November 2, 2005
Fund raiser driven to succeed
Volunteers pave way for 'Ramblin' on Route 66' Gladhander benefit auction for GTACS
By Carol South
Herald contributing writer
Buoyed by an estimated 50,000 volunteer hours over a year, this weekend's annual Gladhander event was another resounding success.
Drawing 642 attendees to St. Francis High School and Holy Angels Elementary School Saturday night, "Ramblin' on Route 66" was on target to raise the usual take of between $350,000-400,000 for the Grand Traverse Area Catholic Schools system.
Organizers of the 23rd annual dinner and auction will present a check from the event's proceeds to system officials at a victory party on November 12 - the culmination of a year's labor by more than 400 volunteers. Before the check is cut, however, a crew is already making plans for next year's party.
The time and talent put in over months by parents, staff, students, teachers and community members have one goal: support Catholic education for the system's more than 1,100 students in preschool through high school.
"This is a way to augment the schools' operating costs," said Nancy Brick, chair of the event. "The community really, really, really steps forward for us and many of the things that are auctioned off are donated, I'd say most."
Putting on the Gladhander show is the combined effort of approximately 20 committees who handle details ranging from decorations, dirty dishes and donations to planning, parking and presenting the live and silent auction items.
Friday featured help from staff and students in the system, who worked at high speed as the deadline of preview night approached. Set up of the decorations, which transformed the hallways, gym and cafeteria of the school, began two days previously and was finally winding down hours before the grand opening.
The school's gym featured one of the most startling changes: from a sports center to an upscale dining room featuring starched linens, sparkling silver, muted lighting, decorative draping and 14-foot video screens.
"It is fun to watch the gym being transformed," said Hannah Borstel, a freshman a the school who was putting out napkins at each of the 642 place settings with her friend Gulnoza Hamadova, a junior.
"I like helping out with the auction, too," Borstel added of how students model items for a video played during the live auction Saturday night.
Dressed in jeans and a T-shirt, St. Francis High School principal Rob Bridges pitched in wherever needed Friday morning. He was pleased to see so many student helpers in the school, which had been closed for the day. While the freshman and sophomores can count any volunteer time toward required community service credits, the juniors and seniors present were there 'out of the goodness of their hearts.'
"Part of the mission of the school is Christian service so that hopefully they will be doing this one day with their kids," said Bridges. "We are sowing the seeds and modeling the faith."
Living into the Gladhander's tradition of thinking big, the event also featured a drive-in theater. Created in a large tent adjoining one of the school's exits, the Starlight Drive-in would screen Forbidden Planet Saturday night on a 14-foot screen. In addition to traditional movie snacks and more silent auction items up for grabs, the concessions stand boasted signs borrowed from the Cherry Bowl Drive-In in Honor.
St. Francis High School hallways became the famous Route 66, complete with signs, maps and attractions that could be found decades ago along that famous road linking Los Angeles and Chicago. Tables lined the walls along the "road" offering a stunning array of silent auction items - everything from a sink and toilet to children's games, not to mention jewelry, a laptop and tools.
By the time the decorating committee was done, the building's interior was unrecognizable.
"The first time I came to Gladhander, and I live right across the street, I got lost in my own school," noted Maggie Kent, a volunteer for the event.
By Sunday evening, volunteers had everything down again and ready for the school to be a school again.
"There is amazing dedication here," said Cindy Weber, director of admissions and marketing for the system.