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NDSA
News and Events
News
Headlines
2010
2009
- (September, '09) NDSA Board Revises Bylaws, Board Structure at Campus Meeting
- (Summer '09) NDSA PACE "Bat For the Cure" Experiences Marked Expansion
- (July,
'09) NDSA 2009 Reorganization
- (May, '09) Region 12 Meeting fantastic in Norfolk, VA
- (April 25, 2009) Reverend Louis J. Putz, C.S.C. Award Given to One of His Students
- (April 4, 2009) Gettysburg Cleanup
- (March
17, 2009) Everybody Loves A Parade!
- (January,
2009) NDSA Winter Board Meeting held in San Diego
2008
2007
2006
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Summer, 2010
NDSA
Prostate Awareness Cancer Education
2010 Bat for the Cure Program
During the summer of 2008, NDSA was presented with an opportunity to enhance its PACE initiative by assisting a non- profit organization called Bat for the Cure. This organization's goals are to support prostate cancer research and promote the education of prostate cancer through early detection. The NDSA PACE initiative has the mutual goal of working through Notre Dame Clubs and classes to promote the education of prostate cancer to enhance early detection. Assisting the Bat for the Cure organization proved to be a very positive adjunct to our current PACE initiative.
| The
Bat for the Cure program has a venue which is very compatible with the Notre Dame
Club structure. The Bat for the Cure prostate cancer education |
|
program is designed
to work through the various minor league baseball leagues and teams in the country.
Specific nights at the ballparks are designated as a Bat for the Cure night. An
information table is set up in a visible location and handout material on prostate
cancer is distributed. During the game each member of the two baseball teams wears
a blue wrist band. The role of Notre Dame and its clubs is to have local Notre
Dame Club volunteers at the table to hand out the material. This type venue worked
well inside the Notre Dame Club structure as many ND Clubs already have a relationship
with their local minor league baseball team by having a camaraderie "night
at the ball park" event.
In the 2010 minor league season the number of Bat for the Cure games increased to 132 (plus 4 from 2009) and Notre Dame had 55 clubs provide volunteers to 70 (plus 7 from 2009) games. The ND clubs who provided volunteers were:
- Region 1 – Portland (2 games), Seattle and Sacramento
- Region 2 – Colorado Springs and Albuquerque
- Region 3 – Island Empire (4 games), Orange County, and Los Angeles
- Region 4 – Minnesota
- Region 5 – Cedar Rapids, Omaha and Quad Cities
- Region 6 – NW Indiana
- Region 7 – Grand Rapids
- Region 8 – St. Joe County, and Ft. Wayne
- Region 9 – Akron, Erie, Dayton, Cleveland, and Columbus; Region 10 – North Jersey (2 games), Long Island, and South Jersey
- Region 11 – Boston (2 games), New Hampshire, Vermont, RI / SE Mass, Portland ME, and Hartford
- Region 12 – Washington DC (2 games), Gettysburg (2 games), Lehigh Valley, Maryland, Schuylkill, Harrisburg (3 games), Scranton / Hanover Twp. (2 games) SE VA, and Delaware
- Region 13 – Austin, West TX / Eastern NM, San Antonio, and Dallas (2 games)
- Region 14 – ND of North Alabama, Memphis, New Orleans and Birmingham
- Region 15 – Western North Carolina
- Region 17 – Lee County (2 games), Tampa (2 games), Daytona, Melbourne and North Florida
- Region 18 – Syracuse, Buffalo (2 games), and Rochester.
Our
thanks to each of these Notre Dame Clubs.
Our
expectation is to improve in 2010. If your club would like to participate, please
contact your NDSA Regional Director.
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2010 NDSA Reorganization
Regional Directors of your Notre Dame Senior Alumni serve for a single three year term beginning on July 1. This year, the Directors in five of our eighteen regions are turning over their seats to new Board Members. Included in the changeover are Regions 6, 10, 13, 14, 15, and 18. Look for the new names and faces on the Regional Directors Page of this website. Give them a call and get involved.
For the next twelve months beginning July 1, the Executive Committee of your NDSA will be as follows:
We wish to express our gratitude for the countless manhours of time and energy we have received from the Directors who are relinquishing their seats:
A listing of these dedicated individuals can be found on the Former Board Members Page of this website.
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Putz Award Recognizes Dallas Diocesan School Work
The Rev. Louis J. Putz, C.S.C., Award was established in 2002 to recognize an individual (alumnus or non-alumnus) for the development and implementation of social action programs that have contributed to improving the lives of others. The Notre Dame Senior Alumni Board of Directors selected James W. O’Neill ’57 as the 2010 recipient of this award.
Mr. O’Neill has been active in the Notre Dame Club of Dallas, where he has served as club president and on the Board of Directors. He co-chaired the 1978 Cotton Bowl committee, which raised more than $100,000 for the club’s DFW Scholarship Fund. For the past 15 years, Mr. O’Neill has helped two Dallas Catholic schools, Santa Clara de Assisi Catholic Academy, and St. Cecilia Catholic School, by sharing the knowledge he has gained during his career in finance. In addition, Mr. O’Neill has worked on a possible alliance of Dallas City Catholic schools to share important administrative information in finance, grant writing, and marketing.
