(Posted Feb. 1, 2019)
By Kristy Zurbrick, Madison Editor
Members of the committee for St. Patrick Catholic Church’s annual dinner and auction were batting around ideas for this year’s theme when Dan Hann, a deacon at the church, had a eureka moment.
He thought, “Leprechauns in lederhosen!” then, calling on his many years as an art teacher, quickly drew just that–a Leprechaun wearing a traditional German outfit and holding a beer stein.
“He came up with it and we just ran with it,” said Amy Hann-Morrow, Dan’s daughter and chair of the event. “We’re using the drawing on tickets, programs, everything.”
The idea combines the church’s Irish and German heritage, and it just so happens that the parish’s new priest, Father Michael Hinterschied, is of German descent.
This year’s dinner and auction will take place on Feb. 23 in the Froning Center at St. Patrick Catholic School, 226 Elm St., London. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. Tickets are $35 and can be purchased at the school office.
“We sold out twice last year. We added another three tables, which was another 24 people. We ended up with about 200 guests,” Hann-Morrow said.
Last year’s event raised $19,000. Proceeds go to upkeep and improvements at the school, which serves students in early education classes through eighth grade.
In keeping with this year’s theme, Schmidt’s, an iconic German restaurant in Columbus, is catering the dinner. The menu will include, among other tasty bites, Schmidt’s famous cream puffs. Vallery Farmhouse Bakery in London also will provide desserts.
Entertainment for the evening includes a performance by the Columbus Police and Fire Pipes and Drums, an adult version of a cakewalk, and a wine and whiskey pool where guests can buy chances to win adult beverages but won’t know what they’re winning until the bottles are unwrapped.
The night also includes an auction. Among the big ticket items up for bid are a 4-H market hog, a vacation trip, a one-night stay at Great Wolf Lodge, and a quilt made by one of the church’s parishioners. The auction also includes artwork by students. Each class works on a group project. Among the items they’ve created this year are a mosaic Block O, in celebration of The Ohio State University, and a pottery bowl made of handprints.
For more information about the dinner and auction, call St. Patrick School at (740) 852-0161.
