Holy Name Catholic School Principal, Mr. Joe Carlson, accepts a check for $14,000 from a fund held by the Community Foundation for Delta County, which was started by several alumni of the school. Presenting the check is Mr. Ken Gartland.
Mr. Gartland, one of the individuals who started the fund which is designed to provide additional financial support to the Administrators, Teachers and Staff at Holy Name Catholic School said, “For many of us who have graduated from Holy Name High School and have had financial success, it seemed logical that the funds we’ve donated over the years to our beloved school now be placed into an endowment to assist the wonderful staff to be competitive with their public school peers”. “Our intention is to contact as many graduates of Holy Name High School as we possibly can to request their economic support for the educational entity that gave them a terrific education that provided the foundation for their success in life”, he continued.
Another Holy Name High School graduate involved with this fund is Mr. Dale Richer (not pictured) stated, “We absolutely love the education we received at Holy Name High School and many of us want to insure those who follow us receives the same excellent education that we received”. “For many years we’ve provided economic assistance to the school but decided it was time to take action to insure that the administrators, teachers and staff at Holy Name Catholic School receive salary increases or stipends, enabling them to provide future generations of students with the same professionalism and high quality education that we received.” He continued, “Knowing the Community Foundation for Delta County is a 501 (c)(3), along with their fantastic reputation and all the good they do in the community, we knew they were the place to go to start an endowment fund and insure our philanthropic wishes would be followed year after year.
“Since our graduating from Holy Name High School in 1958, we have continued to enrich our lives with the faith, values and education we have taken with us,” commented Mr. Gartland and Mr. Richer.
Mr. Carlson “thanked” the alumni for their generosity and said, “On behalf of Holy Name Catholic School I want you to know how truly grateful and appreciative I am for the economic support of our school”. He continued, “All of the funds just received will be utilized to provide a more competitive salary in our high school staff who will work hard to insure our students get the best possible education. The high school, which will be located at 2203 7th Avenue South in Escanaba, will be opening its doors in phases; first to 9th and 10th graders in 2022, then 11th graders in 2023 and finally to 12th graders in 2024.”
Mr. Gartland, Mr. Richer and other alumni involved are hopeful that the fund will reach $1 million. “The fund currently has $330,000 in it and we are asking all Holy Name Alumni to please consider giving a donation to the Community Foundation for Delta County for our Holy Name Alumni Staff Support Endowment Fund so we can continue our good work. No donation is too small. We appreciate anything you can give to this wonderful project,” stated Mr. Richer.
All donations can be mailed to the Community Foundation for Delta County, Holy Name Supporter, 2420 1st Avenue South Escanaba, MI 49829, or by credit card please call the community foundation office at 906-786-6654 or go to our website at: www.cfup.org and click on the DONATE NOW button.
