1 Explorer Summer 2005
Summer 2006
E X PLORE R
The Official Magazine of La Salle College High School
E X PLORE R
The Official Magazine of La Salle College High School
E X PLORE R
The Official Magazine of La Salle College High School
Greate Bay Country Club Somers Point, New Jersey Sunday, September 10, 2006
Monday, September 11, 2006
4:00 pm
Mass
9:00 am
5:00 pm
Cocktails and Hors D’oeurves
6:00 pm
Dinner (Choice of Entree) Dance to the music of The Tony DeLuca Band
$50.00 per person
Golf (shotgun start) No Handicap Necessary
$60.00 per golfer 1:00 pm
Lunch
$12.00 per person
La Salle College High School 8605 Cheltenham Avenue Wyndmoor, Pennsylvania 19038 www.lschs.org
Wednesday, October 4, 2006 Classes of 1934 to 1956 La Salle College High School Mass 10:30 am Followed by a Luncheon $25.00 per person
La Salle College High School 8605 Cheltenham Avenue Wyndmoor, Pennsylvania 19038 www.lschs.org
1 Explorer Summer 2006
E X PLORE R
The Official Magazine of La Salle College High School
Features The Man Behind The Mask Page 5 Let The Music Play Page 8 Profile of the Music Department Page 15 Men of Tomorrow Page 16 Inside the Park Dennis Lehman ’69
Page 30
Departments From The Hip Page 2 Letter from the President Page 3 News/Photos Pages 4 Photo Gallery Pages 18 – 23 Class Notes Pages 25 – 29 Announcements Births, Deaths, and Honorees Page 31
On the cover: Hugh Panaro ’82 as the Phantom and Sandra Joseph as Christine in a scene from the Broadway production of Phantom Of The Opera. Photo Credit: Joan Marcus
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From The Hip! In March of 1991, I took my girlfriend to Manhattan for a “dinner and show birthday date.” We had orchestra seats for Phantom of the Opera, which was the “hot” musical on Broadway at that time. One of the opening scenes has Rauol (Vicomte de Chagny) seated in a balcony overlooking a performance of the Paris Opera Company. I leaned over to Mary Jean and told her that the actor playing Rauol looked familiar. She looked down at her program and told me that his name was Hugh Panaro. I responded that “I went to school with him,” to which she replied, “Great, then we can go backstage after the show and meet him.” Hugh Panaro ’82 and Christopher Carabello ’82 after I was uncertain how Hugh would respond to a recent performance of Lestat an unannounced visit, so I decided to unveil our dinner plans and reservation at The Rainbow Room, which seemingly usurped any additional thoughts of going backstage. Two years to the day, Mary Jean and I were engaged. Fifteen birthdays later, we traveled back to New York for another dinner and show. Once again, we watched Hugh Panaro, but this time he was starring in the title role in the new Elton John musical Lestat. After the show we did go backstage and I caught up with my classmate in his dressing room located in the bowels of the Palace Theater. We talked about La Salle and the influence that Joe “Mr. C” Ciccimaro had on his career. During the course of our conversation, Mary Jean referred to Mr. C. as Joe. Hugh smiled and said, “He will always be Mr. C.” I laughed and proceeded to explain that the transition between colleague and former teacher was one of the most difficult adjustments that I had to make when I returned to La Salle. Brothers remained Brother, but Mr. Hohenlietner, Mr. Grace, Mr. Russell, Mr. Miller, and Mr. O’Toole, to name but a few, became George, John, Bob, Gerry, and Mike. It was only recently that Mr. Devine insisted that I call him Pat. Despite the evolution from titles to first names, there remain three exceptions – the holy trinity of the La Salle faculty – Mr. Diehl, Mr. Stanczak, and Mr. C. The fact of the matter is that I am still intimidated by Mr. Diehl, so the name Dave would never leave my mouth when speaking to him or about him. The man is a legend, not to mention that visions of that little office give me nightmares. He is the consummate survivor having managed to successfully outlast, outwit, and outplay four decades of La Salle students and their parents. Although he may not know it, Mr. Stanczak is my personal role model for a “La Salle Gentleman.” He epitomizes everything that is La Salle College High School and is La Salle’s favorite son. He is the consummate combination of character and class. I have learned more from him than any other member of the faculty. He may be Marty to others, but out of sheer respect I can and never will call him anything but Mr. Stanczak. I am not even remotely musically inclined; therefore, I never had any interaction with Mr. C while a student and it has only been recently that I have gotten to know the incredible individual who has transformed our Music Department into one of the finest high school programs on the East Coast. Mr. C took a personal interest in my communications and marketing efforts at La Salle. His passion for La Salle College High School energized me, while his unconditional love for the institution inspired me to overcome challenges and work to create something truly special. Had I known what I know today, I would have learned to play a musical instrument. It is no coincidence that all three are alums. Including their time as students, Mr. David Diehl ’55, Mr. Martin Stanczak ’60, and Mr. Joseph Ciccimaro ’57 represent 137 years of service to La Salle College High School. Banners representing our new graduate profiles now hang throughout our campus. Apart from associating the word compassion with Mr. Diehl, these three men could easily depict any of the four categories: Men of Intellect and Accomplishment, Men of Faith and Compassion, Men of Service and Justice, and Men of Integrity and Respect. Perhaps we should hang banners for each of them and simply title them “The Man.”
Christopher M. Carabello ’82 Editor
E X PLORE R
The Official Magazine of La Salle College High School
President Brother Richard Kestler, FSC ’60 Principal Joseph L. Marchese Vice President of Institutional Advancement Gail A. Evans, CFRE Alumni Association President Gerard M. Lowery, CPA ’78 Editor Christopher M. Carabello ’82 Editorial and Production Assistance Florence Ward Cathleen P. Winning Steven M. Ziegler Contributing Writers Christopher M. Carabello ’82 Joseph F. Ciccimaro ’57 Christopher G. DiLella ’06 Evan Regan-Levine ’07 Matthew C. Stone ’07 Photography John J. Burns Michael Maicher Joan Marcus Daniel Michal Davor Studios Brother James Rieck, FSC ’57 Raymond T. Shay ’00 Ben Strothmann Robert T. Szostak, Esq. ’72 Wayne Wolfe Address Explorer La Salle College High School 8605 Cheltenham Avenue Wyndmoor, PA 19038 215 233 2350 Phone 215 836 4502 Fax alumni@lschs.org The Explorer is published quarterly by La Salle College High School. The Explorer welcomes letters to the Editor concerning alumni, school, and topics published in the magazine. The Editor of the Explorer reserves the right to make all decisions regarding the content and information published in the magazine.
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Letter from the President Dear Friends, It has been one year since my return to La Salle College High School. Aside from the school community adjusting to new leadership, we have been busy with a number of major projects. High among the activities has been our self-study in preparation for the Middle States Evaluation scheduled for the spring of 2007. The year-long process has been supervised by Nick Coggins of our World Language Department, who assembled a hard-working team of faculty and staff and conducted an outstanding review. The team created a new mission statement (see below) along with a set of belief statements. Additionally, in the process of profiling our students, the team selected four key areas to describe our graduates: Men of Intellect and Accomplishment, Men of Service and Justice, Men of Faith and Compassion, and Men of Integrity and Respect. These descriptions now hang on banners throughout our campus to serve as a reminder to our students of the attributes toward which they should strive. In addition to the self-study, a feasibility study was completed in preparation for a major capital campaign that will coincide with the150th anniversary of our founding. The $25 million undertaking will be the largest in our history as well as the most important. At the completion of the study, it became clear that despite rising tuition, La Salle had to concentrate on increasing its endowment to permit boys from working-class families to experience that education that we have grown to cherish. A second priority will be to expand and renovate our academic buildings to accommodate a student body of over 1,050. La Salle has been faced with a series of “good problems” in that interest in our school continues to increase while other schools face decreasing enrollment and other challenges. Almost fortuitously, La Salle was presented with an opportunity this year to acquire additional land, which will be key to fulfilling our long range facilities expansion plan. Last month, we purchased thirty acres along the Route 309 corridor adjacent to our campus, part of which will be used to accommodate two new sports fields. Further down the road, additional athletic facilities, including a field house and a new pool, are being planned. Through these efforts, La Salle is positioning itself to enhance its range of offerings to young men of the Delaware Valley. Some of the highlights of the year included nine seniors being recognized as National Merit Finalists along with twenty-one National Merit Commended Students. Our athletic teams captured five Catholic League Championships and finished second in four other sports. In all, over 120 of our athletes received All-Catholic honors in thirteen sports. Over 400 students participated in our Music Program and ended the year capturing first place in the University of the Arts Tri-State Band Competition. One of the highlights this spring was a wonderful production of the musical Godspell along with various band and choral concerts. Arts Week featured an incredible display of ceramic work, paintings, and drawings that our talented students created during the year. The year culminated with the awarding of 248 diplomas to the Class of 2006 who were accepted to 198 colleges and universities in thirty-five different states and earned just over $17 million in documented scholarships and grants. The boys shared the stage that day with sixty members of the Class of 1956 who returned for their 50-Year Reunion. I wish to thank the entire La Salle Family for making 2005–06 one of the most successful years in our long and storied history. Without your support of our Annual Fund, as well as Alumni and Parent programs, many of our achievements would not have been possible. You can be proud to be part of La Salle College High School as our spirit continues to grow stronger. Sincerely,
Brother Richard Kestler, FSC ’60 President Mission Statement adopted by the Middle States Evaluation Team March 2006
La Salle College High School, a Catholic independent, college preparatory school for young men of varied backgrounds, is conducted in the tradition of St. John Baptist de La Salle. Through a broad and balanced, human and Christian education, La Salle College High School guides each student in the development of his unique God-given talents and fosters a commitment to academic excellence, service, and leadership.
