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St. Francis Xavier holds fundraiser in giant tent
Auction chairmen Kevin Gibbons, Mary Gibbons, Kathi Mungo and Frank Mungo pose with the mechanical riding bull. | Photo courtesy of Mary Fitzpatrick
Updated: July 19, 2012 3:11PM
St. Francis Xavier held its biennial auction and school fundraiser April 28, in a giant tent behind the school at 145 N. Waiola Ave., La Grange. This year’s theme, the Wild West Festival, entertained more than 600 attendees, many arriving in western gear such as boots, cowboy hats and big iconic belt buckles.
More than $150,000 worth of silent and live auction items lined the tables in the center of the tent with hundreds of items such as sports tickets, vacation homes, and even two English Budgie birds. Guests placed silent auction bids on their cell phones and received status updates throughout the evening via text messaging. When not bidding on items, guests were entertained with line dancing led by Country Pat and sponsored by Impact Dance Studio, mechanical bull riding sponsored by The Dailey Method, a craft beer tasting saloon sponsored by Burke Beverage, and various raffles.
“St. Francis Xavier is a great school, doing amazing things, and they have fun celebrating it,” said event co-chairman Mary Gibbons.
The main event was preceded with a Mass in the tent and thank-you reception attended by 170 of their senior parishioners.
“The pre-event offered senior members of our community an opportunity to see how St. Francis Xavier School is doing and we thank them for years of continued dedication and support,” said co-chairman Kathi Mungo. “Many of the individuals in attendance sent their children to St. Francis and now some have grandchildren at the school.”
Both events were made possible by the support of Principal Debra Rodde, Pastor Father John Hoffman, more than 175 devoted volunteers led by Kathi and Frank Mungo and Mary and Kevin Gibbons, and the generosity of parish families and the community. Proceeds provide significant funds for building and classroom improvements, technology upgrades and general operating costs for the school.
St. Francis Xavier School enrolls more than 600 day school students from preschool through eighth grade from La Grange, LaGrange Park, Western Springs, Brookfield, Countryside, Westchester and other surrounding communities.
