St. Michael Special School’s 46th Annual Blue Rose Ball on Sept. 7 was a night of fun, fundraising — and some late-night funk.
Presented by the Ray and Jessica Brandt Family Foundation and the Oscar J. Tolmas Charitable Foundation, the benefit was at the Hyatt Regency New Orleans.
One of the most popular of the five live auction items was a culinary experience for eight. Hosted at the home of Advisory Board President Gregg Barrios and his wife Shari, the bidding war ended with Brian Kish, president of the Emeril Lagasse Foundation, claiming the prize.
The paddle raise brought in over $50,000 to support St. Michael students with tuition, technology, professional development and co-curricular activities. The silent auction kept the action going with 97 incredible packages up for grabs, including six Champions Club tickets to see the New Orleans Saints take on the Denver Broncos and a private party for 10 at Gris Gris in the Samedi Room, donated by Chef Eric Cook.
For those feeling lucky, the wine pull with 320 bottles and two crowd-pleasing raffles stole the show. The Taylor Swift Concert Raffle offered two suite tickets, while the Saints vs. Las Vegas Raiders Ultimate Gameday Experience Raffle included 21 tickets, a luxury suite, and a $1,000 food credit.
The music lineup included The Electric Yat Trio, Sasha Masakowski Trio and Big Sam’s Funky Nation.
Event co-chairs were Mary Spera and Stephanie Salvaggio.
Fun Fact: St. Michael Special School serves more than 230 special needs students aged five through adulthood. St. Michael wants to keep tuition affordable; as a result, tuition does not cover the annual operating budget. Fundraising must close a $1.8 million budget gap every year.
