Gametime!

Just to get you revved up, check out this video, produced by und.com, of what it's like to be a player on game weekend.  Amazing!

http://www.und.com/allaccess/?media=194221

Some fantastic photos from the first game are found here: 

http://www.und.com/photogallery/gallery_index.html?school=nd&sport=m-footbl

Go Irish!

Here Come the Irish!

It's almost time for the start of the 2010 football season.  For many of you, ND football meant daily visits to a blog called The Blue-Gray Sky, the best football blog on the Internet.  Unfortunately, Blue-Gray Sky is no more.  The guys stopped updating it this past year.

One of the authors of Blue-Gray Sky was Pat Mitsch, son of longtime club members, Bob and Bernie Mitsch.  If you want a fantastic preview for the upcoming season, check out Pat Mitsch's latest project, Here Come the Irish, published by Maple Street Press.  Pat is the editor and an author, as is Jeff Jeffers, Sports Director at WNDU-TV in South Bend,  Anthony Pilcher, a writer for ClashmoreMike.com, Chris Brown, an editor for SmartFootball.com, Frank Vitovitch, who runs the site called, Unofficial Home of Notre Dame Football, http://www.uhnd.com/, and Keith Arnold, author of the Inside the Irish blog on NBCSports.com. 

Importantly, Pat Mitsch gives all the credit to Mom and Dad (from the Acknowledgements):

I would like to thank all of those who have helped to make Here Come the Irish 2010 possible: . . . and finally, my parents who have always been incredibly supportive and made me realize from a very young ae that there is no better team to root for than the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.

Service at St. Vincent Hotel

For this year's Hesburgh Month of Service, club members assisted with two service projects.  The first was Bundle Sunday at Incarnation Parish, and the other was a gardening project at St. Vincent Hotel homeless shelter in downtown Dayton.  This report will focus on the latter of the two projects.

Jackie Zofkie ('87) organized the St. Vincent Hotel project.  We received some significant help from Bud Hauser ('74), who was able to work with his client, Green Prairie Turf (located in College Corner), to donate much of the sod.

We did the event in conjunction with the University of Dayton Alumni Association, Dayton Chapter.

Sod was our first goal.  We laid over 400 square feet of sod in patches across the Hotel's yard where the grass had been stamped out. 

We spread grass seed over several other places.

We trimmed the trees. 

We pulled weeds -- so many weeds. 

We planted flowers. 

And we even served lunch to the guests.

Leigh Sempeles, Executive Director over the entire St. Vincent organization in Dayton came to check on our progress and say thanks, as did Ann Goebels, Director of the St. Vincent Hotel. 

We had beautiful weather, wet ground, and more volunteers than we expected.  Thanks to all who could make it:

Becky Camillus
Jack Fiala
Marty Foos
Mike Gazzerro
Joe Hollkamp and Family
John Krug, Sarah Krug, and Family
Stephany Roberts and Family
Gene and Carolyn Yankel
Jackie Zofkie and Family
plus many UD Alumni  (special thank you to Jim Ahrns from the UD club for his help in organizing this event)

We got done more work than we had planned -- and got done early.

Folk Choir Blesses Dayton

The Notre Dame Folk Choir began its 2010 pilgrimage to Virginia by making its first stop at Precious Blood Parish in Dayton on May 17, 2010.  Perhaps the best way to describe the evening is to quote from The Catholic Virginian:

“They have a compassionate, ministerial approach.  They develop the talents of the people they have to get the best possible performance.  But it’s not a concert choir; it’s a liturgical choir — it’s ministry.  They don’t choose music based on performance. They are focused on the congregation and its participation in the singing, in the prayer.”

The choir performed sixteen songs from their repetoir -- mostly songs written by Director Steven C. Warner -- and they sang several encore songs.  I was most amazed by the reaction from the crowd.  After giving one standing ovation at the end of the concert, the congregation stayed in their seats after the second and third encore as it to say, "We're not ready to leave yet; please keep singing." 

There was no charge for the performance.  Host families graciously opened their homes to choir members on Monday evening, and parishoners brought food for a potluck meal that evening.  Any additional expenses are covered by sales of the Folk Choir's compact discs.  (You can buy copies directly from the publisher, World Library Publications; they make great gifts.)  The Folk Choir's music is also on iTunes.  The choir also asked for donations for the mission of the Congregation of Holy Cross in Haiti.

The Pastor of Precious Blood, Fr. Bill O'Donnell, used the occasion to announce that planning has begun to bring a Cristo Rey High School to Dayton.  Essentially, this is a high school that caters directly to students from poor families who cannot pay for it.  The students go to school from early morning until five or six at night four days a week, and then go to work at companies on one day a week.  The students' work covers approximately 75% of the cost of their education.

Thank you to all of the host families -- some of you had six students -- thank you, thank you, thank you.  Thanks also to Precious Blood Parish, especially Skip Ekhart, Coordinator of Parish Life at Precious Blood, as well as Fr. Bill O'Donnell.

Tony Springmann Commits to ND

The Dayton Domer Digest usually doesn't cover ND sports news.  There are plenty of other sites that do it better.

But when an athlete has a local connection (such as Molly Bruggeman), then we'll make an exception.

Just before the Blue-Gold game, a defensie lineman from Fort Wayne, Indiana, committed to Notre Dame just a few days after receiving an offer.  It turns out his lifelong dream was to play football at Our Lady's University:

“Ever since I was seven or eight-years old, I remember watching Julius Jones and those guys play at Notre Dame, and it’s always been my dream to play at Notre Dame. In a sense, it’s unreal that it’s happened to me. I never thought I would be in a position like this. I’m thankful and it’s kind of overwhelming.”

Tony is currently a junior, so he won't start at ND until fall 2011.  He is 6'7" and currently weighs 270 pounds.  He'll get bigger, of course.  He comes from the same high school -- Bishop Dwenger -- as two other ND football players: John Goodman and Tyler Eifort.

