DRISCOLL - "THE NEXT 43 YEARS"
WE STILL NEED YOUR HELP! All donations are welcome, of course. Any amount you feel you can donate toward our cause would be very much appreciated. We are hopeful that you help to make this the best place to preserve the heritage of Driscoll Catholic possible. We have made substantial progress in our plans for the Legacy Hall @ the Addison Village Hall in the past 6 weeks. There have been successes and forward movement on many fronts. We have completed the final design phase of the project. A few of the highlights of the past several weeks are:
With the construction phase of the hall upon us, we want to update you on the progress of our finances for this project. Although the Venuti's event did raise money for the project and the account we started off with (left over from the Next 43 Years Campaign) gave us a nice base to work from, we find that we have a current shortfall of approximately $30,000 (projected costs minus current balance) in order to make this a break-even project for the Legacy Hall Committee.
Although this may sound substantial, the fact that during the campaign (in April) we raised over $930,000 in just over three weeks, the task of raising this amount does not seem so daunting. If you, your child, your grandchild, niece, nephew, a friend, etc. attended Driscoll Catholic... and if you have lasting memories that this great school helped create in some way, then we ask that you assist us in closing this shortfall.
We will be creating a special place in the Legacy Hall for recognition of substantial donors. These donation amounts will be recognized as follows:
EXACT DETAILS ON HOW TO MAKE A DONATION WILL APPEAR ON THIS WEBSITE IN THE NEXT WEEK OR TWO. PLEASE CHECK BACK OFTEN!
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NEXT STEP... Legacy Hall Build
- Met with the Village of Addison officials for preliminary approval, which we were granted.
- Finalized all plans of the construction phase of the project.
- Finished scanning all class photos for the touch screen display.
- Decided on lighting, electrical, cabinet configurations, etc.
- Purchased DC logo entry mats for the hall - they look GREAT!
We are now awaiting build permits from the Village of Addison. We hope to secure those during the week of December 7th. Once we are assigned permits, we can move forward with the actual construction of the hall. The TARGET completion date for the hall is three weeks after we are granted permits.
If all goes well, we will host a grand opening celebration during the 1st quarter of 2010.
We are very excited as we approach the final phases of this long journey. Stay tuned for periodic updates and pictures.
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Venuti's Event a SUCCESS!
Our apologies for the delay in updating this site!
The Benefit Night at Venuti's Restaurant for the Driscoll Catholic Legacy Hall held on October 15th was a great success. In all, 125 people come out to support our cause and secure their own piece of Driscoll history. We raised approximately $4,000 during the evening, but more importantly, many people walked away with a prized piece of Driscoll's memorable heritage. In fact, several plaques, etc., with a specific person's name on them were simply given to the person who that piece meant the most to. We are very proud of what we were able to accomplish.
We also wish to say THANK YOU to everyone who came out to support us. Your support will go a long way toward making the final chapter in Driscoll's history, the Legacy Hall, a lasting and treasured memory of this great school's heritage.
We appreciate your support!
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JOIN US for...
The Driscoll Legacy Benefit Night!
"...Own a Piece of Driscoll Catholic Highlander History"
Venuti's Restaurant, Thursday, October 15, 2009 - NOTE NEW DATE!
The Driscoll Catholic Legacy Corridor project at the Addison Village Hall is in full swing. We are working diligently to make this a reality. We need your help to complete this final piece of Driscoll's lasting legacy. Check out the hundreds of DC artifacts (sports, including dance and poms, theater, band, etc.) that we have collected (pictures below). We will be selling and auctioning many of these at our event. Also, take a look at the computer renderings of how this legacy hall will look when completed. We are committed to making this happen and excited that we continue to make progress.
Come on out to see all your DC friends and own a piece of Driscoll Catholic history. Don't miss this event!
This event is sponsored by the Driscoll Legacy Committee and ALL proceeds raised will be used for the advancement of the Legacy Corridor project at the Addison Village Hall. This event is in no way affiliated with the Christian Brothers of the Midwest.
