Saint Mel High SchoolAlumni Association

JULY 2019

Annual Alumni Banquet Recap

This year’s Alumni Banquet at Maggiano’s in Schaumburg was a great success! Two hundred alumni and guests joined us to celebrate on June 7th, 2019. Congratulations to our Golden Jubilee Class of ’69 and our Diamond Jubilee Class of ’59 for an impressive turnout!

Special thanks to our reunion committees for their dedication to making the Banquet an evening to remember, and a shout-out to our Toastmaster, Pat Savage ’62, for his help in leading the evening’s program.

Congratulations to this year’s Distinguished Mel-Man of the Year, Casey Cieniawa ’59, and Mel-Man of the Year, Brian Savage ‘69.

CHRISTIAN BROTHERS OF THE MIDWEST 7650 S. COUNTY LINE ROAD BURR RIDGE, ILLINOIS 60527

IN MEMORIAMPlease remember in your prayers the following members of the

St. Mel Alumni Association, whose deaths we were informed of this year:

PLEASE LIST YOUR FOURSOME! (see form page 3)Name:

Phone:

Class Year:

E-mail:

Name:

Phone:

Class Year:

E-mail:

Name:

Phone:

Class Year:

E-mail:

Name:

Phone:

Class Year:

E-mail:

Cornelius O’Connor ‘41Donald Wing ‘42John Duffy ‘43John Hechinger ‘46Joseph Hlavin Jr. ‘46Thomas Kearney ‘46Thomas Convey ‘47Fred McNeil ‘47Sam Falzone ‘48James Sullivan ‘48Thomas McGorey ‘49

Martin McGowan ‘51Alvin Zigman ‘51Edward Patzelt ‘53James Burns ‘53James Campbell ‘53Leo Hayden ‘53James Lebel ‘53Edmond Ryan ‘53Anzo Manoni ‘54Gene Pingatore ‘54John Shannon ‘54

Robert Reilley ‘55Clay Granacki ‘56John Luka ‘56Robert McDonald ‘56Fran Barnett ‘58Ronald Benson ‘58Charles Dolezal ‘58Lawrence Huene ‘58Frank Pawlak ‘58George Dantona ‘59Martin Farmer ‘59

Robert Hall ‘59William Pales ‘59Richard Behrendt ‘60Myron Bendera ‘60William Grossklas ‘60Leo Komosa ‘61Michael Tantillo ‘61Donald Williams ‘61Rich Hlava ‘62Thomas O’Dowd ‘63Edward Toner ‘63

Arthur Barsella ‘65Norbert Gravel ‘65Darryl Gnutek ‘65Terrence Hawkins ‘65John Lawlor ‘65Igor Schyb ‘67James Moran ‘68Thomas Keenan ‘69Gabriel Sorci ‘69

Mark your calendars for your 2020 Banquet on Friday, June 5th, 2020, at the Maggiano’s in Schaumburg! We hope to see you there!

Anita Solick Oswald is a St. Mel Holy Ghost graduate, and the daughter of St. Mel High School and St. Mel Holy Ghost alumnus John Francis Solick. Her new book, West Side Girl, chronicles the colorful and often unpredictably eccentric characters and adventures of Chicago’s West Side in the 1950’s and 60’s. You can check out more information on the book here: https://www.westsidegirlstories.com/

ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT: JOE MUGNAINI

A YEARBOOK SIGNING 60 YEARS IN THE MAKING

At their May lunch outing, Mike Scelsi, ’58, got one of the final names he needed in his yearbook! John Casey was one of only two signatures missing from Mike’s yearbook. Mike is now on the hunt for that final Knight to complete his collection who is now a tennis pro in Ft. Lauderdale!

St. Mel High School St. Mel High School

St. Mel 1967 graduate Joe Mugnaini’s dream of creating a supportive facility offering a high standard of living is now a reality!

Stonebridge of Gurnee is a 120-unit facility providing housing, hospitality and care to adults ages 22-64 with physical disabilities. Each studio or apartment will have fully ADA-compliant washrooms and living spaces. This facility will provide the following services to its residents: nurse assistant care, social and recreational programming, health promotion and exercise programs, 24-hour response and security staff, personal care, laundry, medication oversight, ancillary services, housekeeping, maintenance and communal meal service. Congratulations to Joe on a job well done!

For more information on Stonebridge, please visit their website: http://stonebridge-slf.com If you know of a fellow Knight you think should be highlighted in an upcoming newsletter, please contact Assistant Director of Development Joanna Wagner at 630.323.3725.

Name: Year of Graduation:

Phone: E-mail:

Sign me up for the Golf Outing. Please send ticket(s) at $150 each $ Sign my child/grandchild up for the Golf Outing Grandchild Name: Please send ticket(s) at $110 each I’ll be there for dinner only. Please send ticket(s) at $40 each $ I’d like to sponsor a Brother for golf or dinner Enclosed is $ Here is a contribution to the KabarA Challenge to help the Brothers continue their ministry. Enclosed is $ FOURSOME INFORMATION: (please check box) Please put me into a foursome I have my own foursome (please list golfers on back)

Please make all checks payable to the Christian Brothers of the Midwest

KABARA CHALLENGE SUPPORTS SENIOR BROTHERSLong-time friend and supporter of the Brothers, Betty Kabara, has challenged our alumni and friends to a matching gift challenge to benefit the Senior Brothers of the Midwest District. The $25,000 leadership gift from Betty has encouraged donors from around the country to respond with unparalleled support.

In 2017, Betty raised the bar once again with a $1 million gift to the Brothers. The majority of the gift was dedicated to endowing her gift to the KabarA Challenge. The money raised each year by the KabarA Challenge has a significant impact on our Senior Brothers and helps them live meaningful and fulfilling lives. This year’s KabarA Challenge runs June 1 through August 31. You can make your gift to the KabarA Challenge online at www.cbmidwest.org, by calling our office (630) 323-3725, ext. 218, or by using the form below.

CHRISTIAN BROTHERS ALUMNI GOLF OUTINGMONDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2019Old Orchard Golf Course

Your Golf & Dinner Ticket of $150 includes:- Shotgun start @ 11:00am - 18 Holes of golf with cart- Lunch on the course - Buffet dinner with cash bar & prizesYour Dinner Only Tickets of $40 includes:- Buffet dinner with cash bar & prizes

GOLF OUTING SIGN UP FORM

Reserve your spot early! Past

outings have SOLD OUT!

Sign up ONLINE at www.cbmidwest.org/New/st-mel-alumni-association/ or clip and mail to: Alumni Golf Outing, Christian Brothers, 7650 S. County Line Road, Burr Ridge, IL 60527

Over the last several years, the Golf Outing has raised over $318,000 to support the Senior Brothers Retirement Fund. THANK YOU for your continued generosity!

Joe Mugnaini (Middle)

Do you have a story you’d like to see in the upcoming newsletter?

Send it to us!E-mail your article ideas to

Joanna Wagner at jwagner@cbmidwest.org.