THE BEAR FACTS
March 29, 2025
 

Good morning! I’m Trayton Cink!

I’m Alaina Bormann!

And I’m Molly Peterson! Welcome to a special episode of the “Bear Facts”, where this weekend we’re celebrating Gala 2025 here at Bishop Garrigan High School.

2025 marks the 36th year for Gala, which has consistently been the biggest fundraiser for Bishop Garrigan and Seton. The income from Gala has grown over the years—from $85,000 back in 1990 to $430,000 each of the past two years. All together Gala has brought $8,656,000 to support the local Catholic schools.

One of the things that draws people to Gala each year is the food. This year’s menu starts with appetizers including a dish called “crab yummy” and also bacon-wrapped asiago stuffed dates and charcuterie skewers with olives, cheese, and cranberries. The main meal begins with asparagus soup with lemon-scented crème fraiche.

This year’s salad includes spring greens with blueberry balsamic dressing, cucumbers, mandarin oranges, blueberries, feta cheese, and sunflower seeds. There’s a choice of entrée—either tenderloin of beef with wild mushroom madeira cream or chicken breast stuffed with a mélange of cheeses with cranberry glaze.

Both entrees are accompanied by au gratin potatoes and green beans almondine. For dessert there’s strawberry almond shortcake and crème fraiche Chantilly. Guests will enjoy water and wine all through the meal, and this year they can also enjoy a special “Rock and Royal” American lager from the Titonka Brewing Company.

There’s lots of special prize opportunities at Gala. There will be two first chance winners. One wins $1,000 in cash, and the other will win $1,000 to spend in bids during Gala. There’s also a car raffle—where the winner gets either a Chevy Trailblazer or a Ford Bronco, a new cash raffle with an $8,000 winner, the Last Chance raffle for $2,000 in travel, and a raffle to win a rifle valued at over $1,000.

The biggest items to bid on are in the live auction. There’s almost seventy live auction items this year. They include things like an Amana high efficiency furnace, a set of high-end patio furniture, a family membership at the “Y”, and a brand new Snap-On tool box. There’s also lots of products and free services provided by area companies and meals and snacks donated by friends of the school.

Beyond the live auction there are hundreds of silent auction items that people can bid on online. One of the biggest parts of Gala in recent years has been Pick Your Passion. Teachers come up with items they need for their classrooms, and people can sponsor them. You can even take part in the silent auction and Pick Your Passion if you don’t attend Gala in person.

It takes literally hundreds of people to make Gala happen. Adults have been planning the theme and holding gift gathering parties ever since last year’s Gala was over. This past week dozens of people have helped turn the old gym into a beautiful ballroom. About two-thirds of the high school students will be busy tonight working as waiters, valets, and spotters, and a big group will be cleaning up afterwards. Of course Gala would also not be possible without all the generous people who attend the event.

Our Senior Spotlight this week shines on Zeke Elbert. Here to tell you about him is Tate Foertsch.

While Zeke has been part of the Class of 2026 all through school, he’ll be graduating early as part of the Class of 2025. Zeke comes to Garrigan from the Burt area, and in the past he was involved in football, band, and choir. He plans to attend Iowa Lakes next year, where he’ll be majoring in diesel technology. We wish Zeke all the best after high school.

Thanks, Tate. On our Golden Bear calendar this week, tonight is the thirty-sixth annual Gala celebration. Then Monday night the Seton students will have a concert in Friedmann Auditorium.

Tuesday the Viva Voce jazz choir will be competing at state. Wednesday we’ll have reconciliation, and then on Friday we’ll have a Stations of the Cross service at school. Finally next Saturday it’s time for “A Night at the Casino” for Prom 2026.

That’s the “Bear Facts” for March. Thanks for joining us, and be sure to catch the show again next week for more news from Bishop Garrigan High School.