Brownsburg – Earlier this year, a group of parent volunteers made progress toward their goal of raising enough money to renovate and expand the school’s existing playground, which was moved from the old campus on Green Street in downtown Brownsburg, to the new school building on 1000 East. Despite challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic, they hope to close out the campaign in the coming months.
“Play has a number of critical benefits, including positively impacting our children’s overall mental health, which is more important than ever as we cope with a global pandemic,” explained Angela Bostrom, St. Malachy principal. “Because of my experience as an educator, I know that our children develop important physical balance, literacy, memory and social skills as well as contribute to their daily 60-minute physical activity goal when they play. I strongly believe this playground project is a critical need for our growing school and community.”
Last year, parents put a big dent in their fundraising goal, hosting “Sham-a-bration” the school’s largest annual fundraiser. More than 20 years ago, St. Malachy parents started raising funds for the school through an event called Mardi Gras, and Sham-a-bration continues this tradition. On February 6, 2021, the Sham-a-bration committee intends to host a limited capacity in-person event at The Country Club of Indianapolis to include dinner, a silent auction, live music by Brett Wiscons and Rob Dixon, and games. An optional VIP reception with a wine tasting will start the evening for sponsors and those who wish to purchase a VIP ticket.
On the same night, some supporters will choose to “Sham-a-brate at Home.” Those who participate virtually can livestream the event and bid on auction items. A wine tasting kit with wines selected by The Country Club of Indianapolis Food and Beverage Director Sergio Cabrera, and a charcuterie box created by The Hayloft, as well as a Shamrock spirit kit with favors are available for purchase in advance.
“The name of the game this year is flexibility. We’ve tried to design in-person and virtual event experiences that will enable our community to come together and support this campaign. We’ll continue to adjust as needed, and will shift to a completely virtual event if necessary,” said Rebecca Moreland Green, event co-chair. “We are grateful that despite the difficulties many in our community have faced, that they still see the value for our children and feel passionately about investing in this project with us. Our school community is vibrant, active, and loyal to the businesses that support it,” she added.
To learn more about the #playforSMS campaign and the upcoming Shambration virtual and in person event experiences, visit https://stmalachy.home.qtego.net/.
About #playforSMS
The goal is to raise $150,000 to $200,000 to expand and renovate the current playground. The current playground, which was moved from the former St. Malachy Green Street location, is undersized for the student population, and the mulch bed needs to be improved. The committee is looking for partners to help us underwrite the cost of playground equipment.
About St. Malachy
St. Malachy is a thriving school that serves more than 430 students from preschool to eighth grade from Hendricks, Boone and Marion Counties. The school is consistently rated a four-star school by the Indiana Department of Education. St. Malachy Catholic Church is one of the oldest and largest church communities in Hendricks County. The St. Malachy Community believes the Gospel is proclaimed at the altar – and louder still as a parishioner welcomes a stranger, protests an injustice, or feeds a hungry family. The parish is active in supporting charitable causes including Sheltering Wings, food pantries, the Cathedral Soup Kitchen, St. Vincent DePaul, the Gabriel Project and its own Christmas Angel Tree.