What is his connection to the ND Club of Dayton?  Marty Foos worked for his mother, who is the current U.S. District Judge sitting in Fort Wayne.  He was her law clerk for two years immediately following his graduation from ND in 1995.  She, too, graduated from ND Law School; hence, Tony's lifelong dream to play there.

And if that isn't enough, there's his red hair!  Nancy Zlotnik always roots for the ND players with red hair.  Won't you join her?

Go Irish!

Meet St. Vincent's Leigh Sempeles

Our community is blessed with many dedicated people who work extremely hard to serve those in need.  These are the people who use your donations and prayers and put them into action.  One of the best service organizations in Dayton is the St. Vincent de Paul Society.  I felt it was important to learn more about the leader of that organization since so many ND Club of Dayton members give of their time and money to St. Vincent. 

Leigh Sempeles is the Executive Director of the Dayton Chapter of the St. Vincent de Paul Society.  Below is her tremendous story of dedication and commitment to bettering the lives of others.

What is your background?

I grew up in the Dayton community in the Kettering area and graduated from Fairmont East High School. In terms of an educational background, after high school graduation, I attended Wright State University and graduated magna cum laude with a B.A. in History in 1979. After college, I furthered my education at the University of Dayton School of Law receiving a J.D. In 1992, after being in the corporate world for many years, I returned to school and received a M.A. in Business Administration from Antioch University McGregor.

As for my professional life, upon graduation from law school, I practiced law for several years in the general practice areas of domestic relations, probate and bankruptcy and I remain on active status as a member of the Ohio Bar. Prior to joining St. Vincent de Paul as Executive Director in December, 2006, I was employed for more than 20 years at LexisNexis holding management positions in strategy, marketing and product development. Also, periodically, I serve as an adjunct associate professor in the MBA program at the University of Maryland University College.

I am an active community volunteer and board member with several non-profit groups in the Dayton area. I enjoy reading and traveling – particularly to historical sites. I live in Springboro with my husband, Mark where we are close proximity to my immediate family including two adorable nieces.

What are all of the ways in which St. Vincent's of Dayton serves our community?

The Society of St. Vincent de Paul, Dayton District Council has its foundation in its 36 Conferences, which are based in local parishes and colleges. Partnering with the Community Store and the Food Pantry, the Conferences aid those in poverty in their local communities. For adults and families who become homeless in Dayton and Montgomery County, emergency assistance is provided at two 24-hour Gateway Shelters operated by St. Vincent de Paul. The organization also offers transitional and permanent supportive housing programs designed to help our neighbors in need achieve housing stability by providing case management and life skills training to guests referred from our shelters. These include programs such as the DePaul Center and Kettering Commons. We also operate a new Deconstruction Depot with items from local homes that are being deconstructed by DaytonWorks Plus.

How has the St. Vincent de Paul Society of Dayton grown over the years?

The Society first began operation in Dayton in 1948 and the number of conferences has grown steadily over the years including three new conferences in the last two years. Twenty-five years ago, conference members who are known as Vincentians recognized the need for a homeless shelter in the community and began operations in an abandoned fire house. From our work with the homeless, we realized that many need more than just housing to maintain a stable life and we gradually began adding housing programs where we can support men, women and families emotionally and help them address the personal, financial and education/employment issues they face. Our most recent housing program addition has been the opening of St. Vincent de Paul Kettering Commons which provides permanent supportive housing to families with a parent who has medical or mental handicaps have led to chronic homelessness. Our Community Store supports the work of conferences, shelters and housing programs and also is home to our Food Pantry and the Deconstruction Depot.

How many people does St. Vincent's of Dayton help yearly?

Last year we served more than 80,000 people in the Miami Valley across all of our programs.

How many people work for St. Vincent's of Dayton?

We have approximately 100 employees who are supported in their work by more than 1,000 volunteers each month.

Are any of your employees former guests at one of St. Vincent's shelters?

Yes, several of our employees are graduates of our housing programs who began their journey at our shelter. A few have gone on to receive degrees (including Masters) in counseling and social work and become case managers. They are a valuable addition to our team because of their ability to identify and understand the experiences of our guests. To quote the theme of our annual Friends of the Poor® Walk – they truly have “Walked a Mile in My Shoes.”

On whom do you depend for your funding?

We are blessed that we have a diversified funding mix including government grants, gifts from private individuals, corporations and community foundations and several for-profit entities. St. Vincent de Paul is the owner and property manager of the Job Center and we also own and operate the St. Vincent de Paul Community Store and the Deconstruction Depot. In addition, we are operating a car donation program and a recycling program through our Community Store operations.

How have your finances changed since the start of the economic recession?

Our biggest issue has been the tremendous increase in demand for our programs, which increases our operational expenses. And, like all area non-profits, we have seen a decrease in the dollars directly received from private funders and corporations. To meet the needs of our community, our fundraising efforts have been focused on expanding the number of private individuals investing in our work and being good stewards of every dollar received. I am proud of the fact that our administrative and development overhead remains at a very low level.

What has been St. Vincent's of Dayton's biggest challenge that it has overcome?

As St. Vincent de Paul Dayton has grown it has developed a significant number of operations which until recently operated largely independently. Collectively, our programs provide a full continuum of care to address the needs of those struggling with poverty or homelessness.

Four years ago, our Board made a decision to improve the business operations of their $8 million dollar organization and began a search for a business leader to lead the organizations in working collaboratively and with greater efficiently. I was honored to be selected as their new Executive Director in December, 2006.

Since that time, my team and I have embarked on an ambitious initiative to transform our programs into efficient operations that share resources and best practices and make purchases collectively. We identify and act on opportunities to work smarter including outsourcing services best performed by vendor partners including human resources and information technology. We excel at our core competencies and actively develop collaborations and partnerships with other social service organizations that drive stronger services and best utilize our resources.

