Our 12th Annual Beefsteak: A Night to Remember!!

Thank you so much to everyone who contributed to yet another successful Beefsteak Dinner & Auction. Once again, this event was sold-out, and although the room was a bit "tight" at times (especially during those frenzied final seconds of the Silent Auction bidding) everyone was smiling and having a great time. The show of support for our recipient, Kaylee Rivers, was incredible and gratifying.

A highlight of the evening was when last year's recipient, C.J. Personette, stood up, walked across the room, and addressed the crowd. His astounding recovery from his devastating physical injuries in Sept. 2007 and his continuing progress are nothing short of miraculous. We know that this is due to the unwavering love and devotion of his wonderful family, and also to the generosity of those who attended last year's Beefsteak Dinner. There's no doubt about it--your donations make a difference!

Seeing and hearing C.J. as he thanked everyone, and encouraged us all to pray for Kaylee, was truly an unforgettable moment. We will be posting video and pictures from the event as soon as possible, so stay tuned. (And keep some tissues handy. Trust me.)

Another big round of thanks to our student volunteers. We had 17 young people from several area parishes (Our Lady Mother of the Church, St. Gabriel's) and school districts (Pascack Hills High School, Immaculate Heart Academy, Don Bosco Prep, Pascack Valley High School) who pitched in tirelessly and helped make our event run smoothly and seamlessly.

We also must acknowledge the inexhaustable efforts of the Davey/Rivers family, providing us with valuable prizes and popular auction items right up to the very last moment. The result was a lot of very happy bidders, an Oral Auction with nearly 50 unique items (including Broadway show tickets, luxury box tickets to sporting events, one-of-a-kind artwork, sports memorabilia, vacations and more) and a Silent Auction with nearly 120 prizes to choose from.

Again, thank you so much to all of the attendees who made this event possible. From our popular 50/50 raffle, to our surprise "Guess the Heavyweights" contest (Congratulations to C.J. for guessing the EXACT weight of our four very good sports), to our infamous Bread Sculpture contest, it was an entertaining evening that is sure to be remembered for a long time to come.

We look forward to seeing you all again NEXT year, when our Beefsteak Fundraiser will be back and even better than ever.