Brother Richard Kestler, FSC ’60 congratulates Timothy J. Foley ’06
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News/Photos
The 23rd Annual La Salle Arts Festival showcased works from over thirty students for an entire week. Excellence in Art Awards were presented to exceptional pieces. The students’ displays, especially the collaborative project, Signing Alphabet Book, definitely proved that art promotes critical and diverse thinking. Six students participated in the 28th Annual Montgomery County Invitational High School Exhibition and Competition, which ran from March 5 – 26, 2006 in the Multiple Choice Gallery in Brendlinger Library located in College Hall: John Buonomo ’06, Tom Cleary ’06, Travis Eddy ’06 (Honorable Mention for his wire sculpture), Mike Fazio ’07, Patrick Playdon ’06, James Prendergast ’06, and Justin Price ’07 (2nd Place in Sculpture).
Under the direction of head coach William Leahy, the La Salle Varsity Lacrosse team captured their thirteenth Philadelphia Catholic League Championship by defeating St. Joseph’s Prep 10–7 on May 17, 2006 at St. Joseph’s University.
The Golf Team, under the guidance of coaches Marty Jackson and Dave Diehl ’55, clinched its tenth Philadelphia Catholic Championship in the past eleven years. Seniors Alex Muller and Tom Cowhey, along with juniors Anthony Gianetti, Reed Irwin, and Kevin Turk, and freshman Kevin Genuardi were named All-Catholic.
The Band’s Spring Concert was held on Monday, May 8, 2006 and featured over 200 musicians. The Choral Concert, held the following week on Monday, May 15, 2006, featured La Salle’s chorus groups under the direction of Mark Norman.
The African-American Alumni Association held its Student and Family Dinner on May 25, 2006 in an effort to increase the awareness of La Salle College High School’s commitment to diversity. Events such as the dinner help to promote La Salle’s continuing efforts in improving the recruitment of African-American students. The event provided a great opportunity for African-American alums and current students to spend some time together and develop relationships. Joe Meade ’97, the featured speaker at the event, certainly gave insight as to what La Salle has to offer and that creed or color certainly has nothing to do with a quality education.
Even though the school year was over, sixteen La Salle students kept their promise of “Enter to Learn, Leave to Serve” on a trip to Pike County, KY in June. The student volunteers assisted Habitat for Humanity in building and repairing houses for the homeless. They were accompanied by Tom Devlin ’00, a member of the La Salle faculty, who was glad to see his boys take on such a big summer project after doing so much during the year in the Philadelphia community.
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Softly, deftly, music shall surround you… Feel it, hear it, closing in around you… Open up your mind, let your fantasies unwind, In this darkness which you know you cannot fight – The darkness of the music of the night. These powerful lyrics have resonated from the Majestic Theater in New York since Michael Crawford originated the title role in Phantom of the Opera in 1988. Since then, ten men have starred as the Phantom, including La Salle’s own Hugh Panaro ’82. Hugh’s 1,055 performances are second only to Howard McGillan, who has played the role over 1,200 times. Hugh is also one of only two actors to play both male leads, the Phantom and Rauol, in the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical that has become the longest running show on Broadway. Hugh began his career in Phantom of the Opera in 1990 when he got a call to audition for the role of Rauol. The man playing the Phantom, Kevin Gray, was on the younger side, so they needed a younger Rauol. Legendary producer, Hal Prince, liked him and at the age of 25, Hugh was cast in the role.
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The Man Behind The Mask Continued
Hugh Panaro ’82 playing the title role in Martin Guerre.
Hugh left Phantom of the Opera in 1993 to portray Julian Craster in The Red Shoes, a musical that played at the Gershwin Theater for only a short time. He followed that by originating the role of Buddy Foster in Side Show at the Richard Rogers Theater. He was then reunited with Harold Prince in the revival of Show Boat, where he was cast as Gaylord Ravenal, a role he portrayed in Toronto, London, and Broadway. In 1999, the actor playing the Phantom was having problems with his voice and requested a leave of absence from the show. The producers asked Hugh if he would be interested in playing the role for nine months. Panaro agreed to assume the high-profile role and wore the mask for a few months before he was chosen play the title role in the American premiere of Cameron Mackintosh’s (Les Miserables, Miss Saigon) new musical, Martin Guerre. The show had a poor tour in the United States, but Hugh moved to London to play the role in the West End. Three and a half years later, the role of the Phantom became available when Howard McGillin left to do Bounce. Panaro was able to step back into the role that he had played in 1999 and readily admits that he was much better the second time around. When asked what it is like to wear the Phantom mask on Broadway, Panaro replied, “I won’t lie – pretty good. I can’t imagine that this isn’t every guy’s corny dream job. It’s the most fulfilling role that I’ve ever had and by far the most complex. It was always a work in progress, at least for me.” Hugh added, “The audiences (for Phantom of the Opera) are amazing. Every night is a different audience and I’d go out there and give 100 percent.” Hugh was quick to reveal the downside of the role, which is physically putting on the mask. “The makeup takes a full hour. The glue needs time to set. The bald cap and prosthetic pieces, a microphone that gets glued to my face, two wigs, and the white fiberglass and leather masks…it is a full hour in the chair.”
Hugh’s last performance as the Phantom came on October 1, 2005. Following the curtain call, his co-star, Sandra Joseph, asked the audience to be seated. She said, “Tonight was the final show for our wonderful Phantom. Hugh is leaving us to star in Elton John’s brand new musical, Lestat, which opens at the Palace Theater in April. I know that I will be the first in line (for tickets), because anything that Hugh Panaro is a part of is not to be missed. This kind of God-given talent is unsurpassed and his singing, acting, and natural ability are remarkable. But what is even more remarkable is the kind of person that he is. He comes out here eight times a week and just pours his heart and soul into each performance. He never takes any of his gifts for granted and he just sets the bar so high for all of us – he lifts us up and makes us better. Although he can come out here night after night and make you cry, backstage, he makes us laugh and brings such joy into the room.” Hugh began working on Lestat last fall. The musical inspired by the vampire characters of novelist Anne Rice is the inaugural Broadway production of Warner Brothers Theatre Ventures. The world premiere of the musical, which features a score by Bernie Taupin and Elton John (The Lion King, Aida), was at the Curran Theater in San Francisco, where it grossed over $4.3 million, breaking the record previously held by Wicked. When Hugh first heard about Lestat, he couldn’t get an audition. Hugh said, “My agent told me there was no interest in me, so I let it go. Two years later, they let me try out. No matter how much experience you have, you always have to prove yourself. Tyne Daly once said in an interview that not only does she still have to audition, she wants to. Even if it’s only for five minutes, she says it’s her chance to play that role. I look at it the same way. I don’t go into an audition to impress anyone. I pretend the role is mine.” In the audition for Lestat, Panaro sang the Jean Valjean
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Hugh Panaro ’82 (front center) in the 1978 production of Freedom of the City at La Salle College High School.
Hugh Panaro ’82 playing the title role in Lestat.
Sililoguy from Les Miserables. Hugh added, “I knew Lestat because I’d read the books. He and I are parallel. Like him, I’ve gone through a lot of painful real life experiences, such as deaths in my family and the deaths of my colleagues to AIDS. I’ve been in this business since I was twelve, and you have to find that fire in you, despite whatever showbiz throws your way.” When asked to compare the role of the Phantom to that of Lestat, Panaro responded that the two are very different. “I love this character. Doing Lestat is so much more physical than Phantom of the Opera. I beat the crap out of Armand and carry Nicholas on my back. I’m at the chiropractor every other day.”
less than a hundred women standing and waiting for Hugh to emerge. Hugh stopped and greeted each of them – signing autographs and posing for pictures. Even after a physically-demanding two and a half hour performance, he was gracious, charming, and above all, humble.
