The year is 1990. The first president, George Bush, was in the White House. Democrat Wallace Wilkinson was the governor of Kentucky. The number one pop song in March was Janet Jackson's “Escapade” (“Come on, baby, let's run away…”). That same month, with legislative independence in full bloom, the General Assembly of its own accord wrote the following song: Passed the Kentucky Education Reform Act (KERA), a model for public education reform that influenced the nation. On the first Saturday in May, Unbridled won the Kentucky Derby for 92-year-old owner Francis Genter. My grandfather (Leo O'Donnell) was a horse trainer in the 1940s.
Shortly after the derby, Archbishop Thomas C. Kelly held an inaugural banquet to introduce the Archdiocese of Louisville's Catholic Schools. It wasn't supposed to be a fundraiser, but it really wasn't. This event cost him $25,000 in losses. There were fewer than 100 participants.
CEF Dinner brings Catholic education closer to you
If every journey begins with a first step, that inauspicious beginning had a very different outcome last night at the Galt House Hotel, which underwent its 34th relaunch. He attended the Catholic Educational Foundation's annual “Salute to Catholic School Alumni” to a sold-out crowd of 1,300 attendees, and the foundation earned his record $1.6 million. Most of the money went toward tuition for families who wanted their children to receive an academically superior, faith-filled education. In the archdiocese, he attends Catholic elementary schools in 24 counties, those who would otherwise not be able to afford the full cost. Both attendance and revenue exceeded the previous year's total, an unprecedented record that has continued since 2009. The annual gala is the largest charity event in India in terms of net dollars raised in one night. Kentucky.
The remarkable success of this initiative is due in large part to two individuals: former Archbishop Joseph Kurtz and Richard Reschleiter, a former executive at Kindred, who became chairman of the Foundation in 2016. If the archbishop was the head coach and provided inspiring pep talks and overall guidance. In terms of game planning, Lechreiter has been directing plays on the field as the offensive coordinator. Rechreiter's first dinner in 2016 brought in $750,000, which was twice as much as last year in his seventh year on the job.
CEF dinner also honors notable alumni
In addition to being a fundraiser, this banquet is a large-scale parish homecoming of sorts, honoring the graduates of our hometown Catholic schools who, in the words of Our Lady, have “made something of themselves.” It also functions as Last night's gala event honored business executives Matthew W. Ott, W. James Lintner, and Mariah Wayland Gratz. Reverend J. Wayne Jenkins, who served as pastor for many years. commercial real estate entrepreneur Charles D. Tewell; and Court of Appeals Judge Annette C. Karem. Not surprisingly, “Outstanding Catholic Educators” are also recognized. This year's teacher was Julie M. Domzalski, a first grade teacher at St. Margaret Mary Parish School. She has been in her profession for 34 years, the same age as the event honoring her. According to a profile of Ms. Domzalski in the archdiocese's weekly newspaper, The Record, the laureate loves reading and teaching religion, has four sisters, all of whom are teachers, and is one of North America's most prominent She is said to be married to a theology teacher at a Catholic higher education institution. An all-boys school (or otherwise), Trinity High School. God bless the teachers in her 40 Catholic elementary schools and her 9 high schools in our community. Soli deo Gloria.
Klaus Mittelsten:He gave his all to the students of Trinity, and we loved him back.
Last school year, CEF awarded more than $8 million to 3,700 students in 2,000 families. For nine consecutive years, no eligible applicant has been denied assistance. Rechreiter called it a nine-year (kindergarten through eighth grade) investment that the foundation said would address a critical need to help families pay for Catholic high school tuition, especially for schools in less affluent areas of Jefferson County. We want to expand our mission. “We want the kids we support in elementary school to be part of the 95 percent of students who graduate from high school and go on to college,” he says. . Like Kansas City Chiefs coach Andy Reid, who aims to win back-to-back Super Bowl titles, the tenacious Lechreiter is never satisfied with the status quo. He intends to increase his CEF endowment to his $100 million (currently his $36 million) and is keeping a close eye on school choice efforts in Congress. If voters approve the Choice Amendment and the tuition tax credit becomes constitutional, “the sky is the limit for how many thousands more children we can support. Our Catholic schools will be full and new ones will open.” “We will,” he predicts.
It's certainly an ambitious plan, but no humble columnist would bet against Richard Leshreiter. Remember the CEF motto: “The answer is yes!”
Bob Hellinger is a Louisville attorney and a graduate of Our Lady of Lourdes Elementary School, Trinity High School, and Xavier University. Contact him at helringr@bellsouth.net.