Steve and Roberta King have been selected to chair The O'Neal School's 39th Annual Auction to take place Saturday, Feb. 6.

Parents of O'Neal kindergarten and second grade students, the Kings have been involved with O'Neal school efforts for many years.

"This auction is a wonderful social event for the entire O'Neal community," says Brenda Jackson, assistant headmaster and director of Institutional Advancement. "Funds raised will be used to enhance technology, athletics, the arts and faculty development. We are excited to have Steve and Roberta to serve as this year's auction chairs."

After graduating from law school at the University of Richmond in 1991, Roberta served as legal counsel for 11 years. Recently, she has enjoyed being a full-time mom and volunteer for the community.

She currently serves on the board of trustees for the Moore Regional Auxiliary and chaired this year's Holiday Ball. At O'Neal, Roberta presently serves on the board of trustees; she is immediate past president of the Parents' Association and she also serves as an O'Neal Fund grade-level co-chair and room mom.

Steve graduated from UNC School of Medicine with an internship at UNC Hospitals and residency specializing in radiation oncology at Duke University Medical Center. He is presently co-founder and president of Pinehurst Radiation Oncology, Inc. and is medical director of the department of radiation oncology at FirstHealth Moore Regional Hospital.

Steve also serves on the board of directors for Sanford Hematology/Oncology, Inc. -- a joint venture between UNC Hospitals and FirstHealth. He continues to serve, with his wife, as a grade-level co-chair for the O'Neal Fund.

On choosing O'Neal for their children, Roberta explains, "Steve and I both went to public schools and initially had not considered sending our children to an independent school. However, after researching the curriculum and facilities at O'Neal, we realized that this was the best option for our children.We chose to send our children to O'Neal because we value the core curriculum and the commitment to educating the whole child, in addition to the professional faculty, small class sizes, safe learning environment and exceptional facilities. We feel that we are not just sending our kids to school, but that they have become part of a community that we know will nurture and support them during some of the most important years of their lives, from pre-K through 12th grade."

The Kings say they are honored to be chosen as chairs for this year's auction.

"We are thrilled with the direction of the school," says Roberta. "Our new headmaster, Alan Barr, is continuing to make positive improvements to an already excellent educational experience. The enhancement of the fine arts program is a wonderful example of such change."

The annual auction comprises live and silent items. A $10,000 cash raffle as well as a raffle for a blue topaz, sapphire and diamond pendant necklace from Honeycutt Jewelers will take place.

Food stations, catered by Elliott's on Linden, will be located around the Fair Barn and provide tapas of Italian, American and Asian cuisine.

Live auction items include a week-long Bald Head Island experience, a ski trip to Park City, Utah, and a wine cellar collection comprised of donations from O'Neal parents. The silent auction has quality items in categories such as student creations, sports memorabilia, golf, jewelry and pottery.

This year's auction theme is "Reaching for the Stars."

Auction activities will kick off with a preview scheduled for Friday morning, Feb. 5, from 9 a.m. to noon, at the Fair Barn in Pinehurst.

"The community is invited to attend this preview and bid on items in the silent auction," says Jackson. "The guests attending the preview will enjoy breakfast and entertainment from Lower School students as well as jewelry giveaways from Brenda's Jewelers and Pandora from the Framer's Cottage."

The auction will take place Saturday, Feb. 6, at the Fair Barn beginning at 6 p.m. Bids will continue on the silent auction items and a live auction will be held.

For more information and to purchase tickets for the Preview or the Auction, call Lynn Melton at (910) 692-6920, extension 104.