· Objective: Sell all Driscoll Catholic artifacts (trophies, banners, uniforms, plaques, etc.) that WILL NOT be used in the permanent display (Driscoll Legacy Corridor) at the Addison Village Hall (i.e., no State trophies, historically significant artifacts, etc. will be sold). All proceeds raised from the sale of items will be used for the advancement of the Legacy Hall project. There will be HUNDREDS of items available (see attached photos) · Computer renditions of the proposed Driscoll Legacy Corridor @ The Addison Village Hall will be on display (all donations are welcome). SPONSORSHIP and IN-KIND GIFT opportunities are available and welcomed.
· Managers of the event: Peg Senese (psenese@hrhorsepower.com) and Joan Sinnott (jsinnott@c21lullo.com)
· Date/Time: October 15, 2009, from 5:00 PM to ???
· Location: Venuti’s Restaurant, 2251 W Lake St, Addison, IL 60101, (630) 376-1500
· Cost: $12.50/person (CASH or CHECKS accepted only-no credit cards)
· Event time line:
· We need volunteers for this event (we are under-staffed). Please send an e-mail to Peg or Joan if you can help us!
· PLEASE RSVP to: Peg Senese (psenese@hrhorsepower.com) We must have a firm count for Venuti's.
SURVEY RESULTS AND CASH DISBURSEMENT
The results of the Driscoll Catholic “disbursement of cash” survey are complete. Based on the weighting of ALL 418 votes, the results are as follows:
40% Create a lasting legacy for Driscoll @ the Addison Village Hall
46% Distribute the funds to existing teachers and staff of Driscoll Catholic
14% Donate the funds to traditional Driscoll Catholic charities
Based on these results, the teachers and staff was the voter's popular choice, with the legacy in second place. Therefore, the 43 Years committee has decided upon the following distribution of funds:
- Each eligible full-time employee of the school (excluding the Brothers) will receive a check in the amount of $1,200.00. Eligibility is contingent upon a commitment to return to Driscoll Catholic’s employ in the fall of 2009 (had the school remained open). Those employees who were not intending to return in the fall are not eligible.
- The total disbursement to the teachers and staff will be $46,200.00 (approx. 75% of the available funds).
The remaining balance of the cash account will be used as the beginnings of a lasting legacy for Driscoll Catholic at the Addison Village Hall. While this balance will move the project forward, additional funding for the legacy will be required in order to make this a professional-looking, lasting memorial for the school. In the end, it will be a place that we can all be proud of for future generations. It will take approximately 3-4 weeks to create a proper design for the corridor at the Village Hall and to ascertain the associated costs. Please check back frequently on this website for complete details and to participate in the funding of this all-important piece of Driscoll’s history.
Please be advised that ALL the trophies, memorabilia, class pictures, plaques, etc. were removed from the school premises on Friday, May 22nd so that nothing additional disappears (a few things are already missing). This was necessary to preserve the memories of Driscoll Catholic. They will be stored in safekeeping until such time as a design for the corridor @ the Village Hall and associated costs can be ascertained. Once the display is built, all DC memorabilia will be permanently housed at the Village Hall for all to view.
The aforementioned disbursements and actions are already in motion and cannot be debated at this juncture. The decision of the 43 Years committee is final.
Thank you to everyone for participating in our survey.
**Click here for cash donation disbursement SURVEY
(Details below)
Traceable Donation Refunds
Of the $930,000 raised during our campaign, approximately $870,000 will be directly refunded to those who made donations by check made payable to “PKA Escrow” or “The Driscoll Fund”, or on-line through PayPal. Many checks have already been returned. Due to the volume of checks, this return process may take up to an additional two weeks. Please be patient.
Cash (non-traceable) Donations Disbursement
The cash account balance of approximately $60,000 will be utilized for good causes. Of the three options below, the Committee reserves the right to support more than one of these causes, based on your popular vote. These monies will ONLY be used for cause(s) that the 43 Years committee endorses. The committee wants to assure all Driscoll supporters that none of the available funds will be deposited into the school’s bank account. Additionally, under no circumstances will any funds revert back to the Joliet Diocese or the Christian Brothers.
Survey Instructions
In order to participate in our DC supporter cause survey, you must first enter your full name and e-mail address as well as your affiliation with the school. Only one vote per name/e-mail address combination will be allowed. Your response to each possible funding option must be weighted (1 to 100) with your preference for supporting that cause. For example, you may choose to vote 70% for one cause and 30% for another, split your vote 50/50 (between two causes), or put 100% of your vote on just one of the causes. You may choose to vote for one, two, or all three causes. In every case, all weighting MUST add up to 100% in order for your vote to count.
