October 24, 2009

Dear Academy of Notre Dame Alumnae:

Greetings!  In the event you haven’t thought about your high school years in quite awhile, hopefully this letter will bring about some wonderful memories.  In life, there are certain people, places and events that bring lasting recollections, experiences and lifelong friendships.  For many the Academy of Notre Dame in Belleville, Illinois, fulfills those exact things!  The fashion forward uniforms, the School Sisters of Notre Dame that cared for us like our own mothers from 7:30am-3:30pm and beyond …plus the Catholic faith woven in throughout the school day.  Though the campus no longer exists as we remember, Notre Dame remains to all of us as part of own life history that we carry with us everyday! 

 

Many of us remain in the Belleville area and have discussed a way to leave a legacy of Notre Dame. With the youngest alums leaving there in 1972 as the Academy closed, we are well into our fifties.  We found a wonderful opportunity at Althoff Catholic High School in Belleville.  Many of those that left Notre Dame at its closing attended Althoff Catholic.

Althoff Catholic is undergoing a major renovation involving upgrades to make the campus more efficient, technology updates and air conditioning.  They offer a naming rights program based on the amount of contributions.  We approached the Capital Campaign Committee with the idea of naming some area of the campus in honor of the Academy of Notre Dame and finally leaving a legacy of the all girls’ Catholic high school that existed from 1852-1972 in Belleville, Illinois.  It is the perfect opportunity and place to leave a part of Notre Dame’s history. 

 

We have spoken to a number of local alums who embrace the idea and have already made donations.  The School Sisters of Notre Dame were one of the earliest contributors!  We are looking at a number of options like: a grotto area for quiet prayer and reflection, large pictorial of the Notre Dame campus and many other possibilities.  We are open to suggestions.  Once the project is complete, we plan to have a reunion with Notre Dame Alums to celebrate the spirit of the Academy probably in September of 2010.

 

Enclosed is the information on Vision 2009 for Althoff Catholic.  After pondering it and praying about it, please consider supporting the efforts to remember Notre Dame as being part of the fabric of Catholic education for young women in the diocese of Belleville.  You are welcome to pledge over several years in any amount you are comfortable with or a one time donation is appreciated as well.  Please note on the letter of intent that it is for the Notre Dame Appeal.  If you have already donated, thank you very much!

 

We do not have as much alumnae information as we would like so please pass this on to anyone from the Academy that you maintain contact with regularly.  Also, you may contact us by email or at the contact information below for questions. 

 

Thank you for considering being a part of this labor of love!!!

            

 

Sincerely,

                 Alums of the Academy of Notre Dame/Planning Committee

                 andso72@yahoo.com                      Marilyn Niemann Kinsella, Ann Hatch

                 Melanie Wondolowski Grimm          Claire Hatch, Julie Orlet Schoen

                 #14 White Pines Point                      Kate Sonnenberg Gavin, Mary Carter Brisk

                         Swansea, IL  62226            J   ulie Crotty Ringhofer, Mary Novich Leonard

                         618-233-1512