Downers Grove Christian School held its annual Gala
This event took place at Drury Lane Theatre in Oak Brook on Friday, February 28, 2020.
Photo: DGCS Annual Dinner and Auction Gala 2020. Courtesy of: Michael Saukstelis
“Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it,” says Proverbs 22:6. Downers Grove Christian School, one of the most reputable Christian educational organizations in the Chicago area, gives its students a strong and powerful start in their lives by developing a Biblical point of view and high moral values. On Friday, February 28, 2020 the school held its Annual Dinner and Auction Gala with a meaningful name “Unbreakable.” Over two hundred fifty people attended this event.
Downers Grove Christian School (DGCS) is a ministry of First Baptist Church of Downers Grove. To achieve great results, the school is committed to hiring highly qualified teachers with strong Biblical worldviews who deeply understand their responsibility for their students. They navigate the students not only academically but also spiritually by providing them with a full academic education, Biblical knowledge and spiritual support. However, not only the certified teaching staff, but also small class sizes for the students starting from preschool through 8th grade contribute to the school’s success. Each student gets personal attention, help and support.
“I am so thankful for God’s continued blessing on Downers Grove Christian School for over 49 years,” wrote DGCS Principal Mrs. Shari Peterson in the welcoming notes of the Gala program. “We are overflowing with thankfulness to God for the privilege of training and educating boys and girls to be all that God has created them to be. Our school will continue to have the mission of providing a quality, Christ-centered education in a loving environment.”
Photo: DGCS Principal Mrs. Shari Peterson. Courtesy of: Michael Saukstelis
As we all know, it takes a village to raise a child. DGCS is a great example of this old and wise saying. The school is a community of devoted teachers, parents, and volunteers working together to create the best possible learning environment for the school’s students. Without the support of each and every member of this great community and without the generous contributions from the school’s sponsors many things wouldn’t be possible and available for the students. In recent years, the addition of a new gymnasium, lunchroom, washrooms, and offices has allowed DGCS to offer many additional co-curricular and extra-curricular programs. Each annual Gala is another step in bringing to the school multiple renovations, such as the fixing and remodeling of the classrooms and hallways and creating a warm, welcoming, comfortable and beautiful environment.
The DGCS Gala of 2020 became another milestone in the school’s development and provided further financial support for this wonderful educational organization. More than $200,000 was raised at this event. The money will go to improve the school building, provide extracurricular activities, and to bring further support of the ministries of DGCS and the school’s Christian identity.
Mr. Paul Grane, Master of Ceremonies, opened the event. Pastor Don Zimmerman, Senior Pastor of First Baptist Church, gave a powerful speech. He noted that he is proud of the DGCS teachers and their role in the students’ lives and their future.
DGCS Principal Mrs. Peterson was also warmly greeted by the attendees of the event. Mrs. Peterson plays a vital role in school life. The DGCS students are raised and educated in a Christ-centered, nurturing learning environment thanks to her service. Mrs. Peterson overlooks every aspect of the school life, the educational process and the students’ well-being and makes sure that each child gets a high-level education while being surrounded by love and respect.
During her speech at DGCS Gala 2020, Mrs. Peterson emphasized the importance and value of Christian education and underlined that the main points of influence in a child’s life are home, church, media and school. Only in a constant and ongoing collaboration of school, family and church can the children grow into well-rounded, responsible, educated and spiritually-equipped adults. At DGCS, the students know how to pray, to believe and where to get help when needed. Her words that the DGCS students are taught that “Jesus Christ is a personal savior” were met with a round of applause.
Photo: DGCS Annual Dinner and Auction Gala 2020. Courtesy of: Michael Saukstelis
School Committee Chairman Mr. Steve Auernhamer gave the detailed explanation of the distribution of the finances from the previous Gala and thanked the donors and the sponsors of DGCS. He also underlined that this place is much more than just a school. “These children are the future of our society,” Mr. Auernhamer added.
