Riverview’s Village of Dreams Gala Continues to Break Records; Fund-A-Dream Paddle Raise This Year Will Support Staff Development!

On Friday, June 14th, Riverview School welcomed nearly 400 people to our annual Village of Dreams Gala. At Riverview, we provide exceptional programming for our students, and a key component of this is recruiting, developing, and retaining a dedicated and passionate staff. To this end, our 2024 Fund-A-Dream was focused on raising funds to invest in staff development. With ever-developing advancements in the educational world, this Fund-A-Dream will help Riverview remain at the forefront of educating students who learn differently. 

The Gala and auction took place under an open-air tent, located in the center of the Riverview campus on the MC Greene Field. This annual event continues to set records, with the 2024 event raising over $1.4 million! 

Prior to the start of the evening’s events, attendees mingled with family, friends, and Riverview staff, and were treated to a lively cocktail hour. Guests were welcome to take part in the ever-favorite wine toss, visit the floral-themed photo booth, and even had the chance to enter the diamond raffle to win a stunning sapphire and diamond necklace. Supporters enjoyed bidding on the many exciting silent auction items on display, ranging from fine art, dining outings, and entertainment experiences, to one-of-a-kind Riverview-specific items and luxury destinations. At the live auction (a staple of the event) guests raised their bidding paddles for some of the more expansive packages, including lavish trips overseas to destinations such as Paris, Greece, Anguilla, and Italy.  

At the start of the event’s proceedings, a student band aptly named: Rock On! took the stage as guests migrated to their designated dinner tables. Once seated, attendees were welcomed by Head of School Stewart Miller, who spoke about the gala, as well as the strength of Riverview’s staff. 

Every year, the Gala honors a “Dream Maker,” a person who exemplifies the Riverview ideology and gives back to the community in ways that are hard to quantify. This year, the award was presented to Attorney and former chair of the ARC of the United States and the ARC of Massachusettes, Fred Misilo. Fred is a trust and estate attorney with over 35 years of experience working for clients with complex needs, and has worked with countless Riverview families and guided them through the “what comes next?” process. 

Rounding out the evening was the Fund-A-Dream paddle raise, which kicked off with an inspired staff-focused video to showcase the direct impact that supporting our staff will have on Riverview’s programs. Pre-pledged donations, including $100 from the student body (raised by the student government), brought out the best in donors across the event, culminating in over $500,000 raised for staff development!

It truly takes a village, and the Gala could not have been made possible without the dedication of the 40+ person committee, led by Gala Chair Linda Ledoux and Gala Co-Chair Barb Noble, hard-working volunteers (many of whom are Riverview staff), talented vendors and partners, and the immense generosity of Riverview School’s devoted sponsors and donors. We thank everyone who was able to support this event, whether they were under the tent, or donating from afar!