As you know, our Booster Club and a large contingent of our parents and students volunteered literally thousands of hours of their time this past summer renovating the interior of the Montgomery Catholic gym. The parents gutted and renovated the gym, the lobby, the concession stand, the bathrooms, the hall and the stage. This effort capped several years of Booster Club and parent volunteer projects that have made our school better for all our students, not just the athletes. Since 2001 alone, these projects have included:
(1) revamping and painting the girls locker room (2001),
(2) laying sod around the new softball and baseball fields (2002),
(3) putting together the bleachers at the new softball and baseball fields (2002),
(4) installing the sound systems for the football field and the gym (2002 & 2003)
(5) designing and installing the wrought iron Archway leading to the athletic fields (2003)
(6) cleaning, priming and painting the entire exterior of the gym for the first time in decades (2003-04),
(7) replacing all 192 of the windows into the gym with reflective and tinted glass (2005 and 2006), and
(8) painting and renovating almost the entire interior of the gym, lobby, etc. (2006).
This summer’s gym renovation began immediately after school ended last year. First up was the renovating of the gym itself, including the removal and replacement of the old bleachers with state-of-the-art new bleachers and sealing and painting throughout the gym and stage. New stage doors were fabricated and hung, and new pads installed. Shortly after that project was finished, the school gave the “go ahead” to completely renovate the lobby, bathrooms, concession stand, and hall. A drainage “flume” was also constructed next to the gym to solve a decades-old gym-water problem. The parents began that renovation project on July 12, and were largely finished with the project by the time school started. We removed and replaced the ceiling and the old floor tiles, cleaned and painted throughout, installed fans, repaired electrical lines, and removed two unneeded walls in the concession stand. By the end of October, almost all of the items on the punch list were completed and we can proudly say that the MCPS gym is as nice as any in central Alabama.
We would like to take this opportunity publicly to thank ALL of our volunteers, many of whom spent all or part of several weekends this summer helping. Many people spent a few hours on the project, and some a few days. More than anything, I want to give special thanks to a small handful of parents who literally spent almost every weekend – both Saturday and Sunday – working in this gym throughout the entire summer and into the fall. These special parents are Russ Anile, Steve Maxwell, Gary & Carole Clark and Steve Parker. I do not mean to slight the time and efforts of any of the other parents who spent many, many weekends on the project (such as Beth and John Veres). However, this special group of parents volunteered almost every single Saturday and Sunday from May 27th through September 10th, all day, beginning early in the morning and ending late in the afternoon. These same people worked several weekends in September and October on this project. Our final day, October 27th, topped off the project. As before, Russ Anile and Steve Maxwell were there to help. Again, I hope that none of the other volunteers who spent many hours on this project will take offense by singling out these particular volunteers, but these particular volunteers really deserve everyone’s gratitude. I hope you take this opportunity to tell them how much you appreciate their efforts.
Finally, allow me to boost the Booster Club. I want to make two points. One, although every parent is a formal member of the Booster Club, we urgently need all parents to attend our meetings and support our students, whether or not they are athletes. The Booster Club has done many, many wonderful things for the school over the years. Without the support of the parents, these things cannot continue. In all candor, more than half of the active parents in the Booster Club are parents of Seniors who will graduate in May 2007. MCPS truly needs the parents of the freshmen and sophomore classes to step up and join our ranks in helping make Montgomery Catholic a better place. Please come to the monthly meetings. They are generally scheduled on the second Wednesday of the month at 6:30 p.m. in the cafeteria.
