Threshold - Winter 2005

Night of Dreams Comes Through

It may be called the “Night of Dreams,” but the annual fund-raiser for the community and its ministries is a whole year in the making. Helpers in the Development office, such as Sisters Bernelda Nannemann and Barbara Smith (below), are among the many sisters and friends who make such a large event occur so smoothly.


Sister Mary Agnes Patterson, director of development, and her assistant, Sister Mary Margaret Kean, spend months on the planning and the hundreds of details. Generous benefactors provide gifts which range from the inexpensive to the luxurious.

That there was something to please everyone was evident from the crowds that surrounded the many tables of silent auction items at the event. This year there were more than 200 objects, gift certificates and themed baskets. Below, Brother Columba McNeill, Lauren Murphy, Brother Dominic Cason, and Jen McClaflin consider the possibilities.



People attend not merely to look for bargains, but to look for familiar faces. For many, the opportunity to see the sisters is an important part of the experience. Those who attend include relatives, friends, business associates and alumni. They are grateful for what the sisters have meant to them and they are eager to give something in return. Below Sister Deloes Wagner visits with Michelle and Scott Noyes.



The Night of Dreams is not primarily a social event. The money raised by the sale of dinners, raffle tickets and auction items provides the means for the sisters to carry on many valuable ministries. The proceeds help fund the education of the two Tanzanian sisters, Sophia Spirituality Center, women’s centers in Atchison and Kansas City, the Conservatory of Music, Happy Hearts Adult Learning Center, the All Faith Counseling Center, and other projects. This year, the community netted more than $180,000 from the evening’s activities.

Five hundred and twenty-five people attended the banquet at the KCI Expo Center in Kansas City, Mo. After the meal, twenty-two large items were sold in a lively oral auction. They included vacations, a diamond ring, and items made by the sisters. Below, Sister Bernadette Havlik happily sells her counted cross stitch of the Last Supper to high bidder Linda Farrant.



The dynamic Nigro Brothers/Ron Stricker auctioneer team makes sure that the non-bidders are kept well entertained and that those bidding are challenged to keep moving the prices up.






The grand prize raffle offered choices of a Mustang from Thoroughbred Ford, an Acura from Jay Wolfe Acura, a Colorado truck from Phalen Chevrolet, a motorcycle from Worth Harley-Davidson, or cash. At right, Gil Bourk claims the prize mountain bike which his son, Dan, is ready to ride.














Sorry, but you can’t keep it! Sisters Lou Whipple and Elaine Fischer (below) check out the Harley-Davidson Fat Boy motorcycle which was one of the possible options for the raffle grand prize. The winner, Margie Begley, passed on it, and several automotive choices, in favor of a cash prize.

Sisters Anne and Mary Agnes hand over the $15,000 check to a delighted Margie and Mike Begley above. Theirs was the winning ticket out of 2700 drawing tickets sold before and during the Night of Dreams.

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