Mr. O’Neill is active in his parish where he has served as a CCD teacher and principal, lector, and Eucharistic minister. Mr. O’Neill and his wife, Joan, live in Plano, Texas. Three of their seven children are graduates of the University.
Independent of his having won the Putz Award, Jim O'Neill had been selected to serve a three year term on our NDSA Board beginning July 1, 2010.
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April 14 - 17, 2010
NDSA Spring Board Meeting
Meeting highlights:
- Election of John Hoffman '71 '73 as Vice-Chair beginning July 1
- Approval from Alumni Association Office to include NDSA input into the first bi-annual alumni survey to be conducted this Summer.
- Decision to work with MBA students from St. Joseph's University (Philadelphia) on business/marketing plan for NDSA
- Decision by Scott Malpass to support our suggestion that ND could assist in investment of Diocesan funds across the country
- Decision to move ahead with GCND Scholarship with the expectation (from Development Office) that it will be funded by June 30
- Decision to reinstate the NDSA Senior Activities Award (to be awarded on a Club size basis)
- Decision to conduct NDSA tailgater for 50 Year Club before the Stanford game
- Decision to continue to schedule our Spring Board meeting to be coincident with Alumni Senate
- Suggestion that migration of our website to the iMod platform would give us password protected areas and E-commerce capabilities
- Statement from Dolly Duffy (Associate Executive Director, NDAA) that her biggest priority for NDSA is for us to work on improving Alumni Association communications with senior alumni.
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January 31 - February 2, 2010
NDSA Winter Board Meeting
A major intent of this meeting was to assess the success of the "bottoms up" planning and action sctructure which had been adopted at the September meeting. Reports from our eighteen Regional Directors and four Committee Chairs show that everyone has been running hard and fast, and we're all the better for it.
Our opening session was keynoted by Dolly Duffy (Associate Executive Director, NDAA) who then joined a panel with Chuck Lennon (Executive Director, NDAA) and Marc Burdell (Senior Director, NDAA). Their message to our Board: "NDSA's program is a keeper!" Hearty discussion followed on topics ranging from how NDSA can best be utilized as a resource within NDAA to planning for program perpetuation via the use of volunteers and continued communcations when members leave the Board.
Our meeting was broadcast via an internet-based web conference allowing members who could not attend to hear and see our speakers and their presentations and also to speak to everyone as if they were in the room with us. This was an Alumni Association first and a capability we intend to expand in the future.
Major decisions made at the meeting:
- The Winter, 2011 meeting will be held on campus.
- Newly elected Directors will be invited to attend our April, 2010 meeting.
- A near term Marketing Plan was approved for promotion of our national initiatives.
- The Executive Committee will draft budget guidelines for the use of our Agency Acounts funds in NDSA programs.
- Eight current Directors were identified as eligible to run for NDSA Vice-Chairperson (to be elected at our April meeting for a term beginning July 1).
- A committee was formed to develop plans for NDSA representation at the NDAA June Reunion.
All four operating committees accepted assignments for completion and reporting by the April meeting.
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September 2 - 4, 2009
NDSA September Board Meeting
| With the intent of encouraging full participation of all Board members in NDSA planning and operations, the Executive Committee drafted revised Bylaws and a new Procedures Manual which were approved at the meeting. Key changes included a reduction in the number of Board Committeess from six to four and a revamping of the planning process to begin at the Committee level. Also adopted at the meeting was the new "Enhancing Senior Connections" Initiative designed to improve our responsiveness to the Notre Dame Senior community. |
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One "show stopping" feature of the meeting occurred on Friday afternoon when traffic ground to a halt on sunny Notre Dame Avenue to enable the photographer to capture the enthusiasm of the current and former Board members at the end of the meeting. This train is on its way.
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Summer, 2009
NDSA
Prostate Awareness Cancer Education
2009 Bat for the Cure Program
During
the summer of 2008, NDSA was presented with an opportunity to enhance its PACE
initiative by assisting a non- profit organization called Bat for the Cure. This
organization's goals are to support prostate cancer research and promote the education
of prostate cancer through early detection. The NDSA PACE initiative has the mutual
goal of working through Notre Dame Clubs and classes to promote the education
of prostate cancer to enhance early detection. Assisting the Bat for the Cure organization proved to be a very positive adjunct to our current PACE initiative.
| The
Bat for the Cure program has a venue which is very compatible with the Notre Dame
Club structure. The Bat for the Cure prostate cancer education |
|
program is designed
to work through the various minor league baseball leagues and teams in the country.
Specific nights at the ballparks are designated as a Bat for the Cure night. An
information table is set up in a visible location and handout material on prostate
cancer is distributed. During the game each member of the two baseball teams wears
a blue wrist band. The role of Notre Dame and its clubs is to have local Notre
Dame Club volunteers at the table to hand out the material. This type venue worked
well inside the Notre Dame Club structure as many ND Clubs already have a relationship
with their local minor league baseball team by having a camaraderie "night
at the ball park" event.