What are St. Vincent's of Dayton's goals for the future?

We currently have 92 units of supportive housing available for men, women and families. There is a tremendous need for these services and St. Vincent de Paul has a long history of success in truly transforming lives through our existing programs. We are actively pursuing opportunities to expand our number of units.

Operationally, we will continue to focus on process improvement and developing additional partnerships with other social service organizations that will enable us to provide the most effective services to our clients and use our resources wisely.

What are the most significant challenges that St. Vincent's of Dayton's guests currently face?

There is a lack of affordable housing in our community coupled with an accessibility of good paying jobs. Minimum wage is $7.35/hour but in Montgomery County the living wage is actually $8.55/hour. The living wage is defined as the 40-hour/week hourly rate required for self-sufficiency. A single parent with one child would need to earn $17.16/hour. Without proper education, advanced jobs skills and a market availability of jobs at this salary level, individuals are in a constant battle with poverty. For more information on the living wage please visit http://www.livingwage.geog.psu.edu/counties/39113.
What is the most effective way to address those challenges?

City of Dayton and Montgomery County leaders have embarked on a 10-Year Plan to End Chronic Homelessness and Reduce Overall Homelessness. The development of the Gateway Shelter concept and the opening of the Gettysburg Gateway for Men represent the first phase of this comprehensive plan. The next phases focus on expanding the availability of supportive housing and affordable housing. The 2009 Homeless Solutions Report is available on our website. http://www.stvincentdayton.org/documents/2009HomelessSolutionsReportFINAL.PDF.

How can we assist St. Vincent's of Dayton?

To meet the ongoing needs of our clients we have a continuous need for financial resources, in-kind donations and volunteer services. Financial gifts can include cash, stocks or providing for St. Vincent de Paul Dayton in your will. In-kind donations of food, clothing, bedding and furniture relieve our expenses and enable us to fill vouchers for needed items to our clients. We also accept vehicle donations which we auction to fund our programs. Donations of real estate are also welcomed. A house or an apartment building could expand our housing programs. An office building could be a new revenue source. Our volunteers are the lifeblood of our organization and we can make use of assistance across all of our programs. Sorting donations and doing laundry, assisting clients with resumes and interviewing, planning fundraising events and serving in our conferences are just a few of our opportunities for you to serve. Additional details can be found on our website http://www.stvincentdayton.org/ or by calling us at (937) 222-5555.

A Quiet Spring?

Notre Dame has announced the recipients of honorary degrees at this year's Commencement, which will take place in Notre Dame Stadium.  One of them is Clay Mathile's wife.  (You may remember Mr. Mathile as the former owner of the Iams Company, who sold his ownership stake in the company to Procter & Gamble and has been a philanthropist (especially of Catholic causes) ever since.)  The University had previously announched that the speaker would be Brian Williams, anchor for NBC News.  Also, a poet will receive the Laetare Medal.

It looks like they succeeded in being less controversial this year.

But wait!  There is still a chance of a media frenzy this spring.  The Archbishop of Munich, Germany, is speaking on campus this week.  Archbishop Reinhard Marx succeeded Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger as the Archbishop of Munich when Cardinal Ratzinger became Pope Benedict XVI.  Archbishop Marx will be talking about the social message of the church, but it wouldn't surprise me to see a reporter or two show up to ask tough questions about the abuse scandal in Europe.

Bill Devir's Report from Haiti

At our monthly luncheon on March 25, 2010, Dr. Jim Lehner gave a slideshow presentation on his service in Haiti.  For everyone there, it was a tremendous story of service, faith, and world cooperation in the face of great need.

At that luncheon, we also learned that Dr. Lehner is not alone among our club members who have served in Haiti.  Bill Devir went to Haiti as one of the first responders to the tragedy.  He is the Commander of the Disaster Medical Assistance Team OH-5, which was sent to Haiti as part of the federal government's response to the earthquake.  I've asked him to give a short report from his time helping the people.  Below is that report.

I had the privilege to lead a group of 34 federal medical responders, the Disaster Medical Assistance Team OH-5, as part of the US Department of Health and Human Services response to the Haiti Earthquake, in coordination with the US Department of State and international medical responders from over 30 countries. Our team took over the site of the Israeli Field Hospital, and provided medical care to 600 patients over the course of 10 days. At the combined US DHHS sites in Haiti, medical personnel have treated more than 29,300 patients. They have performed 139 surgeries and delivered 33 babies. Members of the NDMS Disaster Mortuary Response Teams continue operations in Haiti today, identifying the remains of US citizens for return to their families in the United States.

The National Disaster Medical System (NDMS) was designed twenty five years ago as part of an integrated national response, temporarily augmenting state and local authorities in dealing with the medical impacts of major peacetime disasters. The NDMS can also provide support to the military and the Department of Veterans Affairs medical systems in caring for casualties evacuated back to the U.S. from overseas armed conventional conflicts. The NDMS provides medical response to a disaster area in the form of personnel, supplies, and equipment, patient movement from a disaster site to unaffected areas of the nation and within the U.S., can provide definitive medical care at participating U.S. hospitals in unaffected areas. The NDMS team members have non-federal jobs and become federal employees intermittently to support a disaster. NDMS falls under the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response within DHHS. The OH-5 team is based in Dayton, Ohio, and has responded to Hurricanes Frances, Katrina, Gustav and Ike, and its members responded to Pennsylvania, Washington DC and New York City as part of the health and medical response to the attacks of 9-11. This was the first international deployment for our team. Drawing on my personal international experience, we were able to work with local nationals to source Creole translators as well as local labor to assist with our disaster medical operation.

