Shout-out from Amy
I hope that this message finds you well. I have had the opportunity to meet so many of you over the past few weeks and it has been such a joy. We had a wonderful Grandparents Day and a very fun night out at Friends in the Courtyard. Many alumni attended these events to show that their Stallion pride lives on. As a school community, we are so grateful for your continued loyalty and support. I am excited to share more upcoming events on our calendar that you may want to join us for as well.
All Saints' Day Mass
All Saints' Day is a solemn holy day of the Catholic Church celebrated annually on November 1st. Here at DeSales, we celebrate with an all-school mass where we honor all SFD students, faculty, and staff that have gone before us. If you have a family member that is a deceased alumni, your presence would be an honor. Mass will begin at 9:30am in the gymnasium.
Veterans Day Celebration
It is a privilege to be honoring our Veterans here at the school on November 9, 2018. We would like to request the presence of all of our alumni who have served, or who are currently serving, to join us for this ceremony. Please meet in the Franciscan Center at 7:30am. Guests are welcome to wear their service uniform. We will then proceed outside for the Veterans Day observation. Afterward, we will reconvene in the Franciscan Center for light refreshments to celebrate your service. If you are affiliated with the military, and have not done so already, please take a minute to fill out our Veteran Alumni Update.
SFD vs. Watterson Game
The Alumni Board and Council continues to support our annual SFD vs. Bishop Watterson T-Shirt sale. The students look forward to this every year. One of our current art students created an eye-catching design that the students will wear at our upcoming rivalry game. A special thank you to alumni Sam Chapman '82 and Pat Chapman '84 for sponsoring the t-shirts and Dominic Romanelli '83 for the printing. All proceeds from the sale will go the the Annual Legacy Scholarship Fund. The generosity of our Alumni community is such a blessing and it continuously amazes me. We hope you will stop by Hagley Field next Friday, October 26 to cheer the Stallions on to victory! Kickoff is at 7pm.
Connecting the past, strengthening the present, and promoting the future,
Amy Faulkner
Director of Alumni and Family Engagement
"A society grows old when men plant trees whose shade they know they shall never sit in."
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Stallion Notes
Congratulations to Alexa Slomky and Eli Cowan who were engaged on July 29, 2018 in Hilton Head Island, SC.
Dominique (Lodder) Combs '09 recently learned of a current SFD student who had his bike stolen, and in true Stallion fashion, Dominique donated a bicycle to this young man. This is a true example of family within our community.
On October 12th at Alumni Stadium we honored the 1998 State Championship Stallion Football Team during our half-time festivities. These fine men were recognized for their talent, commitment, and outstanding accomplishments as athletes during their time here at SFD - most notably for their State Championship win over Wheeling Jesuit Warriors. We are grateful for the time they took to return to SFD and for the great example they continue to set for our current Stallion athletes.
~John Preston, class of 1970, passed away on August 20, 2018.
~Thomas Nance, class of 1984, passed away on September 26, 2018.
~Joe Sansone, class of 2004,
passed away on October 4, 2018.
May the angels lead them to their eternal resting place in heaven and may perpetual light shine upon them.
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Success Story
Local company with SFD alumni works to address the problem of sports-related brain injury.
St. Francis DeSales alumni, Mark Mnich (1984) and Chris Kanoski (1985) have worked together at Priority Designs for more than 20 years. "We both started back in 1997, just a few months apart," Kanoski notes. "Over the years we've worked on just about everything; consumer appliances, sporting goods, medical products, even an aircraft interior, you never know what might be next, and that's part of the fun," says Mnich. "Of all the things we've worked on, the Q-Collar stands out, it's got tremendous potential."
The Q-Collar is a new solution to brain protection that addresses the issue where damage takes place - within the skull. An impact of the head causes the brain to move and hit the skull, causing injuries to the brain. A revolutionary approach to protecting the brain, the Q-Collar applies slight pressure to the jugular vein which mildly increases blood volume in the brain to create a tighter fit of the brain within the skull. By creating a tighter fit, the Q-Collar seeks to prevent brain movement to reduce the risk of brain injury during sports-related impacts. Check out the
promo video; you will see a few current Stallions who were involved in the filming!
