The Bear Facts
April 1, 2017


Logan: Good morning! I’m Logan Capesius!

Danielle: I’m Danielle Plathe!

Andrew: And I’m Andrew Thilges! Thanks for tuning in to the “Bear Facts”, the weekly radio show from Bishop Garrigan High School.

Logan: Tonight is Garrigan’s twenty-eighth Gala celebration. Gala has been the school’s biggest fundraiser since it was first established in 1990, and in recent years it’s brought in almost six million dollars to help out the school. Last year’s Gala took in $335,000 in income, with the money going to benefit students at Garrigan and Seton.

Danielle: The 2017 Gala theme is “Harvest Moon”, and the couples chairing the event are Zeb and Katie Besch, Aaron and Tricia Greteman, and John and Meredith Reding. Guests will bid on live and silent auction items, and they’ll also have a chance to play games to win a wide range of prizes. Among those are the Chest of Chance, Heads or Tails, Grab Bag, and Last Chance, and theres also special raffles for recreation and a car.

Andrew: The center of Gala each year is the meal. This year’s dinner starts with appetizers—including bacon-wrapped dates with asiago cheese, mushroom croustades, and andouille sausage in puff pastry. The soup is tomato bisque with honey and green onions, and that’s followed by a harvest salad with dried fruit and candied pecans.

Logan: For an entrée guests will enjoy tenderloin of beef with brandy cream sauce, garlic red jacket potatoes, and glazed matchstick carrots. An elegant dessert finishes the evening: harvest spice cake with pineapple bourbon compote topped with orange ginger cream. More than four hundred guests will be attending the black-tie optional event.

Danielle: It takes an army of people to make Gala such a successful event. People work all year planning the event and hosting gift gathering parties. Garrigan students help out by working as waiters and valets, designing decorations, and moving the carpet into the gym. Dozens of adults help out behind the scenes, and hundreds of people and businesses donate gifts for the auctions. Thanks to everyone who makes Gala such a wonderful annual tradition.

Andrew: Earlier this month we held a special pickleball tournament at Garrigan. Teams of two players played a round-robin, followed by a double-elimination playoff. When all the rounds of pickleball were completed, the winners were juniors Ben Degen and Zac Muller. For their skill at pickleball, they each won a jar of pickles. Congratulations, Ben and Matt!

Logan: Garrigan has received two football honors recently. Last Wednesday Garrigan football coach Marty Wadle was honored by the Diocese of Sioux City Catholic Youth Organization as CYO Football Coach of the Year. Also Garrigan senior Gibson Behr was named to the Shrine Bowl, which honors the top football players in Iowa. The Shrine Bowl will be played in late July at the UNI-Dome.

Danielle: Last Saturday the Golden Bear quiz bowl team headed down to Waukee for the state history bowl, a lengthy and challenging competition about social studies knowledge. Unfortunately the Bears had to leave before playoffs so they could be back to perform in the spring play. They had a decent day, though, and they’re especially proud of their win over Iowa City Regina. This coming week they’ll compete in the online 3—2—1 spring competition. Good luck, quiz bowl!

Andrew: Our Senior Spotlight this week shines on Miranda Book. Miranda has been active in track and cross-country all through school. She’s also active in Christian Leadership in Action, where she helps out with lots of religious events and service projects around the school. She’s a two-year National Honor Society member, and she’s also served on the student council all through school. We wish Miranda all the best when she heads west to college next year.

Logan: On our Golden Bear calendar this week, tonight is Gala 2017. The evening begins for workers with mass at 4:00. Guests will arrive around 6pm, and dinner begins at seven.

Danielle: Tomorrow is the fifth Sunday of Lent, and Monday cheer tryouts for the 2017 fall squad begin. Golf season starts on Monday, with a coed meet at Spring Valley against Eagle Grove and Forest City.

Andrew: Tuesday there’s girls track at Clear Lake. Wednesday and Thursday we’ll have special joint assemblies with Algona High.

Logan: Wednesday night is the lower elementary spring concert, and Thursday is delivery day for the elementary and junior high fundraiser.

Danielle: Also on Thursday there’s girls track at Eagle Grove. We’ll have Stations of the Cross next Friday. That night there’s boys track at Clarion, and the boys golf team hoses Spencer and Emmetsburg. Finally on Saturday Garrigan hosts state solo and ensemble music contest.

Andrew: That’s the “Bear Facts” for April Fool’s Day. Thanks for joining us, and be sure to tune in again next week for more news from Bishop Garrigan High School.