CULLMAN, Ala. – Saint Bernard boosters hosted a sold-out crowd for its annual Booster Club Drawdown Dinner Saturday, Feb. 1. In all, 437 tickets were sold for $100 each and a dozen were held out for bingo winners, with an array of other prizes to collect and the grand prize of $10,000.
Friends, family and alumni enjoyed an evening with dinner catered by All Steak of Cullman. Patrons were able to participate in a wide variety of entertainment including a silent auction, Saints Plinko, bingo and more to raise monies for the school’s athletic department.
Saint Bernard Athletic Director William Calvert said funds raised from the event help cover the costs of the 11 different sports offered by the school.
“These funds help us buy athletic equipment, uniforms, and maintain our athletic facilities and fields. It also aids in our coaches’ educational programs, assistant coach supplements and the annual athletic awards ceremony,” Calvert stated.
Saint Bernard Prep is currently facing a number of costs associated with its athletic programs, including its new archery team, which debuted this semester; a new Pixellot camera system, which is a national network of streaming sporting events live online to include volleyball, basketball and soccer; and new soccer goals needed to replace the ones that have been in use since the 1996 Argentina Olympic team trained at Saint Bernard. Funds generated will help defray some of the associated costs.
Booster Club President Dyron Powell was delighted with the outcome of the evening.
“I think we hit a record in crowd size, and I understand it is the second time in history we have sold all tickets,” he said.
Saint Bernard wishes to thank Leah Messick and Elicia Fallin, who were instrumental in organizing the event, and the many parents, staff and friends who sold tickets.
Powell commented, “Community support is vital to all the work we do at Saint Bernard, and we are blessed to have such a dedicated group!”
Winners for the evening were as follows: $250 – Sharon Collier; $500 – Heather Gudger; $750 – Matt Dabbs; $1,000 – Tim Burleson; and $10,000 – Denise Arndt.
Saint Bernard hosts the Booster Club Drawdown Dinner annually on the Saturday before the Super Bowl.