LA BELLE SOIRéE 101


When is La Belle Soirée?

Saturday, November 9, 2024 6-11 pm (program at 8:00 pm sharp!)

Who attends La Belle Soirée?

Edina French Immersion parents, teachers/faculty/staff, and interns.. While the majority tends to be Normandale families, we encourage anyone in the Frenchie community to buy a ticket, donate an auction item, host a Community Connection event and/or donate to Fund-an-Intern! 

Why do we have La Belle Soirée? 

Normandale Elementary, and the Edina French Immersion programs at Valley View and EHS, rely on 28 native French interns that come to Edina each year to share their culture and language support in the classroom. The interns are vital to this program. This year, Edina French Immersion families need to raise more than $237,000  to cover the visa application, costs, health insurance and teacher stipends. This program is 100% funded by parent contributions and we are grateful for this community's dedication to excellence in French language & culture. Throughout the year, we request intern dues and hold fundraisers to support this robust program. We need your help to continue making La Belle Soiree our biggest fundraiser. 

How do I buy a ticket? 

Tickets for La Belle Soirée  will go on sale on October 9, 2024. The link will be on the Normandale PTO website, school Facebook pages, La Liaison, through room parent communication and more. It’s $135/person. In previous years this event has sold out, so buy your tickets early. 

How do I view silent auction items and sign-up for Community Connections?

The silent auction and Community Connections will preview on November 4th at 12 pm and open for bidding on November 6th at 12 pm. The silent auction will close on November 9 (gala night) at 8 pm and Community Connections will stay open a while after the event. We encourage people to take their silent auction items home with them that night if possible.. When you purchase your ticket, be sure to enter your cell phone number so you can get text message updates leading up to the event and gala night. 

When should we arrive? Should we eat before?

We know people LOVE to have gala pre-parties, but the night goes by so fast and the program starts right at 8:00 pm, so please try to get there right away to celebrate our amazing Edina French Immersion community. As for food, we’ll have heavy apps, dessert and late night snacks, but you know yourself best, so plan accordingly. 

What should I wear to La Belle Soirée? 

Most people wear cocktail attire. You’ll even spot some black tie outfits! It’s such a fun excuse to dress up and look your best.

What do I do at La Belle Soirée? 

Eat, drink, mingle, fundraise and dance…to name a few! It’s a wonderful night to connect with other families, faculty, staff and interns. We’ll start with a social hour that includes heavy apps and drinks. Drinks can be purchased with cash or club charge (if you are a member at ICC or a club with reciprocity). There'll be a few fun activities during the social hour as well. All silent auction bidding and Community Connections sign-up will be mobile. We’ll have the silent auction items on-site to view. At 8 pm we’ll close the silent auction and start the program. The best part! The program will conclude with the live auction and the fund-an-intern donation ask. After that it’s dancing time with DJ Omaur Bliss & The Sessions (think DJ with live vocals and instruments). And don’t forget about desserts and late night snacks. 

What happens if I win an auction item? 

All bidding is mobile so you’ll be alerted on your phone. We encourage you to check-out that night at and bring your item(s) home. If you aren't attending the event, STILL BID! You can pick-up your items on Sunday, November 12, 2023 from 8:30-9:30 am at Interlachen Country Club. If you are out of town, we can arrange a pick-up time for you, however all items will need to be picked up 3-5 days post event ideally. If you won a live auction item, you’ll be given an envelope with information for redemption during the program.

Need more info?

If you have any questions before La Belle Soirée, please contact Betsy Mulvehill.

5 WAYS TO GET INVOLVED IN LA BELLE SOIRéE

Volunteer

A sign-up will come out soon, please consider volunteering. Here are some of the opportunities: 

  • Join the silent/live auction committee

  • Spread the word about sponsorships and pass on any leads

  • Host a Community Connections event

  • Sign-up to be a volunteer the night of La Belle Soirée to help with things like check-in, silent auction check-out, and more.

  • For questions, please reach out to Betsy Mulvehill. 

Silent / Live Auction & Giving

Consider donating a silent auction item - anything large or small. Ideas include: a gift card to a local store or restaurant, event/sports tickets, gift baskets, a themed basket with wine/beer or products you love, experiences, vacations and more. The sky's the limit! Additionally, we are hoping for 5 “big ticket” Live Auction items so if you have any connections or experiences to donate, we’d love to know! All silent and live auction items due October 25th. Please reach out to Sarah Priest with questions or if you have a local connection or an item you’d like to donate. 

Community Connections

We are looking for parents in all grades to host student and parent parties (Community Connections) big and small to help us build community! It could be a skating party at a local rink with hot cocoa, an outdoor movie night or an adult multi-host wine tasting party. You pick the theme, budget, number of people you’d like to host and then charge a “price” for someone to purchase a spot at your Community Connection event. All proceeds from these fun events benefit our intern program! Please contact Berit Allar with questions. Ready to go?

All events must be submitted by October 25, 2024. 

Sponsorships

We are offering sponsorships to offset the cost of La Belle Soiree, which will increase funds raised for the intern program. Please reach out to Betsy Mulvehill for more information if your company or a company you know of would be interested. 

Buy a Ticket

Tickets to La Belle Soirée are $135/person in order to make this event a true fundraiser. Tickets will go on sale October 9, 2024. There will be a link on the Normandale PTO website.