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UST Mardi Gras Raises $800,000 for Scholarships
3/9/2009
Revelers donning masks and beads celebrated on Fat Tuesday,  Feb. 24, as the University of St. Thomas hosted its annual Mardi Gras Gala “A Night in Rio” benefitting Fr. Francis E. Monaghan Scholarship Fund. More than 500 guests celebrated UST’s time-honored tradition at the Hilton Americas, as they helped raise $800,000 for the education of current and future students.
Kerri and Downey Bridgwater chaired the event, which honored longtime University friends and benefactors Carol and Odis Peavy, owners of PV Rentals. The Peavys have worked tirelessly to help the University reopen its School of Nursing. They generously donated $2.5 million towards the project. In 2007 the Peavys served as Mardi Gras Chairs. Downey Bridgwater sits on the University’s board of directors.
A live auction featured a dinner with His Eminence Daniel Cardinal DiNardo and numerous luxury vacation packages including trips to Tuscany, England, France, Brazil, San Miguel de Allende, and Pebble Beach. A silent auction was also part of the festivities.
 UST seniors Tom Mendez and Cimela Kidonakis, who won the honor of this year’s student king and queen, greeted attendees and later thanked donors for making a St. Thomas education possible for themselves and others.
Serving as mistress of ceremonies at the black tie event was former local news anchor Shara Fryer. Alumnus Walter Suhr and his band, Mango Punch!, provided the Latin music, and members of the Brazilian Arts Foundation entertained the crowd with performances by Brazilian carnival dancers and a demonstration of caiopera, a Brazilian martial art.
Party-goers in attendance included Margaret Williams and Jim Daniel; Astrid and Gene Van Dyke; John Poindexter and Claudia Craft; Raye White; Trini Mendenhall Sosa and Frank Sosa; Cora Sue and Harry Mach; Minnie and Will Baird; and Kay and Fred Zeidman.
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