The survey will remain open from Monday night (May 11th) at midnight until Monday night (May 18th) at midnight (a full seven-day period). Once the survey is closed, no further votes will be accepted. Results of the survey will be posted on this website once all entries are tabulated.
Survey questions
1. Create a legacy for Driscoll Catholic. This could include a dedicated space in the Addison Village Hall to be used as a trophy display area as well as a place to hang class pictures and memorabilia. This would be a permanent display. This may also include a dedicated memorial (possibly a bronze statue) placed somewhere on the Village Hall property to commemorate Driscoll. Additionally, there may be a scholarship fund created to facilitate enrollment in a Catholic school. This scholarship would be awarded year after year (amounts and no. of scholarships to be determined) in the name of Driscoll (keeping our legacy alive) until all funds are exhausted.
2. Award available funds to current teachers and staff of Driscoll Catholic. Only those teachers and staff with letters of intent (for employment next year) would be considered. Teachers and staff who had previously decided to leave Driscoll’s employ would not be eligible for this one-time gift. Available funds would be divided equally among all qualified participants.
3. Available funds would be donated to various charities that Driscoll has served over the years. These donations, made in Driscoll Catholic’s name, would be our “parting gift” to these worthwhile charities that we have worked so hard for in the past. These may, or may not, include Easter Seals, American Cancer Society, Humanitarian Service Project of DuPage County, Homeless Sandwich Project, Ronald McDonald House, PADS, Addison K of C, Miseracordia, Autism Society, and several others. Funding would be divided equally among charities decided.
NOTE: The 43 Years Committee reserves the right to make the final determination, in all cases, for use of the available funds from the cash account balance. All decisions made by the Committee will be final.
CLICK HERE TO GO TO THE SURVEY
**New Release - May 6, 2009
Driscoll Faithful:
We came together as a community in the past four weeks like never before. We worked shoulder to shoulder to raise funds, organize a strategy, and deliver on each of our commitments. Unfortunately, we did not achieve our ultimate goal, and this will forever sadden us. However, we cannot let anything diminish what we have accomplished. We did what they said couldn’t be done; we moved mountains. We made new friends and got reconnected with people we have not seen in years. The result was not what we wanted, but the journey was more than we could have ever expected.
There has been a tremendous amount of fall-out after our appeal to the Bishop was denied. There are many questions such as, "Did we do enough?", "Can we create a new school under a different charter?", "Is this really over?". These are understandable, and legitimate, but we did everything reasonably possible . At this time, any efforts to move forward would be undeniably unjust for our students, their parents, and our faculty and staff. We are already into May! Additionally, we cannot commit to an effort to change the Catholic heritage of this school that we fought so hard to preserve. Truthfully, but regrettably, this is over.
As with every campaign that does not end in a victory, there is a great deal of second guessing and questioning of the strategy. Instead of focusing on the negatives and the "what if" scenarios, let’s reflect on the results: Over 700 individual checks were sent in; $930,0000 raised in under 4 weeks; over 1.6 million hits to our web site; donations came in from over 95 Illinois communities and 17 states; we received overwhelming press coverage -- most of it very positive; and we drove a consistent message. Finally, and most importantly, we developed a 56 page strategic turnaround plan that was vetted by outside professionals and that set forth a credible path toward long term viability and success. Rest assured, our voices were heard loud and clear by the Christian Brothers and the Joliet Diocese.
As we bring this effort to a close and we all get back to our day to day routine, it is important to remember the best of what we did.
"It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat."
-- T. Roosevelt
Thank You to everyone. Good Luck and God Bless.
Driscoll-The Next 43 Years committee
**Regarding Cash Contributions...**
As has been our message from the start, all contributions made to the escrow fund AND to the paypal account will be refunded in full. However, many have asked what will happen to the cash raised from the various fundraising events that took place since cash is not traceable and therefore cannot be returned to a specific party. The committee will sort out 3-5 best options for the cash dispersion which will then be voted on by all Driscoll stakeholders via the website. There have already been several good suggestions submitted today and we would appreciate it if you directed any other suggestions to mydriscollsuggestion@gmail.com.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - April 30, 2009
Today, representatives of the Driscoll-The Next 43 Years committee met with Bishop J. Peter Sartain, Bishop of Joliet, to discuss a proposal under which the Diocese could assume religious sponsorship of the school. After a thorough discussion with, and review by the Bishop, he determined that the Diocese would not be willing to assume sponsorship of the school. While we are deeply saddened and disappointed by this decision, we thank the Bishop for his thoughtful consideration of our proposals.