In the 2009 minor league season the number of Bat for the Cure games increased to 128 and Notre Dame had 55 clubs provide volunteers to 63 games. The ND clubs who provided volunteers were: Region 1 – Spokane, San Joaquin, Sacramento; Region 2 – Utah, Wyoming; Region 3 – Tucson, San Bernardino; Region 5 – St. Louis (2), Cedar Rapids, Omaha; Region 6 – Aurora /Fox Valley; Region 7 – Grand Rapids; Region 8 – St. Joe County, Indianapolis; Region 9 – Akron, Erie, Dayton, Toledo, Cleveland, Columbus; Region 10 – Mid Hudson Valley; Region 11 – Boston (2), New Hampshire, Vermont, RI / SE Mass; Region 12 – Washington DC (2), Wilmington, Gettysburg, Lehigh Valley, Maryland, Schuylkill, Harrisburg (3), Norfolk; Region 13 – Austin, El Paso, West TX / Eastern NM, San Antonio, Ft. Worth, Dallas; Region 14 – Huntsville, Chattanooga, New Orleans; Region 15 – Charleston, Atlanta, Eastern Carolina, Western Carolina; Region 17 – Lee County (2), Tampa, Daytona, Palm Beach (2), Stuart, Melbourne; Region 18 – Syracuse, North Eastern NY, Buffalo (2), Rochester.
Our
thanks to each of these Notre Dame Clubs.
Our
expectation is to improve in 2010. If your club would like to participate, please
contact your NDSA Regional Director.
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July 1, 2009
2009
NDSA Reorganization
Regional
Directors of your Notre Dame Senior Alumni serve for
a single three year term beginning on July 1. This year,
the Directors in five of our eighteen regions are turning
over their seats to new Board Members. Included in the
changeover are Regions 1, 3, 8, 12, and 17. Look
for the new names and faces on the Regional
Directors Page of this website. Give them
a call and get involved.
For the next twelve months
beginning July 1, the Executive Committee of your NDSA will be as follows:
We
wish to express our gratitude for the countless manhours of time and energy we
have received from the Directors who are relinquishing their seats:
A
listing of these dedicated individuals can be found on
the Former
Board Members Page of this website.
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May 1 - 3 , 2009
Sailing Around Norfolk, VA
| No better time to visit theNorfolk / Virginia Beach, VA area than in May when the International Azalea Festival is in full swing. Mike Carlson '80 and Mark Checchia '73 of the Southeast Virginia Club (NDSEVA) were perfect hosts as they helped us arrange everything from pizza dinners to a guided tour of the nuclear carrier USS George H. W. Bush. Our thanks to this great Notre Dame Club. |
| When the Saturday morning business meeting, scheduled for two hours, had to be cut off after three hours and fifteen minutes, we knew we had the attention of the group. After a welcome dinner for the 20 attendees featuring local pizza, attendees were up early to hear Tom Monaghan '88, NDSA Liaison in the Alumni Association Office, gave a State of the |
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University presentation followed by an active question and answer period. Tom's presentation was "piped in" via speakerphone with an accompanying slide presentation shown on a screen at the front of the room. |
After lunch, we were treated to a two hour tour of the navy's newest aircraft carrier. We saw everything from the Chart Room which had fascinated Charlie Weis during his visit earlier in the year to the helm of the most technically sophisticated ship in the Navy which is often manned by an 18 year old sailor. The attitudes and skills of all members of the crew were outstanding examples of America's best!
A group Mass and dinner on Saturday evening cleared the deck for us to attend the International Military Tattoo on Sunday afternoon, the largest such event in the United States. What a fantastic performance! No doubt about it, our NDSA Region 12 Meeting in Norfolk was one of our best ever. Godspeed NDSEVA and our US Navy! |
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April 25, 2009
|
2009 Reverend Louis J. Putz, C.S.C. Award
This
award is presented annually to an alumni club or individual (alumni or non-alumni)
in recognition of the development and implementation of programs that have contributed
to improving the lives of others. The recipient is chosen by the Board of Directors
of ND Senior Alumni.
This
year’s recipient, Arthur C. Frericks '50, reflected the lessons he learned as a student Fr. Putz in the late 1940s with his inspiration and contributions to Notre Dame and to local charitable organizations in Fort Wayne, IN. Mr. Frerick's generosity enable the creation of Pray.nd.edu, where alumni and friends of Notre Dame gather for prayer and introspection every day of the year.
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April 4, 2009
Along the Road to Gettysburg, PA |
| Some folks talk about it, ND Gettysburg did it! Not only do they go out and blitz Route 116 four times a year, but Cathy Staub also got Pennsylvania to promote that fact. (Have you ever tried to get a state marker erected?) Jim Conrad, Dan Lyons, and John Murphy '55 also do a great job every year by highlighting their UND |
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celebration with an early morning Mass at the foot of Fr. Corby's statue on the battlefield's hallowed grounds. This year's event will be on June 27. If you're going to be in the area, contact the Club and join us.
