Comedy & Cuisine 2024
A Benefit for Saint Cecilia
Cathedral Grade School
Our main event will be April 13, 2024
We are excited for you to participate in this event. Your support is greatly appreciated. Our event chairs and committees have put in countless hours to pull together high-quality items for you to bid on and win. Please patronize our event sponsors. Without their partnership and support this event could not happen.
Donate & Buy Tickets & Bid Online
Why Do We Need Comedy & Cuisine?
Saint Cecilia Grade School is a vital part of Saint Cecilia Parish and the Saint Cecilia Community. It is funded through four primary sources: Parish Support, Tuition and Fees, Endowment Support, and Comedy & Cuisine. Without each of these resources, Saint Cecilia School would not exist. Comedy & Cuisine is a necessary and critical element in the school’s support system. Its donors, patrons, underwriters, advertisers, and bidders serve as the capstone to this support system.
Donations to Comedy & Cuisine continue to build our ministry to educate our children, prepare them to meet the challenges of the 21st Century, and fulfill our mission:
+ To teach and live the Catholic faith within a nurturing family-like community.
+ Teach reverence for life and respect for all.
+ Foster each student's academic potential.
Our School
Welcome to St. Cecilia Cathedral Grade School, an award-winning Catholic school in Omaha, Nebraska. Founded in 1907, St. Cecilia School educates a diverse population of children in PreKindergarten through 8th Grade. St. Cecilia School is committed to fostering a Christian learning environment and proclaiming and modeling faith, worship, service and prayer.
St. Cecilia's academic strength is built on strong parent involvement and a dedicated faculty that averages 18 years of experience. Our goal is to work with parents to provide their children an education of the highest quality and to build a strong foundation for success in high school and beyond.
St. Cecilia is a one-to-one school. Weekly technology classes are offered for all students (grades PreK – 8). We incorporate the use of technology to enhance and support our curriculum and to allow for personalized learning. All students in grades K – 8 are taught computer programming skills using various programs.
St. Cecilia Cathedral School goes beyond the normal academic curriculum. We feel that it is important to meet the differentiated needs of our students and provide opportunities to explore their interests.
St. Cecilia offers soccer (boys and girls PreK-8th), volleyball (girls 5th-8th), basketball (boys and girls 3rd-8th), and track (boys and girls 6th-8th).
2023 Co-Chairs
Chris & Danielle Lyons
2023 Co-Chairs
Mac McLaughlin & Heather Gomes
2023 Co-Chairs
Tony & Shannon Vaccaro
What Activities Will Be Included?
Doors open at 5:00 pm. Cocktails and bidding!
Dining, Sharing, Laughing, Bidding, Buying!
Videos and Presentations of our Honorees
Silent Auction and Top of the Line Live Auction
Musical Entertainment
Lots of fun!
4:30 pm grade school tour
5:00 pm: doors open, bar open
6:00 pm: hors d’oeuvres and music
7:00 pm bidding ends for the silent auction
7:30 pm: dinner
8:00 pm: presentations to the honorees
8:30 pm: live auction
9:30 to 11:00 pm: Diamond Empire band, bar open, chance to visit with other attendees
What Has the Event Help Fund?
Improvements, Construction, or Renovation:
Gymnasium and Stage
School Windows
School Cafeteria and Kitchen
Library and Reception Area
Science Lab and Equipment
Classroom Technology
School Restrooms
Athletic Equipment
Robotics Lab
Fire Safety Equipment and Systems
St. Bernadette Hall Furniture
Computers and Technology
STEAM Lab & Media Center.
Enhancements to Educational Services:
Kindergarten Program
Full Time Art Faculty
Part Time Resource Faculty
Continuing Education Fund for Faculty
Music and Drama Program
Faculty Scholarship
Financial Aid and Tuition Assistance
Reading Curriculum.
What is Comedy & Cuisine?
Comedy and Cuisine is an event to gather as a Saint Cecilia community to celebrate the wonderful accomplishments of our school and raise funds to support the great work of the faculty and students. This event is an integral part of the support structure of our school.
The cost to educate each student continues to grow and we strive to keep tuition at an affordable level to allow all families that seek a Catholic education to send their children to Saint Cecilia School. Your support of this event is vital to our mission to educate students in a family atmosphere.
The dedication, generosity and hard work over the years of the annual event has raised over $2 million in support of our nationally recognized, award-winning school.
