Greetings from Molloy – Week Twenty Four
March 5th, 2010Alumni Events
St. Patrick’s Day Parade Update – The Stanner Zone – Fifth Ave and 58th St.
As we all know, this event is just around the corner. Less than two weeks away to be precise. And, this year we have a Stanner Hall of Fame member from the class of 1959 leading the parade as its Grand Marshall. Back in the fall, the Honorable Ray Kelly was selected to be the GM of the 149th Annual St. Patrick’s Day parade.
For years the students and many alumni have gathered at the corner of Fifth Avenue and 58th Street – we plan to gather there again at 11:00 am in anticipation of a great crowd. This year especially we want a grand turnout to cheer Stanner Ray Kelly on as he passes the “Stanner Zone”. If you are in the city and can make it to the Stanner Zone as the start of the parade passes this spot, please join us. The more, the merrier!
Stanner Communion Breakfast
In keeping with our commitment to provide opportunities for Stanners to gather in a variety of settings for different purposes, we have opened up what used to be a St. Ann’s graduates event to the entire alumni community. The Stanner Communion Breakfast will be held on Sunday, April 25th at the school. We will have a full breakfast following Mass and there will be plenty of time to sit and reminisce about your time at either St. Ann’s or Molloy. Based on the turnout of Stanners for the 50th Anniversary Mass at St. Patrick’s Cathedral, we have great hope that this will become an annual event attracting Stanner Families. To register for this event, please click here
24th Annual Jim Kinnier Stanner Golf Classic — Update
The ground may be covered with snow, but the 24th Annual Jim Kinnier Stanner Golf Classic is in full swing. The outing will take place on Monday, May 3rd at both North Hills Country Club and Plandome Country Club. Reservations are beginning to arrive, journal ads are being placed and raffle ticket sales are moving right along.
Joe Smith is back in the building, causing fear among the students in his drive to sell raffle tickets. Joe and AJ Power are going from class to class talking to the students about how they can support Molloy through the sale of raffle tickets. Joe, one of the “Three Amigos”, started the outing along with Jim Kinnier and the late John Gibbons. Over the years the outing as well as the raffle has grown significantly. The outing serves as the largest reunion and networking event for alumni and parents from all the classes. Visit the website at: www.molloyhs.org and click on the 24th Annual Jim Kinnier Stanner Golf Classic invite to view golf sponsorship opportunities, journal ad opportunities or to make a golf reservation.
Take A Chance – Support a Stanner!
Last year’s winners were 2 families with students currently at Molloy. We received a note from the Super Bowl winner along with this photo. He raved about the seats being so close to the field and what a wonderful time he had.
The proceeds from this year’s Stanner Golf Classic help to defray the ever growing cost of a Molloy education and benefit Molloy’s scholarship program. Give Maria Ford a call at 718 943-3186 to help in “Securing Tomorrow’s Scholarships Today” by purchasing a raffle ticket, placing a journal ad or to make a golf reservation or sponsorship.
Spring Phone-a-Thon off to a great start
We had the first two nights of our Spring Phone-a-thon this week. Twenty students, ten each night, placed calls to alumni to remind them in a gentle way that we continue to need their prayers and financial support. We had a good response from those who were home, and we left many messages.
As you have all read in the papers recently, Catholic schools across the country are facing financial challenges like never before. We endeavor to keep our tuition costs under control while still offering a world class education in a state of the art facility. With an alumni base of nearly 20,000 we should be able to secure our future with modest gifts from all of our alumni. We ask you to find the magazine that was sent to you in January and locate the envelope stitched into the annual report section. Please, take a few minutes think about how important it is in today’s world to provide a Catholic education to the next generation. Donate what you can, and know that every gift counts.
Around the School
Annual Blood Drive a Success
This year’s annual Long Island Blood Services Blood Drive was another success. Many students, faculty and members of the staff stepped up and gave the Gift of Life. Once again this points to the selfless sense of giving that many Stanners develop during their time here at Molloy. Kathy Forgione, R.N. organizes this event each year. It takes a couple of months to build awareness, gather the necessary permission forms and prepare the first-timers for this experience. She was clearly pleased with the turnout.
175 Stanners registered to participate and 150 were able to donate. With the use of the ALYX (pronounced ALEX) machine, which removes two pints of red blood cells while returning the plasma to the donor, we were able to collect a total of 183 pints. Although Alumni are not eligible to participate, Kathy urged all Stanners to donate the “Gift of Life” at least once a year. At the end of the drive she commented that, “she was proud of our students for their support and participation.”
When Life Gives Your Lemons, Make a Battery!
Engineers Can do Amazing Things
This week’s after-school Engineering group explored the world of Chemical Engineering. After a classroom session on the field of Chemical Engineering, Samir Jhaveri ’05 moved the group of more than 40 Stanners into the lab to work on turning lemons into batteries. Samir is a graduate of NYU Poly with a degree in Chemical Engineering. He is now working on his Masters degree in Bio-Medial Engineering and will graduate in 2011. The class offered a great hands on LED light experiment working with one lemon, followed by a demonstration of the power of 20 lemons, which powered a small engine.
Every week for six weeks this group voluntarily gathers in the new Chemistry Lab to explore a different aspect of the field of engineering. Jonathan Kulig ’05 has organized this effort and serves as support staff for each of the presenters. He will present his section in an upcoming session.
Photographs are from the first two sessions. Last week Carrie Cremin ‘05 presented information about Mechanical Engineering. Our own chemistry teacher, Ms. Mary Mallia supports this great alumni mentorship activity with her own time and expertise.
Sports Update from the A.D’s Office
The winter season is coming to a close a we had some impressive performances this year.
