St. Viator High School kicks off 'Night of the Lion: At Home Edition'
Each year, the Saint Viator community gathers for a major fundraising and community-building event, "The Night of the Lion."
The 2020 event was one of the last area events of its kind, taking place just days before the COVID-19 lockdown began. As the event traditionally gathers several hundred parents, alumni, supporters and donors, the 2021 version will be reimagined to eliminate the in-person component.
“Our faculty and students have been very resilient and made many sacrifices to be one of the few schools in the area to return to full-time learning this past fall,” said Vice President of Development Tom Ramsden. “Our Night of the Lion committee was inspired by the commitment the students, families and teachers displayed and want to live up to their determination by not compromising on what Night of the Lion can accomplish.”
Instead of a traditional on-site gathering, Ramsden said the school will host a weeklong digital celebration "Night of the Lion: At Home Edition." Running Feb. 26 through March 6, the event will highlight the many ways that Saint Viator is home to students, faculty and staff.
“We plan to highlight many of the unique stories about our community and the various aspects, locations, experiences and memories that make individuals feel that Saint Viator is home,” Ramsden said.
The Night of the Lion raises funds for the school's tuition assistance program which this year is providing almost $2,000,000 to 30 percent of the student body. As COVID-19 has impacted so many lives in a myriad of ways, Ramsden and team want to ensure that a Saint Viator education is accessible to all who seek it.
Current and past parents, graduates of Saint Viator and Sacred Heart of Mary High School, donors and local businesses can be a part of "Night of the Lion: At Home Edition" in multiple ways.
Kristen Daniels, director of development, put out a call for items and experiences to be donated for the auction that will serve as a critical fundraising component for the event.
“We are looking for contributions of any shape or size to create a very robust auction experience. By spreading the event out over a week, we hope to see some spirited bidding that will help us meet our goals for helping current and future students.”
A limited raffle will take place with just 300 tickets being sold at $100 each. The winner can choose between $10,000 cash or free tuition for one St. Viator student in 2021-22.
Daniels also said that now is the time for businesses to get on board as sponsors for "Night of the Lion: At Home Edition."
“Because of the unique configuration we are using this year, there will be a lot of messaging going out to all of our constituent groups, so we can provide a lot of exposure for our sponsors.”
For information regarding donating auction items or to become a sponsor, contact Kristen Daniels at kdaniels@saintviator.com or visit bit.ly/38VJ74o.