The Bear Facts
April 14, 2012
Good morning! I’m Alex Matthews!
I’m Nick Bronk!
And I’m Erin Quinlin! Thanks for joining us for a special episode of the “Bear Facts”, where we’re celebrating Gala 2012 here at Bishop Garrigan High School.
For twenty-three years now Gala has been the biggest fundraiser for Garrigan and Seton and one of the biggest events on the calendar each year in Algona. Gala started in 1990, and that first year the event brought in $85,000. The amount has increased steadily, and last year for the first time Gala brought in a record $301,000. We’re hoping to at least come close to that amount in 2012.
This year’s Gala theme is “Jewels of the Nile”, and this past week Garrigan art students and adult volunteers have been transforming the gym into a ballroom decorated in an ancient Egyptian theme. You can see the pyramids, the sphinx, and treasures of King Tut’s empire—all in Friedmann auditorium. The color scheme is heavy on purple and gold, but the highlights make this one of the most colorful Galas ever.
Throughout the evening guests will enjoy a first rate gourmet dinner. They’ll start things off with pita chips hors d’ouevres, topped with shrimp and feta cheese. Other appetizers include humus pizzetas and bisteeya—which are is a Mediterranean dish that combines sweet and savory fillings in layered flaky dough. The actual dinner will start with Egyptian tomato soup followed by Jewel of the Nile salad.
For the main course, guests will have tenderloin of beef with brandy cream sauce. On the side will be steamed baby red potatoes and a mélange of sautéed green beans, baby carrots, and red peppers. There will also be white and wheat dinner rolls with butter. Dessert continues the Egyptian theme, with pyramids of raspberry mousse drizzled with a raspberry reduction.
The main part of Gala is a live auction, where seventy big-ticket items will be sold In addition guests will bid on smaller items at silent and super-silent auction tables. There are raffles for a car, a recreational vehicle, and a big screen TV, plus the “first chance”, “half chance”, “chest of chance”, “last chance” games. People will start arriving around 5:30 tonight. The event formally starts at 7pm, and things should wrap up around ten o’clock.
Mick and Patty Elbert, Victor and Tricia Garry, Al and Sandra Laubenthal, and Joe and Brenda Capesius are the overall chairs for this year’s Gala. More than a hundred adults and around seventy Garrigan students will also be helping out to make the evening a big success. The money earned goes to lots of different projects—including buying special supplies for the schools, providing opportunities for professional growth, and building an endowment to help fund the school well into the future.
Last Wednesday students from around the area gathered in Clear Lake for the annual North Central Conference Art Show. For the second straight year Garrigan senior Jeanne McCall was honored with one of the top three awards in the conference. Her heart sculpture was judged the best 3-D entry overall. In addition junior Aubrie Meyers received a blue ribbon for best among all of Garrigan’s other entries. Congratulations to Jeanne and Aubrie and to art teacher Steve Brosnan.
Garrigan has a very active group in the Health Occupations Students of America, and several Garrigan students placed well at the state HOSA conference that was held last month in Des Moines. Sheridan Berte and Alissa Kirsch received the Barbara James Service Award. Noelle Vitzthum earned fourth place in Nurse’s Aide; and Noelle, Alissa, and Kendra Roethler earned a third place award in the Public Service Announcement category.
Right before dismissing for Easter we had a special retreat for Holy Thursday. This year’s retreat combined three very different events. After an opening prayer service, we heard a speaker talk about evil in the world and exorcism. Then we went to visit residents at area nursing homes. We wrapped up the morning with a live version of the Stations of the Cross presented by members of the Christian Leadership in Action group. It all helped us discover the real meaning of the Easter holiday.
The BGHS website continues to grow and grow. This spring Zach Keith, Andrea Altman, and Victor Berte have been keeping the site up to date, and they’ve been working hard every day. Our website averages around 3,000 visitors each day—or twenty times our school’s enrollment. In addition to students, lots of parents and community people, and especially lots and lots of alumni visit the Garrigan website. You can check it out, too, by going to bishopgarrigan.org.
Our Senior Spotlight this week shines on Sheridan Berte. Here to tell you about her is Elliot Boisjolie.
Sheridan Berte comes to Garrigan from the St. Joe area. She was part of the state champion Golden Bear girls golf team last year, and she’s hoping to repeat that success in 2012. Sheridan is also active in HOSA and nurse’s aid, and she’s part of the school wellness committee. When she’s not at school, you might see Sheridan working at Emerald’s. She’ll be majoring in nursing and playing golf at Mt. Mercy College next year, and we wish her all the best after high school.
Thanks, Elliot! On this week’s Golden Bear calendar, there’s state solo and small ensemble music contest today at Fenton. We’ll tell you the results of that on next week’s show.
Tonight the doors open on “Jewels of the Nile”—Gala 2012. Then on Monday the boys golf team plays at Mallard, and the girls will be at West Bend.
Tuesday the golf teams have triangulars with Iowa Falls and Eagle Grove. The boys track team runs at Belmond that day, and the girls will run at Garner. Then on Wednesday we’ll have mass in the morning and an early dismissal for teacher inservice.
The teachers will be planning next year’s calendar Wednesday afternoon. Also on Wednesday the quiz bowl team will compete in the spring Knowledge Master. Then Thursday the boys track team runs at North Iowa.
Friday the golf teams play Algona High. Also that night there’s boys track at Pocahontas and girls track at Estherville. Then on Saturday it’s prom night here at Garrigan.
That’s the “Bear Facts” for this week. Thanks for tuning in and be sure to join us again next week for more news from Bishop Garrigan High School.
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