On Palm Sunday weekend, the Notre Dame Elementary School Gymnasium was transformed into a giant Tricky Tray venue. Multiple rows of long tables held baskets and items. Another section was reserved for bigger ticket items, called Big Prizes. The Platinum Prize was $500 Disney gift cards. Snacks and desserts were also given space in the gym. For more substantial food, a window in the lobby was open for orders.

The Tricky Tray event is Notre Dame’s largest fundraiser. The proceeds are to renovate bathrooms in the elementary school. The estimated cost is over $200,000. Hence this year’s theme: “Go with the Flow.” The event accepted cash and cards. For Notre Dame, The Tricky Tray is a year- round commitment with dozens of volunteers, over 450 baskets, Disney gift cards, and “Big” prizes.

“People shop for their basket items year round, and families put together their own baskets,” said organizer Wendy Kalamar. “Notre Dame’s community is just amazing.”

Another feature is the 50/50 drawing. In 2024, the 50/50 was $11,000. This year’s 50/50 was expected to do as well or better.

On entering the venue, participants first visited a registration table where they gave their phone number, and a code was assigned to it. Notre Dame uses a coding system with scanners. Phone numbers are attached to bar codes. At the end of the event, when the winning tickets were drawn, the bar codes were scanned, and a text messaging system was used to contact the winners. Winners who use landlines received a phone call.

The Knights of Columbus handled the basket pickup system.

“Most people come on Sunday by 7 p.m.,” Kalamar explained. “Car lanes are set up. Winners pull in to a spot, and the prizes are delivered to the cars. This system started during COVID. We held the event in October that year, and we kept the pickup system.”

At the end of the event, teams directed traffic, distributed prizes, and cleaned up the gym. “The elementary students will be happy to have their gym back on Monday. It was closed for a week before the event,” Kalamar said.

New this year were two billboards advertising the Tricky Tray used to reach an even larger audience. The billboards were provided by donors. Yard signs were also added for 2025.

“Last year, we had over 200 new people attend. Most contacts are through social media or word-of-mouth,” Kalamar said.

The Tricky Tray is on Palm Sunday weekend every year, always the weekend before Easter.

“I think we’re the best. We have a wonderful team working hard to make this happen, and we are thankful for Monsignor Tom’s leadership,” Kalamarsaid. “The Tricky Tray is pulling in people to see the wonderful things Notre Dame does, bringing our Bethlehem community together.”