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March
17, 2009
Marching
With The Irish Nation
From
Coast to Coast and everywhere else, everyone who so desired
was a citizen of the Old Sod on March 17. One of
the best ways to show your participation was to join a
parade down Main Street wearing the green and dancing
the jig.
| Several
Clubs have sent along photographic evidence of the
way the day played out. In Roanoke, VA, the Blue
Ridge Club had true "soft" Irish
skies, while the sun shone |
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brightly
on the Schuylkill
County Club of NE Pennsylvania with the Clubs'
Senior members actively involved in both parades.
Check out the photos and let us know how the Irish
are benefitting your community. |
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January,
2009
NDSA
Board Holds Winter Meeting
With
reports of 20 below zero temperatures in South Bend as a backdrop, the NDSA Board
were most grateful to have made a choice to have this meeting in San Diego, CA.
Board members are not reimbursed for the trip, but all were quite happy
to spend the long weekend in shirt sleeve temperatures.
As
the first order of business, Jim
Gibbons '55 was elected Vice-Chairman of the Board
to fill the vacancy left by the resignation of Phil
Roehrig '51.
Tom
Loosbrock '51 (right) was presented a special award by former NDSA
Chairman, Jim
Barry '67, for his commitment to NDSA going
back to its earliest days. Tom has served on the NDSA
Executive Committee and is now the Senior Alumni Representative
on the Alumni Association Board.
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Two days of meetings
enabled the Board to discuss progress being made on NDSA Initiatives:
Recommendations were made for streamlining our NDSA reporting process, and our
financial reports were reviewed against our budget. Proposals were discussed
for keeping active Board members involved as volunteers after their terms expire.
| After
the final business meetings on Saturday, the Board hosted a well-received luncheon
for patients and personnel in the US Navy Medical Center. Military attendees from
across the country proudly donned their new Notre Dame baseball caps. |
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After
the luncheon, Board members were treated to a tour of the nuclear aircraft carrier,
USS Reagan, the largest warship in the world. Because of the ship's connection
with the Gipper, the crew of the Reagan have a great fondness for Notre Dame and
gave us an extended VIP tour. |
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Fall,
2008
First
NDSA Rug Raffle Surpasses Expectations
|
On
home football weekends, the NDSA Information tent
has become a familiar fixture behind the Bookstore
and the Eck Visitors Center, but this season brought
a new twist. |
Beginning
with the San Diego State game (Sept. 6) and continuing
through the Pitt game (Nov. 1), we had on display one
of John
Studebaker's ('62) handcrafted ND logo rugs,
the grand prize in our first-ever NDSA raffle.
| Fan
interest was immediate and strong. Over the course
of five home games,1825 tickets were sold with net
receipts of $5060. These funds are now available
to support NDSA programs and Initiatives throught
the year. |
 |
After
the Pitt game, Patrick Kenny '64 of West Hartford, CN
was notified that one of his tickets had been drawn
from the fishbowl and pronounced the winner. When contacted
about his good fortune, Pat asked us to help him get
a leg up on his Christmas shopping by sending the rug
to his brother in Missouri.
Our
thanks to Bob
Drajem '64, John Studebaker '62, Mike
Pinter, and the many NDSA volunteers who made
this project possible.
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Summer,
'08
NDSA
Prostate Awareness Cancer Education
2008 Bat for the Cure Program
During
the summer of 2008, NDSA was presented with an opportunity to enhance its PACE
initiative by assisting a non- profit organization called Bat for the Cure. This
organization's goals are to support prostate cancer research and promote the education
of prostate cancer through early detection. The NDSA PACE initiative has the mutual
goal of working through Notre Dame Clubs and classes to promote the education
of prostate cancer to enhance early detection. Assisting the Bat for the Cure organization proved to be a very positive adjunct to our current PACE initiative.
| The
Bat for the Cure program has a venue which is very compatible with the Notre Dame
Club structure. The Bat for the Cure prostate cancer education |
|
program is designed
to work through the various minor league baseball leagues and teams in the country.
Specific nights at the ballparks are designated as a Bat for the Cure night. An
information table is set up in a visible location and handout material on prostate
cancer is distributed. During the game each member of the two baseball teams wears
a blue wrist band. The role of Notre Dame and its clubs is to have local Notre
Dame Club volunteers at the table to hand out the material. This type venue worked
well inside the Notre Dame Club structure as many ND Clubs already have a relationship
with their local minor league baseball team by having a camaraderie "night
at the ball park" event.
In
2008, there were 72 Bat for the Cure information nights held in minor league baseball
parks. Notre Dame Clubs were able to assist at 25 of these nights for a .347%
batting average. This was very good for our rookie season. The ND Clubs who participated
in 2008 were: Region 5 - Cedar Rapids and Omaha, Region 7 - Grand Rapids, Region
9 - Erie, Akron, and Mahoning Valley, Region 11 - Boston, Region 12 - Delaware,
Harrisburg, Southeast Virginia, Washington DC, Lehigh Valley, Maryland, and Williamsport,
Region 14 - Huntsville, and Chattanooga, Region 15 - Charleston, Region 17 - Stuart,
Tampa, and Lee County, Region 18 - Buffalo and Syracuse.
Our
thanks to each of these Notre Dame Clubs.
Our
expectation is to improve in 2009. If your club would like to participate, please
contact your NDSA Regional Director.
