Four decades ago, Father Gabriel Richard High School made history with its inaugural auction gala fundraiser, and this November 18th, supporters of the school celebrated that heritage with a Ruby Jubilee. More than 250 attendees gathered at Fox Hills Country Club to celebrate our school’s storied history and its bright future.
During cocktail hour, guests mingled and enjoyed each other’s company while perusing over one hundred available silent auction items, on which they could bid electronically throughout the evening. The silent auction nearly doubled its net impact on the fundraising total from the previous year, making it a win-win: a chance for guests to take home fun and valuable items and experiences, and a significant benefit to the school’s scholarship fund.
In honor of the Ruby Jubilee theme, red and silver decorations graced the tables, and a complimentary Magnificat prayer book and single-decade rosary at each place setting reminded guests of FGR’s commitment to its Catholic identity. To begin the program, school president Joe Jordano honored Ralph Harris and Jane Dorr, who chaired the 1983 auction gala and set FGR on the path to fundraising success. On behalf of the school, President Jordano thanked the Ralph and Jane for their groundbreaking work and their forty-year legacy, reminding us that the entire FGR community has benefited from their contribution.
Each year at the gala, the school invites attendees to donate directly to the scholarship fund by raising their paddles during the scholarship appeal portion of the live auction. This year, that opportunity was preceded by a moving appeal from Julie Dreyer, whose four sons graduated from FGR between 2001 and 2010. Despite extremely difficult life circumstances, all four Dreyer boys went on to college and successful careers thanks in part to scholarship support at FGR. Julie’s second son, Fr. Nathaniel Dreyer, serves as a missionary priest with the Institute of the Incarnate Word, and sent a special video message from Italy encouraging donations to the scholarship fund. Fr. Nathaniel’s and Julie’s words served as a reminder of the importance of FGR’s work providing Catholic high school education to our community, and the real gratitude due to everyone who supports this work.
Our 2023 Ruby Jubilee met and surpassed this year’s fundraising goal and was a success by every measure. We are so grateful to all who supported the event, by organizing and working tirelessly to make it run smoothly, and by attending and donating. Forty years of successful auction galas is truly worth celebrating. Here’s to forty (and many) more to come!