Excitement is building as the date for Wichita’s Party on the Plaza fundraiser, themed around the Roaring 20’s, draws near.
On Sept. 30, community members will come together for an evening of delicious food and drinks, fun games, unique auction items and spectacular entertainment with the singular goal of raising money for Newman University student financial aid. It will take place at Newman University on Founders Plaza, just outside of the DeMattias Fine Arts Building.
The generous contributions of current and past sponsors have been instrumental in making Party on the Plaza as impactful as it is.
“Party on the Plaza is an event that benefits a number of people, both within the school and our community,” Events Coordinator Abbi Timmermeyer said. “It gets people excited and passionate about the institution and our mission. Our students are our No. 1 priority and the community has a chance to be a huge part of that.”
Order of the Night
The Roaring 20’s themed fundraising event will kick off at 4:30 p.m. with an optional Mass in St. John’s Chapel. At 5:30 p.m., festivities begin at Founders Plaza with drinks, social time, games and a chance to peruse the silent auction items. The event features a photo booth, spin the wine bottle game and a caricature artist.
Dinner will be served at 6:30 p.m. with live entertainment from student organizations. Additionally, student volunteers will sell 100 Golden Tickets, which offer guests a chance to win a live auction item and only spend $100. Before the live auction, a golden ticket number will be drawn and the winner will get to pick from any of the live auction packages.
A live auction will be hosted by auctioneer Charlie Moon and Master of Ceremonies (emcee) J.T. Klaus (alumnus of 1987).
Reservations are required for Party on the Plaza: Roaring 20’s, and the final day to reserve tickets is Friday, Sept. 29. Roaring 20’s inspired costumes are encouraged, but not required. Tickets may be purchased at wichitapop.com.
Those unable to attend in person can still support the event by donating or bidding on silent auction items. Online bidding goes live on Wednesday, Sept. 27. Every dollar donated directly benefits student financial aid.
Special thanks to Dale Withers and David (’01, ’11) and Glenna Borho for being this year’s VIP sponsors of Party on the Plaza. View the full list of presenting, event and community sponsors, as well as the schedule of events at wichitapop.com.
A final performance from Master of Ceremonies J.T. Klaus
Since 2010, Klaus has donned various costumes as the emcee for Party on the Plaza, from Oktoberfest lederhosen to Renaissance-themed nobleman garb. But his participation in the university’s biggest fundraiser of the year really began in 1997.
“I first started helping Sister Charlotte Rohrbach, ASC, plan a Party on the ‘Ponderosa,’” Klaus explained. “The idea, which originated with Larry Steckline, was the genesis for the Party on the Plaza.”
The annual Newman fundraiser welcomes individuals of all ages, from recent graduates to established alumni. Some of the event’s features pay tribute to its early days.
“My friend, Todd Shoemaker, and I actually built the ‘bars’ that are used to this day,” Klaus said. “We just took one hot Saturday afternoon before the first party, ran to the hardware store and then threw them together out of things in my garage.”
Klaus believes fundraisers can be a drag, “but parties are fun.”
“So if you can have fun and incidentally raise a lot of money for student financial aid, I think that’s a win-win,” he said.
This marks Klaus’ final year as the emcee for Party on the Plaza. After 12 years in the role, he decided to ditch the script and come up with jokes on the fly.
“The energy from the crowd really sets the tone for my own energy,” Klaus said.
Although Klaus will miss the feeling that he’s doing something important as the emcee, he won’t miss being the center of attention for future Party on the Plaza events. He plans to sit back, “have a drink or three, and make fun of the emcee.” His advice for future emcees is to know the first name of at least half the people in attendance before trying it out.
Klaus encourages fellow alumni to attend Party on the Plaza as a way of expressing thanks for the support they received as Newman students.
“If, as an alum, you were blessed to receive any assistance with your own tuition, this is the easiest and most fun way you will find to help provide that same opportunity for others,” he said.
As for the upcoming Party on the Plaza: Roaring 20’s event, Klaus is looking forward to seeing friends and alums, some of whom he only gets to see once a year at this event. He’s also excited to see VIP sponsor David Borho “win all the prizes” and be a part of the effort to raise money for student financial aid.
“This is what it’s all about,” he said.
Reserve your tickets for Party on the Plaza: Roaring 20’s
Party on the Plaza: Roaring 20’s on Sept. 30 is about more than just food, drinks and fun. It is about living out the Newman mission and truly transforming society.
