Gustavus Library Associates (GLA) will host its 18th biennial library fundraiser event, A Royal Affair, Saturday, Nov. 16 at the Radisson Blu Mall of America. This dinner and auction event will benefit the endowment fund of the Folke Bernadotte Memorial Library on the Gustavus campus.
A Royal Affair is a gala event, which includes a formal dinner, live and silent auctions with more than 200 items, and the joy of sharing a very special evening with friends of the Gustavus community. The Rev. Brian Fragodt ’81 will act as the Master of Ceremonies, while his wife, Kim ’83, and her quintet will provide music for entertainment and dancing.
“Our live and silent auctions will feature some exclusive opportunities this year,” said Jan Michaletz ’74, GLA Board member and Chair of A Royal Affair. “John Wirth ’75 has donated airfare and hotel accommodations for two to Canada, where the high bidder will meet the cast of AMC’s Hell on Wheels and also appear in an episode.”
Like all GLA fundraisers, funds raised by A Royal Affair directly support the academic mission of the College. Dan Mollner, chair of the library, says that GLA fundraisers have become an important and essential part of the Library’s annual budget.
“The Library is an expensive place to operate. We pay thousands and thousands of dollars each year to provide databases, books, journals, films, and recordings to give our students, faculty, and staff access to scholarly publication in many subjects taught and explored on campus,” Mollner said. “The GLA endowment provides between 20 and 25 percent of our annual allocations budget. Alumni and friends who give to the library through GLA should know that their gift goes right to our collections. With those collections we help to open students’ minds to the world beyond campus.”
Those attending A Royal Affair can check out what items will be up for auction by going to bidpal.net/royalaffair13.
GLA is a friends-of-the-college organization dedicated to the support and advancement of the College’s Folke Bernadotte Memorial Library. Since organizing in 1977, GLA has raised more than $2.5 million for the library endowment fund, acquisitions, and non-budgeted special collections.
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Media Contact: Director of Media Relations and Internal Communication Luc Hatlestad
luch@gustavus.edu
507-933-7510