To the editor:

For 36 years, friends and supporters of St. Edmond Catholic Schools have gathered at the annual St. Edmond Ball to support the mission of our school. The support of not only the St. Edmond community, but the Fort Dodge community at the annual ball has made it possible to budget for items at the school that we could not otherwise afford with the limited resources we have at our disposal.

Each year co-chairs have dedicated countless hours to making the ball a success, and we are extremely grateful for the past co-chairs for their contributions. This year, however, the School Board wants to specifically recognize the 2020 co-chairpersons Craig and Jamie Schlienz and Adam and Kari Swisher.

After graciously agreeing to chair this year’s ball and during the heart of the preparation, the decision was made to cancel the live ball as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Craig, Jamie, Adam and Kari were then asked to switch gears and co-chair a virtual ball. Without hesitation they accepted the task when it would have been much easier to skip the ball in its entirety. This had to be accomplished in a very short amount of time with little direction or experience for such an endeavor. The end result of their dedication was a No-Show Ball which raised $270,000 for St. Edmond Catholic Schools.

The board understands that the generosity and dedication of countless people were instrumental in this success but it was the leadership of these four individuals during the most difficult of times that made it possible. The board will forever be grateful for their hard work and we know that the fruits of their labor will allow us to carry out the mission of St. Edmond Catholic schools. If you see Craig, Jamie, Adam or Kari in passing, please take a moment to congratulate and thank them.

Todd Baker

Fort Dodge