Past Chairs
1998 Mike and Anne McGuire
1998 John and Joyce Passarelli
1999 Mark and Lori Winkler
2000 Rod and Mary Jewell
2001 Albert Macchietto and Michaela White
2002 Joe and Molly Lang
2003 Bill and Julie Erickson
2003 Alan and Denise Nunn
2004 John and Mary Beth Lindsay
2004 Alan Thelen and Sandy Maass Thelen
2005 Lee and Ellen Ehlers
2005 Brad and Cassandra Poeckes
2006 Matt and Sheryl Fitzgerald
2006 Fred and Ellie Grossman
2007 Brian and Jana Donahoe
2007 Tony and Laura Romero
2008 Tom and Kelly Hickey
2008 Ron and Robin Woita
2009 Mike and Martha O'Connor
2009 Rus and Marci Biven
2010 Michael and Kimberly Joyce
2010 Mike and Julie Swartz
2011 Christopher Burbach and Judith Nygren
2011 Brian and Lyn Rhoten
2012 Chip and Pam Maxwell
2012 David and Noelia Weber
2013 Jim and Tricia Elliston
2013 Frank Zitek and Shannon Sullivan-Zitek
2014 Jerry and Mary Lynne Bushman
2014 Tim and Pam Lammers
2015 Jim Dowse and Margie Gazinski
2015 Tim and Magan Smith
2016 Matt and Christi Schill
2016 John and Teresa Ryan
2017 Tom and Elizabeth McGuire
2017 Dan and Molly Haske
2018 Drew and Crystal Gerken
2018 Jay and Christine Koehn
2019 John-Paul and Lizzie Lehn
2019 Mike and Katie Schill
2020 Ryan and Erin Hagedorn
2020 Chris and Remý Kaslon
2021 Brad and Amanda Perry
2021 Tri and Tami Tran
2021 Jim and Erica Bush
2022 Eric and Molly Neuman
2022 Joe and Maura Niederee
2022 Trevor and Candice Towey
Honorary Chairs
1999 Joe and Jeanne Barmettler
2000 Bob Matt
2001 John and Michaela Blazek
2002 Mary Lindsay
2003 Bob Soener
2004 Paul and Lori Hogan
2005 Mike and Ann Boyle
2006 Terry and Sue Wilwerding
2007 Larry and Karen Dwyer and Tom Dwyer
2008 Frank and Helen Matthews
2009 Barry & Mary Gerken and Bob & Mary Kay Gerken
2010 Deacon’s Joe Archibald, Dave Gurney, Fred Sommer, Jim Watson
2011 John and Joyce Passarelli
2012 Michael and Mary Beth Barmettler
2013 Tom and Betsy Morrison Family
2014 Tom and Jane Werner
2015 Previous Comedy and Cuisine chairs
2016 Paul and Janet Lehn family
2017 Phil and Emily Sauvageau
2018 Craig and Cathy Lyons
2019 Byron and Linda Stigge
2020 David and Michaela Doyle (event cancelled)
2021 David and Michaela Doyle
2022 Geoff and Lorraine Thiele
Honorees
2007 Great Teacher: Sister Marie Juan Maney
2007 Great Coach: Roger Higgins
2007 Great Principal: Bonnie Pryor
2008 Great Administrator: Molly Swiercek
2008 Great Teacher: Sr. Marie Patrice O’Donnell, OP
2009 Great Steward: Leo Batenhorst
2009 Great Family: Mitt and Mary Ellen Stoffel
2010 Great Family: Leo Wilwerding
2010 Great Faculty: Saint Cecilia Grade School
2011 Great Teachers: Sr. Marie Patrice O’Donnell, OP and Sr. Mary Duchesne Maxwell, OP
2013 Great Steward: Pete Larson
2013 Great Family Award: Roger and Donna Higgins
2014 Great Stewards: Dorothy and Alice Lammers
2014 Great Family: Lindsay
2015 Great Alum: Herbert Rhodes
2015 Great Teacher: Dorothy Buchan
2016 Great Priest: Reverend Monsignor James Gilg
2016 Great Teacher: Margaret Swanson
2017 Great Alum: Adam Herold
2018 Great Family: Jerry and Patty Maguire
2019 Great Steward: Br. William Woeger, FSC
2019 Great Teacher: Carol Walters
2020 Great Family: Ed and Joni Fogarty (event cancelled)
2021 Great Family: Ed and Joni Fogarty
2022 Great Steward: Robbie Dylla
2022 Great Alum: Drew Gerken