Community Corner
New York Yankee Legend Mariano Rivera Serves as Guest Auctioneer at Iona Preparatory School's 2013 President's Dinner
On November 22nd 2013, Iona Preparatory School held its annual President’s Dinner honoring Rina and John Verni ’80 at the Glen Island Harbour Club in New Rochelle. During the course of the evening, New York Yankee great, Mariano Rivera served as a special guest auctioneer for three items that he personally donated to the event.
Mr. Rivera, who has two sons currently enrolled at Iona Preparatory School and one who graduated, donated a lunch and pitching session as well as the jersey he wore in his final appearance as a New York Yankee, which he also signed. During the bidding, two bidders emerged for the lunch and pitching session and Mr. Rivera graciously offered to host two separate lunch and pitching sessions.
“The Iona Prep community is greatly appreciative of Mr. Rivera’s generosity,” stated Brother Thomas R. Leto, President of Iona Preparatory School. “Mr. Rivera has been a long-time supporter of our mission and his willingness to act as a guest auctioneer and donate priceless items speaks to that.”
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The items Mr. Rivera donated raised over $70,000 for the school and the President’s Dinner itself raised over $350,000. Proceeds from the event will benefit the enhancement of the Paul Verni Fine Arts Center here at Iona Preparatory.
The Paul Verni Fine Arts Center opened in 1985 and was made possible by a generous gift from Mary and Vito Verni in honor of their son Paul, a member of the class of 1981, who passed away after a battle with Leukemia.
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If you have any questions please contact Mark Hogan ’87, ’91, Chief Advancement Officer by email mhogan@ionaprep.org or by phone at (914) 600-6158.
About Iona Preparatory School
Iona Preparatory School is an all-boys private, K-12 Catholic institution founded in 1916 by the Congregation of Christian Brothers. Iona Prep’s mission is to educate young men to be moral, ethical leaders, developing the whole person in the heritage of Blessed Edmund Rice and the American Catholic tradition to be life-long learners, responsible to their commitment of service to others, confident in their self-worth, while being supported by a challenging and innovative college-preparatory curriculum in relationship with dedicated and caring faculty and community. For more information, please visit www.ionaprep.org