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July
1, 2008
2008
NDSA Reorganization
Regional
Directors of your Notre Dame Senior Alumni serve for
a single three year term beginning on July 1. This year,
the Directors in seven of our eighteen regions are turning
over their seats to new Board Members. Included in the
changeover are Regions 2, 4, 5,7, 8, 11, and 16. Look
for the new names and faces on the Regional
Directors Page of this website. Give them
a call and get involved.
For the next twelve months
beginning July 1, the Executive Committee of your NDSA will be as follows:
We
wish to express our gratitude for the countless manhours of time and energy we
have received from the Directors who are relinquishing their seats:
A
listing of these dedicated individuals can be found on
the Former
Board Members Page of this website.
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May
16-18, 2008
Mid-Atlantic
Regional Meeting
held in Virginia, DC
If
you're going to have a business meeting, you might as well package it with some
fun for those who come. With those guidelines, representatives of our NDSA Region
12 checked into the hotel Friday night, having already attended a performance
of fantastic precision and teamwork by the U.S. Marines' Marching Band, Drum &
Bugle Corps, and Silent Drill Team at the USMC Barracks in Washington, DC. Our
thanks to CPT David Bann '00 USMC for providing the tickets.
Our business meeting on Saturday morning began a full day at George Washington's
estate in Mount Vernon, VA arranged by Dr. Tom Cleary '48. The meeting
was held on the table used by President Bush and President Sarkozy of France at
a state dinner two weeks earlier. We discussed NDAA and NDSA personnel changes
and a PowerPoint on the NDSA Hospital Support Program which had had its national
roll out two weeks earlier at the Alumni Senate.
 |
After the
meeting, we toured the grounds and the many wonderful features of the new Visitors
Center.
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| Saturday
lunch featured Turkey Pye and Colonial Chicken from Martha Washington's kitchen
at the Mount Vernon Inn to prepare us for a three hour VIP tour of the estate
itself, followed by Mass at a nearby parish. |
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Dinner in Old Town
Alexandria, VA included an interactive lecture by Diane Kelley NDF on the
smuggling, intrigue, and competition for cash returns from Virginia's tobacco-driven
economy which were part of the founding of this famous Colonial town. |
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Sunday
morning found us on a private three hour tour of the
Pentagon led by LTC Mike Stefanchik '89 USA and LTC Gio Kotoriy '88 USA |
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We visited the chapel which was built at the site of
plane crash of Sept. 11, 2001; many displays of the fortitude,
and dedication of our armed forces throughout history; the
Medal of Honor Room where our nation's highest military
honoring is presented and where the walls are covered with
the names of 3,447 previous honorees; and finally the Office
of the Secretary of Defense, Robert M. Gates.
Thirty-one folks from Clubs as distant as Lehigh Valley, PA and Charlottesville,
VA attended the weekend's events, thereby extending the NDSA network even more
deeply into our region. Before the weekend ended, we had questions about the location
of next year's meeting |
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April 24-26, 2008
NDSA
Recognizes the Participation of
Five Alumni Clubs
During
the 2008 Alumni Senate, five clubs were recognized for their
efforts to actively promote senior-led programming and leadership.
The Notre Dame Clubs of Detroit, Dallas,
Eastern North Carolina, Greater
DuPage County (IL), and Rockford (IL) were each
presented the ND Senior Alumni Participation award which
headlines programs that engage senior alumni and friends
of the University.
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April
26, 2008
2008
Reverend Louis J. Putz, C. S. C. Award
This
award is presented annually to an alumni club or individual (alumni or non-alumni)
in recognition of the development and implementation of programs that have contributed
to improving the lives of others. The recipient is chosen by the Board of Directors
of ND Senior Alumni.
This
year’s recipient, Paul
E. Hurley, Sr. '56 of Metairie, LA is honored for
his selfless commitment to the ministry of prisoners at
the Gretna Jail in Jefferson Parish, LA.
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April
24-26, 2008
NDSA
Hospital Support Program
Promoted as National University Initiative
With
the Alumni Senate as its stage, your NDSA rolled out the Hospital
Support Program for the first time as a National
Initiative of the University of Notre Dame. A PowerPoint
presentation gave full details of the program.
Hundreds of people have already received assistance
from the program. The experience
of the Notre Dame Club of Philadelphia is one
example of how the program can work.
The
presentation included the announcement of the toll free phone number (1-877-435-7086)
which will be monitored 24/7 to route callers to the proper contact(s) within
the support network depending on the urgency of their needs. Wallet-sized
cards containing the toll free phone number were given to 300 attendees at the
Senate. The University expects to distribute another 3000 cards during Reunion
Weekend, May 29 - June 1. Plans for further distribution throughout the
Notre Dame Family are being formulated.
The
success of this support network will depend in large part on the extent of its
availability and widespread publication of its existence. The University asks
that all Alumni Clubs designate a Hospital Support Network Coordinator and use
the Enrollment
Form available on this website to communicate this information to the
Alumni Office.
