Gratitude

dysseyOGratitude

CONNOR POHL ’21

CONNOR POHL ’21

PATRICK GAFFNEY ’97

For one of the trivia questions we had 300 texts come in just a few minutes. There was a definite buzz.” No Excuse Not To RSVP

ROOM FOR ALL AT REVAMPED EVENTS

On backyard patios, in basement pubs, and even from comfy couches, more than 1,000 Spartans from around the world joined the virtual “Lights! Camera! Auction!” with almost 800 devices on March 6, raising more than $525,000.

Auctioneer Graham Crowe (at left) emceed via livestream, organizing live item bids and keeping the at-home audience up-to-date on totals. Behind the scenes, Kevin Quigley ’71 and his team from Switch executed the hybrid event with a smooth blend of live components and pre-recorded videos, while the Advancement Team hustled to track incoming bids and manage trivia game winners.

“Our phones were blowing up in the studio,” said Jeff Cernicek ’92, Director of Development. “For one of the trivia questions we had 300 texts come in just a few minutes. There was a definite buzz.”

Special thanks go to Auction Chair Eileen Curl, Honorary Co-Chairs Chrissy Nardini and Jenny Walbert, and the sponsors, donors, and volunteers who made the event possible and successful beyond just the Central Standard Time zone.

Other traditional fundraisers that went virtual for 2021 included the trivia night in April where 130 participants and 10 alumni sponsors raised $5,000 for the Alumni Association, and March Madness that raised $12,800 from 242 donors. The winning class (for the third year in a row!) was 1990, reaching 55% giving — breaking their own record from last year.

Online gifts are always welcome at www.desmet.org/ giving/give where the “Make A Difference” fund provides tuition assistance so young men can benefit from a De Smet Jesuit education based upon their ability to learn and not upon their ability to pay.

”At bottom, right: Alumni and current families gathered for small in-home auction parties, such as the pub party with (from left) Patrick Gaffney ’97, Daniel Zepp, Rob Goga, Beth O’Leary, John O’Leary ’95, and (in front, from left) Sarah Gaffney and Kay Goga.

theBIG picture

GENEROSITY

GRATITUDE

Witness here the giving of time, talent, testimony, and tribute to De Smet Jesuit as Spartans collaborate to ignite the generosity of our community in pre-recorded cameos for the first-ever virtual auction. Cameraman Dan Duffy ’90 captures legacy Colin Brunts ’22 while alumnus-turned-fundraiser Jeff Cernicek ’92 and Jacob Curl ’22 watch. Carefully planned and genuinely executed, videos such as these brought life and spirit to the

virtual event. PHOTO: DEBBIE HIGGINS