May 2017 - Issue No. 26
St. Bon's 2017 Annual Sports Day
Sports Day 2016 was a great success!
Please join us on May 31, 2017 for the Annual St. Bon's Sports Day activities and celebrations! The day promises to be full of fun, games and nostalgia! Sports Day 2016 was a huge success, but we would like to see more Alumni come out and enjoy the festivities.  We are looking for St. Bon's Alumni to lead the student houses through their day and to present the awards at the closing ceremonies. A BBQ lunch will be provided. We are also looking for alumni to enter in an alumni-only race to take place during the day. Please contact Jessica Whalen at jwhalen@stbons.ca if you are able to participate in any of the day's events. 
Call for Nominations


Alumnus of the Year

The Alumnus of the Year Award recognizes an outstanding graduate whose contributions have notably improved both their profession and community.

The recipient is a well-rounded person who is intellectually competent, open to growth, religious, loving and committed to justice in the generous service to the people of God.
They enrich the lives of others through their leadership, shared knowledge, creativity and innovation and they inspire alumni, students, faculty and staff. Click here for the nomination form.

The Magis Award for Young Alumni
 
The Magis Award for Young Alumni honours a young alumnus with a record of extraordinary professional, community or academic achievement.

The recipient is a young adult who has continued to include religion in their lives, is intellectually competent, loving and open to growth. Following the teachings of St. Bonaventure's College these alumni remain committed to justice in the generous service of the people of God. Recipients of the award will be 30 years of age or younger as of the close of nominations for the Awards. Click here for the nomination form. 

Nomination forms must be received by the President's Office no later than 4:00 p.m., Thursday, June 1st, 2017. 

Alumni in Action: Sharee Burry '15

Sharee Burry '15 is a prime example of a woman for and with others. She exemplifies a true St. Bon's graduate by giving back to her community and spending quality time with those in need of companionship. She began volunteering for various organizations as a student at St. Bon's and has continued to add to her charitable work as she continues her education. She is currently attending Memorial University of Newfoundland and Labrador with the hopes of being admitted to the Faculty of Nursing She enjoys singing in the Basilica of St. John the Baptist Church Choir, as she has since she was 9 years old and for which she won the Sister Bellamy Scholarship. 

Sharee began volunteering her time at St. Patrick's Mercy Home as a Grade 11 student in 2013 through St. Bon's Christian Service Program. Ever since then she has been visiting the same resident, whom has no family or other visitors. Sharee often drops by St. Pat's to socialize with residents at the Red Rose Cafe and to partake in their Friendly Visits program. Sharee recently represented the St. Pat's volunteers at the Lieutenant Governemnt House Volunteer Appreciation celebration. 

Sharee also spends a great deal of time helping out at the Gathering Place, a local organization which provides many services to those in need. In fact, Sharee would sneak away from St. Bon's during her lunch and free periods to volunteer. Sharee continues to give her time to The Gathering Place, both as a volunteer and as part of a work placement program, for which she prepares and serves meals, socializes with guests and helps out with laundry and other chores.

Sharee may volunteer wherever she sees a specific need in the community, but she also spends time giving back to Big Brothers Big Sisters as it holds a special significance for her. Sharee lost her dad when she was in elementary school. This program helped her find a Big Sister to help her through the difficult life challenges that come with losing a parent. Sharee was matched with a Big Sister when she was in Grade 6 and they were together for 7 years. The two are still in contact and have formed a bond for life. Sharee currently gives back by sharing her experiences with others through formal talks and by participating in Big Brothers Big Sisters in-school mentoring program. She spends each Friday lunch time mentoring and playing games with a student at a local elementary school in need of a good role model. Sharee feels a particular need to give back to this organization as it was through Big Brothers Big Sisters that she found out about and subsequently was awarded the CIBC Vision Scholarship, valued at $38, 500. This is awarded to a Grade 10 student and paid out for post-secondary tuition and through work placement programs. It is through this scholarship that Sharee was able to receive tuition money for some of her time spent at The Gathering Place and the YMCA. 

Sharee's volunteer work exemplifies the difference we each can make at home. Though it is important that such work be brought across the globe, as Sharee has shown us, it all
 starts locally . 

La Storia - 2017 St. Bon's Music Italy Tour
SBC students greet Pope Francis 
as he passes in the Popemobile
The Wind Ensemble plays on the steps of St. Peter's



On Tuesday, April 11th, the Wind Ensemble, Senior Chamber Choir and Camerata Choir set off for Italy to begin a 10 day performance tour. The band and choirs performed for local audiences in Venice, Perugia, Artimino and Rome. To end this wonderful experience, the choirs sang at Mass in famous St. Peter's Basilica, Vatican City. The following morning, the Wind Ensemble had the immense honour of performing at the Papal Audience with Pope Francis in St. Peter's Square. Students and teachers were grateful for this amazing opportunity.


Students in St. Peter's Basilica after the choirs sang for Mass.
Captains of Class: Update
We are please to report that our new "Captains of Class" program is beginning to come together. Captains will be contacting members of their graduating class to inform them about various events and initiatives. In the near future, we will be organizing a Social for Captain's of Class to get together and discuss their progress while enjoying a drink or two and snacks. The current Captains are:

Class of '72 - Paul McDonald
Class of '73 - Steve Delaney and John Doyle
Class of '74 - Gary Perry and Gerry Puddister
Class of '75 - Louis Puddister
Class of '76 - Peter Lewis
Class of '87 - Bill Didham
Class of '04 - Ryan Hayward and Jessica Whalen
Class of '05 - Lesley Bautista and Rob Nolan
Class of '06 - Angela Fowler
Class of '09 - Zac Dobbin and Ian Moffatt
Class of '10 - Heather Carroll
Class of '13 - Michael O'Keefe
Class of '14 - Katherine Moffatt
Class of '15 - Sharee Burry
Class of '16 - Claire Genest

If you would like to volunteer as Captain for your graduating year, or would like to join as a Co-Captain, contact Jessica Whalen at jwhalen@stbons.ca

  • 2017 St. Bon's Cup Golf Tournament - Thursday, June 15th. Contact Melissa Follett at mfollett@stbons.ca for info
  • 2017 Fallen 51 Dinner - Wednesday, September 27th
  • 2017 Alumni Awards Dinner - Thursday, October 19th
             Alumni Announcements                     
Congratulations to Dave Jackman '65 who recently led 8 of his kenpo students to bring home 9 medals (3 gold, 5 silver, 1 bronze) from the Kenpo Top 10 National Championship in Montreal. Dave trained under Jean Guy Angell, the founder of  kenpo to Canada. Dave then introduce kenpo to Newfoundland in 1970. 

We regret to inform you of the passing of:
Albert Carew '48
Frank Crotty '49
Paul Ryan '58
Dr. Wayne O'Brien '62
John Blake '80
Theo Stylianides '14
Michael Woodford (past teacher)


-------------------------------------------------------------

If you have any announcements or news to add to our newsletter, such as deaths, marriages, births, awards, career news and more, please email Mrs. Jessica Whalen at jwhalen@stbons.ca 
St. Bonaventure's College Alumni Goes Social

 See updates, event info, school news and flashbacks of St. Bon's History! 
Click the links below to reconnect with us today!

Follow us on Twitter
@StBonaventures
@StBonsAlumni


If you know of an alumnus that has not received this email, but would like to be included on our mailing list, please contact Jessica Whalen at jwhalen@stbons.ca or (709) 726-0024 ext. 226
Stay Connected
2A Bonaventure Ave. St. John's Nl A1C 6B3  709.726.0024