Wings Fall 09 - St. Scholastica Academy

F A L A Y A F L I N G 2 0 0 8
By: Katie Schimmeck
St. Scholastica Academy’s 24th annual Falaya Fling was held on
March 8, 2008, and provided fun and raised funds for the
school. Falaya Fling, SSA’s major fundraiser, attracted local and
regional sponsors and entertained over 750 SSA parents,
faculty, staff members, and friends with an elegant evening,
including a buffet-dinner dance and extraordinary silent and
live auctions.
The Falaya Fling helped SSA raise more than $137,000. The
gala’s proceeds were designated to landscaping SSA’s
outdoor prayer garden, campus security lighting and e-books
reference sets with 24/7 access for the media center and a
percentage will also go to the SSA Endowment Fund. A
donation from the Fling was given to New Heights Therapy
Center, the 2008 Falaya Fling charity.
SSA President Marguerite Celestin and Principal Mary
Kathryn Villere welcomed guests to the gala event held at the
Castine Center at Pelican Park in Mandeville. Famous radio
host and food aficionado, Tom Fitzmorris, served as the
auctioneer for the event. He enticed bidders with some
magnificent live auction items, including a LSU helmet
autographed by the SEC championship team, which
produced a hot bidding frenzy between two of the patrons.
Bidding at the end of the online auction was fast and furious,
and included vacation and leisure trips, sparkling jewelry and
many more exciting items.
The Pick-A-Live raffle, which made its debut at the 2007
Falaya Fling, was won by Bob Harvey, who selected diamond
and ruby earrings from Adler’s. The $5,000 tuition raffle was
won by Shawn Reed; the $5,000 cash raffle by James and
Brenda Melancon; and, the Blingtini quarter-carat diamond
donated by Boudreaux’s Jewelers was won by Lisa Giardina.
In the live auction, Ashley Byrne was the highest bidder for
the Labrador puppy. Over 800 items donated by SSA
alumnae, students, and parents were featured in the silent
auction, which also included a large selection of art created
by SSA students. Guests enjoyed cuisine from over 50 local
restaurants and danced to live music by The Topcats.
SSA Advancement Director Elaine Simmons along with Falaya
Fling Co-chairs Leslie Ellinghausen, Licy Gagnet and Ann
Rosenow made sure all the guests enjoyed being together on
behalf of SSA. Committee Chairs were: Julie Authement,
Karen Baker, Rhonda Baumgartner, Desiree Taylor Billeaud ’76,
Milissa Block, Gina Broussard, Darlynne and Ted Bruning,
Karen Bucksbarg, Alicia Byrne, Barbara Campbell, Laure’ Duet
Candies ’81, Kelly Commander, Paulette Crawford, Sunny
Cruthirds, Penny Dastugue, Tricia Deas, Lisa Dougherty, Ann
Zehender Dussom ’80, Theresa Elie, John Ellinghausen, Alison
Fisse, Suzie Frosch, Jennifer Ballard Gitz ’85, Ginny Kamath,
Beth Lambert, Karen Landry, Lisa Lawrence, Susan Loveland,
Christine O’Brien Lozes ’70, Terri Mayer, Nannette McGinn,
Candy Morse Modeen ’82, Priscilla Morse, Lori Murphy, Ana
Perez de la Mesa, Dorothy Phelan, Kim Prevost, Dannie Salles,
Michael Saucier, Dorothy Schouest, Lori Seals, and Darci
Senner.
The Falaya Fling Patron Party themed “Around the World”
was held prior to the Fling at the Castine Center, where
patrons were treated to fine wine, champagne, and cuisine
from local specialty and fine restaurants. “We are so blessed
to have so many parents and friends who make this event
such a success! Our volunteers are the heart and soul of this
incredible event,” stated SSA President Marguerite Celestin.
F A C U L T Y
F E A T S
Tracey Couret, faculty member at SSA, is in the
Masters of Library and Information Science
program at LSU. Ms. Couret was awarded the
Mary Moore Mitchell Scholarship for part-time
students, H.W. Wilson Scholarship for part-time
students, and John and Hester Slocum Fellowship.
She will graduate in 2010. Way to go!
26 D O V E W I N G S