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July
24-25, 2007
 |
Philadelphia's First Experience
with the NDSA Hospital Support Program
The Hospital Support
Program of the Notre Dame Senior Alumni is establishing a nationwide response
network designed to assist with the needs of alums and friends who find themselves
in an out-of-town hospital stay. "Support" is a flexible term which
could range from attending to accident victims until family members arrive to
assisting the family members after they do arrive.
On June 27, a young alumni family emailed from Naples, FL to say that they had
heard of Hospital Support Program and were wondering if the Philadelphia
Club was participating. Their infant son had been diagnosed with a condition
for which there are only a few specialists in the country, and one of them is
at the Shriners' Hospital in Philadelphia. They, and their their two children,
were coming to visit the hospital on July 24 & 25.
The couple had no specific knowledge of the Hospital Support Program but hoped
that we could assist them with accommodations. We broadcast an email to our members
and quickly received several responses. Dr. Mike Clark '91, a pediatrician whose
wife is a pediatric nurse, volunteered to host the family and offered his four
children as playmates.
Now back in Florida after a successful visit with the specialist, the couple writes,
"The Clark family was so hospitable and generous. There is no doubt that
the Hospital Support Program demonstrates the Notre Dame Spirit. This program
puts alumni in action in a way that confirms our belief in the Notre Dame Spirit."
After this experience, their Naples, FL Club has also joined the Hospital Support
Network.
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July 1, 2007
2007
NDSA Reorganization
Regional
Directors of your Notre Dame Senior Alumni serve for a
single three year term beginning on July 1. This year,
the Directors in five of our eighteen regions are turning
over their seats to new Board Members. Included in the
changeover are Regions 10, 14, 15, and 18. These
alumni regions cover ten states, all East of the Mississippi
River. Look for the new names and faces on the Regional Directors
Page of this website. Give them a call and
get involved.
For the next twelve months
beginning July 1, the Executive Committee of your NDSA will be as follows:
Lary
Leach '55 replaces Bill Kreps as Director for Region
13 as Bill moves into the dual position of Vice-Chairman
and Chairmain-elect.
We
wish to express our gratitude for the countless manhours of time and energy we
have received from the Directors who are relinquishing their seats:
A listing
of these dedicated individuals can be found on the Former
Board Members Page of this website.
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May 3 - 5. 2007
NDSA
Recognizes the Participation of
Five Alumni Clubs
During
the 2007 Alumni Senate, five clubs were recognized for their efforts to actively
promote senior-led programming and leadership. The Notre Dame Clubs of Washington,
DC (AA), Milwaukee (A), Ann Arbor (B), Western Carolinas
(C), and Hilton Head (F) were each presented the ND Senior Alumni
Participation award which headlines programs that engage senior alumni and friends
of the University.
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May
3, 2007
2007
Fr. Putz Award
This
award is presented annually to an alumni club or individual (alumni or non-alumni)
in recognition of the development and implementation of programs that have contributed
to improving the lives of others. The recipient is chosen by the Board of Directors
of ND Senior Alumni.
This
year’s recipient, George
Oser ’58 of Houston is honored for his contributions to improving
the educational system in his hometown.
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April 20-22, 2007
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Gettysburg
NDSA Regional Meeting
On
April 20 - 22 at the site of the original likeness of "Fair Catch Corby,"
we held what we believe to be the first-ever NDSA Regional Meeting. Of course,
we are referring to Gettysburg, PA where you will find the original statue of
Rev. William Corby, CSC who was to become the President of the University of Notre
Dame (twice). The statue portrays Father Corby, chaplain of the Irish Brigade
and noted for his compassion and bravery while caring for his troops during most
of the worst battles of the Civil War, giving general absolution to his brigade
on the second day of the Battle of Gettysburg.
Thirty-five
NDSA guests, representing eight of our sixteen Mid-Atlantic clubs, attended various
parts of the weekend program.
The
highlight of the welcoming buffet on Friday evening was the presentation to our
NDSA group of the "Key to the City," an honor which put us in
the company of previous recipients such as President Dwight Eisenhow and Rev.
Theodore Hesburgh, CSC.
During
our business meeting on Saturday morning, we were joined by Mike LaFortune and Ken Hendricks from the ND Development Office who spoke on UND-type
topics and Charitable Remainder Trusts. Other topics covered included summaries
of Clubs' NDSA best practices, NDSA resources available to Notre Dame Clubs and
how to obtain them, and our regional communications network.
On
Saturday afternoon, we watched a special showing of an award-winning IMAX film
on the Battle of Gettysburg and then received a bus tour of the area which emphasized
the participation of Fr. Corby and the Irish Brigade in the battle. At St. Francis
Xavier Parish, where Fr. Corby had assisted in caring for wounded soldiers, we
sang the Notre Dame Alma Mater at the close of the late afternoon Mass.
On
Saturday evening, we attended a Fellowship Dinner with many members of the Gettysburg
Club and made plans for next year's meeting, possibly in a Irish Castle on the
auld sod.
This
meeting achieved several purposes:
1. introducing
new members to the effectiveness and the potential of our NDSA network,
2.
strengthening bonds among NDSA leaders of Clubs in our region,
3. developing
new and enhanced approaches to common situations faced by all NDSA leaders.