Boy’s Track and Field continued its dominance in the sectional championships winning the Brooklyn/Queens Indoor Championship on all three levels. (Freshmen, Sophomore and Varsity). Our Freshmen team has won 34 Indoor Championships and this year was 7 in a row. Our Sophomores have won 36 Indoor Championships and this year was 6 in a row. On the Varsity level we have won 44 Indoor Championships and this year was 6 in a row.
Girls Varsity Track also won the Brooklyn Queens Indoor Championship which is their fifth championship since 2004.
Some top individual performances were put in by Matt Catera (Sr.) who won the City Championship in the Long Jump and qualified for the State Championship Meet on 3/6/10. Sean Collins (Sr.) also qualified for the State meet in the 55 meter hurdles along with Ashley Mayer (So.) in the pole vault.
Boys Varsity Swimming won the “B” Individual Championships with Randall Gaskins winning the 50 meter freestyle. Chris Doherty qualified for the State “A” Meet on 2/27 in the backstroke and the butterfly. He reached the finals in the backstroke.
Girls Varsity Swimming finished second in both the Duel Meet season and in the Individual Championships.
Boys Basketball reached the Quarter-finals of the City Playoffs. Ernest Rouse (Sr.) was named First Team ALL CHSAA.
Boys JV Basketball reached the first round of the playoffs.
Boys Freshmen Basketball play for the City Championship on Saturday 3/6 6:00 PM at Holy Cross.
Varsity “B” reached the Semi-finals of their league championship. Kevin Lawlor (Jr.) was named to the ALL LEAGUE team.
Girls Varsity Basketball enter the State “A” Playoffs as the #1 seed from Brooklyn/Queens this weekend.
Girls JV Basketball reached the Diocesan Finals. Alexa Dietrich was given the Sportsmanship Award for the league and Joe Harnischfeger was named Coach of the Year.
Spring season begins tomorrow as the all of the spring sports begin practice and their pursuit of championships.
Non Scholae — Sed Vitae —
Mr. Mark Lipset brought in a piece of news about Charles and Michael Sanky, the sons of Charles Sanky ’71. As the proud father of these two sons, Charles shared his son’s achievements in the Royal Rangers with Mark. Last November, both sons received the highest award presented by the Royal Rangers International, The Gold Medal of Achievement. Congratulations to the entire Sanky family on this great achievement!.
From the Stanner Bookshelf
Rich Kisielewski ’70, a graduate of New York University, has spent thirty plus years in the insurance industry and currently works in a suburb of Philadelphia. An uprooted New Yorker - Queens, NY -he lives in Central Pennsylvania with his wife Liz who also is an uprooted New Yorker – da Bronx, NY - and their collection of dogs and cats. Their two children – Tara and Brian – have left the roost and live in Dallas and Philadelphia respectively.
da sticks is the second Harry Mickey Shorts adventure with more to follow. Future story lines will include Thoroughbred Horse Racing, Internet Poker and the “Con” game. You can read more about his work and order a book at: www.richkisielewski.com/home
Joey Savino ’01 wrote in with the following message for his fellow Stanners. “So I’m at it again, running another half marathon to help find a cure for Crohn’s Disease and Ulcerative Colitis. I’m heading back to California to complete the Napa to Sonoma Wine Country Half Marathon for the second time this July with Team Challenge, a fundraising program benefiting the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of America (CCFA).”
For more information about this disease, you can visit Joe’s site at: http://www.active.com/donate/napa10nyc/napa10JSavino
St. Ann’s Corner – Where are they Now?
The year was 1944 – And some Stanners graduated in 3 1/2 years! Frank Crowe ’44 was one of the men from St. Ann’s who graduated and went on to serve his country in the US Navy. After being discharged from the Navy Frank attended Fordham where he received a BS degree in accounting. He had worked for a while for the Equitable Insurance Company as an “office boy” in the President’s office while at St. Ann’s and, in fact, played on their corporate baseball team at Yankee Stadium and Ebbets Field – A tribute to his playing ball at St. Ann’s. The rest of his career was spent as a controller in hospitals from coast to coast, including one in Ketchikan, Alaska. Nowadays, he spends time working on the upcoming census, and he has served on his local parish council. We had a great conversation and look forward to swapping stories again in the future.
A Prayer Request
In talking with Stephen Coffey ’83 in Glen Ellyn, Illinois this past week, Mr. Sherry learned that his wife, Katherine is seriously ill. He requested that we remember her in our prayers this week. May she know God’s gentle healing power.
AJ Power ’84 forwarded some information about the daughter of fellow Stanner, Dennis Cummins ’82 and the niece of Frank Cummins ’86. Lauren is a true fighter, as you can tell from the following information. Lauren is an 11-year old girl who was diagnosed at an early age with Neurofibromatosis (NF). NF is a disease that can affect the cells of the skin, brain and optic nerves. As a result of this disorder, Lauren became blind in one eye by age 2 and began losing vision in the other eye by age 8. By age 10, the tumor expanded beyond the optic nerves causing her major complications.
Lauren was admitted to NYU Hospital on November 10, 2009 for brain surgery. Since then, she’s endured 9 additional surgical procedures and a second major brain tumor resection. She now requires radiation therapy and is expected to require hospitalization for at least another 8 weeks.
Click here for additional information on how you can help this Stanner family, and of course, please keep Lauren and the entire Cummins family in your prayers as they fight this battle.
A Thought for the Week
Happiness keeps You Sweet,
Trials keep You Strong,
Sorrows keep You Human,
Failures keep You Humble,
Success keeps You Glowing,
But Only God keeps You Going