Doctors came up with the idea, then collaborated with Priority Designs to turn the idea into reality. Priority Designs provided the design, engineering, and prototyping horsepower to move things forward. "Our role is to turn ideas into something that can be manufactured, making sure the final product meets the stated performance goals, human factors concerns, and all the other metrics." The Q-Collar is currently navigating its way through the FDA approval process. For more information on the Q-Collar and its development, visit:
http://www.prioritydesigns.com/q-collar/.
The Mnich and Kanoski families have deep roots in the DeSales community. "We both married DHS grads, our siblings went to DeSales, and we've sent our kids to DeSales. Like so many other Stallions, we're proud graduates, it's a tremendous community." Hopefully the Q-Collar will help protect Stallion athletes in the future.
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Stallion Spotlight
A highlight on current SFD teachers, coaches and students.
SFD Girls Soccer Head Coach Sarah Gantz was recently nominated by a Central Ohio soccer official for the Excellence in Sportsmanship Award. As the nomination reads, "If all coaches were like Sarah, we would not have any referee retention issues due to lack of sportsmanship." Thank you Coach Gantz for representing the Stallions so well by
maintaining a positive coaching attitude, and for setting a great example to your players, parents and other coaches. *Coach Gantz (also a proud SFD alumna - Class of 1998) is a previous Excellence in Sportsmanship winner.
Q & A with Sarah
How many years have you been teaching at DeSales?
6 years. I teach the Work and Family Life class and Child Development class, and am also the Club advisor for the SFD Run the Race Club.
How many years have you been coaching at DeSales?
3 years
Shout-out to the Gantz family!
My husband and I have been married for 15 years, and have four children. Jackson is now a freshman at SFD and Beau (13), Faith (12), and Georgia (11) all attend St. Paul School.
Since you're an alum, what were you involved in as a student at DeSales and/or favorite memory as a student?
I played soccer while I was at DeSales, and those were definitely some of my favorite memories; I can see my old teammates so many years later, and we pick right back up where we left. There is a special bond and connection that is just never lost. I also remember several of my teachers that made a big impact on my life - Mrs. O'Riordan and Mrs. Barrett really inspired me to be and do my best. I remember them quite often when I am teaching and striving to make that impact on my students.
Favorite Current SFD Tradition?
I love Kairos (senior retreat); we didn't have when I was a senior, but I have been several times as a teacher leader. It is so beautiful to see young people come together- you witness such love, healing, and faith. That is a good 3 days.
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Special Announcements
Fall Show at SFD -
The Curious Savage
St. Francis DeSales Drama Department is proud to bring The Curious Savage to the stage this month.
The Curious Savage, a show filled with
both comedy and light satire,
will keep
audiences left wondering who the sane characters really are. The show will be performed
Saturday, October 27 at 7pm and Sunday, October 28 at 3pm in the St. Francis DeSales High School Little Theater. Tickets are on sale at SFD during all lunch periods (10:20am - 12:45pm) and at the door the day of the performance. Reserved seating is $10.
Mark Your Calendar!
Two special events are taking place next month! Join us for our All Saints Day Mass (11/1) and Veterans Day Celebration (11/9). See details for both of these events in the "Shout-out from Amy" section at top of newsletter.
Remember to Vote for SFDHS as Your CBUS Top Pick!
The voting polls are open and St. Francis DeSales High School has been nominated for Best Private School once again! In 2016 AND 2017, St. Francis DeSales High School was voted Columbus Dispatch CBUS Top Pick for Best Private School.
Cast your vote daily until polls close on October 31. The organizations with the most votes will be crowned winners in December! Vote at
http://dispatch.secondstreetapp.com/2018-Columbus-Dispatch-CBUS-Top-Picks/
!
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Social Gatherings
Class of 2008 - 10-year Reunion
When: November 21st beginning at 6pm
Where: Land-Grant Brewing Company
For more information and to RSVP, please visit the SFD Class of 2008 Facebook Page or contact Alexa Slomsky at
alexa.slomsky@gmail.com.
We'd love to help spread the word if your class (graduation years ending in 8s and 3s) is planning a reunion during the next several months. Please email the Director of Alumni and Family Engagement, Amy Faulkner, at faulkner@desales.co.
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Spiritual Reflection
May your grace, O Lord, we pray, at all times go before us and follow after and make us always determined to carry out good works. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
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