This picture shows Bill Devir comforting a Haitian infant in the care of Disaster Medical Assistance Team OH-5 at the Thebaud Field Hospital in Port-au-Prince, Haiti

Five Facts from Hildreth Lecture

On March 25, 2010, ND physics professor Michael Hildreth gave a Hesburgh Lecture to over 50 people on his work with the Large Hadron Collider.  The lecture was given in conjunction with the Physics Department at the University of Dayton.  Below are five facts that we learned from the lecture:

1. The Large Hadron Collider (“LHC”) is located on the border between Switzerland and France. It is the largest international research project ever conducted. Both French and English are spoken at the site.

2. The LHC is a 17-mile-long, underground pipe in the shape of a circle. It is the largest machine ever made.

3. The LHC recreates conditions as they existed 1/10 billionth of a second after the Big Bang.

4. For the first time ever, the LHC will begin colliding particles under research conditions next week, on March 30.  (There will be a webcast of the event.)

5. Despite the claims of some, the LHC will not destroy the planet. Scientists don’t even know if ‘black hole’-type conditions could be created at LHC. Even if they could, they would last for so short a time and be so small, that nothing would come of it.

Dr. Lehner's Report on Haiti

One of our own has just returned from Haiti.  Dr. Jim Lehner is an orthopedist who provided medical service to the people of Haiti affected by the earthquake.  His work was coordinated through the Notre Dame Haiti Program, which is featured as part of the "What would you fight for?" ads during the football games.

Dr. Lehner will attend our luncheon on March 25 at noon at the Dayton Country Club.  He will bring pictures with him, so plan to come for a firsthand account.

The picture to the right is one that Dr. Lehner took.  It shows Frs. John Jenkins and Tom Streit.  (Fr. Jenkins is the President of the University of Notre Dame and Fr. Streit is the Holy Cross priest who is featured on the "What would you fight for?" ad relating to the curing of people with lyphatic filariasis, more commonly known as elephantiasis.)



The following is a letter that Dr. Lehner sent to me describing his work:

Marty:


Just got back from working with the Hospital Sainte Croix in Leogane, Haiti. I was the "team 6" (sixth week) Orthopod with the disaster relief team in Leogane, centered out of the Notre Dame house where the filariasis research project was going on before the quake. After the quake, the house let some ND grads go wild with first quake relief out of the standing nursing building (the old Hospital Sainte Croix was destroyed) and as of 2 weeks ago we got a MASH type hospital (made of tent material) donated by an anonymous doner (domer?). We worked helping the people of Leogane recover from this disaster. 95% of all housing is destroyed in Leogane, and ALL of the people are living in tents. Leogane was the EPICENTER of the quake, so no place else was more severely affected. More than 10% (25,000 est. out of 250,00) were killed, and we had so many injured it was considered the worst disaster the world has ever seen.

We can all be proud of "du loc" in this effort. Certainly our University has never been a health center per se in the past, but the MASH hospital is right on the grounds, and the house is (straining) letting all the volunteers live there, either in rooms they have or in tents on the grounds.

Fr. Jenkins visited this week. Brennan Bollman (valadictorian, class of 2009 and 1st year Med school Harvard) has dropped temporarily out of school to coordinate the volunteer efforts. I saw 30-50 patients each day (8 days) and did secondary surgery for the quake victims. The initial care (mostly ND people) was excellent and we are left doing the seventh week care of fractures and the severe wound follow up (skin grafts don't heal well as the nutrition is so poor, and they are living in tents or nothing.)

The ND program in Leogane is a shining example of Notre Dame at its best in service. Donations can go through the Annual Fund targeted specifically to the Leogane project. I'm sending $1000 now.

Some of our members know I've worked overseas several times before. The Bengali ND program is close to my heart, and is the first check I write every year, but this is of a scope the world has never seen. Pray for Haiti.

Thanks Marty!

Jim Lehner, M.D.

UPDATE

Below is a picture of Dr. Lehner, his nurse Diane who went with him to Haiti, and our own Joe Krug. Below that are just some of the pictures that Dr. Lehner shared with us.

Confronting Job Loss: Finding Christian Hope

The Alumni Association invites you to participate in a new online program --- Tender, Strong, and True. You can engage in spiritual discussions with Notre Dame faculty and members of the faith community live via the Internet.

The next broadcast will take place:

DATE: Sunday, March 14

TIME: 8:00 – 8:45 p.m. EST

TOPIC: "Confronting Job Loss: Finding Christian Hope"

PANELISTS: James Davis, the John F. O'Shaughnessy Professor in Family Business, and Christine Heslin Powers '90, a former executive of a nonprofit organization

MODERATOR: Monsignor Michael Heintz '08 Ph.D, director of Notre Dame's Master of Divinity program

HOW TO PARTICIPATE IN LIVE BROADCAST: Go to Notre Dame's UStream page (www.ustream.tv/notredame) several minutes before the broadcast starts. Throughout the live broadcast, participants are able to interact with each other and the panelists via Twitter or Facebook.

Mark Your Calendar

The next Tender, Strong and True broadcasts will take place:
8:00 – 8:45 p.m. EST
Sunday, April 18 – Topic is "Finding Meaning: Applying Gospel Values at Work"
Sunday, May 9 – Topic is "Discovering Your Mission: Living with God-Given Purpose"

Contact Information

For more information, contact Kathleen M. Sullivan '82MA '87PhD of the Alumni Association at sullivan.6@nd.edu or visit www.alumni.nd.edu/tst.

Brother Andre to be a Saint

Pope Benedict XVI announced on Friday that Blessed Brother André Bessette, C.S.C., will be canonized in a ceremony to be held October 17, 2010.  Blessed Brother André was a brother of the Congregation of Holy Cross, the religious order which founded the University of Notre Dame.  He is the first member of the Holy Cross Order to be named a saint.

Brother André served as a porter, or doorman, at Montreal’s College of Notre Dame, an assignment in which he continued for the next 40 years.  In addition to welcoming visitors, he served as janitor, launderer, and sacristan, ran errands, and provided the students with cheap haircuts.  More and more people began to visit him, seeking his advice, counsel, and healing.