His words reminded me of one very powerful quote. “Your children are the greatest gift God will give to you, and their souls the heaviest responsibility He will place in your hands,” said American award-winning author Lisa Wingate. “Take time with them, teach them to have faith in God. Be a person in whom they can have faith. When you are old, nothing else you've done will have mattered as much.”
It’s not a surprise that the live auction that took place after all these speeches was a great success. The children were on the mind of every person lifting their number and participating in the auction. Auctioneer Daniel Lyles did a great job making this meaningful event fun and knew exactly how to attract everyone’s attention and make the bids go higher and higher. Mr. Lyles has a passion for helping non-profits maximize their fundraising potential. He has conducted hundreds of auctions all over the nation, and his tremendous experience helped to make this fundraising event accomplish its aim and purpose.
Photo: DGCS Annual Dinner and Auction Gala 2020. Courtesy of: Michael Saukstelis
The auction items looked pretty attractive: K-LOVE Fan Awards VIP Weekend, Dream Day at Medinah, East Coast Getaway for Two, Family Adventure in Park City in Utah, Chicago Sports Up Close, Luxury Beach Vacation for Two, and a tax deductible lot called Shaping the Future, Investing in Christian Education. All the items were auctioned successfully. Besides that, numerous exciting Silent Auction packages were available throughout the night, and the attendees had fun bidding on those packages that were meant to entertain, educate, build faith and celebrate family time.
After that exciting part of the night, the guest speakers Pastor Matthew and Kim Rogers gave a touching and powerful speech. They shared an extremely interesting story of their family and how they came to the idea of bringing their children in faith and providing them with Christian education through DGCS. Kim is a former DGCS music teacher and Pastor Matthew is a former DGCS cross country coach. Their two daughters, Faith and Jordan, also went to this school in the past. Now the family resides in Indiana, but the ties with the school are still very strong. In their speech, the couple encouraged everyone to support the power of unbreakable. “Adding school to home and church makes it unbreakable,” they noted.
DGCS is extremely grateful to Platinum Sponsors Rick and Lea Held and to Grane Transportation; Gold Sponsors Fay Basile, Loving Aunt, and Select Church Insurance Services, Inc.; to Silver Sponsors Dennis and Adelina Gonier on behalf of WageUp and Gift given in honor of Don & Sue Patterson; and to Bronze Sponsors Mike and Karla Engbers, Chuck and Debi Thompson, Judge Monique O’Toole, Calvary Church of Downers Grove, McGrath Lexus of Westmont, Superior Painting Co., and Zach Frazier Orthodontics.
Photo: DGCS Annual Dinner and Auction Gala 2020. Courtesy of: Michael Saukstelis
DGCS is also thankful to the Gala Committee represented by Co-Chairs Kristi Chadwick and Jessica Grehan, Lisa Auernhamer, Jeanine Madison, Nicole Mattson, Laura Murphy, Sharon Nese, and Debi Thompson. DGCS Office Staff members, Patti Larson and Stephanie Vander Wal, also contributed a lot of time and effort to make this event unforgettable. Printing and design services were provided by Joe Stellato and Ericka Marcley of Stellato Printing, Inc., music by Mark and Colleen Eakley, photography by Michael Saukstelis of Michael Paul Photographers, videos by Paul Myzia of Reel Clef Studios, and audio/visual help by David Jack of Pro-Tech Services, Inc.
It is important to underline the support of the 8th grade helpers Jeremiah, Alex, Colin, Carter, and Austin. The help of Live Auction item donors is also greatly appreciated; they are: Steve and Lisa Auernhamer, Paul and Kary Grane, Manuel Ocasio, Natalie Stellato, Fifth Third Bank, Hotel Indigo East End, Miller Cooper & Co., Ltd., Kevin Olson and Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance, and Republic Bank of Chicago.
“Children are the living messages we send to a time we will not see,” said President John F. Kennedy. Yes, we might not know for sure what will happen with this world in the future, but the DGCS students, these living messages of faith, hope and strong values, will definitely make it more strong, peaceful and Christ-centered. This is exactly what our planet needs; and this is exactly what will help our world survive.
Natalia Dagenhart
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