37th Gala Raises Over 400K Toward Scholarships
On the evening of April 22, 2023, 500 gala attendees marched into the Hilton Mark Centre ballroom, following on the heels of an energetic Titan drum line. The clarion call into the celebration venue kicked off an event filled with many moments to remember: honoring the remarkable SFA founder, Kitty Porterfield; selecting the Alexandria Toyota car raffle winner Mark Hinkle (present that evening which was remarkable unto itself!); announcing the successful launch of T4S junior club who raised nearly 12k between January and March; but most of all listening to the student guests speakers, Reema Gaal and Diyana Mohammad, recipients of the Madelyn Anderson Memorial Scholarship. These two seniors captivated the entire ballroom’s attention with their personal stories and their commitment to the future of our community.
Gala attendees supported the Scholarship Fund of Alexandria through the purchase of their tickets and their online silent auction and live auction bids, generating over 400k. Many present also support the Fund through out the year with monthly donations, corporate matching and corporate partnerships.
Our gratitude extends not only to the guests however, but also to the multitude of volunteers, including the Gala Committee who worked nonstop from January to the night of the April event, and to Alexandria City community businesses donating goods to the live and silent auctions.
The dedication of the Gala Committee deserves a special thank you. Were it not for their energy and willingness to help, the SFA would not be able to concentrate on the daily mission of getting Alexandria City High School students on to their postsecondary paths. 2023 Gala Committee members include: Gala Co-chairs Melissa Logan and Maria Montiel Matthews*, Silent Auction Chair Dorene Pickup, Alexandria Toyota Car Raffle Chair Kristi Komai, and the vital members Stacie Andersen, Amy Bertles, Ana Bialek*, Kate Catalina, Sarah Conrad, Albie Dickson, Molly Fitzgerald*, Angela Gannon, Kate Hennigan, Ressa Jones, Brooksie Koopman, Tricia Maher-Miller, Sara Mathews, Sara McGraw, Donna McKelvey, Beth Mensinger, Jadzia Pierce, Laura Sacher*, Deborah Schilling*, Kellie Souza, Rosie Wiedemer, and Sarah Zapolosky.
*ACHS Alumni
Photos Courtesy of Taki Sidley Photography
