MOUNT MICHAEL BENEDICTINE SCHOOL NIGHT OF KNIGHTS 2022: DEUCES WILD! Welcome to our annual Night of Knights! If all goes according to the plan, we are live and inperson for this event. We have not been together since 2019. I want to commend our students, parents and families for their support and adherence to the many safety steps we have had to take. I am proud of our students and staff for their commitment to our protocols and procedures. Night of Knights has a tremendous history of success. Over the years, our donors have come together to support the mission of Mount Michael Benedictine School. Their generosity and deep sense of care have come through year after year. While Night of Knights has been virtual these past two school years, we realized a highly successful fundraising event, even though we were not together physically. What I have missed is the chance to see so many of our parents, both current and past, and so many of our alumni, recent and past, all enjoying the night together. The community aspect of Night of Knights is essential. By being together we share the experience of a worthwhile and valuable event. Our theme this year is Deuces Wild! Anyone who has sat down to enjoy a poker card game understands what deuces wild means - the number 2 can carry any value, or meaning, the owner of the hand wishes. The lowly number 2 has now become the most important card in the deck. How great is that? It makes the standard poker card game a little more exciting and fun! To win at poker, one needs to hold the highest hand. By being in the calendar year of 2022 we are looking at a lot of twos! We hope that this event, concentrating on the deuces being wild, will be a high point for all of you in attendance! Along with the increase in fun we also hope for a renewal of sorts; to reconnect with classmates and friends we may have not seen in years; so please have fun this evening! I want to thank our chairs, Lesley Brandt and JJ Crouse and Katie and Rob Zimmerman. We would not be here if it were not for them. They have spent many hours this past year getting ready for today! I want to also thank our advancement office; they have been working and planning Night of Knights this entire year, too. Thank you to Mrs. Sarah McMahon, our events coordinator, Mr. Matt Hoppe, our advancement director, and our entire advancement staff: Mrs. Melissa Gathje, Mr. John Von Dollen and Mrs. Lynn Brannen. I want to thank our wonderful monastic community, who support us both in their work and in their prayers: Abbot Michael, Fr. John, Fr. Louis, Fr. Dan, Fr. Stephen, Br. August, Br. Jerome, Br. Billy, Br. Luke, Br. Roger, Br. Mark, Abbot Theodore, Fr. Nathaniel and Br. Benedict! I hope everyone has a wonderful night! Thank you for your generosity and for being here! It is through your support that we can provide the premium Catholic, Benedictine, high school education to our young men. This past year we had one of our largest enrollments ever. The interest in Mount Michael is the highest ever. Please know how much we appreciate your generosity, ongoing support, and thoughtfulness! Go Knights! Thank you, God bless and take care,
David J. Peters, Ed.D. Head of School
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