Written by Joleah Richardson, a first-time attendee to the St. Patrick’s Day Gala

The 12th Annual St. Patrick’s Day Gala was an incredible success. The event, held March 16th, made its return to the DoubleTree Hotel for an Irish-themed night of elegance and fun.

It was my first time attending the St. Patrick’s Day Gala and I was utterly impressed by the ambiance. My husband and I were greeted with music from the Colorado Springs Conservatory and by Catholic Charities staff who showered us with green glow bracelets and necklaces. We were immediately offered a glass of champagne and wandered to the complimentary coat check. This was the start of a fabulous night!

The silent auction was held in a separate ballroom where guests could peruse and bid on auction items. There was something for everyone: fine art, restaurant and hotel certificates, overnight stays, wine baskets, home décor, jewelry, sports memorabilia and much more. The Live Auction was fabulous. Items featured were an African Safari package at the Ezulwini Game Lodge in Greater Kruger National Park, a Notre Dame football weekend, catered dinners, art by Joe Bonomo, Green Pearls by GoldFingers Jewelry, $2,500 in construction, and a car.

Upon entering the luxurious green and gold ballroom, guests found their tables filled with complimentary wine (donated by Barefoot Wine & Bubbly), green beer, and a special bag of green and white taffy made by Patsy’s Candies courtesy of Freedom Financial Services. We dined on rib eye steak, grilled Beramundi fish, Boursin mashed potatoes, and haricots vert. Bishop Micheal Sheridan kicked off the evening with an Irish Prayer, then Mark Rohlena, President and CEO of Catholic Charities, welcomed guests to the event. Special recognition gifts were given to the Co-Chairs for this year’s Gala, Nancy Barnwell & Cathy Marta.

After dinner, the drawing for the $1,000 Pot O’ Gold was held and we were all extremely moved while watching a video of a client named Theresa. She shared her struggle to build a new life for her family after her husband passed away. With the help of Catholic Charities, she has made a new life for her two children.

The Marian House Paddle Auction was up next. Kevin Patterson, auctioneer for the event, and Vicki Dimond, Master of Ceremonies, partnered to conduct the Live & Paddle Auctions. The dynamic duo did an incredible job of entertaining the crowd and getting top dollar for each item.

To end the evening, we danced the night away to the music of One More Shot, a local band who has played for this event for the past 5 years. The event exceeded my every expectation by far.  I, along with Catholic Charities, would like to thank the sponsors, donors, attendees, volunteers and table hosts for their support.

Please mark your calendars for the 13th Annual St. Patrick’s Day Gala on March 15th, 2014 at the DoubleTree Hotel.  See you there!