Brother André is routinely mentioned in campus liturgies, and there are two statues of him on campus, one in the Basilica and one at the Eck Visitors Center.  For the full story, see this press release by the University.  The University's site, http://www.nd.edu/, has a good introduction to Brother André.  The video found below is also very good.

Meet Wes Anderson

Wes Anderson is a Senior Case Manager at the DePaul Center in downtown Dayton.  In other words, he is one of those people who carries out the work that your donations support.  Let's meet him and learn about the great and extremely important work that he does on our behalf.

What is the DePaul Center?

The DePaul Center is a part of the work of the St. Vincent de Paul Society of Dayton. The Community Food Pantry distributes food to the poor, the St. Vincent Hotel Gateway Shelter provides temporary housing for the homeless, the St. Vincent de Paul Transitional Housing facility provides transitional housing for women and families, and the St. Vincent de Paul Kettering Commons provides permanent supportive housing to special needs families. In contrast to all of these, the DePaul Center is a transitional housing facility and a comprehensive case management program that helps men reach their goal of permanent housing.

Where is the DePaul Center located?

Right across the street from the home of ND Club President, Marty Foos, at 15 South St. Clair Street in Downtown Dayton.

How many men do you serve?

Right now, we are at full occupancy with thirty-nine men living in our building. We have a long waiting list.

How long have you been the senior case manager?

Just a few months, but I have worked at the DePaul Center for seven years.

How do you help the men who are at the DePaul Center?

We provide them with a residence, develop a case management plan for them and provide life skills training. Each of the men has a private furnished room on a floor with shared bath and kitchen facilities. They work with a case manager on developing a plan to address the core issues that have impeded their success in the past. Case plans include educational training to improve their job skills by pursuing either a certificate or degree program at Sinclair, Wright State, or UD.  Life skills include everything from housekeeping to conflict resolution. We help them find part-time jobs and they pay 30% of their income in rent and utilities as a way for them to feel ownership in their shared home. The continual focus is on their path towards self-sustainability and good citizenship.

What about your background makes you a role model for the men at the DePaul Center?

I was born and raised in Toronto, Ohio, which is close to the West Virginia border, near Wheeling. My family still lives there. I moved to the Dayton area in the 1970s. I got into trouble with the law – nothing violent or damaging to property – but I was wrong. At that point, I woke up and started doing right. I was given a chance to participate in a prison Boot Camp, so I did and left prison in less than a year. I went to a halfway house and was doing so well I was able to leave after one month instead of the 90 days I thought I would be there. I began going to school at Sinclair and started working at the NOVA House as part of an internship. I learned about an opening on the DePaul Center staff from a friend I met at Sinclair, Louis McCarter. I’ve been at DePaul ever since. By the way, I just completed all of the credits that I needed for my Bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice with a minor in Studies in Addiction from the University of Cincinnati. I’ll be receiving my degree as soon as I sign up for graduation.

I tell the guys my story because I want to empower them to improve their lives. We don’t want to take credit for all of the success we’ve experienced around here. It’s not us, it’s the guys who make the changes in their own lives. We just provide the opportunity and the tools for guys to make their own changes.

How do men come to the DePaul Center?

We have a thorough interview screening process. We won’t accept just anyone. Many people want the opportunity that we offer, but maybe they aren’t ready yet to make the commitment necessary. They must be clean and sober and ready to take the next step. When they prove that, then we’ll try to find a place for them here. We receive referrals from the Gettysburg Gateway for Men, the Salvation Army’s Booth House, the Veteran’s Administration, the court systems (both state and federal), and other places.

What motivates you in your work?

For me, it’s the guys – just to hear their stories and to see their progress over the years. It’s both humbling and gratifying. I look at it as a way to give back after living through my own experience. My mother always taught me to remember where I came from. Well, in many ways, I came from where they are now. It keeps me to be humble and helps me to be less self-centered with worrying about my own problems. My problems are not that bad when compared to the guys I am serving.

What are the challenges facing the DePaul Center?

We are dealing with a tough economy, just like everyone else. We depend a lot on donations.

How can we help?

Right now, our greatest need is funding. The federal government supplies some of our funding, but we rely on additional financial support from companies and individuals. Another way to help is by donating to our Vehicle Donation Program. We also appreciate donations of food, clothing, and cleaning and hygiene products.

Another way supporters can help is by volunteering, especially those who have professionals skills to offer. For example, we have two volunteers that work one-on-one with our residents on their personal finances. They help them develop plans for clearing up outstanding debts and to create a personal budget and finance plan.

Fifty Years and Counting

The following is a personal reflection by Tommy "The Hawk" Hawkins that has been circulating in cyberspace among the class of 1959, which includes our own Irv Hermann and Joe Krug.  (Unfortunately, the poem that was supposed to be attached was not available.)  Enjoy!

50 Years and Counting

by

Tommy Hawkins

Class of 1959

An up close and personal view of the Golden Jubilee Celebration of Notre Dame's Class of '59 and its Induction into the 50 Year Club.

Respectfully submitted to Notre Dame Magazine and Mr. Kerry Temple by Tommy Hawkins, B.A. Sociology, two-time Basketball All American, Who's Who in American Colleges and Universities, and 1999 Sorin Award winner.

During earlier class reunions, I viewed with respect and amazement those Notre Dame alumni who were celebrating their 50th anniversaries. I wondered if I would live long enough to enjoy the honor and privilege of being Inducted into the University's 50 Year Club. Well, folks, I made It and the experience was nothing short of phenomenal. This past June 4-7, members of the 1959 class gathered on campus to share the glories of old. Most of us hadn't seen each other for a half-century, yet the stories flowed like fine wine. As we relived the experiences that are indelibly etched on our minds and souls, I decided to capture my classmates' remembrances on audio tape. I recorded their vivid, recapitulations which I will share with you, but first, I must set the scene.

