Development News

Not Your Typical Year in NFA’s Mission Advancement Office

The pandemic made gathering together for all of the favorite annual NFA events like Fall Fest, Homecoming, and Pizza Bingo nearly impossible this year. This was a disappointment, considering that many events planned to celebrate NFA’s 100th Anniversary this year had to be postponed. However, the Mission Advancement Office (MAO) worked hard to come up with ways to engage students and families while keeping safe.

In December, MAO worked with merchants on Germantown Avenue to have a Sip & Shop event. Over 60 people came on an uncharacteristically beautiful December day to shop for holiday gifts and have lunch or dinner on the Avenue. Merchants provided raffle prizes and a percentage of sales to NFA. Special thanks all the shops that participated and to current parent Christine Benedum of Benedum Law for allowing the use of her office as the check in point and for being our bag sponsor.

Building on the success of virtual games and events last spring, MAO set out to create some new and different virtual events this year. In December, A/R Workshop conducted an NFA virtual craft night with some of their wood kits. We also had two virtual Cook Along demonstrations, with Chef Ken Ulsh from Jack Francis Catering who demonstrated a delicious Valentine’s dinner. Our own Dr. Ryan Killeen got us into the Irish spirit for St. Patrick’s Day as he prepared a traditional shepherd’s pie and savory scone. Special guests Meg and Anne McNally showed us how to make McNally’s luscious Guinness cake, too.

Development News

NFAPA’s annual Pizza Bingo night was different this year, but still lots of fun. As a joint effort with MAO, pizza kits were available for purchase to make at home, and MAO hosted rounds of Bingo on Zoom. Lots of families (and even Sister Denise Clifford, SSJ!) participated.

NFA’s Centennial Speaker Series highlighted two distinguished alumni and a former NFA parent in highly regarded virtual talks. Retired Lieutenant General H.R. McMaster ’76, former National Security Advisor and author of Battlegrounds (published by Harper Collins, April 2020), reconnected with NFA and shared some of his vast experience in foreign policy. One of the highlights of his talk was how NFA shaped the person he is today. Dr. Kathleen Walls ’85, clinical psychologist and author of The Adventures of Froggy-T & Bunnie: A Hip Hop Tale, spoke about increasing emotional well-being in children. Mary Ciammetti, whose son Christian ’08 tragically died in 2015 from alcohol poisoning, spoke honestly and powerfully about the dangers of binge drinking. She has turned her tragedy into a mission to educate, and has presented her Don’t Stall, Just Call presentation to over 30,000 people.

The 2021 NFA Classic Golf Tournament was held at North Hills Country Club on May 4. Sr. Jean Laurich, SSJ, prayed for good weather for the tournament and her prayers were answered with the most gorgeous day of the week. One hundred eight golfers, near the maximum that North Hills could accommodate, were treated with blue skies, low humidity, and a well-groomed golf course. A silent auction offered packages that the golfers and school families could bid on using their phones. There was also a box pool raffle for a 65-inch television, which was won by Jon Massari ’83. At dinner, Dr. Ryan Killeen, President, kicked off the 100th Anniversary festivities by introducing Dave and Robin Comerford, and Tim and Jackie Woolley, Co-chairs of the 100th Anniversary Gala. The day was a smashing success—a profit of $27,000—to replace and enhance educational technology for faculty, staff, and students.

We are also busily planning celebrations of NFA’s 100th Anniversary that we had planned to have this year: the 100th Anniversary Liturgy on Sunday, September 26, at the SSJ Chapel at Chestnut Hill College, and the 100th Anniversary Gala on Saturday, October 2. Contact Angelo Milicia, Director of Institutional Advancement, or Karen Cavacos, Advancement Services Coordinator, at development@norfon.org if you would like to participate in the planning of either event.