AN E-NEWSLETTER FOR BORGIA ALUMS
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Thank you to all who have participated in this year's Borgia Annual Fund Drive. To date we have received $175,000 in gifts toward this year’s goal of $220,000.
The endorsement of our alumni is a critical factor toward the success of this fund which enables Borgia to be the excellent school that it is!!
Your support, as an alum, is so important.
Your generosity as an alum is a vote of confidence to all of our donors that we provide excellence in education – now and in the future
.
Borgia’s current students are the most direct and immediate beneficiaries of all Annual Fund gifts.
The Annual Fund is an essential component of the School’s operating budget and helps fund every facet of the Borgia student experience, including but not limited to,
- Contributing to financial assistance
- Promoting individual opportunities for each student
- Enhancing academic excellence, support, and enrichment
- Integrating new technology in all areas of study
- Enriching the spiritual needs of our school community
- Supporting excellence in the arts
- Maintaining and improving our facilities
- Strengthening our financial foundation
YOU HAVE A CHOICE
This year, as something new with the Annual Fund, donors will have a choice where to designate their gifts:
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Education
– Helps us attract and retain top-notch faculty, provide innovative programming, enhance our academic excellence, support enrichment, and integrate new technology for our classrooms and learning environment.
o
General Operating
– Delivers support to the school’s daily operating needs that often go unnoticed during busy days.
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Spiritual and Professional Development
– Allows our already experienced teachers to strengthen their skills as great educators. In addition, this allows us to further address the spiritual needs of our students.
o
Tuition Assistance
– Makes Borgia accessible to all students wishing to attend our school. This year, approximately 59% of our student body receives need-based financial assistance.
How can I donate?
Please enter our secure website at
www.borgia.com
to join your fellow Borgia supporters in making a gift to the Annual Fund. Pledges are welcome. Remember that your gift can be doubled if you or your spouse is associated with a matching gift company.
If you have any questions, please contact Donna Grahl, Director of Annual Giving, at 636-239-7871 ext. 131 or donna.grahl@borgia.com.
What are Matching Gifts?
You can double or triple your donation if you or your spouse works for a company that matches gifts. Simply ask your employer about the Matching Gift Program and forward your personal gift along with a completed matching gift form. Click
here
to see a list of participating Matching Gift Companies.
Your Donation is Tax Deductible
You will receive a tax letter which verifies the date and amount of your donation.
Recurring Payments
A recurring monthly gift is an easy and affordable way to support Borgia. You can specify a day of the month for a chosen amount to be charged to your credit card, dividing your gift amount over the course of the fiscal year (July 1-June 30).
How long do I have to honor my commitment?
This year’s campaign will run through June 30, 2019.
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A Knight at the Masters...
And What A Night It Was
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On Saturday, February 16, Borgia held its Annual Dinner Auction. This year's theme was
A Knight at the Masters
led by Chairs Chantel (Marquart) '93 and Kenneth Unnerstall '90 and Co-chairs
Christine (Groeper) '97 and Chad Skornia '96
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Preliminary reports indicate gross proceeds of over $273,000 earmarked toward tuition assistance. We will update you on net totals as they become available.
This amount includes the Fund A Need portion of the event. Through the generosity of over 100 donors, $42,650 was raised toward the complete renovation of our strength and conditioning facility. These proceeds will be used to purchase facility enhancements, including weights and equipment that will be used by our entire athletic program as well as our physical education classes.
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A Letter from the Chairs
(as written for the evening of the event)
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Ladies and Gentleman,
Next up on the tee……
A Knight at The Masters!!
It’s that special time of year again, and we are ready for you to join us for a storied 2019 Annual St. Francis Borgia Regional High School Dinner Auction.
Staff, parents, alumni, and students realize SFBRHS is a remarkable place. The commitment to Catholic education is the foundation for success amongst our students. The annual dinner auction truly captures and embodies Borgia tradition and pride. Your
Knight at the Masters
ticket is an opportunity to continue the Borgia legacy with your financial support.
