“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.”
This famous Charles Dickens quote was going through all of our heads after we made the difficult and extraordinary decision to cancel the 2019 Celebration of Light. On Friday morning, February 8th, it was evident that the snow storm was hitting western Washington. The snow was already falling to the north. The time had come. Would it be possible to undo a year’s worth of planning in a matter of hours? The answer was, “yes”.
There is always electricity and excitement in the air as we count down the days to our annual fundraiser, however, this year due to the cancellation, we all anticipated this electricity to quickly fade and disappear into the blizzard. We were wrong. At Celebration of Light we tell stories of the success of individuals who have attended our Catholic schools—individuals who are our heroes. The hero this year is our community.
What followed in the first six hours after cancellation was nothing short of miraculous. The Fulcrum team went into action. Production at the Sheraton which had started at 3:00 a.m. on Friday morning came to a screeching halt, announcements were made via e-mails and phone calls, travel plans cancelled; disbelief prevailed.
What happened in the following 48 hours was pure grace. Our community responded with a roar. Our community with a culture of loyalty to each other, part of a shared identity and radical mutuality, rallied to the cause. Donations immediately were made online, with over 190 donations, totaling over $350,000. Our vendors who are critical partners with Fulcrum to execute the evening also responded with grace. Bills were discounted and notes of support and encouragement were received.
This is a defining moment for Fulcrum and for our entire community. In the face of adversity, we have come together, united in our shared love of Catholic education, giving all that we can to make sure that Fulcrum’s programs continue to grow and thrive. We are forever grateful to our community.
Thank you for being our heroes.