Two, while the Booster Club is certainly about working for the school, it is also about camaraderie and having a nice time. That camaraderie includes “Beer and Bingo” in the Fall and the annual Christmas “Tacky Lights” tour. The monthly meetings are also a lot of fun and give you an opportunity to meet your children’s friends’ parents. Each family attending brings one dish, and we all enjoy the ad hoc pot luck suppers while we hear from the various coaches and learn about the state of the school. Being actively involved in the school is an integral, even essential, part of the Catholic community. My family, Lisa Miska Vercelli ( ‘77), Chris (‘99), Lauren (‘05), and Anna (‘07), has been active for years. We meet and get to know other Catholic parents, and we strongly encourage everyone to attend the very next Booster Club meeting on December 13th at 6:30 pm for the annual “Tacky Light Tour.” Then, please regularly attend the meetings through the rest of your child’s high school career. You will not regret it, and you will even have fun while helping the school.
Sincerely,
Chip Vercelli
Thank you to the following volunteers:
Charlie & Linda ’78 Anderson; Russ, Mary Ellen, & Meridith '08 Anile; Teddrick Arrington '09; Mike Barranco '80; Michelle & Randal ‘ 79 Beesley; Allison ‘07 & Brian ‘77 Belsterling; Steve Berher; Stephen Bodet ’08; John Carter; Anne Ceasar; Gary, Carole & Joey ‘07 Clark; Jill, Josh ’09, & Jake ’11 Clark; Matt Clarke ’07; Stephanie Cochrane ’07; Brandon DuBois ’09; John Dugan ’09; Cari, Martin ‘07 & Stephen ’09 Esmont; Bernie ’78, Traci, & Rebecca ’07 Fields; Jim Forsyth; Tim, Ruth, Tony & Josh ’10 Glenboski; Raymond Gueret; Ashton Hardwick ’07; Wallace Harvey ’09; Thomas Herge ’07; Jessica ’10 & Jordan ’13 Heymann; Brandon Holman ’10; Larry Jakel; Nick Jett ’07; Janet Jones; Reed Jones; Patricia Larruiz; John & Aaron Margetson ’09; Amanda Masier; Steve, Pam, & Troy ’07 Maxwell; Gaylon, Mary, & Jacob ‘12 McAlpine; Pat ’85 & Casie McGinn; Chip ’72, Erin ’07, & John Leslie ’12 Mullins; Brian Newmeyer ’81; Gerry & Maria Otero; Steve Parker; Jeff, Kelly, Nolan ’10, & Keenan ’12 Plate; Ed, Michelle, & Adam ’09 Pouncey; Amy & Robert ’09 Preston; Joe ’79, Donna, Emmy ’07, Toni ’09, and Josie Profio; Jim & Abbie ’07 Redden; Bob Robinson '71; Rudolph Smith ’09; Mike Strickland; Liz ’77 & Kristin ’09 Sutton; Savannah Szabo ’10; Jessica Taff ’10; Alex Taylor ’08; Scott Telofski; Jim & Merrie Tolbert; Jimbo ’98 & Jennifer Tolbert; Joseph Tolbert ’07; Tim Trokey; Roman Tubner ’07; Jimmy Tucker; Sue Vaughn, Jan Vaught; Chip & Lisa ’77 Vercelli; Anna Vercelli ’07; John ’72 & Beth Veres; Olivia Veres ’07; Aaron Weber ’10; Dennis & Karen Weber; Emily Weber ’02; Bob Weber ’07; Rene Whyard; Jim Wiggins; Bobby Williams; Chris Wilson ’08; Lauren Yates ’07; Barr & Cappy Younker; Emily Younker ’07.
Twenty-four students from St. Bede formed two teams competing in the State Science Olympiad Competition held at the University of West Alabama and took home both First and Second Place in the contest. Eleven teams from across central and west Alabama converged on the university campus for a weekend of science competitions. The Science Olympiad is a national non-profit organization devoted to improving the quality of science education, increasing student interest in science, and providing recognition for outstanding achievement in science education by both students and teachers. The Science Olympiad is also designed to encourage classroom teachers to explore new and challenging ways of teaching science. Students who participate in the Science Olympiad are taught advanced science through active, hands-on participation. All events involve teamwork, group planning, cooperation, and promote team spirit and good sportsmanship. 
