Patrick McGowanTo support a charity that celebrates the vitality of youth and fights to ensure the longevity of a child’s life brought members of the Cabrini community to the fifth annual Up Til Dawn benefit dinner.
The event was held in the Woodcrest Mansion, Friday, Feb. 20, and featured gourmet fare created by regional chefs. Proceeds from the event were donated to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
Doors opened at 6 p.m. as the evening began with attendees socializing by the open bar and buying chances to bid at silent auction prizes.
Those attending were later ushered into the dining room where stationed chefs served various international themed dishes. Cabrini’s Chef Rodney served his fifth year as the head-organizing chef.
“I came to support the cause. My friends are really involved with the St. Jude executive board so I support them as well,” Danielle Murphy, senior psychology, sociology and religious studies major, said.
Among those attending were the students who had made the first Up Til Dawn benefit dinner possible in 2004. Megan Beauduy, Sarah Boyer and Liz Ritter, all alumni of 2005, still continually contribute to St. Jude.
“It’s always been for the kids,” Beauduy said.
While attending Cabrini, Beauduy was faced with the task of creating a charity event for the Student Government Association to sponsor. When a fellow classmate suggested hosting an Up Til Dawn dance marathon to benefit St. Jude, Beauduy immediately began extensive research. After watching a documentary on the children of St. Jude, Beauduy instantly fell in love with the charity.
“When you see the kids in the video, you can’t not say yes,” Beauduy said.
Beauduy later suggested hosting a benefit dinner to SGA, which seemed a more fitting event for Cabrini. Beauduy, along with Boyer and Ritter, would then become the leaders for the project. The 2004 dinner raised around $34,000, signaling the success of the event.
Five years later, the benefit dinner is still a continued tradition and is planned by currently enrolled students. Students Sarah Gaglione, Caitlin Gill, Liz Lavin and Jessica Sampson made this year’s dinner possible.
“Up Til Dawn was started by an energetic group of students who understood how important this work is to many families and it has continued to be run by enthusiastic students,” Anne Filippone, coordinator of the dinner and director of Student Engagement and Leadership, said.
“There are young students out there doing great, tremendous and positive things for the country and the world. I commend all the young folks for doing that,” Rodney said.
All involved with the event volunteered their time. “All of the chefs and staff who work on the event donate their time and talents for the hospital and they return year after year. I think everyone who has a hand in making the event happen would say that they get a sense of accomplishment from the event,” Filippone said.
The benefit dinner came to a close as the prizes from the silent auction were raffled off and speeches made by those who planned the event. All proceeds will be given to the St. Jude Hospital in Memphis, Tenn.
The hospital serves as America’s second largest health care charity caring for ill children, for little or no cost. Entertainer Danny Thomas, who believed that “No children should die in the dawn of life,” started St. Jude Hospital.
“St. Jude is the happiest hospital you will ever be in. I can’t think of another charity with the same feeling of giving the gift of life for the family and children,” Beauduy said.
