The Union Preparatory School, Graaff-Reinet’ sixth 𝗪𝗜𝗟𝗗 𝗞𝗔𝗥𝗢𝗢 fundraising event culminated on Friday evening, 17 March, in a magical evening beneath a tumultuous Karoo sky.
With thunder rumbling overhead, and the occasional bolt of lightning highlighting the surrounding nightscape, the gala function’s guests were led to the back fields of the school where they found a tented wonderland glittering with fairy lights and beautifully decorated to the nth degree.
𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙩𝙖𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙛𝙪𝙡𝙡𝙮 𝙖𝙙𝙤𝙧𝙣𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙖𝙗𝙡𝙚𝙨, 𝙩𝙧𝙚𝙣𝙙𝙮 𝙬𝙚𝙡𝙡-𝙚𝙦𝙪𝙞𝙥𝙥𝙚𝙙 𝙘𝙤𝙘𝙠𝙩𝙖𝙞𝙡 𝙗𝙖𝙧, 𝙘𝙡𝙖𝙨𝙨𝙞𝙘 𝙨𝙤𝙛𝙩 𝙛𝙪𝙧𝙣𝙞𝙨𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙘𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙫𝙚 𝙙𝙞𝙨𝙥𝙡𝙖𝙮 𝙤𝙛 𝙖𝙪𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙡𝙤𝙩𝙨 𝙨𝙚𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙘𝙚𝙣𝙚 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙖 𝙢𝙤𝙨𝙩 𝙚𝙣𝙟𝙤𝙮𝙖𝙗𝙡𝙚 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙨𝙥𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙖𝙘𝙪𝙡𝙖𝙧 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙣𝙩.
Throughout the evening, guests were treated to a feast for both the eyes and palate.
A seemingly endless assortment of delicious canapés and gorgeous treats were elegantly served and beautifully plated, greeting all those arriving, with a smorgasbord of food being served during the evening buffet-style main meal, followed by the cherry-on-top – a multitude of dessert platters laden with an abundance of gorgeously displayed assorted sweets, pastries and treats.
A highlight of the evening was a live auction superbly conducted by the dynamic auctioneer Duncan McLaggan.
𝗔 𝗰𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝟱𝟭 𝗹𝗼𝘁𝘀 𝘄𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗵𝗮𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗮𝗶𝗿 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗰𝗸 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗲𝘅𝗰𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝘀 𝗯𝗶𝗱𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗱 𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵 𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗼 𝗴𝗲𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝗹𝗼𝘁.
With thanks to the generosity of the sponsors a large variety of awesome lucky draw prizes were also given away.
Once the formal proceedings had come to an end, the 8-piece Franky and the Misfits swing band entertained guests with a selection of energetic jazz music, inviting all those present to take to the dance floor.
“𝘞𝘪𝘭𝘥 𝘒𝘢𝘳𝘰𝘰” 𝘪𝘴 𝘢 𝘶𝘯𝘪𝘲𝘶𝘦 𝘧𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘜𝘯𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘗𝘳𝘦𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺 𝘚𝘤𝘩𝘰𝘰𝘭, 𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘱𝘪𝘤𝘦𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘜𝘯𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘏𝘪𝘨𝘩 𝘚𝘤𝘩𝘰𝘰𝘭 𝘋𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘭𝘰𝘱𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘛𝘳𝘶𝘴𝘵, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘤𝘩𝘰𝘰𝘭 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘦𝘹𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘵𝘴 𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘵𝘶𝘥𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘣𝘶𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘴, 𝘴𝘱𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘰𝘳𝘴, 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘧𝘧 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘩𝘢𝘥 𝘢 𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘯 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘧𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘢 𝘴𝘶𝘤𝘤𝘦𝘴𝘴.
Although calculations have not been finalised, the UPS fundraising committee is pleased to announce that the targeted amount has certainly been superseded and are truly humbled by the overwhelming support and generosity.