The graduates of the Holy Name High School Class of 1971—the last graduating class of the former Holy Name High School—recently raised $840, which will be matched by the B.J. Stupak Memorial Fund.
Seven of the members of the HNHS Class of 1971 attended the special Mass and re-opening ceremony on August 30 and were at the high school to welcome the new HNHS students for their first day of school. One of the members of the Class of ‘71 Reunion Planning Committee who attended, Paula (DeMars) Johnson, said, “I was really happy to be a part of the first day of school for the new Holy Name High School students. It was a really special day, and it was nice to see that there was a huge showing of support from Holy Name High School alumni.”
Not only are the alumni looking forward to the success of HNHS, they’re also hoping the students will make lifelong friendships as they have.
“Hopefully, the students will be just as close as we are,” HNHS 1971 Graduate Pauline (Anderson) Sarasin said. “We’re more than just classmates; we are also friends. I hope the new high school students will have it just as good as we do.”
To help the new high school, the Class of 1971 decided to have a fundraiser at their 50-year HNHS Class Reunion in August.
One of the members, Beverly (Reiffers) Lee, made a quilt to raffle off. Some of the class members offered to sell raffle tickets for a chance to win it for $5 each. “People started buying tickets, and when we said that the money was going toward the new Holy Name High School, people started throwing more and more money into the bowl,” Pauline laughed. “By the end of Saturday night, we had raised $660! People were so happy to give to the new high school!” (Weeks later, several other class members donated $180 to the donation pool, bringing the total up to $840.)
Thanks to Bart and Laurie Stupak, this $840 was doubled, for a total donation of $1,680.
In January 2021, after the announcement that Holy Name High School would re-open this fall, The B.J. Stupak Memorial Fund (established in memory of Bart Stupak, Jr.) donated $50,000 to the HNHS Tuition Angel Endowment Fund within the U.P. Catholic Foundation.
Established in 2000 by Congressman Bart and Laurie Stupak, the B.J. Stupak Memorial Fund is a donor-designated fund held within the M&M Area Community Foundation. Since its inception, the B.J. Fund has provided over $500,000 in grants and scholarships throughout the Upper Peninsula.
Since the $50,000 donation, the Stupaks have encouraged other donors to “keep the momentum going” and give to HNHS as well. Therefore, the B.J. Stupak Memorial Fund offered a match challenge of up to an additional $50,000 (for a total donation of $100,000) to individuals, families, businesses, and foundations willing to join in this effort.
The Class of 1971 stepped up to this challenge.
Specifically, the B.J. Stupak Memorial Fund is matching dollar for dollar up to an additional $50,000. (Qualifying donations must be new gifts of $1,000 or more, or raised through special fundraising events designated for this challenge.)
According to HNCS Alumni/Development Director Michelle Bink, to date, the fund has raised nearly $95,000 toward the $100,000 goal. Gifts are still being accepted now through Sept. 30, 2021.
Qualifying donations eligible for the match may be made to any of the three Holy Name High School endowment funds: Crusader Loyalty Fund, Tuition Angel Fund, or Crusader College Scholarship Fund.
The Stupaks, who recently moved back to the Escanaba area, are pleased that students from throughout the Upper Peninsula are once again being given the opportunity to attend Catholic high school.
“We are thrilled to support Holy Name High School and find it very satisfying that this high school will welcome students from all across the Upper Peninsula,” Bart said. “We are happy to give to this cause. It is humbling to support students who will be educated in an environment where the teachings of Jesus Christ are woven throughout the entire curriculum.”
Bart Stupak, a former Escanaba police officer, Michigan State Police trooper and attorney, served one term in the Michigan House of Representatives from 1988 to 1990, and nine terms in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1993 to 2011. Laurie, a former mayor of Menominee, is an Escanaba native who attended Holy Name High School from 1969 through 1971. She would have graduated in 1973, but the original HNHS closed before she reached her senior year. Laurie graduated from Escanaba High School in 1973.
Joseph Carlson, principal of Holy Name Catholic School, is thankful to the Stupaks and all of the donors for their generosity.
“We are extremely grateful to Bart and Laurie Stupak and all of the donors for their belief in our vision for Holy Name High School,” Carlson said. “I appreciate their support and am amazed how God has called Laurie, a student who was at Holy Name High School when it closed, to now be a big part of its reopening!”
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