Please join us for the School of St. Mary Annual Crusader Gala: Mardi Gras Masquerade
Saturday, March 1
6:00 – 11:30 p.m.
Immediately following 5:00 mass, so we can walk from church to Deer Path Inn together!
Deer Path Inn
255 E. Illinois Road
Sparkly Masquerade Attire Encouraged (masks optional)!
Why does SOSM host an Annual Crusader Gala?
We host the Annual Crusader Gala to support the Crusader Fund and grow together as a community. The Parents Association’s goal is to raise $330,000 this school year, with 100% parent participation. The funds are used for:
- Scholarships that allow students to have a School of St. Mary education;
- Faculty who love and care about our students and who are skilled educators; and
- An environment that makes successful education possible.
How will the Gala raise money for the Crusader Fund?
The evening will feature a paddle raise and live auction to help us support the Crusader Fund. Stay tuned for more details about the incredible live auction items!
We’re holding our annual silent auction – which will be online Saturday, February 22 – Sunday, March 2 – so anyone can participate in supporting the Crusader Fund, even if you can’t make it to the Gala. The auction will include a range of amazing items, including “Count Me In” sign-up parties, generously donated by the School of St. Mary, Church of St. Mary, and Lake Forest community.
Who should attend the SOSM Annual Crusader Gala?
Everyone is welcome – school families, parishioners, family & friends! We encourage anyone who loves supporting the School of St. Mary to join us, so our community can continue to thrive!
Tickets are $250 each until Friday, December 20, when prices increase to $275 each. In addition, tables of 10 seats can be purchased for $2,500 – and then you can fill the table with your family & friends. Only one person needs to buy the table, and we’ll follow up to get names of everyone joining you. This is the only way to guarantee your table mates — or seats will be assigned randomly.
Tickets go on sale Friday, November 15. Buy your tickets before they sell out!
Tickets include open, premium bar (6-11:30 p.m.); a delicious dinner; DJ & dancing, and live auction excitement. The ticket price ONLY covers the expenses associated with hosting the Gala (it is not a donation to the Crusader Fund), so the evening will feature a paddle raise, live auction, and other activities to generate donations to the Crusader Fund.
Can we reserve seats with friends?
You can purchase a table of 10 to reserve seats with family & friends. If you purchase individual tickets, the Gala committee will randomly assign seats.
We recommend sparkly masquerade attire! Masks are optional.
We’re hosting the Gala at a local favorite, Deer Path Inn.
Yes — we’ve enlisted a DJ to spin your favorite tunes …. from disco and the 80s to Taylor Swift and country faves.
How can I get involved and help?
The Gala is organized by SOSM volunteer families, and they’d always love help with event planning and outreach to help secure auction donations. Please reach out to the co-chairs and let them know how you can help! Michelle Kijek (312.952.0220) and Maria Vernon (847.769.7175)
You can reach out to the co-chairs at any time: Michelle Kijek (312.952.0220) and Maria Vernon (847.769.7175).
Count Me In Parties raise support for the Crusader Fund, while also offering fun and social engagement as a community. We’ve heard from parents that they love having more opportunities to socialize and connect with other families – and last year, nearly every Count Me In Party sold out quickly!
Count Me In Parties are fun and creative events with a fixed buy-in price. There are parties for kids and adults, and some events are designated for specific grade levels (check the descriptions closely). The party hosts have generously agreed to assume full cost of the parties, so 100% of proceeds benefit the Crusader Fund. THANK YOU to our incredibly generous families and teachers for the creative and fun ideas this year!
We hope you can join this memorable evening filled with delicious food, fun entertainment, and live auction excitement!
The Annual Crusader Gala is a long-standing school tradition for school and parish families to support the Annual Crusader Fund with their generous donations that help ensure our students, teachers, and faculty have the resources they need To Learn. To Serve. To Lead.