Many talented people have put forth a tremendous amount of effort to get the clubhouse, fairways, and greens ready for tonight!! Please take a moment to acknowledge the committee chairs listed in this publication. The committees are staffed by a team of dedicated people who make sure this event is successful. A special thanks to Doug Weber and Andy Unerstall who have transformed the gym into Augusta National Clubhouse. Thanks to Michelle Hoerstkamp for printing the beautiful views out the windows! Many thanks to Bill and Lauren Fogarty for bringing all the sights and sounds for tonight’s event. We are especially grateful for all the donors who have provided unique items and wonderful experiences, for without them this event would not be possible.
The entire Advancement Office takes center stage this time of year with their commitment to this event. A special thanks to Bridget Callahan, Donna Grahl, and Moira Vossbrink. We’d also like to thank last year’s chairs, Tim and Jill Poepsel, for letting us caddy for them last year.
Let’s go get some birdies!!!
Ken '90 & Chantell (Marquart) '93 Unnerstall, Chairs - Parents of Sydney '18 & Zach '20
Chad ’96 & Christine (Groeper) ’97 Skornia - Parents of Courtney ’21 and Connor ‘22
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The Auction Raffle Winners
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- $10,000 - Kim and David Politte '90
- $ 1,000 - Karen (Voelkerding) '65 and William Marquart '60
- $ 500 - Judy (Eckelkamp) '74 and Robert (Pete) Tobben '74
- One year tuition - The Czeschin Family
- One year fees - The Stacey and Craig Mueller Family
- Cardinal Raffle - Danny Strohmeyer
- Carrie Underwood Raffle - Traci and Douglas Kampschroeder '96
- Ladies Bling Raffle - Stacy (Hackmann) Vedder '92
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Past Recipients of the Distinguished Knight Award:
2008 - Martha and Louis B. Eckelkamp Family
2009 -
Julia and Elmer Unnerstall '40
Family
2010 -
Bernice (Voss) '49 and Lester Eckelkamp '49
Family
2011 - Voelkerding Family Trust and Trustees
2012 - Steve Lochirco '60 Family
2013 - Gary Terschluse '70 and Ron Unnerstall '75 - Washington Engineering & Architecture
2014 -
Shelly and Jim Yenzer '78
-Austin Electrical Systems
2015 - Elaine (Brinker) '68 and George Wingbermuehle
2016 - St. Francis Borgia Regional High School Athletic Association
2017 -
Collene (Connor) '87 and Andrew Unerstall
2018 -
Mary (Schroeder) '66 and Richard Elbert '61
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Charlie Varni - Our 2019 Distinguished Knight Award Winner
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The St. Francis Borgia Regional High School Distinguished Knight Award, established in 2008, is presented annually at the Borgia Dinner Auction.
An Administrative Committee selects the recipient individual/family based on the following criteria:
- Lifelong involvement with SFBRHS
- Exceptional generosity with time, talent, and treasure
- Exemplary service and commitment to SFBRHS
- Evidence of living a faith-filled life
- A vision for the future of SFBRHS
This year the honor went to Mr. Charles Varni.
Under the direction of Mr. Joseph Bitzer, video production students Logan Gisburne (junior), Kurt Politte (junior), and Adonis LaBeaume (senior), with assistance from the video production class, created a video highlighting Varni's generosity and commitment to our school. Take a moment to check it out by clicking the photo top, left.
Congratulations to Mr. Varni and his family on being selected for this year's award. You couldn't be more deserving!
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Are you lucky or unlucky?
Think about the most unfortunate, the most difficult, the most grueling event of your life. For some, it might be a big thing, the loss of a parent, a sibling, a relative, or a friend. For some, it might be something that appears trivial and small, but what was, at the time, a huge deal for you, like being cut from a sports team or having a friend betray a confidence. Whatever the event, try for just a moment, to get into that experience. Feel it again. Let all those old, horrible feelings, let all that bitterness, hatred, anger, shame or whatever, bubble up inside your heart.
After feeling those things, realize a vital truth of our faith as Catholics, as Christians. The key to life is not to deny these things happened. The key to life is not to numb ourselves from the agony or the hurt with alcohol, or drugs, or frantic activity. The key to life is not simply to move on and forget that those things have ever happened. The key to life is to face, head-on, that unpleasantness, face head-on that misfortune, face head-on those trials,
and transform them
. More accurately,
allow God to transform them
. And when that happens we become better, more compassionate, more empathetic and, best of all, we become readier to face whatever life has in store for us.
