Bridges Gala 2025
Client: Bridges Middle School
Bridges Middle School came to us with a clear goal: design a nonprofit fundraising event that would raise dedicated support for their financial aid program. But this wasn’t just about hitting a number—it was about creating a night that would bring people together around shared values, real impact, and the heart of their mission.
They asked us to help them build a moment that would move their community to give—and we knew storytelling would be the key.
Photo credit: Jaime Valdez Photography
Event Magic: When Stories, Generosity, and Connection Collide
When Storytelling Moves a Room
At the Bridges Middle School event, Peter—a proud Bridges graduate—and his parents, Doreen and Michael, shared their incredible journey in a moving impact video.
We filmed the interviews separately to allow Peter’s story to take center stage. His words painted a vivid picture of the life-changing skills he gained at Bridges and how those lessons continue to shape his adulthood. His parents also brought their powerful perspective, with heartfelt reflections describing how 5th-grade challenges were transformed into 6th-grade joy when they got to Bridges.
Although we typically believe that the best school fundraisers and fundraising galas raise unrestricted funds to support the entire organization, our client wanted this event to have a special focus: investing in financial aid.
In Peter’s video, his parents shared that during Peter’s time at school, their family faced a medical leave and an unexpected job loss. Bridges jumped in, and their financial aid program helped them to stay connected to the community and continue Peter’s education uninterrupted.
A Standing Ovation, Then Generosity in Action
We encourage our client partners to welcome their storytellers to the event as honored guests. And when they asked Peter if he’d be willing to come onstage after the video to connect with the audience in person, he was all in.
When Peter walked onstage after the video, the room erupted in applause. Cheers turned into a standing ovation, and with tears of joy in his eyes, Peter shared a few simple, heartfelt words: his pride in being part of the Bridges community and his encouragement for guests to give generously.
It was a perfect, electric moment to transition into fundraising. With the crowd activated and emotional, auctioneer Misty Marquam led the giving level by level, fueled by matching gifts that doubled the generosity of the room.
A Surprise Moment of Legacy and Love
And then, the evening delivered even more magic.
Executive Director Beven honored two incredible contributors to Bridges’ success, including Ann, a former parent of an alum and board member. Ann played a key role in warding off the school's near-closure years ago and remained a fierce advocate in building its financial aid program, steadily increasing the fund every year.
After her acceptance speech, in a beautiful, spontaneous moment, Peter raced to meet Ann at the side of the stage. He thanked her warmly and offered his arm to escort her back to her table. It was a simple act that said everything about the bonds this community creates.
A Final, Joyful Surprise
The surprises kept coming.
It was time to announce the raffle winner—a "choose your own adventure" trip to either Italy or Bali, sourced from consignment.
The room held its breath as the winning number was called: Bidder 1… 6… 3!
Cheers erupted again—the winner was Doreen, Michael, and Peter!
It was an unforgettable cherry on top of an already incredible night.
This fundraising gala was filled with heart, surprises, and pure community spirit. It's events and moments like these that remind us why we do what we do: harnessing the power of storytelling to bring people together and celebrating the magic of community with fundraising event ideas that move people to give.
Congratulations to Bridges Middle School for surpassing your fundraising goal and for building a community where every story and every person matters.
When it comes to fundraising events, I've learned that there are things you can plan for and some things you can’t. We set the stage in months of planning with TFE Co. — producing great videos, ironing out a brilliant fundraising strategy, and getting everything in place for a smooth event — but I could never have predicted the magical moments that happened at Bridges Gala! We had so much fun AND we secured valuable funding for our financial aid program, which was a huge win! I love our partnership with TFE Co. and can't recommend them enough.
Beven Byrnes, Executive Director of Bridges Middle School
