Blog

By Tom Anselm 

The Incarnate Word Academy Alumnae Association sponsored its first Annual Spring Boutique on April 19. The event featured 47 product vendors and 17 food providers.

“Since this is the first ever, we wanted an event for people of all ages, including children, that brought people back to the campus, and provided a look at what Incarnate is all about for prospective students,” said Katie Eagan, vice president of the Alumnae Board and one of three chairpersons for the boutique. “Our goal is to raise $25,000 to endow The Katie Campanella Visual Arts Scholarship.

So it is extra-meaningful this year, and very bittersweet. Katie, 11, and her sister Beth, 16, a junior at IWA, were involved in a car accident in the fall in which Katie lost her life and Beth was seriously injured. She has since made a full recovery. Their mother, Christine Campanella, a 1974 graduate of the school, expressed her thanks to all organizers, vendors and volunteers.

“Katie so wanted to go to school here, and have her picture outside the theater like her mom and aunts and cousin. By creating this Visual Arts Scholarship, that dream can come true. Thank you, thank you, thank you.”

Megan Crain, director of Recruitment and Alumnae coordinator, and another co-chair, was deeply impressed with the turnout, and the family support, as well as the atmosphere of joy and hopefulness. “This event shows the true heart of Incarnate Word. The amount of participation from all the vendors, the incredible effort of the family and friends… this is the essence of what it means to be a member of the Incarnate Word family. It also advances the mission of the school, to support students and reinvolve its graduates. So many attendees have come to this boutique who haven’t been back to the campus in a long time.”

Toni Pagano, also a co-chair for the activity, summed up the feelings of many. “It was a tremendous honor to be able to insure Katie’s legacy. To keep her loving heart and memory alive is wonderful gift to all of us. We all saw her bubbly spirit, and that will be continued through future students who will benefit from this scholarship.

”This year’s event brought in $30,000, with all proceeds going to the Visual Arts Scholarship in Katie’s name. Future Boutique’s will support this and all other existing scholarships, according to current plans.

Winners of the Grand Raffle were Ashley Geisz, who garnered a pair of 14k gold earrings donated by Lordo’s Diamonds, valued at $2850. Judy and Terry Alvino won the vacation package of a one week stay at a Sandestin condominium, donated by Pierre and Kate Ziadeh, which includes the use of a 7-passenger van courtesy of Jim Cavanaugh of Broadway Trucks and Van Rental.