St. Joseph School gala reaches milestone

The Knights of Columbus jump–start the evening with a $10,000 donation to the school.

BOB REDDY | FLORIDA CATHOLIC VENICE BUREAU EDITOR

Posted: 10.27.09

Students at St. Joseph School created class craft projects that were displayed and auctioned during the school’s 25th anniversary Legends of the Silver Screen Gala Oct. 17.
BOB REDDY | FC

BRADENTON | For 25 years St. Joseph School has been celebrating its unique position in the Catholic community in Manatee County with an annual gala, so for the silver anniversary of the event, organizers decided to bring in some movies stars to help out.

The “Legends of the Silver Screen” auction gala included teachers dressed as Audrey Hepburn, Charlie Chaplin and even Marilyn Monroe. In addition to a number of items up for silent auction, a live auction included items made by each class in the school.

Principal Bob Siccone said the event was the result of months of work and collaboration of many parents, teachers and parishioners, but especially the auction chairpersons, Steve and Pam McGee, and co-chairwoman Tompie Vita.

“This is a glamorous evening to celebrate our Catholic school. My heart is full of gratitude for the Manatee County community and its continued support of Bradenton’s sole Catholic school,” Siccone said. He credited the work of the volunteers and the number of sponsors to make the entire evening a success.

Sponsors included Carrabba’s Italian Grill, Bonefish Grill and many others. The evening started with a presentation by the Knights of Columbus with a check for the school for $10,000.

Among the student projects that were auctioned off were glass tiles; a handcrafted chess board; professional photographs of the students posing as letters in the words of “faith,” “love,” “peace” and “friends”; other students posing as movie stars; and a decorated rain barrel and other handcrafted items.

Other items auctioned off included parking spaces at the school, jewelry, vacation packages, and dinner with Bishop Frank J. Dewane and St. Joseph Administrator Father Paul McLaughlin.

Siccone said the evening was one of the most successful in recent memory thanks to the generous support of the parents.

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