On Friday, October 22, St. Barnabas School hosted it’s 3rd annual Ignite Gala at the Hilton Garden Inn in Twinsburg and raised over $225,000 – the most successful fundraiser in school history. Over 250 guests enjoyed a sit-down dinner, cocktails, and music while bidding on numerous live and silent auction items. A virtual ticket was also available to allow people to bid on auction items from the comfort of their homes. After taking a year off hosting the gala, the committee was amazed by the support and generosity of the donors, sponsors and attendees.
“We switched to a larger venue for the Gala to allow for social distancing and we sold less in-person tickets than previous years,” said co-chair Tony Post. “We had realistic expectations that we may not raise as much money as we have in the past, but adding the virtual ticket allowed those who weren’t comfortable attending or who had prior commitments to participate in the auction. We were shocked and thrilled that we raised over $50,000 more than previous years. It was a win-win!”
Attendees were encouraged to bid on silent and live auction items, which included over 150 gift baskets and gift cards, a private dining experience from cakes from Food Network winner Leslie Johnson of Stan’s Bakery, a former White House Chef, VIP OSU Band & Football tickets, U.S. Marine-type experience, sports tickets, an autographed Kareem Hunt helmet, vacations around the U.S. and many one-of-a-kind student experiences and prizes such as Principal, PE and STEM teacher for the day.
The funds raised from the 2021 Ignite Gala will go toward a multi-functional outdoor classroom/stage/amphitheater on the St. Barnabas campus. The outdoor classroom will provide a unique environment to help foster additional creativity, problem-solving skills and intellectual development of our students in one of God’s greatest creations – nature!
“When we began school in 2020, we encouraged teachers to take their classrooms outdoors as much as possible,” said Principal Erin Faetanini. “We quickly realized that teachers and students love learning outdoors and benefited greatly from it. Our teachers see outdoor learning as a useful educational tool that turns the fresh-air venue into a classroom surrounded by real-life educational opportunities.”
The St. Barnabas School STEM program expects the outdoor classroom to enhance the current program. “The STEM classes will utilize the outdoor classroom,” commented STEM teacher Laura Walter. “We have been working hard to create a state of the art STEM curriculum at St. Barnabas and I am excited to integrate those subjects (science, technology, engineering and math) with a richer experience for all students by teaching outside.”
In addition, the Call to Heart Paddle Raise will be utilized to enhance the new outdoor learning space by adding proper restroom facilities, which will also benefit St. Barnabas Parish and Athletics. The outdoor classroom facility will be dedicated to the late Denise Basch, who passed away in 2020 and was a longtime supporter of St. Barnabas and the school’s very first Athletic Director.
“We are all so blown away by the naming of the outdoor classroom after my mother, who was an amazing wife, grandmother, and friend to so many. It truly makes us all tear up every time thinking about that honor. The best part is, we always knew she was special and deserving of so much, but knowing others feel her purpose and continue to strive for that path is amazing,” said Dan Basch, son of Denise. “We are so appreciative that St. Barnabas is ensuring her legacy of a ‘better everything for everyone’ continues.”
The plans for the outdoor classroom and facility have not yet been finalized, but the committee is excited to make this dream a reality as soon as possible for the students, teachers, parishioners and athletes as well as various clubs who will use the space.
For more information on St. Barnabas School, visit www.sbcatholicschool.com or follow @SBSBlazers on Twitter, Facebook or on Instagram.
