Partnership Initiative:
Mission in Action
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Vintners making a mark on education
Celebrating its fifth year, ACCESS 707 is a way for our community to fund much needed tuition assistance while showcasing the deep connection to and partnership with JustinSiena wine families all over the Valley. A fortuitous email this past spring from a Justin-Siena alumna, Erica Alfaro-López ’06, to Mrs. Michele Farver, current Advancement and Communications Associate (previously the Student Support Program Coordinator), expanded the ACCESS 707 reach into a year-round fundraising campaign directly supporting the Lasallian Education Access Program (LEAP). Erica, Executive Assistant to Cyril Chappellet, son of Donn Chappellet, and current Chairman of Chappellet Winery’s Board of Directors, approached her employer with a special request: to find a way to financially support LEAP at Justin-Siena. For Cyril and Chappellet, it was a win-win idea. Wine lovers who may be unaware of the Chappellet brand would be introduced to fantastic wines at an insider price all while supporting a special cause. For Erica, this was personal. Once a student at Justin-Siena, she and her brother, Ismael ’04, would have never had the opportunity for a private, Catholic education had Justin-Siena not provided the funding for them to attend (her amazing story follows on page 43). Out of that conversation with Cyril and with the support of Chappellet’s Managing Director David Francke (father of Elizabeth ’09, Sarah ’11, and Michael ’16), a partnership was born. Though the shape of this collaboration is new, the commitment of the wine industry to support access to a quality, Catholic education is not. As JustinSiena President, David Holquin shared, “I have seen Chappellet’s generosity through ACCESS 707 and Crab Fest, but this takes it to a whole new level. Our winery partners’ devotion to our mission speaks volumes.” Since the first sale in May, Justin-Siena has raised over $25,000 for LEAP from partner sales with
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