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Selwyn House Centennial gala raises $1.45M for endowment, charity
Under the theme “Latin Nights,” the gala was the festive highlight of a year of activities to mark the school’s 100th birthday. In addition to helping ensure that the school will be able to keep its doors open to an increasingly diverse student population, funds from the evening will be donated to local community charities. This year, five per cent of the proceeds from Latin Nights will be donated to the Montreal Children’s Hospital and CHU Sainte-Justine; a further five per cent will go to the Gainey Foundation.
More than a year in preparation by dozens of volunteers, teachers and staff led by Selwyn House parent Lisa Smith, “Latin Nights” was a logistical triumph. The school’s Coristine Hall was decorated as a Latin marketplace, while the Senior School gym had been transformed into a spectacular scene for a gourmet dinner and live auction of the most coveted prizes imaginable, from sports memorabilia and backstage concert tickets to world-class travel packages. Auctioneer for the evening was Hal Hannaford, who will be taking over as Selwyn House headmaster on January 1, 2009.
After the dinner and auction, all 400 guests filed back into Coristine Hall, where the décor had undergone a second metamorphosis into a Latin Nightclub, complete with a gipsy band and salsa dancers.
In proposing his toast to the school, Ted Claxton, Chairman of the Selwyn House Board of Directors, gave special credit to retiring Headmaster Will Mitchell. “I like to think of this school as the place that Will built,” he said. “Ninety-five per cent of the changes that have taken place here over the past several years are because of him.”
“To all who have committed to our Centennial Endowment Campaign, but especially to those in this room, we say thank you mille fois,” Headmaster Mitchell told the crowd. “It is hard for me to express how deeply we feel appreciation for your belief in the school and what it does.
“But, I don’t think you realize what you, you in this room tonight, have done for the school. This is an incredible accomplishment. You have every right to be proud. We could not be more grateful.”
The following day, Mr. Mitchell pointed out that the school had almost tripled its fundraising objectives for the night. “The proceeds from the evening, together with amounts either held by the school or pledged during our campaign, bring our endowment to $12.65M. This success will go a long way to secure the financial strength of the school in enrolling worthy students, in attracting great teachers and in meeting challenges and in taking advantage of future opportunities,” he said.
