The annual Caravan Gala at the downtown Marriott was in full swing on Saturday, February 27, as parents, alumni, and faculty members gathered in order to benefit the Caravan.  The Gala had its usual strong turnout  and raised roughly $200,000 for the Mount Carmel Educational Foundation.  Director of Development and Planned Giving Mike Holland loved the generosity he saw throughout the night. “Being able to raise that much money is a great example of the Mount Carmel community coming together for a common cause.”

One great example of this is the ‘Fund a Cause’ portion of the night which was dedicated to the late Jim Deering, former president of the Mount Carmel Father’s Club and co-chair of the Gala.  Holland was thrilled with the success of this endeavor, as it raised $52,000 in only ten minutes.  This money will go towards scholarships for future students in honor of Deering.  As Holland is the head coach of the rugby team, he developed a strong relationship with Deering who volunteered as a coach. “This scholarship is a great example of Jim’s service and dedication to the school.”  The night could have been considered a success after this, but the silent auction was still to come.

The silent auction had many items up for bid, with the Blackhawks tickets garnering the most attention.  As usual, with the team on a roll, any tickets to a game are a hot commodity.  Another big ticket item was the trip to Mexico.  The trip included airfare and lodging for six nights and seven days during the warm Mexican summer.

Organizing the Gala was no small task, with the entire staff of Mount Carmel’s advancement office joining the Gala committee to create a memorable experience for guests. Many of Mount Carmel’s National Honor Society members signed up to help, as well.  Junior Nolan Panepinto split his Saturday night between helping out the school and enjoying time with his family.  “I really enjoyed the entire night.  It was great to see (everyone) so upbeat and excited about helping out a school that has done so much for its students.”

Faculty member Patrick McGarry shared a similar opinion, as he had a great time at the Gala, despite losing his bid on a favorite item.  “This was my second time attending the Gala, and it was even better than the first. I started bidding on a autographed rugby ball a week before the Gala and when Saturday came, it had risen to an extremely high price.”  The willingness of attendees to donate and bid has continued to make the night a success.

The 2017 Gala will continue to be held at the downtown Chicago Marriott at a date to be determined.  Mark your calendars and plan to come out and support the Caravan!