If you found yourself near the Pear Stable Wednesday night, you may have heard the sounds of clinking champagne glasses and rambunctious laughter along with an abundant smell of expensive perfume and cologne. If you followed this smell, you would soon hear music swelling behind the spectacular voices of what sounds like a hip baptist church choir.  You may stop and think to yourself that you are missing out on some crazy party which was too exclusive to let you in.  Meanwhile, a group of boys from Central Catholic enter the “party” without having to pay anything. In fact, these boys are embraced by these wealthy folks, and told by numerous people, “thank you for being here and doing your part for the homeless of San Antonio.”  Then you realize…you’ve walked in on a benefit auction sponsored by the Christian Assistance Ministry of San Antonio.

Shortly thereafter, a local pastor walks onto the stage and delivers the prayer for the evening.  The boys from Central then begin preparing for the auction. As the first speaker approaches the stage, hands immediately begin to rise and the Central boys move from table to table collecting the money which the guests were donating.  As the auction begins, the guests immediately thrust their hands in the air and start shouting over each other to get the attention of the man on stage.  Trying to keep track of who said what, the auctioneer pays close attention to the Central boys, who are running across the room trying to point out each person who is pledging money. This is the auctioneer’s cue to continue rambling on the raising prices until finally, the hands go down and one lucky guest wins a prize, in return for his great contribution to CAM.  At this moment, the Central Catholic Students can catch their breath for a brief second, that is, until the bidding continues.

Mitchell Markey

The purpose of this  Gala at the Pearl Stable, is to raise money for CAM, an organization which provides food, clothing, hygiene, and financial support for the homeless or individuals in a crisis.  Since it is a ministry, CAM also provides clients with a chapel for a place of prayer. CAM has over 200 volunteers from all over the city and beyond. All of the workers are volunteers and Central Catholic students play a large role in the service that CAM provides.  “We are all here to support an organization that helps so many people in San Antonio. Without CAM, San Antonio would cripple its ability to help the homeless and people who are really reaching out for help”, said Rick Shaw, the auctioneer of the event.  Central Catholic is known for its participation in community organizations, especially ones which are faith based.  

Mitchell Markey

The night ends with a video which highlights the importance of serving the community of San Antonio.  A few speakers even discussed their times as CAMS clients and with the assistance were able to change their lives for the better.  These speeches ended in tears and an abundant sound of applause.

Once the event came to a close, Mary Henderson, the volunteer coordinator at CAM, had very kind words to say about the students of Central Catholic saying, “All of the staff at CAM are so thankful for the young men at Central Catholic and all they do for our organization.”  

The boys left the gala that night with an uplifting feeling.  “I’m  glad we were able to help out tonight to represent our school in such a positive way because working with organizations like CAM is just what the Marianist tradition is all about,” said Houston Kirby, a senior.   In the end it was a great night for the attendees, and even better for the clients whom CAM serves.