under $1,500 for charity. 

 

Students in the community service learning project held their annual Oh Be Thankful Pie Auction on Tuesday at the American Legion along with a chinese auction of donated gifts from local businesses and individuals and a 50/50 raffle. 

 

The pie auction included other goodies, such as award-winning peanut butter and chocolate balls  and a pumpkin roll, and goods were produced by teachers, staff, parents and classes at both the Florida school and Clarksburg School. 

 

Several judges selected their top three desserts and frequent among the winners were the fifth-grade's no-bake cookies, the kindergarten's apple pie, preK's mud pies, Clarksburg Grade 8's s'mores pie, and a pink lemonade pie from Clarksburg.  

 

Chris Howard, the school's physical education teacher (who won a couple ribbons for her pecan pie) was again the auctioneer and she urged the attendees to cough up more dough. 

 

Confections by Heidi Dugal, Florida's retired principal who started the event more than two decades ago, again got the top bid with her rasberry cheesecake going for $100 (down from $140 last year) and cream puffs for $60. Howard's pecan pie went for $75 and the no-bake cookies and peanut butter balls for $55 each. 

 

This reporter picked up a pineapple sour cream pie by Wendy Miller for a song at $20 and it was hit on Thanksgiving Day. 

 

Proceeds from this year's auction will again help the Al Nelson Friendship Center Food Pantry, the Berkshire Humane Society and the American Legion's Christmas dinner.