Hugh began performing professionally at the age of thirteen. While a student at La Salle College High School, he had roles in both musicals – Godspell (1979) during his freshman year and Pippin (1980) while a sophomore – and performed in both fall dramas. Theater productions at La Salle took a leave of absence from 1981–1985; unfortunately, Hugh never got to truly star in a musical performance at his Alma Mater. He is the “Paul Arizin of La Salle Theater,” having starred professionally, but never having had the opportunity to shine while at La Salle College High School. Following La Salle, Hugh went on to graduate from Temple University where he was an active member of their theater department. He landed the role of Marius in the National Tour of Les Miserables in 1988 and reprised the role on Broadway through 1990, when he was given the opportunity to audition for Phantom of the Opera. Panaro has countless admirers. If you Google him, you will find a number of fan web sites that praise his talents and chronicle his career. “I have never been to my web sites…I find the Internet to be a scary thing,” confesses Panaro. Following a recent performance of Lestat, the rope line outside the backstage door of the Palace Theater had no
Whether it is his powerful tenor voice, his six-foot physically-fit frame and chiseled features, his stage persona, his visage, or his incredible God-given talent, Hugh Panaro ’82 is one of Broadway’s leading men. “I always tell people: If you want magnificent singing and beautiful line and pearshaped tones, then you should head uptown and go to the New York City Opera,” Hugh says adding, “the great thing about musical theater is it is about acting through song…If you just go out there and sing pretty music, I think that the audience is going to disconnect.” “Whether singing Stephen Sondheim or Andrew Lloyd Webber,” Panaro says, “The emotion is the target I try to hit with perfect pitch.” Broadway Shows (New York) Lestat Phantom of the Opera Phantom of the Opera Side Show Show Boat The Red Shoes Les Miserables
Lestat (Title Role) Phantom (Title Role) Raoul Buddy Foster Gaylord Ravenal Julian Craster Marius
West End Shows (London) Martin Guerre Show Boat
Martin (Title Role) Gaylord Ravenal
National Tours Martin Guerre Les Miserables
Martin (Title Role) Marius
Off-Broadway Shows (New York and Los Angeles) Little Fish Robert Sweeney Todd Anthony Hope Wuthering Heights Heathcliff Merrily We Role Along Franklin Shepard Gentlemen Prefer Blondes Henry Spofford Jesus Christ Superstar Jesus
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9 Explorer Summer 2006
by Matthew C. Stone ’07
On the first day of school each year, a new class begins its career at La Salle with an age-old tradition. The timid freshmen congregate in the auditorium and celebrate their first day with a resounding chorus of the Alma Mater (conducted by Mr. Stanczak, of course). Although many of these freshmen do not continue singing throughout their careers at La Salle, a special few will embrace their vocal talents, and proudly join the ranks of La Salle’s Chorus. Pictured Left: Top Row (left to right) Graham Keir ’06, Chris DiLella ’06, Matt Kruc ’06, Michael Wojcik ’06, and Ryan Colburn ’06 Bottom Row (left to right) James Kerak ’06, Michael Celio ’06, Richard Conicelli ’06, Sean Moloney ’06, Julian Tucker ’08, and Nick Crawford ’06
With a long history of excellence in the vocal arts, La Salle’s distinguished choral program continues to stand out above those of other schools. The program consists of three major singing ensembles. There is the Freshman Chorus, which allows the 9th-graders to develop their fundamental singing skills and knowledge of music. As sophomores, La Salle’s vocalists graduate to the Upperclassmen Chorus. This ensemble sings more advanced music, most in four-part harmony. Upperclassmen may also sing with the Belcrofters, La Salle’s prestigious, auditioned choral group. The Belcrofters sing some of the most challenging a cappella arrangements available, without any instrumental accompaniment.
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ChorusContinued
These talented young men showcase their singing abilities throughout the school year at the annual Christmas concert, spring concert, and various other school events. In addition, the Belcrofters often sing at choral adjudications, where they are judged on their vocal abilities and the quality of their performance. This year, the Belcrofters attended one such competition where they received enthusiastic praise for their renditions of “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot” and “Sing Me to Heaven”. La Salle’s finest vocalists have earned recognition on an individual level as well. All-Catholic Chorus is an ensemble that includes only the best singers from local Catholic high schools. After completing the rigorous audition process, John Buonomo ’06, Chris Imms ’06, Matt Dominick ’07, Chip Hinkel ’07, and Brendan Dalton ’06 earned the privilege of performing with this esteemed choir.
Such recent recognition in the choral arts is no mere accident, however. Choral Director Mark Norman, now entering his third year as head of the program, has revitalized the chorus with his passion for and knowledge of the choral arts. Mr. Norman’s presence has truly fostered a sense of community among the singers, and helped them develop their skills on an individual level as well. When the class of 2010 arrives on the first day of school next September, the walls of the auditorium will resonate with the tune of the hallowed Alma Mater. These students will undoubtedly lend their diverse talents to numerous worthwhile activities and sports. However, rest assured that some of those voices will carry on the storied tradition of the choral arts at La Salle.
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by Evan Regan-Levine ’07
La Salle is characterized by its unity. That oneness is formed out of many seemingly disparate elements. One of those parts is the La Salle music program. Its constant yet dynamic presence is something that we, the Men of La Salle, have come to appreciate and even expect. Despite this familiarity, our musicians never fail to surprise and impress and there are always calls for an encore. What many people probably wonder, however, as they watch the various young men on stage, is how we got there, what we do there, and what it is like during the school year. As a current member of the La Salle music program I will tell you.
How did we get there? This question is asked both by the teachers and even the parents of the young men on stage. As one of those men on stage, I will start by explaining my entrance into music at La Salle. Before I was a freshman, I received a note asking me to come to an audition at La Salle. You see, I had played violin for a number of years and I had made that fact known to someone at La Salle who eventually passed it on to Mr. Ciccimaro. As I came into the music room I took my first look around. The first thing I saw was another freshman looking very nervous sitting with his mother in the front of the room. I waited and waited. Finally, a man came up to me and asked me to come into his office. I played my piece and tried to sum up the reaction of the intense man who looked at me from across his desk. As I waited in silence, he said to me, “The Trombone isn’t an instrument many young people take up these days.” I was thunderstruck. I began to get nervous. Was my violin playing not good enough? Did I make a big mistake? What did the trombone even look like? Before I could think of anything, I blurted out that yes, I would play the trombone. The man smiled and then instead of simply showing me out of his office looked at the things I had brought into the room with me. One of those things was a car brochure. When he saw that he began to ask me about different kinds of cars. One thing led to another, and by the time I left, Mr. C (the name I had learned to call him), had told me to come to Jazz camp over the summer where I could both play the violin and learn the trombone. My experience that day was not unique. Many freshmen who hope to enter the music program attend these auditions. The personal attention I received, and the interest Mr. Ciccimaro showed in me was not unique either. It is part of the respect he grants to everyone who is willing to work hard and have guts enough to try. This is how I started out in the music program, and it is how many others started out as well.
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BandContinued percussion ensemble, and the saxophone ensemble are all examples of groups that cater to particular instruments or groups of instruments. Despite being comprised of students from different skill levels, all of the musical groups at La Salle work along similar lines. From freshman year onward, I have adapted to this system which has worked very well for a number of years. Generally, all of the musicians arrive to class and sit with their instruments in a group. Mr. Ciccimaro or Mr. Vettori then leads the group in a rehearsal of pieces appropriate to the skill level of the band. During this time, different teachers remove students from the class to attend their lessons. Small ensemble teachers organize their groups a little differently. The string ensemble for example, hosts its teacher once a week, with either Mr. Vettori or Mr. Ciccimaro conducting every other day. This is different however from the guitar ensemble, whose teacher Mr. Kennedy teaches them every day they meet.
When I formally became a member of the La Salle band as a Freshman I learned the ways in which this organization functioned. Like everything else at our school, the music program is built on tradition, but is not burdened by it. As a new student, I learned that every year students elected other students as band officers. These officers would conduct the pep band at football games, lead their peers at other occasions, appoint other officers, and work with Mr. Ciccimaro and Mr. Vettori on special projects. This was and is a practice that is repeated year after year. I also learned that music class was going to be part of my everyday roster of classes and activities. This meant that music wasn’t necessarily something I had to give up other after-school activities for, but rather, a class just like English or Math, that I would attend every day. These classes, as I soon discovered, were made up not only of ensemble playing, but also of private instruction at least once a week by professional musicians. In fact, all of the music teachers at La Salle are professionals. In addition to applying their considerable expertise to teaching, these people are a resource for students who wish to pursue music as a profession. I also learned that the young musicians at La Salle are split up into classes based on skill level. Most students enter the music program as a member of one of the “freshmen second period”, bands. These bands meet every other letter day and serve to introduce students to music through group playing and private lessons. Following their freshman year, students are placed into one of three different classes based on their level of musicianship. Some students are assigned to the “sixth period” band which is the next step up from freshman band. Others are chosen for the “seventh period” or “fifthperiod bands”. Seventh period band is made up of musicians who are more skilled than those attending the sixth-period band. The most skilled musicians become part of the fifth-period band. This fifth-period band is the most advanced regularly scheduled band at La Salle. The competition band and the pit orchestra draw their members primarily from this ensemble. Besides these bands, the La Salle music program also features several small ensembles. The guitar ensemble, the string ensemble, the
The scheduled band classes are only a part of what it means to be a La Salle musician. As I learned before even starting at La Salle, musicians can be found everywhere. Students volunteer their time to play in the pep band at football games, around school during the open house, in the pit orchestra for the La Salle spring musical, and at a myriad of other events such as the principal’s dinner, the scholarship dinner, “La Sale”, and more. The majority of La Salle musicians also participate in the concert band. One of our most well-known bands is our competition band. That band, under the leadership of Mr. Joe Vettori has been a powerful player in the local high school jazz band world for some time. They continue to make all of us at La Salle proud with such achievements as a victory at the prestigious University of the Arts competition this year. Although these established components of the music program form the backbone of the program, we continue to innovate. Recent years have witnessed upgrades to the digital music studio and in-house production of our competition band’s CDs using such technology as digital recording equipment and our acoustically-designed rehearsal and recording space. These types of advances help the La Salle music program to remain on the cutting-edge. Although all of the aspects of the program I talked about are wonderful and exciting, after three years working with my teachers and my friends (not mutually exclusive groups) I have discovered that the music program is especially about camaraderie and cooperation. No group would sound effective without all of its members playing together and combining their talents. That is what makes a musical success, not just the skills of individual band members. In the La Salle music program however it goes beyond just necessary cooperation. I have met many of my best friends while we were playing into the night at a football game, or sitting in the pit at a rehearsal the night before the musical opened. That set of friends would not be complete without mentors like Mr. Ciccimaro and Mr. Vettori, people who exemplify the spirit of La Salle. Because of this and because of its extraordinary success both as a performance group and as a unifying force, I believe that the music program will be as important to future generations of students as it is to me.
