Dim the lights, dress the tables, and put on your black and white because it's time for the 60th Annual Portledge School Gala! The gala is an incredible way for parents and faculty members to come together and celebrate the accomplishments of Portledge and all its students while raising critical funds to support our school's initiatives. As the school’s only major fundraiser of the year, the gala is a vital way to generate resources for Portlege School’s various programs, scholarships, and campus improvements that allow every student to thrive each school year. In addition, it is a fun opportunity to bring parents, sponsors, donors, and other large contributors together for the shared mission of continuing and improving every aspect of Portledge to make each year better than the last. The brains behind this event, you ask? The wonderful Mona Sanveren. The Sanveren Family has been a part of Portledge for 14 years and began their journey at the school by sending their daughter, Cole, Class of 2026, here for Pre-K. Since then, they have always had a strong tie to the Portledge Community and The Pillars it is built on, so it was no surprise that Sanveren would choose to take on such an incredible role as this. 

 

When asked by the Press for an over-the-phone interview, Sanveren happily obliged and supplied some key information on the goals for the event, the fantastic people who helped make it possible, some of the ups and downs that came with planning, and her favorite moments. As Gala Chair this year, Sanveren brought a fresh perspective to the event, opting for a more modern, relaxed approach that departed from the traditional sit-down dinners we would see in the past. This is not to say that those years were not equally memorable; however, she had a clear vision for something new, and Mr. Owen Williams proudly trusted her. One of the first statements she told the press was, “My inspiration was creating an evening for the Portledge community to come together and celebrate the 60th in a modern way.” She decided to trade in the typical sit-down dinner for a more fluid evening, allowing guests to walk around, engage in involved conversation with many different families, mingle over smaller bites, and sip on a quaint drink to wash it all down. Making this change allowed for even more community bonding and involvement, and allowed guests to take a step back and immerse themselves in the beauty of the night.

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The evening not only sparkled because of Sanveren’s creative genius, but also because of her method of entertaining the crowd. The Crowd Pleaser? “Deal or No Deal.” The game was originally a reality TV show that streamed on NBC, where contestants were set up with several briefcases to choose from that contained cash prizes. The contestant can either accept the award in front of them or hold out and wait for a higher prize. It's playful and fun, and it keeps the odds unpredictable because you never know what you'll get. This portion of the night became Sanveren’s favorite as she cheerfully said to the press, “Seeing the kids walk in and participate – it reminded us all why we’re here: for the kids.” And she is right, it's easy to get lost in the planning, reserving, and organization of it all but having those small moments of unity as a community allows us to remember the main point of it all, the kids. We have built up such a tight community over the years, and seeing the effect every contribution from our generous donors has on every student is spectacular.

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But, behind all the glitz and glamour comes the difficult task of planning it all.  Sanveren told the press, “Scouting a venue is always difficult in terms of finding something that fits the number of guests you have and is conducive to the vision.” And she wasn’t kidding, it truly is no easy task. As a gala coordinator, it requires venue hunting a year out in advance and combing through to find the best possible one that checks all the boxes. In addition, a second difficulty always faced in this process was getting donations, sponsorships, and enough involvement from the community. It takes enough brave people to rally together the Lower, Middle, and Upper Schools and get everyone to understand the importance of the event and the difference just one contribution can make. This year proved to be a turning point in that aspect as the more support given,  the more people realize the significance that just one contribution can have, which allows us to be set up for an even greater success next year.

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In contrast to the challenges, some details always come together seamlessly and can attract the crowd.  From the tables draped in soft black, to the twinkling lights, and the pop of the white floral arrangements, it was a night that radiated beauty not only for what could be seen by the human eye, but the electricity of families, educators, and staff coming together to bask in the collective spirit of the evening. Every aspect of the night blended into an effortlessly classic, chic, yet modern take on a fundraiser style event. Of course, the night's success and accomplishment could never have been achieved, Sanveren proudly told the Press, without the excellent facilitators behind the scenes. Sanveren gave special commemoration to the development office and the fantastic work of Tara Askeland and Rachel Chanechuck, who tackled the logistics and coordinated the event. On top of that, thanks were given to Ryan and Allie in communications who kept the energy and excitement going throughout the process, squeezing out every last drop of Panther pride from the community. Thirdly, she thanked the fantastic gala committee, who worked tirelessly to get those sponsorships and donations to make the event as beautiful as it was. Fourth and finally, Sanveren could not have done it without the PA Leadership squad who went around to all schools, Lower, Middle, and Upper, to secure baskets and ignite the fun of the night with out-of-this-world raffle prizes. And of course, special recognition goes to Mr. Owen Williams, our incredible headmaster and fearless leader, for aiding in bringing the vision to life. As Sanveren eloquently said on the gala night, “It takes a village,” – and it most definitely does; any good thing in life does.

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As a final point of reflection with Sanveren, the Press wanted to hear about the intentions for next year and what the turnaround time in between looks like. The Press is thrilled to announce that Mona will return as gala chair for the third time! We are ecstatic and were all over hearing about the details for next year. As of right now, it already looks like another glorious evening. Sanveren feels particularly spirited as her daughter Cole will be graduating, and planning an extra special gala would be an incredible way of paying homage to their 14 year involvement at Portledge. As stated, planning begins as soon as the event is over, and Mona and the committee have already been discussing the venue, as some of the best book up quickly. In addition, Sanveren has decided to rework the date to March instead of May to attract more people, as May tends to be a hectic time for parents due to college graduations, and the summer rush  looming.

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In closing, the 60th Annual Portledge gala was a lovely commemoration of unity, joy, and camaraderie for the entire Portledge Community. Returning each year reminds any person, faculty, student, parent, or administrator that education is the ultimate caveat and privilege in life, and fostering such an unparalleled one at Portledge is a gift. The utter experience of being able to drive into the drop-off circle each morning and step onto the soil of a place that produces some of the finest men and women gives every member of the Portledge family an extraordinary feeling. A special thank you to Mona Sanveren for chatting with the Press and planning a night full of love, laughter, and light that nobody will ever forget. Your vision is forever trusted, and we are eternally grateful to have had you and your family a part of Portledge for the past 14 years. If anything, this gala season has taught us all that, when we can come together for a shared purpose, the impact is nothing short of spectacular. Panthers, these past 60 years, you have made magic happen, and this year's gala was a true testament to that.