In this time of grieving, we ask that all members of the Driscoll family demonstrate the respect, class and sense of community that has always been taught and displayed at Driscoll Catholic. Let this be the enduring memory of our great school.
On behalf of the entire Driscoll family, the Committee wants to express its sincere appreciation to all of the hundreds of friends, supporters, and community members who have assisted our efforts in whatever way possible. We are, and continue to be, amazed by the variety and depth of support we received at all levels, including the financial, intellectual, and emotional. Your support has meant so much to us these past several weeks and we are forever grateful.
Click here for statement from Bishop Sartain
CHRISTIAN BROTHERS PULL SPONSORSHIP
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – April 28, 2009
DRISCOLL CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL MOVES TO DIOCESAN OPTION
The administration, staff, students and parents of Driscoll Catholic High School, Addison, IL, were advised at 3:30 PM CDST today by the Christian Brothers of the Midwest District, Burr Ridge, IL, of the Brothers’ decision to withdraw their sponsorship of Driscoll Catholic. The decision came just seven days after a comprehensive, forward-looking, 5-year strategic plan was presented to the Brothers on April 21st by an ad hoc committee lead by Driscoll parent, Gene Faut.
On April 2nd, the Christian Brothers of the Midwest, the religious order sponsoring the school, announced their plans to close the school at the end of the current school year. The Brothers cited concerns over declining enrollment and a financial shortfall. Since the announcement, however, there has been a groundswell of parental and public support, and a grassroots effort, to save Driscoll. A campaign dubbed “Driscoll-The Next 43 Years…” was conceived and rolled out over a 2 ½ week timeframe. In this short period, the campaign initiative raised in excess of $930,000 and constructed a strategic plan designed to first stabilize, and then reconstitute the school’s administrative, marketing, and fundraising activities to create a viable and sustainable future for the school.
“We are disappointed that the Brothers have chosen to withdraw their 43-year history of support of Driscoll Catholic,” said Mr. Faut. “Nevertheless, we are prepared to move forward. We want to express our sincere gratitude to the Christian Brothers for their support, guidance and for the opportunity to present our analysis of the current situation and the strategic plan created to move Driscoll forward. We have already been in contact with representatives of the Diocese of Joliet to discuss a separate option in which Driscoll Catholic would be reconstituted as an independent Catholic high school under the auspices of the Diocese of Joliet, following a model created by Notre Dame High School for Boys in 2006. A meeting with the Bishop is scheduled for the morning of Thursday, April 30, 2009, to discuss Driscoll’s future.
“The resolve of the entire Driscoll community to save this school has been amazing and refreshing throughout this process. I want to personally thank everyone involved.” Faut said. “The committee also wishes to thank the Driscoll Alumni Association and community who made literally thousands of phone calls to alumni to raise awareness and funds for our cause. This group will play a key role in the future of Driscoll Catholic. With the support of all Driscoll stakeholders, we see a very bright future for Driscoll over the next 43 years, and beyond.”
The committee is planning a casual event for the entire Driscoll support community this evening (Tuesday) at Venuti’s Restaurant in Addison, IL. For details on the event and the campaign, visit the official campaign website www.savedriscoll.org.
Enrollment for the 2009-10 school year remains open to all qualified students. There is an open house planned for Sunday, May 3rd, beginning at 11:30 AM at the school. Contact Fran Sikorski, Director of Recruitment, for further details on these events (frances.sikorski@driscollcatholic.com – 630-543-6310).
Driscoll Catholic High School educates young men and women of diverse backgrounds with a special concern for the working class and the poor, in the Lasallian tradition of St. John Baptist de La Salle’s ideals of faith, service, and community, in a Catholic, comprehensive, and college preparatory school where we proudly proclaim our faith in God.
For further information, visit the campaign website (www.savedriscoll.org) or contact Gene Faut, committee chair at gfaut@3dexhibits.com or 630-675-8024.
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