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by Christopher G. DiLella ’06
This past year, La Salle presented two very powerful productions, A Man for All Seasons and Godspell, with underlying themes of kindness and standing up for what one believes is right. I was very fortunate to be given the leading role in both these productions – Sir Thomas More and Jesus, respectively. Despite the fact that, yes, I was executed at the end of both shows, the overall experience truly has been a memorable one. Both roles had provided me with what seemed to be insurmountable challenges. However, I was surrounded in both instances with a talented cast of dedicated students and a highly supportive production staff, which, I’ve come to realize, is what La Salle theatre has always been about since its inception.
“At La Salle, we follow the directives of Saint John Baptist de La Salle – that a student’s education should include the arts,” says Joe Ciccimaro ‘57, or as he is known at La Salle, “Mr. C.” For the past 39 years, Mr. C has taught as well as served as Chair of the Music Department. As a student in the 1950’s, Mr. C recalls playing before and at intermission of the dramas – as was the manner of professional theatre at the time. Mr. C’s first show was Mr. Moore’s production of Three Men on a Horse in his senior year (1957). Eleven years later, in 1968, La Salle’s first musical theatre director and producer, Brother Gene Graham, initiated La Salle’s theatre department as we know it today. Brother Gene grew up in West Philadelphia, attended West Catholic High School and La Salle College, and had many ties to Broadway, including his great friendships with Broadway producer David Merrick and legendary songwriter, Cy Coleman. “Brother Gene Graham was a wonderful director. He had a great way of finding talent at La Salle. Some of the original cast would never have considered being on the stage. He knew how to find them and convince them to be a part of the production. He was unique…” says Father Tony Janton ’69, who played the Mayor in La Salle’s first musical, Bye Bye Birdie, in his junior year. Admission for the shows in the 60’s was $5 (at the time, the price for Broadway shows was about $9), and ran for two weekends. Brother Gene developed close friendships with other memorable figures who were part of the production staff at the time: Jean Williams, choreographer; Bob Bolsover, vocal director; and Gerry Lehey, set and costume designer. For his third production, Brother Gene got Mr. C involved as part of the production staff; the group worked on shows at both La Salle and Archbishop Wood.
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TheatreContinued
Chris DiLella ’06 stars as Joe Carroll, a Jesus-like figure, in the 2006 production of Godspell.
Many of the cast members for the musicals were from the sports program of La Salle. The musicals came to be such big productions because the students were so heavily involved. “There was a lot of pride behind the productions,” Colleen Durkin Lapowsky, today’s current director and La Salle theatre alum says. “Every student went to see the show. It was a very big date night.” It wasn’t until the early 70’s that there were two shows – one in the fall and one in the spring. In 1972, La Salle’s band played for the musical for the very first time. Another tradition that started soon after: the band president conducted the pit of student musicians. To this day the tradition continues.
Special Thanks: Mr. Joseph F. Ciccimaro ’57 Ms. Colleen Durkin Lapowsky Ms. Kim Williams Father Anthony W. Janton ’69 Ret. Professor John J. Burke (Saint Joseph’s University) Mrs. Patricia M. DiLella
When Brother Gene became head of the College’s musical theatre program in the late 70’s, Mr. C was asked to take over as producer of the shows. He brought in Peter Doyle to direct and John Grace ’73, who performed in the shows in his student days, as his assistant. Shortly thereafter, when Mr. Doyle passed away, Mr. C brought Colleen Durkin Lapowsky (mother of Tim Lapowsky ’08) onboard. Kim Williams (mother of Dan ’04 and Brian McGinly ’08) took over as assistant choreographer from 1986 until 1989. Kim returned in 2000 for Guys and Dolls, choreographing a few numbers and assisting Rita Schmidt, wife of Bob Schmidt ’72, with costumes. Colleen, Kim, and Rita, ironically, were all leading players as high school students in past productions. Many alumni of the shows at La Salle have gone on to perform in the professional theatre, including Broadway. Both Lapowsky and Williams credit their basic training on the La Salle stage to their individual professional careers in theatre. “The irony is that not only is it such a wonderful experience to be able to perform (and direct) for the La Salle shows. But previous students such as Ron Kurowski ’71, Hugh Panaro ’82, Fran Prisco ’89, Frank DiLella ’02, and Maria Brinkmann (daughter of Jack Brinkmann ’71, have taken the torch and continued with what they have learned and used it in their current career paths,” Lapowsky says.
Gayle Williams, Kim Williams, and Kate McCauley in the 1971 production of Hello Dolly.
Both Jerry Hathaway ’72 and Kate McCauley, parents of Anne Hathaway (motion-picture actress and star of The Devil Wears Prada, Brokeback Mountain, and The Princess Diaries), were also involved in La Salle’s theatrical program with Kate as the lead in both South Pacific and Hello Dolly! Kate also played in the national touring company of Les Misérables; one of its stops was Philadelphia’s very own Forrest Theatre. Kim Williams recalls her favorite show, Hello Dolly!, during her freshman year. “Colleen (Lapowsky), Rita (Schmid), and I met that year. Kate McCauley was Dolly Levi; my sister, Gayle, was Irene Malloy; and I had the third lead, Minnie Fay.” It was Brother Gene who obtained the original set and costumes for Hello Dolly! in 1971 through friend and Broadway producer, David Merrick, when the show closed with Ethel Merman as the leading role. “There was a full color spread in the Philadelphia Bulletin. The La Salle cast ‘just about swiped the clothes off Merman’s back!” Williams says. “Theatre plays a very important role in the education of a student,” says Lapowsky. Having (the arts) in your life rounds out the intellect and spirit. I wish we could reach more boys in the school – allow them to do something that is not in their typical ‘comfort zone.’ When young men who are unfamiliar with theatre take a chance and try to participate, they love it. Others don’t know what they are missing.” The unforgettable productions, impressive stories, and the memorable figures who helped to build La Salle’s Music Theatre as we know it today have had a significant impact on the lives of so many people who have gone through the program. Since its inception, La Salle Music Theatre has proved what Saint John Baptist de La Salle has always believed: that the true Lasallian education of a student roots itself not only in academics but in the arts.
