A NIGHT TO Remember

Junior Classes Host Frozen Formal For Adults With Disabilities

At Cardinal Gibbons, faith and ministry intersect through many outreach projects. At the heart of the Gibbons community is the belief that service helps foster the students’ spiritual development and instill a lifelong love of serving.

The school’s mission-driven commitment to service creates opportunities to intentionally serve the community in ways that bring life-giving joy to others.

In December, three junior Advisory classes and the Gibbons Friends club came together to create an unforgettable night of ministry.

Those who have recently visited State Farmer’s Market may have seen the quaint coffee shop 321 Coffee. Founded in 2017 by recent N.C. State University graduates Lindsay Wrege and Michael Evans, 321

Coffee is a coffee shop and roaster built on inclusion, employing more than 50 adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). They roast the coffee, take orders, and make the lattes.

Now with four locations in the Raleigh area, they also partner with more than 100 companies to provide coffee. Wrege and Evans want to change the statistic that 80% of adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities are unemployed by demonstrating the value of an inclusive business model.

Cardinal Gibbons began partnering with 321 Coffee in 2018, and the school now serves its coffee in the educator break room to support its mission (and the coffee tastes good!). But the Gibbons community wanted to do more.

Wanting to create a festive celebration and atmosphere, about 80 students and 10 educators planned, organized, and hosted a Frozen Formal for 321 Coffee staff members. Beautiful decorations filled the room on Friday, Dec. 16 - just one day after the school’s annual Snow Ball in the Fr. Thomas Price Gymnasium. The evening allowed more than 70 baristas, managers, and family members to enjoy a night of celebration after the grand opening of their fourth storefront in Durham.

“It was a beautiful night of authentic service, investing in the lives of those with intellectual and developmental disabilities,” said Gary Meyerl ‘82, assistant head of school for spiritual life.

An hour before the event, Gibbons students provided hair and makeup services for the night. The evening began as junior Matthew Miles ‘24 announced the guests’ names, and they walked down a red carpet lined with Gibbons students cheering for them.

Each guest received a Gibbons buddy to help them navigate the night. Guests stopped to take pictures at the photo booth and were led into the gym, where they were surprised by magical falling snow. There they could dance and socialize with their friends.

Pizza, cookies, and Italian ice donated by Sweet Water were available in the cafeteria. The Spiritual Life Center provided a quieter environment where guests could make holiday arts and crafts. During the night, a special visitor — Santa — arrived to surprise the guests.

“It was one of the best events I’ve been a part of in my 14 years here,” said Crista Anders, the school’s junior and senior retreat coordinator. “Watching our students interact with our guests was so beautiful. I really saw the face of Christ in each and every guest and helper.”

English educator Deborah Taylor, who also serves as the school’s director of equity & justice, said it was a life-changing event for the students involved.

“It ignited a fire and passion among our students to do more for this underserved population,” she said.

Junior Miranda Rogosich ‘24 shared that being paired as a buddy with a guest, Nicole, was her favorite part of the night. After spending the whole evening genuinely enjoying each other’s company, Miranda visited Nicole at 321 Coffee the next day and is planning to spend more time together as friends.

“I’m confident that I’ve met a lifelong friend because of this,” Miranda said, “and I might even have found my career path.”

Wrege, the co-founder of 321 Coffee, said the night had a notable impact on her team.

“Everyone spent the week building anticipation, getting their nails done, getting fresh haircuts, and going shopping on trips; everyone was ecstatic! The night itself let everyone feel like celebrities walking down the red carpet, requesting songs, enjoying special treats, and more.

“Thank you to the Gibbons family for creating this special night for our team to be together, celebrating being a part of 321, and making special memories.”

And while our students spent their time and energy planning this unforgettable night for such an underserved yet deserving group, they were immensely impacted.

“I cannot express the joy and gratitude I have to be a part of something as wonderful as this club and the dance we put together,” said junior Kelley Ritchy ‘24.

For junior Catherine Lorelle ‘24, it was her favorite Gibbons event.

“It helped me realize that even if someone has Down Syndrome, or if they have a mental disability, they are still a child of a Great King and are made in His image and likeness, and of course, God doesn’t make mistakes, so their disabilities simply enhance their God-given beauty.”

-Lynn Beahm