We Love Northern Ball sets new fundraising record

Staff and wire report

The signature Montana State University-Northern fundraiser, the We Love Northern Ball that has been absent for the last two years, returned this year with a triumphant finish.

MSU-Northern Foundation reported in a press release the 2023 We Love Northern Ball set a new fundraising record, grossing more than $60,000 and netting more than $40,000 for scholarships.

More than 210 guests attended the event in the Armory Gymnasium Saturday, Feb. 11, 2023, with the fundraiser returning after a two-year hiatus, the first years it had missed since 1985.

COVID-19 hit just after the ball was held in 2020, and the event was absent in 2021 and 2022.

"Thirty-nine years after its formation, it returned with renewed vigor Feb. 11, 2023, and the assurance that it will continue to be the university's signature annual event," the release said.

The event originally was put on by the community before being taken over by the university's funding foundation.

The press release said that, in December of 1984, Havre Soroptimists decided to show support for Northern - then Northern Montana College - while pickets were held at other university campuses to protest proposed budget cuts to the university system.

"Fifty-seven local organizations and businesses worked together for two months to plan the event," the release said. "Valentine's Day, 1985, the first (We Love Northern) was held. Everyone in the community participated. The Girl Scouts handled the coat check, Boy Scouts helped with cleanup, the Bacchus Club set up a non-alcoholic bar, the Tavern Association set up the regular bar, students helped Loendorf's Floral make corsages, R & R Studio set up for 'ball' pictures, Roger Barber was maître d' and coaches and students were the waiters and waitresses."

And, after a two-year absence, the ball returned this year in grand style and with great success.

The evening began with a cocktail hour at 6 p.m., and scores of guests stayed until the dancing was over at 11:30 p.m.," the release said

"It was such an incredible evening, many didn't want to leave," MSU-Northern Foundation Outreach Coordinator Melanie Skoyen said. "Even after the music ended, some people stayed and talked until 12:30 a.m."

Everyone in attendance agreed that this year's ball met its goal of creating an 'experience' that justified the cost of a $100 ticket. Guests entered on a red carpet and received a complimentary digital photograph by Jim Potter. They made their way to their tables, which were exquisitely decorated in black and gold. They enjoyed a drink while perusing the live and silent auction items.

Since the ball's theme was "In the Mood," music from the Glenn Miller Orchestra filled the room.

At 7 p.m., the festivities began, by serving an appetizer, baked brie with prosciutto, and a marvelous wine, a Soave from the Guerrieri Rizzardi Vineyards in Italy. Chancellor Greg Kegel and his wife, Sherry, were summoned to the stage, along with Havre artist Don Greytak. The MSU-Northern Foundation had commissioned Greytak to create a pencil drawing that represented three "timeless elements" that every Northern Alumni would recognize. They were: Cowan Hall, The Goose (a historic vehicle), and a homecoming king and queen. Don also added a fourth timeless element with Chancellor Kegel driving the Goose. When Greg and Sherry Kegel unveiled the print and realized that the chancellor was driving, it was the perfect surprise.

Greytak received a standing ovation for his work and the first five numbered prints in the limited edition of 500 prints went up for auction. They raised an impressive $7,200 in less than 10 minutes.

As the main course was being served - beef tenderloin with puff pastry and a red wine sauce, paired with a Martino Malbec from Mendoza, Argentina - six big-ticket items were auctioned off. The items included a steel wood-fired pizza oven made by the MSU-N welding faculty; a five-course dinner and bourbon-tasting for eight people; a guided fishing trip for two to a lake in Saskatchewan; a stunning Emily Luke photograph of the night sky over the Bear Paw Mountains; a Fort Peck Theater summer package, and a ski package to the Teton Pass Resort near Choteau.

The live auction items garnered a total of $7,050.

After dessert, tiramisu paired with an Orange Blossom Rose from Willamette Vineyards in Oregon, the event recognized Wabtec Corp. as the Executive Sponsor. Wabtec, a major partner and sponsor of Northern, proclaimed its matching pledge of $10,000 for the evening. In order to encourage guests to give, it was announced that every pledge would not only be doubled by the Wabtec pledge, but each donor would earn a chance to win an $800 Pit Boss pellet barbecue and smoker donated by North 40.

A video of a student testimonial was played, telling how much scholarships meant to them and thanking people for their generosity. As pledges were being collected, two inspiring songs were played, Josh Groban's "You Raised Me Up" and Dionne Warwick and Friends "That's What Friends are For."

At the end of the two songs, $9,550 in matching grants had been received and that was announced to the audience. Two people then came forward to write checks for $450 and $50, making the final matching tally of $10,050.

The winner of the barbecue was announced and that family was thrilled, the release said.

With most of the fundraising complete, the ball shifted into entertainment and dancing mode with the introduction of the band. J.K. and the Northern Lights was an eight-piece swing jazz ensemble made up of musicians from Billings. The leader of the band, Jack Klein, served in Iraq with the MSU-Northern Executive Director Al Garver, who was serving as master of ceremonies for the ball. The band payed tribute to the Big Bands of the 40s and 50s, with seven of their songs from the Glen Miller Orchestra. They started with Miller's signature tune, "In the Mood," and absolutely nailed it. The crowd was instantly in love with the band and guests filled the dance floor for the first 30-minute swing-jazz set.

The second song the band played was the Glenn Miller hit, "String of Pearls." To accompany the song, the foundation announced the final fundraiser of the evening: the Rose Raffle. Glenn Miller wrote the song for his wife when they were young and struggling and he couldn't afford an actual string of pearls for her. Before the song was performed live at the ball, the audience was shown a string of pearls donated by J.M. Donoven Designs in Havre.

When the music started, people could buy a long-stemmed rose for $20. The 75 roses sold quickly and when the song was over, the winning ticket was announced and the winner of the pearls was elated. The band went on to perform hits including "Blue Moon," "Little Brown Jug" and "Take the A-Train." They ended their first set with the pulse-pounding Tommy Dorsey hit, "Sing Sing Sing."

When the band took a 30-minute break, the dancing continued with a mix of the best dance tunes, backed up by music videos on the two big screens; everything from Whitney Houston's "I Wanna Dance with Somebody" to Elvis' "Jailhouse Rock." Five members of the Northern Rodeo team came forward to start a line dance to Brooks and Dunn's "Boot Scootin' Boogie" and the crowd piled onto the dance floor to join them.

The band returned for their second and final 30-minute set and wowed the audience again with "A Foggy Day," "American Patrol" and "Pennsylvania 6-5000," just to name a few. They ended with a reprise of "In the Mood" and the crowd gave them a resounding standing ovation. The eight band members were presented with Northern Alumni ball caps and made "honorary alumni."

The evening ended with another 30 minutes of DJ dance music that kept the floor filled, from Earth Wind & Fire's "September" to ending with the Jennifer Warren and Bill Medley hit from Dirty Dancing, "I had the Time of my Life."

"My only regret about the entire evening," Garver said, laughing, "was not getting a video of Chancellor Kegel dancing to Bruno Mars' 'Uptown Funk.' That would have been priceless."

When the revenues and expenses were tallied a week later, the foundation discovered the We Love Northern Ball set a new fundraising record of $60,255 - the previous record was $52,183 - and also set the net proceeds record with $40,348. The previous record was $37,000.

All of those funds will be used for scholarships.

"We are so pleased with the generosity of everyone in Havre and throughout the Hi-Line," Garver said in the release. "The 210 guest were a perfect representation of happy, fun-loving and giving people. We hope next year we can get 400 people to attend."