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Profile of the Music Department
Back Row (left to right): Michael Kennedy, Joseph Nero, Mark Norman, Rocco Bene, Daniel Muller, Joe Vettori, and Paul Gehman Front Row (left to right): Richard Genovese, Joseph Ciccimaro ’57, and Paulette Kensey Not Pictured: Gregory Teperman
Joseph F. ”Mr. C” Ciccimarro ’57 Department Head JB.A. La Salle University Director of Bands, Woodwinds, String Ensemble
Mark Norman Choral Director B. Mus. Susquehanna University Chorus
Rocco Bene Professional Musician Trumpet
Gregory Teperman B.A. University of the Arts, Kishinev, Moldova (USSR) Moscow Conservatory String Instructor (Violin, Viola, and Cello)
Richard T. Genovese Curtis Institute of Music Low Brass, Trombone Ensemble Michael Kennedy B. Mus., M.M. University of the Arts Guitar, Bass, Theory, Guitar Ensemble Paulette Kensey B. Mus. Ed. West Chester University Keyboards Daniel P. Muller B. Mus. University of the Arts (Music Performance) M.A. Mus. Ed. University of the Arts Woodwinds, Jazz Improvisation, Jazz Theory
Joseph Vettori Director of Bands B. Mus. University of the Arts Woodwinds, Saxophone Ensemble, Competition Band, Music Technology Joseph Nero Curtis Institute of Music Percussion Paul Gehman B.A., M.A. Temple University Bass, Electric Bass
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Photo Gallery Graduation – Class of 2006 Saturday, June 3, 2006
Back Row (left to right): Tom Walsh and Kevin Collins Front Row (left to right): Basil Nation, Terrance Robinson II, Sean-Patrick Kearney, Robert Chapman-Smith, Matthew Himler, and Daniel Fasoline
Left to right: Christopher Imms, Joseph Schatz, Timothy Plunkett, Christopher Dilella, David Yusavitz, and John Buonomo
Richard Cosgrove
Back Row (left to right): Stephen McGorry, Ryan Colburn, and Michael Venafra Front Row (left to right): John Pilla, Christopher Barr, and Matthew Sinnott
Left to right: Stephen Ullrich, Joseph Tubolino, Jason Ruppert, and William Phillips
Valedictorian – Ryan Travers
Left to right: Mrs. Julia Maher, Mr. Tom Barna, Mr. Joseph Marchese, and Brother Richard Kestler, FSC ’60
Left to right: Mr. Joseph Radvansky, Mr. Michael Ponisciak, John Hardwick, and Robert Stott
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Left to right: Adam Petko, Richard DiPrero, David Ciccaglione, and Matthew Landherr
Left to right: Thomas Cowhey, Benjamin Dearden, Robert Ebbecke, T.J. Foley, Jason Gigliotti, Matthew Harp, and Patrick Jeffers
Salutatorian – Andrew Gleason
Matthew Sinnott, Mrs. Trish Sinnott, and Mrs. Julia Maher
Class of 2006
Joseph Fluehr
The Zielinski’s – Carol, Matt ’06, and Mark ’77
Brother James Rieck, FSC ’57 and Edward Guarrieri
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50-Year Reunion – Class of 1956 Friday, June 2, 2006 – Saturday, June 3, 2006
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Golf Outing Monday, June 12, 2006
Class of 1966 – Tom Scully, Bob Pannepacker, Rob Miller, and Tim Erb
Class of 1943 – Frank McCrossen and Joe Maloney
Robin Gallagher ’67 and Jack Meehan ’67
Class of 1963 – Reno Rossanese, Joe Turk, Lou Galzerano, and Ed Drach
Class of 1981 – Neil Fitzpatrick, Ward Fitzgerald, Mike Gregor, and Pat Loftus
Jim Richards ’56 and Larry Wentz ’55
Joe Slabinski IV ’01 and Joe Slabinski III ’67
Dan McGill ’78, Jim Osborne ’56, Joe Flanagan ’55, and Jim Williamson ’81
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The Winners: Class of 1991 – Jamie Barton, Mark O'Neill, Jamie Mayer, and Chad Stowe
Class of 1983 – Jim Carroll, Mark Gola, Dave Riley, and Dave Martosella
Class of 1985 – Chuck Eisler, Tom Kolsun, Ron Matthew, and Dan Diehl
Class of 1998 – Andrew Rakowski, Brett Gordon, Jeff Huntzinker, and Ed Bongard
Class of 1972 – Bill Benz and Bob Szostak
Jerry Ventresca ’77, Brother Charles Lackes, and Ed Feeny ’62
The Rietzke’s – Steve ’85, Jon, and Greg ’88
Michael Donohoe ’79, Pat Donohoe ’78, Jim Malone ’74, and Andy Malone ’78
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Alumni Sponsors – We Thank You Accu Tech Mechanical Services Jim Brewer ’77 Advanced Disposal Solutions Kirk Dolaway ’90 William J. Benz, Esq. ‘72 Bill Lawlor ’61 Bob Durney ’57 Bob McAnespey ’66 Charles Dunton, MD ’70 Chestnut Hill Dental Group Robin Gallagher, DMD ’67
Foley Insulation, Inc. Dan Foley ’68
Liberty Property Trust Ward Fitzgerald ’81
Rafferty Real Estate, Inc. Bill Rafferty ’56
Foley Insurance Agency Tim Foley ’66 Gerry Foley ’74
Mark Sutton ’72
Signature Homes by J.T. Maloney Joe Maloney ’43
Fox Railroad Services Tom Higgins, Sr. ’50 Tom Higgins, Jr. ’75 Paul Higgins ’78 Phil Higgins ’82 Jim Higgins ’93 Gabriel Building Group Sam Gabriel ’80 Galzerano Funeral Home Lou Galzerano ’63
Class of 1958 John Schmitt ’58
Hansen Properties, Inc. Bud Hansen Jr. ’54 Bud Hansen III ’86
Class of 1972 Bob Szostak, Esq. ’72
Helmick – Prisco & Co. Tim Helmick ’85
CBIZ Accounting, Tax & Advisory, LLC Andy Malone ’78 David Stagliano ’93 Patrick Walsh ’95 Corpseminars.com Tim Erb ’66 Corr Law Offices Sean Corr, Esq. ’80 Creative Financial Group John Gorman ’67 Brian McGeehan ’95 Jim Cleary Deloitte & Touche Steve Gardner ’72 Dunphy Ford Jay Dunphy ’54 Kevin Dunphy ’83 EPC, Inc. Jim Carroll ’83 Excellerate HRO Gerry Lowery, CPA ’78 Frank and Miriam Pfluger Frank Pfluger ’50
Marsh USA, Inc. Brian Daly ’90 Jason Santini ’94 McCafferty-Sweeney Funeral Home Andrew Rakowski ’98 Mellon, Webster & Shelly Joe Cullen, Jr., Esq. ’91 Michael Adams, DMD ‘81 Michael Cassidy, Esq. ’74 Michael Donohoe, DC ’79 Mike Gallagher, DDS ‘70 Mike Tidd ’88 Steve Javie ‘72
Slabinski Funeral Home Joe Slabinsksi III ’67 Joe Slabinski IV ’01 Smith Barney Gerry Binder ’69 Timoney, Knox, LLP Scott Wolpert, Esq. ‘84 Tony Gillespie ’68 Trenchtech, Inc. Dave Martosella ’83 United States Roofing Corporation Ryan Tyrell ’91 Villa St. Joseph Rev. Robert Breen ’45
Jack Lawlor ’64
MSC Specialties Jim Malone, Sr. ’53 Roy Hanshaw ’70 Jim Malone, Jr. ’74
J. Michael Queenan Ventures, Inc. Joe Queenan ’65
Narducci, Moore, Fleisher & Roeberg Peter Moore, Esq. ’71
Wall and Walsh, Inc. Chuck Walsh ’68
Joe Camardo ’70
National City Mortgage Phil Cassidy ’70
Westinghouse Lighting Ray Angelo ’70
Neal McKelvey ’59
Williamson Catering Services, Inc. Bob McCreight ’71
Hytek Wireless, Inc. William McFadden ’91
Johnson, Kendall & Johnson, Inc. Doug Friel ’93 John Lee ’52 Jim Ward ’55 Kindt, Kaye & Wentz Larry Wentz ’55 Ed Wentz ’88 Paul Wentz ’89 Larson Allen CPA’s Paul Kelly III, CPA ’74 Lextranet Jim Donohue III ’86 Liberty Personnel Services, Inc. Boyd Kelly ’93
Pennsylvania Orthopedic Association Dave Reinhardt, DO ’84
Vincent Giordano Company Guy Giordano ’72
Pennwealth Group Benefits, LLC Nick Varano ’91
Williamson Hospitality Services, Inc. Jim Osborne ’56 Dan McGill ’78 Jim Williamson ’81
Plexus Ventures, LLC Bob Moran ’69
Wisler Pearlstine Jim Garrity, Esq. ’70
PWI Energy Joe Turk ’63
Wilmington Trust Tim Gillespie ’78
Quality Mailing Services, Inc. William T. McAndrews, Jr. ‘83
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Class Notes 1940’s Bill Geppert ’41 still goes to work at the age of 82 for Geppert Bros. Demolition Consultants. This past year they completely demolished the Byberry State Hospital complex of buildings. Tom Smyth ’41 is celebrating 59 years of marriage with his wife, Margaret. John J. Markulin ’42 announces that his grandson, Nicholas Carboni, will graduate from La Salle College High School as a member of the Class of 2009. Hon. August B. Cifelli ’43 joined Joe Gerngross as the second member of the Class of 1943 inducted into the Hall of Fame. William J. Bailey ’46 is moving with his wife, Donna, to Richmond, VA after eighteen years of living in Florida. They will be within walking distance of three grandchildren and driving distance of eight more. The move also brings them closer to La Salle Reunions. John F. Gillin ’46 was recently appointed as Chairman of the Scholarship Committee of the Santa Cruz County Retired Teachers Association, Santa Cruz, CA. Harry A. Reckner ’46 is busy teaching R.C.I.A and being a Eucharistic Minister at St. John the Baptist Parish. Harry makes parts and builds machinery for his son’s business, which makes glass eyes for taxidermy. He is also restoring a 1965 Austin Healy Sprite in his spare time. Francis P. Taylor, Jr. ’46 and his wife, Rita, spent their 50th Anniversary in Maui last November. Charles C. Wynn ’46 and his wife, Beverly, celebrated their birthdays in Hawaii on the beautiful islands of Maui and Kauai. Charles received a five year award from LITA (Love Is The Answer) for his weekly visits to the elderly confined to convalescent facilities in Marin County Rev. William J. Cox ’47 is the pastor emeritus of St. Peter in Honey Brook, PA and is in residence at Regina Coeli Residence for Priests in Warminster, PA. Father Cox Celebrated his jubilee on Saturday, May 13 at St. Peter in Honey Brook, PA. Rev. John E. Fitzgerald ’47 is now retired and doing pastoral ministry at St. Anselm’s Parish in Philadelphia, PA. Edward B. Gable, Jr., Esq. ’47 spent the last few years as a member of the Board of Directors of the Foggy Bottom Association. Edward has also been the President of the Griffin Condo Owners Association for eight years. George Guld ’47 and his wife, Mary, made a “very enlightening” pilgrimage to EWTN from November 1 to November 5, 2005. Nicholas Marino ’47 is looking forward to his class’s 60th Reunion in 2007.