This is the history of the people of Ireland. This is the history of their patron, St. Patrick.
Patrick was born in Britain, under the rule of Rome in the fifth century (the 400’s for you math people.) Like so many young people throughout history, Patrick was rather rebellious, and he rejected the Christian faith of his family. Then, in his early teens, Patrick had his unfortunate, unlucky experience:
he was kidnapped
. Irish pirates forced him into slavery under a Celtic warlord. It took six years, but Patrick finally escaped. He returned to Britain, but his cruel captivity, the nightmare of slavery, the horror of losing his freedom, transformed Patrick and, indeed, as we will see, the entire world as well. He decided to become a priest and, amazingly,
decided to go back to the people who had chained him
in order to bring them the good news, the gospel of Jesus Christ.
St. Patrick’s influence is now far and wide. Some writers suggest that because of the monasteries that Patrick founded, Western civilization remained alive. If that wasn’t enough, Patrick is the first person in all of recorded history to unequivocally condemn and renounce the practice of slavery. It would be fourteen hundred years later before the United States of America and the Vatican would catch up with him!!
Patrick took the unlucky, unfortunate, ill-fated experience of his slavery and transformed it, with the grace of God, into a gift of life and hope, a gift for the people of Ireland, a gift for the Church, a gift for the world. It a gift that was given to my own ancestors (the Gannons and O’Hares), making me a direct recipient of the legacy of St. Patrick.
As far as I am concerned, there are two types of people in this world: the lucky and the unlucky. What is remarkable about these two groups is that the exact same things happen to both of them. Diseases, cruelty, accidents happen across the board. The lucky ones allow God to transform these things into goodness and life. The unlucky ones wallow in their bitterness, their anger, their resentments, their bile. In other words, it isn’t about luck at all, it is about grace, it is about blessing, it is about vision, it is about gratitude, it is about allowing God into one’s heart and into one’s life.
The Wearing of the Green of St. Patrick’s Day reminds us that in the midst of the cold, in the midst of the chill, in the iciness of our lives, springtime is ready to burst forth; new life is about to commence. The unfortunate events of our lives only serve to make us less hateful, less bitter, more compassionate, more loving, more considerate.
Dare I say it, more Irish?
And luck had nothing to do with it.
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CLASS OF 1969
50 Year Class Reunion
September 21, 2019
SFBRHS - Lochirco Family Pavilion
Contact Dale Gildehaus with questions or for additional information
CLASS of 1979
40 Year Class Reunion
September 21, 2019
Hummingbird Club
Contact Joe Holtmeier with questions or for additional information
CLASS of 1988
31 Year Class Reunion
March 16, 2019
Marquart's Landing
Contact Kelly (Kloeppel) Herbert with questions or for additional information
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Last week (February 25 - March 1), Borgia celebrated
Student Wellness Week.
The theme of
Fall in Love with Taking Care of Yourself: Mind - Body - Spirit
,
included
many activities to promote and provide students with ideas about how to live better: mentally, socially, and physically. We participated in the following activities:
- Wellness BINGO - Students crossed off any of the healthy tasks that they completed throughout the week. When they had a BINGO (5 in a row), they turned in their cards to the main office for a chance to win prizes at the end of the week.
- Stretching - On Tuesday and Friday, students were given the opportunity to participate in a stretching class led by yoga instructor Bridget (Schulte) Callahan '92.
- Coping Mechanisms - Effective and personalized coping mechanisms were discussed during classes, Advisory, and seminar throughout the week.
- Lunch Activities - Each day students were able to participate in talk topics, tic-tac-toe, coloring pages, etc.
- Self Defense Class - Students were invited to participate in a self defense class led by Tim Raftery, parent of Drake '15 and Gade '17.
- Advisory Olympics - On Wednesday, each Advisory created a theme and competed in Borgia's version of the Olympic games. The games were designed to challenge and test physical strength, mental strength, and teamwork.
- Wellness Chain - Students were encouraged to write something they liked about themselves on a strip of paper. These strips were then attached together to make a long chain which will be displayed in the lobby for the next few weeks.
- Due to the snow day last Thursday, our scheduled presentation by motivational youth speaker Kyle Scheele will be rescheduled for a later date.