Back in 1955, I was one of two black students in our freshman class. At that time, there were only ten blacks attending Notre Dame. Please keep in mind that this was before President Barack Obama was born, before Rosa Parks and Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr's Montgomery, Alabama bus boycott, and nine years before Congress passed the Nation's first Civil Rights legislation. Although a year prior to our matriculation at Notre Dame, the United States Supreme Court, by unanimous decision, handed down a ruling outlawing racial segregation in public schools, integration was by no means the law of the land. For the most part, segregation ruled. Picture this: 1,200 male freshmen, two of them black, beneath the Golden Dome led by a brilliant and resilient civil rights minded president, Father Theodore M. Hesburgh, who preached the dignity of man regardless of race, creed or color. Father Hesburgh, who was far ahead of society, made it perfectly clear that anywhere Notre Dame's minority students were not welcomed, neither was Notre Dame. What an incredible vote of confidence that was for an 18 year old student athlete from the South Side of Chicago, Illinois, who would for the following four years be the only black on the basketball team and the only black in all of the classes he attended. I have received many compliments in my lifetime, but that remains the ultimate.

So, as the world turned in 1955, we mourned the death of genius physicist Albert Einstein, paid reverent respect to the retirement of British World War II leader and Prime Minister, Winston Churchill, cheered the Brooklyn Dodgers first-ever World Series Championship win over the rival New York Yankees, and looked on in awe as Walt Disney opened the Magic Kingdom of Disneyland. Post-war America on the move. There were 1,200 determined young teenagers beginning a mission of becoming Notre Dame men.

Flash-forward 55 years to the 50th reunion of the graduating class of 1959; a proud assemblage of grey beards, doctors, lawyers, entrepreneurs, professors, owners of professional sports teams, former professional athletes, advertising executives broadcasters, musicians – you name it – all intent on waking up the echoes of a life-shaping past. The personal exchanges were constant and aptly expressed. With tears in his eyes, Dr. Knute Cavanaugh of Longmont, Colorado, remembers the look of happiness and pride on his father's face when he received his degree. He explained that his father never went past the fifth grade and Knute was the first member of his family to go to college. Young Cavanaugh embodied the spirit of Notre Dame. He worked in the campus dining hall for four years and knew just about every one on campus.

To the dismay of his classmates, Jim Dorsey of Oakbluff, Massachusetts, got married in his junior year and brought back his bride, Pat, to South Bend. I frequently visited the Dorsey household and enjoyed many home cooked meals. Jim proudly recalls his membership in the Notre Dame marching band. He and Pat have been married for 52 years.

Bo Broemmel, now living in Marion, Illinois, remembers his position on the Notre Dame baseball team and will never forget his coach, Jake Klein, and the day he started in right field for the Irish.

Pete Hackett of Springfield, Ohio, looks back on the spiritual side of Notre Dame, which he says was the best spiritual four years of his life. According to Pete, even when he prays today, he always envisions himself at the Grotto with Notre Dame always in his heart and soul. Pete and his wife, Sandy, have been married for 50 years and have five children, including three sons who graduated from Notre Dame and a daughter who attended St. Mary's College. They boast 15 grandchildren.

Ed Malone, of Collegeville, Pennsylvania, shared his memories of visiting the Grotto where he received hope and inspiration. On the social side, Ed laughed at the fact there were no women on campus. Notre Dame didn't go co-ed until 1977. During our tenure, Ed and I, like most other Notre Dame men, paid frequent visits to St. Mary's College and St. Joseph's Nursing School.

Tom Lopina, of Winston Salem, North Carolina, rejoices in the sustained spirit of Notre Dame and in being a distinguished member of one of the world's greatest families.

John P. Thurin, now living in South Bend, Indiana carried around a copy of the 1959 Dome yearbook, a publication for which he served as editor-in-chief. John flashed back to those all-night sessions he and his staff spent on the third floor of La Fortune Student Center completing the creatively unique project.  As we leafed through the beautifully bound blue and gold labor of love, John reeled with pride and passion. Some experiences are indelible, sustaining life forces.

Jim Keegan of Wilmington, Delaware, thinks of the Grotto as the most peaceful place on campus. When asked if he always felt the need to visit the sacred shrine, he smiled and said “sometimes twice a day.”

On they came. Dick Murphy of Elmhurst, Illinois, was a hard-working loyal manager of the Irish basketball team. He beamed when recalling our 1958 win over defending NCAA champion North Carolina. 20,000 wild fans witnessed that one at the old Chicago Stadium.

Lee Brand of San Raphael, California, will never forget his first vision of the Notre Dame campus. Riding in a cab up Notre Dame Avenue, he looked up and saw the Golden Dome. Lee claims he has never duplicated that riveting experience any place else in his life.

My track and field teammate Steve Dornbach from Edina, Minnesota, recalls watching me go over the high jump bar when I wasn't playing basketball. Who knew?

Dr. Bernie GillespIe from Shelter Island, New York, will never forget being commissioned in the Navy, the day after graduating from Notre Dame.

Bob Byrnes, currently living in Greenwich, Connecticut, recalls the over-all positive attitude that has always been a big part of Notre Dame: the religiosity, the camaraderie of the students, the dedication of the professors, and the incredible University spirit. He ended his comments by telling me a big highlight for him was watching me play basketball. As he walked away, he said "You were an inspiration to us all, Tommy." I still haven't recovered from his gracious remark.

Jimmy Just from Arlington Heights, Illinois, was a running-back on the Notre Dame football team. He has two outstanding memories of his time beneath the Golden Dome: first, traveling to Norman, Oklahoma and handing Oklahoma a 7 to 0 defeat, breaking their 47 consecutive game win streak. Second, was meeting his bride of 50 years at St. Mary's College.