Eugene P. McLoone, PhD ’47 announces that his grandnephew, Ryan Moran, is a member of the Class of 2010. August Ober ’47 is still traveling and says “hello” to all the “1240” guys. Joseph A. Brauckmann ’48 is suffering from Alzheimer’s disease and now resides at Sunrise Senior Living in Lafayette Hill. Rev. Msgr. Ignatius L. Murray ’48 retired as pastor from Annunciation in Havertown, PA and is now in residence at Visitation, B.V.M in Trooper, PA. Robert J. Maro, Sr., MD ’48 has been retired for three years and was recently honored by the Camden County Medical Society for his fifty years as a Family Physician.
1950’s The Class of 1957 will celebrate its 50-Year Reunion on June 1-2, 2007. Mike Carey ’50 is pleased that his grandson, Devlin Carey, is entering La Salle College High School in September as a member of the Class of 2010. Joseph E. Labrum ’50 had a great time recently as a guest of Bob McHenry ’50 at his home in Lakeland, FL. Joe Cannon ’50 and Connie Miller ’50 were also there with their wives and enjoyed Bob and Linda’s kind hospitality. John McElvenny, Jr. ’50 reports that his grandson, Kevin Gatti, will be entering La Salle in September 2006 as a member of the class of 2010. Daniel J. McNichol ’51 spent a week in New Orleans in February, Pre-Mardi Gras, with his Katrina survivor guest from last summer. William T. Mulligan ’51 and his wife, Patricia will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary on September 8, 2006. They have thirteen grandchildren ranging in age from 2 to 26 years old. William J. Hall, MD ’53 is now retired as an infectious disease consultant and Director Division of Infectious Diseases of Maine Medical Center in Portland, ME. Martin J. Luff ’54 retired and is wintering in Palm Beach, FL and spending the summer at his home in Brigantine, NJ. Robert Wilson ’54 reports that the Class of 1954 held it’s January Luncheon at the Blue Bell Inn. Eighteen explorers attended along with their guest, Brother Thomas “Little Tom” Caldwell. Bob Riethmiller, Jr. ’55 was inducted into the Environmental Industry Hall of Fame in April 2006.
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Class Notes Continued Francis M. Ponti, PhD ’56 has developed a statistical method for estimating the amount and value of property, plant and equipment for legacy holdings of major Federal agencies. New Federal accounting standards motivated this development. John Whalen ’56 retired as Chairman and CEO of Pennsylvania Crusher Corporation effective January 1, 2006. Robert W. Federspiel ’57 celebrated his 40th Wedding Anniversary with his wife Gail on a trans-Atlantic cruise stopping in Bermuda, Portugal, Spain, France and Great Britain. Joseph F. Flynn, PhD ’57 celebrated his 25th year on the Engineering Faculty at The College of New Jersey. Lou Greco ’57 retired from the Naval Air Warfare Center in September 1999 after 39 years of service. He and his wife have three children and six grandchildren and will be celebrating 45 years of marriage in September. Lou was fortunate enough to attend the 50th Anniversary celebration of the 1955 Football Championship Team and still retains the memory of being on the “bomb squad” in the City Championship Game. John Convey ’58 received the Papal Benemerenti Medal awarded by Pope Benedict XVI in recognition of his contributions to Catholic Education while serving as the Provost at The Catholic University of America. William Demarco ’58 is the proprietor of the Independence Brew Pub at the Philadelphia International Airport. Louis R. DiMaria ’58 would like to dispel rumors that he is involved in “DiMaria Masonry Restoration” of Abington or “Brother Paul’s Restaurant” in Eagleville. The businesses are, however, owned and operated by Louis’ sons Phil and Paul, respectively. Louis encourages everyone to make use of his son’s services. Rev. Jim Kolb ’58 is the Pastor of St. Elizabeth of Hungary Parish. Father Kolb celebrates all the winter festivities of the town including Groundhog’s Day and hands out coin-shaped chocolates while honoring and resembling St. Nicholas. Edward J. Miller PhD ’58 has been selected for 2006–07 as a Commonwealth Speaker for Pennsylvania Humanities Council. Walter C. Pellish ’58 retired from U.S. Silica on December 1, 2005. He was recently appointed by West Virginia’s Governor Manchin to server the State Workers Compensation Industrial Council. John E. Osborne ’58 was elected treasurer of Radnor Township in November 2005. William R. Regli ’58 wants the Class of 1958 to get their calendars ready for the Holiday Party on Wednesday December 13, 2006. James J. Siravo, DDS ’58 is celebrating his 38th wedding anniversary this fall with a trip to Copper Canyon, Mexico.
1960’s The Classes of 1962 and 1967 will celebrate their 45-Year and 40-Year Reunions on Saturday, April 28, 2007. James P. McFadden ’61 still enjoys substitute teaching in middle and high schools in Allentown, PA. He is also a part time resident in Sunset Beach, SC. S. Joseph Aita, MD ’62 says that because of a note in Alumni News last year he was able to reconnect with Joe Burt after having lost touch for over five years. The two alumni had a reunion in South Carolina in November 2005. Thomas J. Gibbons, Jr. ’62 recently retired as a staff writer/bureau chief at the Philadelphia Inquirer, ending a thirtysix year newsman career in the city. Lou Beccaria, PhD. ’63 was recently elected Secretary of the 3,000 member Association of Small Foundations. He also recently appeared as a guest on CN8 Newsmakers Public Affairs Show. M. Alan Cinquino ’63 is retiring from US Airways in July after 38 years in Aviation, twenty of those years spent at US Air. He intends to pursue the three G’s; golfing, gambling and goofing off. B. Paul Pillion, Jr. ’64 says that 2005 was an exciting year. His son Brian graduated from Brown and daughter Elizabeth graduated from Princeton. Gerard J. Grier ’65 is a Senior Professional in Human Resources and a member of the Board of Directors for Cement Employers Association Board of Directors for Tri-County Chamber. Gerard was named Director of the Year 2003. John J. Kelly, Jr. ’65 and his wife Betty Ann are getting ready to retire to Ten Mile, TN on the Tennessee River. They bought a “fixer up” and invite their friends to come visit. Michael C. Komelasky ’65 received his PhD in Environmental Public Policy from George Mason University in Fairfax, VA in May 2005. Sean J. McGraw McGroarty ’65 is currently a news anchor/reporter for KBMT, an ABC affiliate in Beaumont, TX. This year, Sean covered evacuees from Hurricane Katrina, became an evacuee because of Hurricane Rita and then reported the destruction of Rita. Brian M. Boales ’66 is currently the President of a small Florida casualty insurance company. Brian has four children and seven grandchildren. Eugene G. Cattie ’66 and his wife, Peg, celebrated 35 years of marriage by traveling to Hawaii and the Caribbean. Rev. Jerry Ronan ’66 was assigned as Parochial Vicar of St. John Bosco Parish in Hatboro, PA. He says Mass and provides services to about 500 immigrant families from Mexico and Latin America.
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Guy Sciolla, Esq. ’66 is still enjoying North Dakota ranching life; watching the wheat, baby horses and neighbor’s kids grow. Guy is also looking forward to the North Dakota reunion in July 2006. Robert Liberatore ’67 is in charge of global government relations for DaimlerChrysler. He is spending about half of his time overseas, mostly in Germany and the other half in Washington, DC with his wife, Patty. Frank J. McLaughlin ’67 accepted a position as National Account Executive for the Skill Soft Corporation. Dan Foley ’68 welcomed his fourth grandchild on November 20, 2005.
Terence M. McFadden ’72 has been named President, PSG Controls, Inc. located in Perkasie, PA. Mark Sutton ’72 received the 2005 Choice Hotels Salesman
of the Year Award. Mark sold nineteen hotel franchises in the Northern Region of the country. Jim Toolan ’72 reports that his Avalon fleet has grown to thirteen ocean going vessels. Sean Colgan ’73 just moved to Steamboat Springs, CO. While Sean dealt with the twenty-one feet of snow they received in January, his son, Andrew, was busy rowing at Dartmouth College.
Ray Dombkiewicz ’69 invites all alumni to visit his B&B, www.bellehavre.com, if they are golfing or attending events in or around Raleigh, NC.
George T. Magnatta, Esq. ’73 was voted “Best Lawyer in Pennsylvania” in 2006 by Philadelphia Magazine. George has also published “Inside the Minds: Public Finance Laws” with Aspartore Books.
Thomas D. Michel ’69 will be moving this summer to Longboat Key, FL.
William Garrity ’74 was promoted to Region Director, National Accounts, South Central Division of OCE Imagistics.
1970’s
Bob Gerngross ’74 reports a “Class of 1974 Sighting.” He ran into Milt Plummer ’74 who is still chasing down Mike Hoehn’s 3 and 2 count slider —“a real good pitch.”
