Knight of Jewels Dinner-Dance is Next Weekend

On Saturday, Feb. 26, Immaculate Conception High School will host its 41st annual Knight of Jewels dinner-dance and auction at River Forest Country Club, 15W468 Grand Ave., Elmhurst. 

The festivities honor the benefactors, faculty and alumni of the high school  and serve as the major fund-raising event of the year.  The 2011 ICHS Distinguished Alumni recipients, James Bauernfeind (Class of 1956) and Patricia Cassidy (Class of 1980), will be honored at this year’s gala. 

Bauernfeind  and Cassidy set off on two distinctly different paths after graduating from Immaculate Conception High School, but both attributed much of their success to the foundation that was built during their time at the high school.

After graduating from ICHS in 1956, Bauernfeind headed to Northern Illinois University and then served in the U.S. Army from 1959-1961. He then went to work for Royal Typewriters, where he became the No. 1 West Coast salesperson.  After moving back to Chicago, he became the sales leader at International Typewriter Exchange before founding the Liberty Sales Corp., a promotional products company that is still going strong today.  Bauernfeind and his wife, Mary Ann, sent both of their daughters, Suzie (Class of 1992) and Mary Beth (Class of 1993), to Vistitation Grade School and Immaculate Conception High School. 

Bauernfeind has remained a steadfast supporter of the high school, whether it be assisting the Alumni Association, helping to organize and seek participation for the golf outings, working the phones at a Phone-A-Thon or consistently being one of the top sellers in the Booster Club-sponsored NFL Raffle.  He also was honored with the Golden Man Knight of the Year in 1992, and he received the Honorary Knight Award for service and dedication to the athletic department in 1993. 

“He is one of the most honorable and dedicated men I have ever met, to not only his family but to ICHS,” said his nominator, Gina Ensalaco Gasbarre (Class of 1981). “He believes what ICHS can do for every kid and will do anything possible to help out in any way he can”.

Cassidy headed off to the University of Illinois, where she earned a degree in political science. She went on to earn her master's in business management from Loyola University. She was hired by Loyola Health System and took on many roles over the past 20 years, including directing various departments and becoming a vice-president within the organization.  In 2009, she was named president of Gottlieb Hospital in Melrose Park after Loyola purchased it. 

Since taking on her new role, Cassidy has not only overseen the opening of a new cardiovascular unit, but she has implemented a variety of changes to shift the new Loyola Gottlieb to a more patient-centered health facility. She is a great example of the kind of person that ICHS strives to develop. 

“I sat exactly where you are sitting about 30 years ago,” Cassidy told the students Feb. 5. “I never would have dreamed where my journey would take me. But I now know it all started here at ICHS.”

Knight of Jewels attendees will also be treated to a sneak preview of the ICHS Knights Theatre spring play, "Hairspray."

This year’s live auction will feature a first-class Chicago sports experience, a five-night stay in a Colorado luxury home and a destination golf vacation via private jet, in addition to other items.  The silent auction will once again feature gift baskets full, tickets to Chicago sporting events, fine jewelry or an in-home wine tasting event. If you cannot attend the Knight of Jewels, bidding for items online is a great way to participate. The online auction will be open for bidding and auction preview through Thursday, Feb. 24. A link to the Bidding for Good online auction will be available on the ICHS Web site, at www.ichsknights.org.

Reserve tickets by visiting www.ichsknights.org and clicking on Event Registration at the top right of the home page.  For more information, e-mail Lori Vlahiotis at LoriAnn3251@comcast.net or call the ICHS main office at (630) 530-3460.  Tickets are $100 per guest.  There will be a cocktail reception at 6:30 p.m., dinner and performance at 7 p.m. and auction and dancing from 9 p.m. to midnight.