‘No Place Like Home’ gala almost surpasses donation goals

Lumen Christi Catholic High School hosted its livestream “No Place Like Home” gala auction on Saturday, Feb. 12, which raised more than $150,000 for its students. The event showcased the Catholic school’s tremendous support amongst its community.

“We’re here to make an investment in the future,” said Dan Newman, owner of Alaska Premier Auctions and Appraisals, while co-hosting the Facebook live performance. “We’re here to put little seeds of change into our students that are going to go out into our community and make the next generation of strong, worthwhile contributing members of the Catholic faith.”

The auction was jampacked with humorful skits, which caught the eyes of viewers at home, but the true experience could only be witnessed from behind the lights and cameras. The hard work and camaraderie in between “commercial breaks” are what brought the show to life and, some could argue, led to the fundraiser’s overall success.

People like Anne Gore, director of advancement and enrollment manager at Lumen Christi, and Newman were front and center during the auction, leading the show’s trajectory through every live-action.

Other people, like Clay and Laura Butcher, owners of C+L Creative ad agency, led the livestream broadcast from a distance by coordinating various technical aspects of the auction. The Butchers also used their company equipment to run the livestream.

In total, there were more than 20 people present during the livestream, but there are more people who helped the auction succeed — the donors.

Within the first 30 minutes, the “Fund a Future” auction campaign had raised $27,300 worth of donations, easily surpassing the halfway point of its goal. That future fund was only $1,150 short of its end goal, Gore said.

“People want to support Catholic education,” said Brian Ross, principal of Lumen Christi High School, as parents scream in unison during the livestream. “Thank you for everything you’ve done … Our families have hit home runs around the board … allowing us to flourish and grow over the past several years.”

Overall, Gore said the gala raised $127,181 in donations through its multiple auctions and fundraisers. She noted that the largest donation from one person almost reached $10,000, with many more ranging below that high, and some of the furthest livestreamers joined in from Connecticut, Maine, and Texas.

Numerous people participated through donations and volunteering. Lumen Christi staff and volunteers expressed their appreciation to the community for its commitment to supporting local Catholic education.

“I absolutely loved the way that everyone really got into the spirit of things,” Gore said. “People give what they can — time, talent, and treasure — and they do so with absolute grace.”

Gore also noted that John Warren, the school’s athletic director, was the staff member nominated to strut across campus in Dorothy’s ruby-red slippers.