As for me, it was an incredible feeling to reconnect with my classmates and realize that everything I experienced over 50 years ago was real: the friendships, the love, the caring, the spirit, the camaraderie, the sharing, and the mutual respect. At the reunion. I was asked to give a speech and emcee our class dinner. What an honor. I did my best to make it live for the guys and their ladies. I live with a cascading waterfall of memories that constantly bathe and invigorate me: as a freshman living across the hall from Rector Father Robert Pelton, in Cavanaugh Hall, he guided me on the path of personal and academic success; being told by my basketball coach Johnny Jordan, that if I was going to be a Notre Dame All American, I needed to develop public speaking skills, and then mentoring me in the process; visits to the Grotto before and after home games, whether I scored 30 points or just 15; bonding with members of our top ten rated basketball teams, especially my basketball roommate and fellow All American, Eugene Raymond Patrick Duffy, who stood only 5'5" tall. (“Duff” – one of the most dynamic human beings that ever walked the face of the earth – died of cancer at age 33. I miss him.) And there's more.

Sitting quietly in the rear of Sacred Heart Church, I watched resident sculptor Ivan Mestrovic methodically chip away on his world-famous Pieta, discussing poetry with my English literature professor Father Chester A. Soleta, who instilled a love of poetry that has always inspired me (I am about to publish a personal book of poetry). I was convinced by Father Henri Dulac, an energetic Logic professor, that if I took his course I would thank him for the rest of my life. Father, you have my eternal gratitude. I will never forget the shared fellowship of my classmates – what a supportive group of guys, the “never say die” encouragement of Father Hesburgh, and the tears of pride on the faces of my family when he gave me my bachelor's degree. As you can see, my Notre Dame mug runneth over.

The highlight of my weekend was a one-on-one meeting with Father Hesburgh. I hold him in such high-esteem. During a previous visit, Father and I toured campus in a golf cart stopping and reminiscing at various sites. That visit prompted my writing a free verse poem entitled, “The House of Hesburgh.” I matched a 1958 photo of Father with the poem, had them framed in blue and gold and packaged for presentation. My meeting with “Father Ted” was, as always, inspirational. As we exchanged pleasantries and memories of old, Father said, "I've got something for you" and handed me a photo of me, taken back in 1956, making a high flying dunk shot. "That’s one of my all-time favorites," he said.

That set the stage for my offering. I unveiled the plaque and read the poem to him. Quietly, he shed a tear and said, “Tom Hawkins, I don't cry" to which I replied, “Why should I sit here and cry alone." I'd like to share the poem with you.

[Poem missing]

The character of the Notre Dame 59ers can be seen in so many distinguished ways. With better than 73% participation, our class’s financial contribution to the University is an all time record of $26.4 million. I must also add, we have never forgotten our class members who lost their lives in service to our country. During the reunion, our Vietnam Memorial Project included the dedication of a plaque in memory of our fallen classmates. It now hangs in the campus ROTC Building. A hearty salute to Col. Edward Mezzapelle and Dan Rapp for their efforts in not letting us forget that freedom is never free, and in honoring those who, in life and death, insure our liberty.

As I move on in years, I look back on my four years at Notre Dame as the greatest time of my eclectic life. Under the Golden Dome, I was nurtured in faith, education, collegiality, growth and development, enduring friendships, personal success, and the pride of belonging to such a wonderful family. I entered Notre Dame a shaky, uncertain teenager and left campus a confident man.

A thousand thank yous go out to our Class of '59 Reunion Co-Chairs Joe-Mulligan and Vince Naimoli and to the reunion steering committee John Cashion, Class President, Jim Keegan, Class Secretary, and Dan Crossen. Fabulous job, guys. Also, hats off to Chuck Lennon and the staff of the Notre Dame Alumni Association for their stellar efforts on our behalf.

As I boarded my flight back to Los Angeles, I was already flying high, filled to the brim with the shared joys of our Golden Jubilee Celebration and in awe of the sustaining strength of the Notre Dame bond. I found my seat, sat back, fastened my seat belt, smiled and quietly chanted to myself, rejoicing in the rhythmic repetition:

We are ND!

We are ND!

We are ND!

We are ND!

Thank You from the Cadie Project

A thank-you letter from the CADIE Project:

February 1, 2010


Dear Donors and Sponsors,

In two short years the CADIE Project has raised a total of $66,000. We have been able to enroll 52 children in grade schools and high schools in Rwanda 2008-2009. All the children are now entering the new school year and will be looking for their sponsor’s funding for 2010.
Thank you from the bottom of our hearts to all who have answered this call.

Anyone who would like to be part of this effort by either sponsoring a child or by donating to the Sunny Center project, please let us know through our website www.cadieproject.com or calling us.

We feel humbled by your response and again thank you from the bottom of our hearts,

Sincerely, (the CADIE TEAM)

Leocadie Mukaneza, Director-coordinator
Emmanuel N. Rugina, Executive Secretary
George Molinsky, Treasurer
Betsie Molinsky, Development
Kathleen Kammer, Vice-coordinator
Sandi Young, (Angel from California)
Jim Gruden, Accounting

Communion Breakfast to be Broadcast Live on Radio Maria

This year's Communion Breakfast is being broadcast live on international Catholic Radio on a station called Radio Maria.  This opportunity came out of the blue.  They approached us and asked to broadcast it free of charge.  After checking with Father Thesing and some of the other speakers, we agreed.

I had not heard of Radio Maria before, so I took a look at its website.  It operates primarily through the work of volunteers and has stations on five continents throughout the world.  In Ohio, you may listen to the channel on 88.7 FM, broadcasting from Anna, or 1600 AM, broadcasting from Springfield.  You may also listen online from the Radio Maria site.

So if you can't make it to the Communion Breakfast in person, be sure to join us online or on the air.

A Great Notre Dame Story

Jim Brogan's daughter is getting married to another Domer.  He has a fabulous story about how his daughter met her fiancee at the 2005 Notre Dame-USC game ("the Bush Push game").

