Announcing Alumni and Friends Campaign – “Celebrating Our Legacy of Catholic Education”

Posted by admin - September 19, 2011 - Latest News - No Comments
If you’ve driven past the new Lourdes High School site, you may have seen construction activity. We are most grateful that Bishop John M. Quinn, Diocese of Winona, has granted permission for the footings to be dug and put in place for ongoing site preparation. Momentum is indeed building with over $12.4 million dollars raised toward the goal of $15 million that will enable groundbreaking and overall construction to begin. It is anticipated that the new LHS will open in the fall of 2013.

 

In conjunction with the announcement of naming of the Academic Wing honoring the Lourdes Foundation, a reenergized alumni and friends campaign is also being launched with hopes of increasing overall participation.  “All gifts, of any size are important,” said Joe Powers, Lourdes Building Our Future campaign chair. “Broad and ongoing participation from our alumni and friends will greatly impact and enhance the overall long term vision for RCS.”

 

Larry and Luanne Koshire (’65) along with Matt (’88) and Lisa Hogan are excited to chair the alumni phase of the Lourdes Building Our Future campaign.  In the coming months there will be engaging and diverse opportunities for alumni to participate not only in helping to build the new school but to stay connected to the wider RCS mission and comprehensive vision for the future.

Larry and Luanne Koshire '65, Alumni Campaign Co-Chairs

“I have tremendous esteem for Lourdes and RCS,” said Larry Koshire, ’65 Lourdes Building Our Future alumni co-chair. “As alumni we must answer this challenge, invest in the mission of RCS and build a new Lourdes High School assuring future generations that RCS will remain a vibrant Catholic school for the greater Rochester community.”

Leadership of Rochester Catholic Schools, which includes Bishop Quinn, Pastors and Lay Trustees and LFI Board of Directors continue to strongly support LBOF. In addition, a significant portion of current RCS faculty and staff support the campaign with an impressive 90 percent participation rate. In early 2011, a robust and energetic effort was launched to engage current RCS parents with a goal of increasing the overall participation rate. Volunteer chairs, Todd & Barb Greguson and Mike & Jess Kesler and over 100 volunteer RCS parents became engaged and trained to spread the message about increased participation. The efforts were fruitful, bringing in over 175 new family gifts and renewals for over 70% of current RCS families committing to the LBOF campaign. 

“I agreed to serve on the alumni campaign to give back a small part of what I received from RCS,” Matt Hogan said. “As an alum, I believe it is my turn now to make a difference and commit to preserve Catholic education.” 

Matt '86 and Lisa Hogan, and family

Now is your chance to be a part of the exciting Lourdes Building Our Future campaign and pledge your support. It is important that every family that wants a Catholic education for their children be given the opportunity. To do this we need everyone’s help and support. To make a pledge or gift, you can donate online at www.lourdesfuture.org or call Lourdes Building Our Future campaign manager Terri Burkel at 507-424-1817. 

“The goal of the reenergized alumni campaign is to increase the overall participation,” said Joe Powers, Lourdes Building Our Future campaign chair. “Your contribution will be remembered for years to come and is the foundation for RCS’s future,” said Powers.