March 15 was a night to remember! Guests decked out in beads, masks and festive costumes packed the Seattle Design Center for Communities In Schools of Washington’s 5th annual Mardi Gras Dinner & Auction presented by IBM. Generous corporate and individual supporters contributed a record-setting $147,000 to expand student support and prevent even more dropouts statewide.
View and download Mardi Gras pics on our Flickr page!
Emceed by Susan West, the evening opened with socializing and friendly bidding wars on silent auction items ranging from a Seahawks autographed football and colorful handmade quilt to a cooler of fine wine and homemade desserts. Guests enjoyed unique entertainment as well: palm and tarot card readers, a caricature artist, and even an aerial performance by a high-flying acrobat who poured champagne for guests while hanging upside down!
Rounding out the evening, Communities In Schools National President Dan Cardinali recognized State Director Susan Richards for 20 years of dedicated service. Award-winning site coordinators shared stories of their work to help students overcome barriers and become successful in school. And a young woman from Rainier Beach High School talked about how her future will be brighter as she graduates this year thanks to help from Communities In Schools.
Pictures from photographer Christina Arbini are available for viewing and free download from the Communities In Schools of Washington Flickr site. If you have any trouble downloading photos, contact Anita Cech, PR/Marketing Manager, anita@ciswa.org. Enjoy!
Sincere thanks to our generous sponsors!
Presenting: IBM
Diamond: Denali Advanced Integration, EMC²
Ruby: Matisia Consultants, VCE
Emerald: Cisco Systems
Sapphire: Bank of America, Coffee Physics, Sabey Data Centers, SAP, TierPoint
Pearl: Arthur D. Jackson Jr./Costco Wholesale, Banner Bank, Morgan Stanley, Tyroda LLC
In-Kind: Seasoned In Seattle, Service Linen Supply, Sungraphics