Apparently, in the week before the game, his daughter was a medical student at Loyola University in Chicago and wanted to go to the game.  She sent an email to a list of Domers in the area asking for a ticket.  Her future fiancee responded that he had an extra ticket (sitting next to him) and that she should meet him at the stadium before the game.

Well they talked and cheered and screamed and cried with the Irish that day.  Today, they are engaged.

Next time you see Jim, ask him about this great Notre Dame story.

Archdiocese's Dayton Offices to Move

The Archdiocese is moving out of the Oregon District to North Dayton.  It issued the following press release:

Archdiocese's Dayton Offices to Move

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 25, 2010

Dayton administrative offices of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati are moving to newly purchased quarters around the end of March, ensuring their long-term presence in Dayton.

“The acquisition of this building in the city of Dayton makes us owners instead of renters,” said the Most Reverend Dennis M. Schnurr, Archbishop of Cincinnati. “This demonstrates our long-term commitment to the Miami Valley. Our new quarters are handicapped-accessible, energy-efficient and easily reached from I-75.

“Our staff supports the ministries of more than 50 local parishes in the region, and this permanent facility will help us more effectively deliver services to our parishes.”

For about 35 years, Dayton offices of the Archdiocese have rented space at the former Holy Trinity School building at 266 Bainbridge Street. Affected by the move are 23 employees of the Offices of Catholic Schools, Evangelization and Catechesis, Catholic Social Action, Youth and Young Adult Ministry, Family Life and The Catholic Telegraph, the Catholic Education Collaborative, and HealthSmart Protective Services.

The Archdiocese bought the former State Farm Building at 1436 Needmore Road for a purchase price of $825,000, including the building, acreage, and office furniture and fixtures. The purchase, which closed today, comes after more than a year of exploring other options, including the possibility of renovating existing Church properties.

The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Cincinnati is the 26th largest Catholic diocese in the country, with almost 500,000 Catholics, and has the eighth largest network of Catholic schools in terms of enrollment. The 19-county territory includes 218 parishes and 115 Catholic primary and secondary schools.

In case you are not familiar with the new location, here is a map.



View Larger Map

Holy Cross Seminarian Dies in Haiti Earthquake

As many of you know, the Congregation of Holy Cross, the order of priests and brothers that founded and runs Notre Dame, has a large presence in Haiti.  The order is organized into provinces with one of them being the Haiti Provence.  (Another provence is the Indiana Provence.)

The Congregation of Holy Cross has been serving the poor in Haiti for more than 60 years. Holy Cross missionaries from Canada first came to Haiti in 1944 to direct an existing secondary school in Cap Haitien. That initial mission, now called College Notre-Dame, sparked the establishment of other Holy Cross educational, social, and parochial ministries throughout Haiti, now organized as the Province of Notre-Dame du Perpetual Secours, with 70 religious members, including two Holy Cross bishops.

The Holy Cross school and seminary in Haiti were completely destroyed.  Worse still, one of the seminarians was killed.

Early Friday morning, Holy Cross leaders reported that massive damage almost completely destroyed the provincial house and the Congregation’s school, Ensemble Scolaire Basile Moreau, which opened in 1989 to serve the poor in Port-au-Prince. In addition, a seminarian who taught at the Congregation’s high school in northern Haiti was killed in the collapse of a building at the University Quisqueya.

Below is a video of the damage at Quisqueya University.



If you wish to support the Congregation, please send donations in care of Holy Cross Mission Center, P.O. Box 543, Notre Dame, IN 46556.

The Notre Dame Haiti Program building, despite being located closer to the earthquake's epicenter than Port-au-Prince, did not collapse.  Fr. Streit and several students who were there at the time of the earthquake survived and are in the process of returning to the United States.  Holy Cross Associates also has a program in Haiti.

Fr. Jenkins celebrated Mass at the Basilica this evening, a Mass in which several students who had worked in Haiti attended.

Father Mark Thesing and his Father

For the past three years, we've had Rev. Mark B. Thesing, C.S.C. preside at our Communion Breakfast.  He spent part of his youth in Centerville and is now the Business Administrator for the Office of Student Affairs at Notre Dame.  Recently, his father became an ordained permanent Deacon and celebrated mass with his son.  The Congregation of Holy Cross ran an article about the Thesing fathers on its site.

The best part about the article is where Mark talks about his father's decision to be ordained:

"My father loved medicine very much, which was the perplexing thing for me," Father Thesing said. "He loved helping people and listening to their stories; that’s what made him a very good doctor. A lot of what he did was what a minister is to do."


"When I was in high school, he said, ‘You should go into medicine. You can do both.’ He handed me articles of missionaries doing both. After he was ordained a deacon, I said I won the argument."

ND's Continued Response to Commencement 2009

In response to the fallout from its decision to award President Obama an honorary degree at this past year's commencement, Notre Dame formed a task force to recommend changes and improvements to its efforts to “broaden and deepen the pro-life culture in and among various constituencies in order to strengthen the Notre Dame community’s witness to Catholic teaching on life.”

The task force is composed of Margaret Brinig, Fritz Duda Family Professor of Law; John Cavadini, associate professor and chair of theology and McGrath-Cavadini Director of the Institute for Church Life; Ann Astell, Professor of Theology; Kathleen Kelley, student; Mary Ellen Konieczny, Assistant Professor of Sociology; Rev. William Lies, C.S.C., Director of the Center for Social Concerns; and Rev. Mark Poorman, C.S.C., Vice President for Student Affairs.

The task force has issued its preliminary recommendations, which include plans for the following:

• Research and academic programs
• Investment policies
• Pregnant student policies
• Alumni Association efforts

In addition, President John Jenkins will hold a mass at Notre Dame for the students travelling to Washington DC for this year's March for Life.  He will also travel to Washington as the head of the Notre Dame delegation, becoming the first Notre Dame President to make the trip.

Next year's Commencement speaker will be NBC News anchor, Brian Williams.