Bringing a Vision to Life

How the drive and commitment of volunteer, Heidi Brown, has grown Dancing with the Saints into a community showcase.
 

Heidi Brown is a longtime supporter of Xavier High School. Heidi and her husband, Rick, have three kids who have graduated from Xavier including: Ryan (X10), Zach (X13), and Kylie (X17). 

Brown’s children were heavily involved at Xavier during their high school years, prompting Heidi to take on multiple volunteer roles. She ran the baseball, basketball, and football concession stands, while also serving travel meals for the football team. She was the girls basketball parent representative and helped with “Boosketball,” a fundraiser for the program. She also facilitated the pie volunteers for Xavier’s traditional Thanksgiving lunch. 

Among Brown’s many roles as a volunteer, Dancing with the Saints Committee Chair, may arguably be her most impactful. 

The idea of Dancing with the Saints originated with former XHS President, Tom Keating, after he attended a dancing-themed fundraiser in Minnesota with his wife and was inspired to bring a similar event to Xavier that raised money without a silent auction and gave Xavier parents a night of fun. 

This simple idea has grown into one of Xavier’s biggest and boldest events. Keating established the Dancing with the Saints Committee which served as the foundation for the event. Over the years many new members have come and gone. Original committee members, Heidi Brown, and XHS communications director, Nick Ireland, are the lone remaining members still serving in that capacity. “Our committee is so talented and once you come up with an idea everyone helps carry it out,” says Brown. The event began with the modest expectation of barely breaking even, but the Season 1 event raised $50,000. From there, Dancing with the Saints has evolved into the even more vibrant event it is today. “When you think about how small our volunteer group is, it’s amazing that it can happen,’’ says Brown. 

Each year the event has grown from the previous year both in attendance numbers and funds raised. “When you know you’ve exceeded the money from going into last year, it is so exciting,” Brown states. The 2022 Dancing with the Saints event broke its own record, raising $230,000. An event that started at 450 attendees has reached over 1,200 who are on-hand to witness the live event. Over the six seasons that the event has existed (there was no event in 2021 due to the pandemic), more than $750,000 has been raised and more than 6,000 people have attended. The proceeds have impacted Xavier tremendously and have been used to address a variety of needs at the school. These initiatives include: School vans, sound systems, teacher endowment, activity uniforms, active learning upgrades for classrooms, and upgrades to Xavier’s safety and security systems. 

Brown still enjoys it as much as she did the first year. She has immense respect and admiration for the dancing “stars” who accept the opportunity to participate in the event. This is why she strives to create an atmosphere that includes all dance levels and styles, as many people are stepping out of their comfort zones to get on stage and perform in front of more than a thousand spectators. “They aren’t expected to be perfect,” Brown says. “They are having fun and raising money for Xavier.” Her intent is to shine the spotlight on the effort and energy of the dancers where everyone walks away a winner – especially the students of Xavier High School. 

Dancing with the Saints occupies a special place in Heidi Brown’s heart, and she remains grateful for all that the community has given to this event. “Dancing with the Saints would not be possible without all of the people that support us,” states Brown. 

Xavier has been blessed with Heidi Brown’s passion, dedication, and leadership over the years. Her effort has made an immeasurable difference on this event and has made an impact for current and future generations of Xavier Saints.