Saint Bernard boosters hosted a sold-out crowd for its annual Booster Club Drawdown Dinner on Saturday. Four hundred thirty-seven tickets were sold for $100 each and a dozen were held out for bingo winners, along with a dazzling array of other prizes to collect the grand prize of $10,000.

Friends, family, and alumni enjoyed an evening catered by All Steak of Cullman. Patrons were able to participate in a wide variety of entertainment including a silent auction, Saints Plinko, bingo and more to raise monies for the Saint Bernard Prep School Athletic Department.

SBP Athletic Director William Calvert says funds raised from the event help cover the costs of the 11 different sports offered by the school.

“These funds help us buy athletic equipment, uniforms, and maintain our athletic facilities and fields. It also aides in our coaches’ educational programs, assistant coach supplements, and the annual athletic awards ceremony,” Calvert said.

Saint Bernard Prep currently is facing a number of costs associated with its athletic programs, including its new archery team, which debuted this semester, and the funds generated will help defray some of the associated costs. Funds will also cover a new Pixellot camera system; a national network of streaming sporting events live online to include volleyball, basketball and soccer; and new soccer goals are needed to replace the ones that have been in use since the 1996 Argentina Olympic team trained at Saint Bernard.

Booster Club President Dyron Powell was delighted with the outcome of the evening. “I think we hit a record in crowd size, and I understand it is the second time in history we have sold all tickets,” said Powell.

Saint Bernard officials thanked Leah Messick and Elicia Fallin who were instrumental in organizing the event and to the many parents, staff, and friends who sold tickets.

“Community support is vital to all the work we do at Saint Bernard, and we are blessed to have such a dedicated group,” Powell said.

Winners for the evening were: $250 – Sharon Collier; $500 – Heather Gudger; $750 – Matt Dabbs; $1,000 – Tim Burleson; and $10,000 – Denise Arndt.

Saint Bernard hosts the Booster Club Drawdown Dinner annually on the Saturday before the Super Bowl.