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Our Faculty and Administration
Win State and National Awards
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Fr. Kevin Schmittgens, President
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Outstanding Administrator Award at the Missouri Thespian Conference
Fr. Kevin was recognized for his dedication to the students, faculty, and alumni of the Borgia theater department.
Borgia's current theater department director Tim Buchheit made the presentation at the recent conference and accepted the award on behalf of Fr. Kevin, who was unable to attend.
Mr. Buchheit credited Fr. Kevin with establishing a very strong theater program. This began when he served as theater director and continues today as he continues to help direct and perform in several productions. He also remains active within the department as the theater photographer.
Fr. Kevin was also instrumental in raising funds for new lighting and sound equipment through the 2018 Fund A Need portion of our annual dinner auction.
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Mrs. Patty Russell
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NCEA's Lead. Learn. Proclaim. Award
Mrs. Russell was chosen from more than 150,000 teachers and administrators, as well as diocesan leaders and organizations dedicated to the nation's Catholic schools. She will be recognized in April at the annual NCEA (National Catholic Education Association) Convention and Expo in Chicago.
The award honors those whose ministry is Catholic education and who have demonstrated a strong Catholic educational philosophy, as well as exceptional efforts, dedication, and achievements.
Pam Tholen, SFBRHS president, said that Mrs. Russell is an active participant in the school and a model teacher and servant to the Lord.
"Primarily an English teacher, Patty has taken on many teacher roles, ranging from yearbook to PE to theology," said Tholen. "Regardless of the course title, she lets her love for students and passion for teaching shine through and lead the curriculum...she makes the content come alive by tying in current events or having the kids relate the topic to their own lives."
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Mr. Andrew Eggert
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Emerson Excellence in Teaching
The Emerson Excellence in Teaching Awards program, sponsored by Emerson, annually recognizes educators who are examples of excellence in their field.
Mr. Eggert was nominated because of his dedication to our school's mission, his contributions to our faith and professional communities, his professionalism, and his cooperation with all members of the Borgia family.
Principal Pam Tholen said, "He fully participates in the Mass and sacraments, and lives as a role model of morality and faithfulness. His fellow teachers often seek his input on teaching or behavior management strategies, and he is viewed as a safe person for both colleagues and students to go to in times of need or success."
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Mrs. Pam Tholen
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Administrator of the Year for the South Central District in the Missouri Association of Student Councils
Mrs. Tholen was nominated by Nicole Addison, current SFBRHS Student Council moderator.
She has extensive experience as a Student Council moderator and adviser. President Fr. Kevin Schmittgens said, "Pam is a
quality individual with contagious enthusiasm and an energetic love of education and the students she serves."
Mrs. Tholen will be honored and receive this award at the Missouri Student Council Convention in March.
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Attention:
All Borgia Boys and Girls Basketball Alumni and Fans
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All proceeds from this event will benefit the SFBRHS Athletic Association.
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Every Sunday evening at 6 p.m. a student-planned Mass is held in the chapel at SFBRHS. This weekly Mass is celebrated and led by one of our deanery priests. Come join us in this cozy setting and give glory to God with other members of the Borgia Family.
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Welcome to another exciting year of Borgia Athletics. Together, let’s always, and in all ways, celebrate the efforts of our players and coaches as they strive to make Borgia #1 in class, style, sportsmanship, and competitiveness. Go, Knights!!
Click logo at right for a comprehensive sports schedule.
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In thanksgiving for the sacrifices and contributions offered by those before us on our behalf, we at St. Francis Borgia Regional High School offer our afternoon prayer for different members of our alumni each day.
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A Special Opportunity From Immanuel Lutheran
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Immanuel Lutheran will be auctioning off this first print of Haverton Farm to the highest bidder as part of the Immanuel Lutheran Dinner Auction on Saturday, March 9.
If you are interested in bidding on this beautiful print or have any questions, please contact Immanuel Lutheran at 636-239-1636 or www.imlutheran.org.
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Recently married? New baby or job?
Let us know what's going on in your life so we can share
it with your classmates in this newsletter!
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St. Francis Borgia Regional High School
1000 Borgia Drive, Washington, MO 63090
P: 636-239-7871
F: 636-239-1198
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