The Classes of 1972 and 1977 will celebrate their 35-Year and 30-Year Reunions on Saturday, April 28, 2007. Bill Quain ’70 is on sabbatical leave from Florida International University and will be living in Ocean City, NJ with his family until mid-June. He has developed and published two new books; “Overcoming Time Poverty, How to Achieve More by Working Less” and “Debit and Credit Cards 101.” Joseph R. Rizzo, Jr. ’70 married Anne Kelly on December 30, 2005. His son, Joe, just finished his freshman year at La Salle College High School. Maj. Michael P. Weinstein, USA (Ret) ’70 traveled to China in December 2005 to participate in the US-China Joint Education Conference in Beijing. Richard Barrett ’71 is proud that his son Luke graduated from La Salle College High School in June. Luke aspires to pursue a career in athletic training. Thomas C. Lowry, Esq. ’71 attended his La Salle 35th Reunion on April 22, 2006. He enjoyed seeing John O’Neill from NC, Steve Talecki from TX and Frank Viggiano from MN. Tom’s son, Bryan ’04, attends Boston University as an English Major and has his own radio show. Tom’s younger son, Dan ’08, runs for Coach Pat Devine in Cross Country and Indoor Track. Tom sends his best wishes to the Class of ’71. Rev. Steven E. Clark ’72 was appointed as pastor of the Church of St. Francis of Assisi in Mount Kisco, NY on July 1, 2006. LTC James F. Dittrich, USA (Ret) ’72 is moving to the country (horse and barn plus 60 acres) outside Little Rock, AR.
David McElvenney ’74 will be retiring in June 2006 after twenty-eight years teaching Middle Township High School in Cape May Court House, NJ. Craig Gleason ’75 reports that his second son, Andrew, graduated from La Salle College High School in June and was the Salutatorian for the Class of 2006. Andrew had a great experience and plans to continue his love of music in college. Dominic K. DiGiacobbe ’75 announces that his son, Kyle, is a member of the Class of 2009 Edward Stafford ’75 is back in the United Sates and working in Washington, DC for the Department of State. Matthew Dougherty, MD ’76 opened Society Hill Vein Center this year, specializing in the comprehensive evaluation and treatment of varicose and spider veins. Thomas J. Lynch ’77 and his wife, Gretchen, moved from New York to California. Daniel, Quinn and Mary are enjoying the new surroundings and making many new friends. Thomas is sailing and contemplating cruising to the Northeast with family. Currently, he is traveling internationally for work. John W. Wozniak ’77 recently joined the ranks of the old and decrepit when he had a total hip replacement in March. John is recovering very well but says that his plans to make an NFL comeback to replace T.O. are now “officially” over. Mark J. Zielinski ’77 retired after twenty years at Upper Southampton Police Dept. Mark accepted a new position with the Bucks County District Attorney’s office as a county detective. James M. Ziff ’77 announces that his oldest son Brian will be entering La Salle this fall as a member of the Class of 2010.
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Class Notes Continued Jake Magarity ’78 purchased 40% of the operations of New Millennium Technologies and then created the largest Virginiabased carrier-neutral integrator. Jake has been recognized by Ernst and Young as “Entrepreneur of the Year” in Virginia. Thomas Grady, Esq. ’79 was elected and sworn into the office of Mayor of Narbeth, PA on January 3, 2006. The office of Mayor is a four year term and also serves as the Chief of Police. Thomas is still an attorney in private practice in Philadelphia, PA.
1980’s The Classes of 1982 and 1987 will celebrate their 25-Year and 20-Year Reunions on Saturday, April 28, 2007. LTC John Borek, USA ’80 retired from the Army in July 2005. John is now working at the National Ground Intelligence Center in Charlottesville, VA. Damian D. Dachowski, DMD ’80 opened a new dental practice in Horsham, PA. D3 dental prides itself in the latest technology and cosmetic procedures. Bradley J. Bonner ’81 apologizes for missing the 25th Reunion, he was attending the wedding of his youngest brother Christopher ’91 in Virginia with his middle brother, Andrew ’86. They had a great visit from a Virginia Equestrian Farmer, David Woychik ’81. LTC Michael J. Massucci, USAF ’81 assumed command of the 1st Reconnaissance Squadron in August 2005. He is responsible for training U-2 and T-38 pilots. Joseph E. Morrow, MA ’81 received his Masters Degree in experimental psychology in December 2005. He published his research of Parkinson’s Disease in the Journal of Brain Research in March 2005. Joseph is currently enrolled in Doctorate of Clinical Psychology of Loma Linda University in California. Albert J. Solecki, Jr., Esq. ’81 was recently named Chairman of Goodwin Procter LLP’s New York Office, which has over 650 attorneys. Al was also elected to the law firm’s ten person Executive Committee. He, his wife, and their three young children split their time between Manhattan and Southampton. Francis J. Harkins ’82 has been promoted to engineering manager for a $450 million pollution control project on a coalfired power plant near Detroit, MI. He currently resides in Abington, PA with his wife, Mary and three wonderful children. Bill J. Higgins ’82 is now employed as the Head of Lending Services for ING Direct in Wilmington, DE. Bill’s son, the oldest of his eight children, starts his career at La Salle College High School next fall. Robert Thompson ’82 was awarded two promotions in 2005: Senior Underwriter and Assistant Vice President at GMAC Commercial Mortgage Corporation. Rob also achieved HUD’s MAP-Underwriter designation for commercial multi-family and healthcare properties.
Thomas P. Burns ’83 moved to Kalamazoo, MI. Carl W. Holmes, Jr. Esq. ’83 graduated from the FBI National Academy in Quantico, VA in March. The program was a ten week Executive Leadership school for police commanders from all over the world. John R. McGann, Jr. ’83 says that his oldest, Erin, will graduate from the Mount this year which is just in time for his third child, Sean, to join his brother, Patrick ’08, at La Salle next year. Rich Sherman ’85 was promoted to run the Institutional Equity Sales organization at Janney Montgomery Scott. Stephen J. Stabilito ’85 is working in new home sales in Chester County, PA and has recently been promoted to Sales Manager. Tibor Terek ’86 lives in Middletown, NJ with his wife and two children. He was recently promoted to the role of Senior Systems Architect of Sun Microsystems. Chris Sheedy ’86 is working with the Kellogg School of Management Executive Education Center at Northwestern University to develop and deliver a new class on program management for executives. David A. Fecak, Jr. ’87 recently became an Orthopedic Sales Representative for Johnson and Johnson’s DePuy Miter in Philadelphia and Delaware. Stephen J. Bacica, CPA ’89 works for Marriott International as the Senior Director of Accounting Policy and lives in McLean, VA with his wife, Karen and son, Ethan.
1990’s The Classes of 1992 and 1997 will celebrate their 15-Year and 10-Year Reunions on Saturday, April 28, 2007. Brian Daly ’90 has accepted a position as Senior Vice President of Human Resources with Marsh McLennan in Philadelphia, PA. Patrick J. McGinley III ’90 recently left the career fire service after eleven years to pursue a job as a fire investigator in the private sector. In 2002, he received four personal valor and heroism awards for the rescue of multiple trapped firefighters in a fire that claimed the lives of three firefighters and three children in Gloucester City, NJ. In 2001, Pat received a Camden County medal for his response to the attacks on the World Trade Center. William C. Rothenbach ’90 married Therese McDade of Elkins Park, PA on July 22, 2006. Brian P. Baillie ’01 was selected as a William Penn fellow from Haverford College and is teaching this academic year at the Chigwell School in Essex, England. Christopher F. Hasson ’91 was recently promoted to Vice President at Hypex in Southampton, PA. He and his wife, Aimee, live in Ambler, PA with their four children.
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Robert M. Karwacki ’91 and his wife, Heather, have two children: Jarrod, five years old and Jordan, three months. Robert is working as bakery manager at Genuardi’s in Flourtown, PA and is still into ice hockey and baseball. Michael W. Kenefic ’91 married Bronwyn Reichert on December 31, 2005 in Philadelphia. Charles Malone ’91 was recently promoted to Assistant Principal of Wissahickon Middle School. Kevin P. Schmidt ’91 of Harleysville has joined the Fort Washington law firm of Timoney Knox, LLP as an associate. Schmidt’s practice focuses on litigation, but includes real estate, estate planning/administration, education, employment/labor law and small business counseling. Before joining Timoney Knox, Schmidt was an associate with White and Williams, LLP in Philadelphia where he practiced exclusively in the field of insurance subrogation. Scott C. Wimmer ’91 started selling orthopedic implants and products for Depuy, a Johnson and Johnson Company in February. Peter V. Scola ’92 has changed jobs from Bank of America Securities to Wachovia Securities where he was recently promoted to Managing Director. Peter is the youngest Managing Director in his group. Stephen J. Duncheskie ’94 was inducted into the Suburban Aquatic League Hall of Fame on February 4, 2006. Mark J. Perfetti ’94 was recently promoted to Clinical Applications Programmer II. Mark also spent four months as an assistant coach for the Blazers Youth Hockey Club. He has been coaching for three years at various levels. Michael J. Witkowski ’94 has been promoted to Associate at McHugh Engineering Associates. Ray Fitzpatrick ’96 married Colleen McCamant on June 18, 2005 in Hilton Head, SC. La Salle alumni in the wedding party included Ray’s dad, Ray ’56, Tom Yaegel ’96, Matt Yaglenski ’96, Chris Walters ’96 and Anthony Penzarella ’96. Ray graduated from Temple Medical School in May 2004 and is now a general surgery resident at the University of Pennsylvania Hospital in Philadelphia, PA. Kurt Hirsekorn, PhD ’97 married Shelley Conroy in August 2005. The couple met while attending Davidson College. In December 2005, Kurt received his doctorate in Inorganic Chemistry from Cornell University. Michael Kruczkowski ’98 has recently opened a mortgage company, Beneficial Mortgage Group. They are active in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Florida. Andrew T. Rakowski ’98 married Laura Maloney on March 24, 2006. Lt. Scott T. Miller ’99 finished helicopter flight training in January 2006 and is now stationed in Mayport, FL.
