By Louis Hoglund
Perhams annual celebration of education, youth and volunteerism drew more than 200 April 1.
The Honey Bee Gala, presented by the 549 Family Foundation, honored several dozen students, volunteers and teachers. And in the process, raised more than $8,000 for the foundation--which provides supplementary funds to the Perham-Dent school district.
Guest speakers included Talitha Sannes-Venhuizen, a 1992 Perham High School graduate who is now saving lives as a doctor at St. Josephs Hospital in Park Rapids. She commended the 549 Foundation as a necessary source of revenue to support programs that are often the first to be cut in tight financial times--such as FFA, arts, choir, speech and band.
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Chris Rone, a 1984 graduate who rose to a position of being one of the highest-ranking woman executives in Major League Baseball, said that she has never lost her sense of pride in the Perham community and school; and the combined progressive spirit.
A third alumni speaker was a bit of a surprise. Josh Johnson, a 2003 graduate who is attending Stanford University and is student manager of the basketball team, was home on spring break . When asked to speak, he said why not. Johnson wears one ring on each hand: On his left hand, the ring for Stanfords PAC 10 basketball championship; and on his right hand, his Perham High School ring.
The 549 Foundation had a mother-daughter team working behind the scenes--and on the stage. Jo Strege, Foundation coordinator, introduced her daughter, student council president Angela Strege--who was Master of Ceremonies for the evening.
Jo Strege said she was extremely pleased with the success of the second annual Gala, which drew more than 220.
When we first came up with this idea, we wanted to do something that would be apart from other events--not formal, but a step up in class, said Strege. We wanted to make it about the schools--that was the main objective.
All facets of Perham-Dent school life were cerebrated at the event. Displayed in the hallways of the Perham Lakeside Golf Club were science-research projects, choir trip photos, Laurentian trip power point, water quality class projects, mass media displays, history day exhibits and quilts created through an 8th grade project.
Many of these special student activities were made possible through the 549 Family Foundation, which contributed financially to make these projects possible.
Centerpieces at the dinner tables included athletic and academic trophies from through the years and creations by art and industrial education students.
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On stage, the music department was featured via the Stingers jazz band, and piano soloists Alina McCrady and Jennifer Strege.
