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Legacy Gala 2019 "Together We Can"

Legacy Gala, which is the premier fundraising event for Cathedral Prep and Villa Maria Academy, was held on March 30, 2019 at the Bayfront Convention Center. This year’s Legacy Gala lived up to its theme, “Together We Can,” with over 500 guests in attendance and over $408,000 raised! Thank you to all of our guests for making the Gala so successful.

The below alumni were honored at this prestigious event and inducted into the President’s Hall of Fame as a result of their accomplishments and dedication to the mission. Two distinguished alumni were honored from Cathedral Prep: Mike Alexa ‘70 and Matt Clark ‘82. While Kate Emling ‘71 and Julie Ferrick Wilson ‘84 were honored as the two distinguished alumnae from Villa Maria Academy.

The night was a first-class affair. Cathedral Prep students were dressed in tuxedos greeting the guests as well as helping throughout the silent auction. The Villa girls looked classy and stunning in their black cocktail dresses while also helping throughout the evening. The Cathedral Prep Jazz Band, along with some pianists from Villa, set the tone by providing the musical accompaniment for the evening. The guests also got a special treat this year from our little brothers and sisters as Mother Teresa Academy students sang “The Summons” before the inductions began. The representation at the Gala of the student body provides an opportunity for guests to meet current students and bond over the mission of Prep, Villa, and MTA.

At the Gala, guests enjoyed different food stations and delectable desserts while bidding on over 100 items in a silent auction. The live auction boasted 16 items and featured a brand new 2019 Jeep Cherokee donated by Matt Clark ’82 of Humes Chrysler Jeep Dodge & Ram, front row seats to both Prep and Villa’s Graduation, a trip to Sonoma, California donated by Jack ’68 and JoAnn Bertges, a trip to Paris, a vacation home in Orlando, Florida donated by John and Sandy Wojtkielewicz, two badges to the 2020 Masters Golf Tournament and much more!

Thank you to Allburn Florists, most especially John `58, Chris `81, and Maria `82 Ehrman, for doing an amazing job in decorating in the room in Prep and Villa colors. A special thanks to our dessert sponsors: International Bakery and Romolo Chocolates. We also appreciate Printing Concepts for their assistance with our program and all print materials for the event.

During this year’s Fund the Vision portion of the live auction, the Tuition Angel Partners program was once again a huge success!  Every donor to this program will be recognized at Prep and Villa with their name on a plaque in the main hallway of each campus.  With a generous donor matching every dollar raised during Fund the Vision, Prep and Villa raised over $116,000 to support the mission of the school.

The proceeds from the auction will be used to keep Prep and Villa’s tuition affordable for Erie area families. The evening brought many Prep and Villa supporters together to celebrate and to continue to support the mission, all while having fun, and enjoying each other’s company. Many thanks to the countless people who made the 2019 Legacy Gala such a tremendous success! Please mark your calendar for March 28, 2020, the date for next year’s Gala, and stay tuned for details for another exciting Legacy Gala!