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February 9, 2007
Impressive
NDSA Growth
The
2006 Annual Reports filed by Notre Dame Alumni Clubs with the Alumni Association
Office indicate that NDSA is having a substantial and growing impact on community
service. A total of 67 Clubs, out of 190 Clubs reporting, listed Senior
Alumni Coordinators. There were 66 NDSA-sponsored Community Service Programs. In
addition, senior alumni chaired 80 other Community Service Programs. Approximately
one-third of all Club Community Service Programs were either sponsored by NDSA
or chaired by senior alumni. The number of NDSA-sponsored Community Service
Programs increased from 37 in 2004 to 49 in 2005 to 66 in 2006.
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October 31, 2006
Napervillee
NDSA Cares
The Senior Alumni of the Notre
Dame Club of Greater DuPage County, Illinois is
helping the Naperville CARES Car Donation Program provide
roadworthy cars to clients so they can have transportation
to do essential travel such as getting to work and taking
children for medical care. During the past 12 months
78 cars have been donated to Naperville CARES, who made
any needed repairs and gave them to people in need.
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September 26,
2006
Jersey
Shore NDSA
Bill
Reilly '60 and Mike Shipman '60 are the Senior Alumni Coordinators
for the Jersey
Shore Club. They began organizing their NDSA initiative
by doing a survey of Club senior alumni. The survey had
a 26 percent response rate and identified six volunteers
to lead individual NDSA activities. This core leadership
group then held several meetings, which were also attended
by Club President Martha Meli '86, to develop plans
for specific programs, activities and events.
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August 30, 2006
NDSA
Works With Detroit Diocese
The Detroit
Club NDSA has decided to concentrate its efforts
on providing professional assistance (business, legal, tax,
medical, etc.) to any metro area charity that would seek
our assistance. This direction was reached after consultation
with many charities and the Archdiocese of Detroit who
indicated a more pressing need for professional guidance
than for hands-on volunteer assistance such as soup kitchens,
food distributions, etc. We believe alumni(ae) club
members can uniquely meet this need because of our educational
training and work experience.
In
general, most individual projects will require neither a scheduled commitment
(i.e., one evening every month) nor a long term commitment. Rather, the projects
will consist of a one time concentrated effort over a couple of weeks or months.
It is believed that these timing requirements will also more closely follow alumni(ae)
time availability. Several specific examples include:
- Bishop Gallagher High School needs a business plan to respond to the city of Harper
Woods request to demolish a school building, erect a community center/ice rink
and provide a park area. The pastor does not have the proper business training
to develop pricing strategy or to negotiate with the city.
- Lighthouse
in Pontiac has received federal grant money to assist homeless in becoming self-sufficient
by starting a cleaning service business. They need to develop marketing efforts,
office requirements, equipment needs, scheduling services, etc.
- Freedom
House which helps settle foreign political refugees into Detroit needs broad help
in determining access to federal and state assistance programs, preparing applications,
finding jobs, locating housing, etc.
- Several
charities like the Capuchins, and Missionaries of Charity (Sister Teresa) could
use tax assistance for the needy (applying for earned income credits, etc.), general
legal advice, basic medical assistance, etc.
- We
strongly encourage you to add others.
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August 18, 2006
Ann
Arbor Visits VA Hospital
As
part of the NDSA-sponsored Hospital
Support Program and its God,
Country, Notre Dame Initiative, the Ann Arbor Club
does monthly visitations with patients at the Ann Arbor
Veterans Affairs Medical Center. Chairing the project
are Al '51 and Mary Bailey, a former Army and Navy nurse
who does volunteer work at the Medical Center on a weekly
basis. The project was organized with the assistance
of Beverly Leneski, the Voluntary Service Manager of the
Ann Arbor VA Healthcare System.
On
a recent Sunday afternoon Al and Mary, Dick
'60 and Ruth Griffin, Frank Visovatti '60 and Anita
Saurer '78 visited with a number of Veterans in the Med-Ecc
Ward at the Medical Center. Most of the Veterans were
suffering from various forms of cancer and were in the Med-Ecc
Ward to receive chemotherapy treatments. All were
grateful to have visitors, particularly since Sunday is
a slow day at the hospital, and were thankful and proud
for the services they had given to our country.
There are hundreds of VA Healthcare Systems facilities located
throughout the United States. Almost all have Voluntary
Services Managers who are actively seeking volunteers.
Additional information may be obtained from the VA Voluntary
Service Website www.va.gov/volunteer.
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August 8, 2006
Notre
Dame Club of Greater DuPage County, Illinois
Senior
Alumni members of the Notre
Dame Club of Greater DuPage County, Illinois meet
on the last Thursday of each month at the Big Apple Restaurant
in Lisle, Illinois for breakfast, camaraderie, and an informal
meeting. Often, a guest speaker informs the group about
some aspect of community service.
Community
Service projects supported by members of the Senior Alumni group include:
- Tax Assistance Program
served 93 clients who received $98,000 in tax refunds.
- Individual
members contributed $25 each to the People's Resource Center in Wheaton, Illinois
to supplement a mother's inadequate income by helping with rent and child support.
- Nine
members packed 169 bags of food in an hour and a quarter for the needy at the
Loaves and Fishes Pantry.