2000’s The Class of 2001 will celebrate its 5-Year Reunion on Wednesday, November 22, 2006. Ryan Brogan ’00 is a graduate of Villanova University and is currently attending St. Joseph’s University’s MBA Program while working as a consultant for SMART Associates. John A. Boring III ’00 deployed for Iraq in March. Lt. Boring will be there for six months and asks you to pray that all service members can return home safely. Shawn Moore ’00 just graduated from Temple University with a BS in Computer Science. Dean Owens ’01 graduated from the University of Pittsburgh with a Bachelor of Arts degree in May 2005. He is now a first year student at the Temple University Beasley School of Law. Sean Brogan ’02 graduated from Villanova University in 2006 with a BS in Mechanical Engineering. Carmen J. Conicelli III ’02 graduated from Temple in May 2006 with a BA in Broadcasting Telecommunications and Mass Media. Sean M. Gallagher ’02 graduated from Loyola College in Maryland in 2006. Jeffrey D. Mills ’02 will work as an analyst in the Capital Markets Division of PNC Corporation in Philadelphia, PA after graduating from the University of Pennsylvania in May 2006. Christopher J. Radvansky ’02 is in his fourth year at Drexel University. He is on the Dean’s List in Accounting and a member of Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity. Thomas J. Schuck ’02 graduated from Seton Hall University in May 2006 and will be attending medical school in August. Andrew P. Urbanski ’02 graduated from the University of Delaware in May 2006 as an English/Secondary Education major. Bryan Lowry ’04 is a sophomore at Boston University and can be heard weekly on his radio show entitled “Inflammable Material” at www.wtburadio.org
Anyone who wishes to help plan and organize their reunion should contact the Alumni Office at 215.233.2350 or alumni@lschs.org
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the Park Inside
By Steven M. Ziegler
Summer days for most Philadelphians usually consist of one of three things; enjoying a water ice, sitting in traffic for the Jersey shore or taking in a Phillies game. For Dennis Lehman ’69, the current Executive Vice-President of Business for the Cleveland Indians, baseball has always been a part of his life.
Dennis Lehman ’69
“My dad was a former ticket seller when he was in medical school, so he took me many times to Connie Mack to enjoy and experience Phillies Baseball,” Lehman says. Although he did not play the game at La Salle College High School, a young Dennis could usually be seen listening to the Phillies on a transistor radio. His love for the game and the time he spent with his father gave Lehman the idea to get a job as a Public Relations “helper” and press runner at Connie Mack Stadium in March of 1970 in order to pay his way through La Salle College. After being promoted to Director of Marketing, Dennis was able to experience a very prosperous time in the franchise’s history. “Moving to the Vet was great fun and very satisfying to see from the inside. What many fans do not see is how difficult it is on those many hard working people who labor…and try to make long term value judgments…dealing with young professional athletes.” Dennis was fortunate enough to have the job of promoting some of the biggest names ever to wear a Phillies jersey between 1975 and 1983. Mike Schmidt, Steve Carlton, Tug McGraw—just to mention a few. Any baseball fan, especially a baseball fan from Philadelphia only dreams about the day he can be tied to those names. As Dennis puts it, “any time you are part of the Post Season it is a human roller coaster ride.” Counting his time with Phillies and his current position with the Cleveland Indians, Dennis has experienced playoff baseball from the front office nine times. He was around when the Phils defeated the Kansas City Royals in the 1980 World Series and was lucky enough to be at the helm when the Indians went to the championship in 1995 and 1997. Dennis Lehman has been working as the Vice-President of Business for the Cleveland Indians for eighteen years. “The biggest difference is that in Philadelphia, there are just more fans period. That has to do with market size.” Dennis explains, “Cleveland fans are much more focused on a championship, we haven’t had one in baseball since 1948.” Moving from one city with a rich history in baseball to another seemed extremely logical for a man like Dennis Lehman. Unlike many other executives in the sports world, he not only sells the dream of hope to the fans, he buys into it. As David Montgomery, Phillies CEO states;
“From the day I first met him, I knew Dennis brought an energy and passion for the game of baseball. He has the best feel of anyone I know for creating that positive connection between the team and its fans.” The passion and energy that Montgomery describes certainly worked wonders for the Cleveland franchise. Dennis Lehman helped resurrect baseball in that Ohio city where sports are synonymous with a football Hall of Famer and that young basketball phenomenon who wears the number 23. However, having a La Salle College High School alum at the board meetings gives the Indians a brighter forecast of years to come. After the construction of Jacobs Field in 1994, Lehman put his promotional skills to good use, drawing in 455 consecutive sell-outs between 1995 and 2001. As a result, a once floundering Cleveland baseball team sold for 323 million dollars in 2000, almost double what the Anaheim Angels sold for just three years ago. Dennis Lehman’s achievements are nothing short of amazing but the MLB executive never forgets that his roots stem from 8605 Cheltenham Avenue. “I learned many things about myself and I learned that having passion for what you do in life can allow you to be successful in both your career and life.” Dennis hopes to one day get back to his old stomping grounds, see his friends and maybe even bring out the transistor radio to enjoy some inter-league play between the team that is attached to his heart and the team that he has taken to new levels.
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Announcements Births
Honorees
William P. Ryan ’68 and wife, Maureen, were blessed with another baby girl, Kelly Theresa on November 29, 2005. Andrew K. Maude ’91 and his wife, Jennifer, had a son, Alexander, on September 27, 2005. Paul Vozzo ’81 and his wife, Debra Ann, had a son, David Paul, on December 10, 2005. Michael A. Stoughton ’83 and his wife, Jennifer, welcomed their second son, Sean Michael, into the world on October 11, 2005. Sean McCook ’86 and his wife, Anne Marie, had a son, Thomas, on December 4, 2006. Richard P. Matthew ’88 and his wife, Rebecca, welcomed their son Tobias Joseph into the world this past year. Christopher M. Massella ’90 and his wife, Reem, had their first baby, Colin, in July 2005. Christopher L. Matthews ’90 and his wife, Gretchen, welcomed daughter, Cate Sofia, to their family in November 2005. They currently reside in Annapolis, MD. Robert W. Serianni ’90 had his fourth child and first son, Sean Robert, on June 1, 2005. Christian A. Hilty ’91 and his wife, Jill, welcomed a new baby boy, Brady Christian, on February 13, 2006. Matthew F. Wachowski ’91 welcomed daughter, Evie, into the world on June 3, 2005. John J. Yurick III ’92 and his wife, Kate, welcomed their first child, John Joseph IV “Jack” on February 26, 2006. Kevin Conlin ’93 and his wife, Jean Marie, had a daughter, Norah Maire, on October 17, 2005. Francis J. McCann III ’93 and his wife, Erin Whelan McCann, had a baby boy, Francis J. IV “Frankie” on January 5, 2006. Hank Sharkey ’93 and his wife, Jennifer, had a son, Liam John, on January 2, 2006 Stephen F. Duncheskie ’94 and his wife, Kate, had their first child, Grace Cordner on January 14, 2006.
Row Your Boat
Deaths Robert J. Bauerle ’65 John J. Bresnan ’45 Michael F. Connors ’45 Joseph V. Conway ’38 Martin J. Curlonis ’51 Gerald P. Fox ’48 William M. Gaynor ’45 Theodore J. Gutowicz ’74 Michael W. Stephens ’57 Hugh P. Walsh ’45
EDITOR’S NOTE: Joseph W. Winning ’05 was inadvertently omitted as the author of “Happy Trails,” the article on Rod Brader that appeared on pg. 32 in the Spring 2006 issue of the Explorer.
On Sunday, April 30th, 2006, the Crew team honored their friend and former coach Peter R. Sigmund ’85 with a brand new blue boat (Vespoli V-1) bearing his name. Pete has taught at La Salle for the past fourteen years, seven of which he coached the Crew team. During that time he guided the Crew to three Philadelphia Catholic League Championships, the finals of the Stotesbury Regatta five times, and the North American Championship Race. Today, Coach Sigmund’s legacy lives on in the five current coaches who once rowed under his instruction. Meanwhile, Pete is coaching another kind of crew, helping the Technology team to make La Salle one of the most advanced schools in the state.
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Visit our new planned giving website-anytime! www.lschs.org/plannedgiving Discover the benefits of giving wisely in a convenient, user-friendly format. It’s as easy as 1-2-3! • Learn how you can include La Salle College High School in your will or trust. • Explore gift plans that can help you save on taxes, increase your income, and pass more on to your heirs. • Request a personal gift plan with detailed illustrations. • Learn about the benefits of membership in the Signum Fidei Society. • Request a confidential gift planning consultation in preparation for a visit with your advisors.
Discover the benefits of giving wisely… For more information, call Gail A. Evans, CFRE, Vice President, Institutional Advancement at 215.233.2350 Ext. 3070 e-mail gailevans@lschs.org or visit us online at:
www.lschs.org/plannedgiving © Planned Giving Company
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