On Friday, May 6, hundreds of guests filled a tent on Everest’s athletic field. Everest parents, grandparents, former parents, alumni parents, alumni, faculty and staff, benefactors, and friends came together to celebrate Everest’s 30th anniversary. Guests included Everest’s founding priest, Fr. Lorenzo Gomez, LC, Miss Patricia Cantú, international families and former students, and many past chairs of Everest’s gala.
The last two year’s have proved a real strain on families and organizations worldwide. As Mountaineers have read in the annual stewardship report, Everest has been no different, while keeping its doors open for in-person, on-campus learning. The funds raised will contribute to Everest’s operating budget as planned. The fund-a-need paddle raise at the end of the evening secured an impressive $150,000 for campus safety and security improvements. The advancement team is working hard to close out all invoices and statements. You will find the final proceeds of the evening published in our annual stewardship report.
Everest’s first galas, years ago, were held in the hallways of the high school building. We cannot express our gratitude to all the supporters over the past thirty years who made this anniversary celebration on Everest’s campus one of the most successful in school history! Many thanks to all our sponsors, donors, silent auction participants, volunteers, and attendees! We couldn’t have done it without the leadership of this year’s chairs, Beth & Tim Smith and Nicole & JT Luginski.
A special word of congratulations to this year’s distinguished service award recipients, Cheryl Milosch and Miss Rose Wieber. This year’s grand raffle prize winners were:
1st Prize: Julie Koszalinski
2nd Prize: Kristen Nichols
3rd Prize: Kevin & Sarah Westlake
From Fr. Gomez’s blessing to Roop Raj’s introduction to Simone Vitale’s entertainment. The entire evening was a celebration of all we love about Everest.
“And while 30 years may seem like an eternity to our kids, we all know that it goes by in the blink of an eye… which was never more evident to us than when we realized that we’ve been at Everest for 10 of those 30 years!
In reflecting upon our time at Everest, we kept coming back to the fact that similar to our relationship with Christ, each of our relationships with Everest is a very personal and unique journey. Some of us may value the more personalized instruction that our children receive. Others may cherish the focus on the faith formation that is so lacking in today’s society. And others may appreciate the opportunity for success on the playing field through our burgeoning athletics programs.” -Nicole & JT Luginski
“Everest Academy welcomed our first four boys in the fall of 1997, the year we moved to Clarkston. At that time, the gymnasium and second floor of the current high school building were just being finished. Fast forward to today, we have had all nine of our children attend Everest with our youngest five children graduating from the high school. All our children have benefitted from the quality college-preparatory education and superior faith formation provided at Everest through the Integral Formation educational pedagogy. The faculty, staff, and religious community have gifted them with the tools needed to face today’s world with confidence and grace, and we are forever grateful.” -Tim & Beth Smith
There is something special here.