- A
Senior Alumnus records books for the blind in Naperville, Illinois through reading
each week. He also works with students in Naperville Schools who are dyslectic.
- One
of the members actively participates in the Car Donation Program conducted by
Naperville Cares, an organization that, among other services, repairs donated
autos and gives them to persons who need them to travel to work, keep doctor appointments,
etc.
- The group
works at the Greater Chicago Food Depository each month, and every two weeks at
St. Thomas Care Pantry that provides food for 60 families.
- Establishing
an NDSA-initiated Hospital Ministry Program is in the beginning stages.
The
Greater DuPage County senior alumni group is living proof that a few people, each
doing a little, can have a big impact on the community they serve.
Phil
Roehrig '51
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July 1, 2006
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The
Notre Dame Senior Alumni (NDSA) board of directors met on
campus in conjunction with Alumni Senate on April 27-29,
2006. Presiding at the meetings was Dick
Griffin '60, chairman of the board. Other members
of the Executive Committee are Jim
Barry '67, vice chairman, and Tom
Loosbrock '52, immediate past chairman. Attending
the board meeting for the first time were new member Phillip
Roehrig '51 and Frank
Whitton '56 who will begin terms on the board July
1, 2006. Board members completing their terms June 30, 2006,
will be John
Hargrove '64, '67 and Tom
Loosbrock.
At
the meeting the directors reported on the senior activities
in their various regions and committee reports were given.
Of special interest was a report on the development of a
prototype NDSA website. NDSA has developed the following
initiatives which are effective means to get senior alumni
as well as other club members involved in service to others: Prostate Awareness
Cancer Education (PACE) Program, and the Hospital
Support Program. These initiatives were
also presented at a NDSA workshop for those attending Senate.
A new
brochure "Guide
to NDSA" has been developed and was given to
all attending Senate. The guide contains information on
the background, goals and objectives, and organization of
NDSA. Included are models for establishing NDSA in classes
as well as in local alumni clubs, a sample survey that clubs
may use to determine the interest of the senior alumni in
organizing NDSA activities, and a number of success stories
from clubs that have engaged in NDSA activities. A condensed
version of the guide will be given to senior attendees at
Reunion in June.
Elected
vice chairman of the board for July 1, 2006, through June
30, 2007, was Paul
Scagliarini '60. Assuming the position of chairman
will be Jim Barry with Dick Griffin as immediate
past chairman. The fall NDSA board meeting will be held
on campus October 1-3, 2006.
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April 30, 2006
2006 Putz Award
In
2002, the Notre Dame Senior Alumni (NDSA) initiated an annual
award to recognize an Alumni Club or an individual (alumni
or non-alumni) who has created programs and made significant
contributions aimed at improving the lives of others. The
award is named in honor of Rev.
Louis J.Putz C.S.C. '32, whose lifelong commitment
to community service is a role model for the NDSA.
| The 2006
Award was presented to Noreen Keating who lives with her husband, Terry
'60, in Auburn Hills, Michigan. |
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April 27 - 29, 2006
Four
Alumni Clubs Recognized
for Senior Leadership and Participation
During
the 2006 Alumni Senate, four clubs were recognized for
their efforts to actively promote senior-led programming
and leadership. The Notre Dame Clubs of San
Francisco, Houston, Chatanooga,
and Rockford were each presented the ND Senior Alumni Participation
award which acknowledges programs that engage senior alumni
and friends of the University.
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March 30, 2006
|
A
tip of the fedora goes to Joe Libby '61, Ed Lynch
"57, and Peter
Lombardo '79 (PhD) who organized the NDSA Organization
Luncheon held March 30 at the historic Army-Navy Club in Washington,
DC. |
| Joe
and Ed had been saying for some time that "there's lots of potential here
in DC." When they contacted Peter in the Alumni Office on the Notre Dame
Campus, it all came together. |
Peter
showed us all how enthusiastic the Alumni Association is about our NDSA, by making
all the arrangements for an absolutely first class event including creating a
mailing list for Senior Alums in the MD-DC-VA area, mailing the invitations, negotiating
the contract with the Army-Navy Club, and printing the programs for the event. |
| The
seventeen students now studying in ND's Washington Program attended, giving us
a chance to share their in their experiences and enthusiasm. |
|
| Master
of Ceremonies Ben Blaz '51, retired Marine Corps General
and former member of Congress, gave us much to ponder with
his personal reflections on what Notre Dame has meant to him. Mike Squyres
'63 '64, NDSA Region 12 Director, spoke on how NDSA
can meet the desire of Senior Alums to give back to Notre
Dame with the skills, experiences, and time they now have
at their disposal. |
 |
Peter
Lombardo reminded us that Notre Dame's reputation will rise and fall with the
acts and deeds of her alumni. His summation was perfect: "we should make
this an annual event."
|
| Fr.
Gary Chamberland, CSC '84 led us in a stirring benediction as he had with
the opening invocation. Fr. Chamberland serves as a parish priest in the DC area
while pursuing doctoral studies at Catholic University of America.
Plans
are already underway to build on the success of this event with a Regional NDSA
planning session.
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