It was standing room only on March 30 at the nearly 3-year-old restaurant, as several dozen parents, business people and community leaders—some with no direct connection to the school—sampled gourmet Italian appetizers and wine while socializing and bidding on donated items and services.

"It's a nice mix of community people, faculty and parents," said Ellen Santomauro, member of the Willow Glen Neighborhood Association and mother of a fourth-grader at the school. Santomauro has been with the PTA since 1996, and the auction is one of the association's more popular fundraisers.

"There're a lot of non-school people who come and help support us," she said.

Among the approximately 40 items or services up for bid—20 more than were at last year's event, according to one organizer—were fine wines, art, gift certificates and a 49ers jersey signed by quarterback Jeff Garcia. Lincoln Avenue merchants participated by donating numerous items. The event brought in $13,000, according to PTA President Karen Potts—$5,000 from tickets, $8,000 from the auction. Tickets were $50 each for the event, which was billed as "A Getaway to Northern Italy."

Carol Myers, a governing board member for the San Jose Unified School District, said, "This is just wonderful; there's so much support from the community."

Myers said she considered bidding on some wines.

"I know as a school official we're supposed to be beyond reproach," she laughed at the prospect of buying alcohol to support the school, "but here it's OK."

One attendee who had no direct relationship to the school or membership in the PTA was Christine Benjamin, an illustrator.

Benjamin attended "just to support the community." She added, "I have close friends who are in the PTA so I felt I should help them out and show my support."

San Jose District 6 City Council member Ken Yeager attended "for the great food and for the great cause."

"Willow Glen schools need support from the community," he said, "and this auction is a great way to do it."

Potts, who is in her second year as PTA president, agreed. She said that among the various PTA fundraisers the silent auction is its most popular.

"The auction really exceeded my expectations," Potts said. "With the economy and the war going on I wasn't sure how well the auction would go over."

She said the goal of the auction was to raise at least $5,000. Annually the PTA raises between $60,000 and $85,000 and uses the funds for school supplies such as Apple computers, field trips or school assemblies.

Sharie Bilchak, a PTA member and former historian for the Willow Glen Neighborhood Association, said the association might also consider using its funds for establishing an art docent program.

"We'd like to have parents or maybe local merchants or artists come to the school and work with the students on some art projects," Bilchak said.

"We'd like to see more involvement from the community and from local businesses," Potts added. "It's better when adults cooperate to raise funds rather than sending the students out to do it."

And the cooperation with merchants at Vin Santo was strong. This was the second year in the auction's two-year history that the restaurant volunteered its resources.

"These PTA volunteers are so organized it's incredible," said Susan Russi, who owns the restaurant with her husband, executive chef Greg Russi. She said offering her restaurant and food was just good business sense.

"A lot of my customers are parents whose kids go to the elementary school," Russi said.

But when not patronizing the restaurant, some of those parents may want to go on vacation. Some of the most popular items up for bid were vacation getaway packages.

One package from Seascapes Resorts, whose opening bid was $200, went for $850, and Jeff Garcia's jersey sold for $600 after an opening bid of $80.

The school's new principal, Dayle D'Anna, said that the PTA was "extremely generous." She added that with the PTA's help, the school may be able to fund a music teacher position.