Alumni Deliver Fantastic Results in 2014 LEF Spring Drive
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ShareThree-Night Phone Campaign Lifts LEF Pledges to $1,172,397 with Alumni Already Donating $846,897
This quartet of newbie LEF volunteers from the Class of ’08 sought the silence offered in Mr. Ron Rossi’s history classroom to re-connect with classmates while taking care of business. From left, Troy Mathews, Craig Raymond, Mathew Irimpen, and Graham Williams transform Mr. Rossi’s history cave into their central command post where they busily worked cell phones while tracking the numerous pledges of classmates on the chalkboard.
View the LEF 2014 Spring Drive Photo Gallery
The calls went out and Blue Jays responded. The 2014 LEF Spring campaign concluded a three-night run at Jesuit High School and the results are impressive.
Going into the drive, the LEF already boasted good stats: 2,607 pledges from alumni totaling $998,128, of which $823,815 had already been donated. With 162 alumni volunteers contacting classmates starting on Tuesday, March 11, by the time the drive ended 72 hours later, 3,421 pledges had been secured totaling $174,269. With the rest of March and all of April, May, and June available, alumni have thus far committed $1,172,397 to the 2014 LEF campaign. Donations currently total $846,897, an increase of about $23,000 during the three-night drive.
As the drive wound down Thursday evening, LEF chairman Snapper Garrison ’81 was euphoric and almost at a loss for words, a rare situation for any lawyer to find himself in. In two seconds, Garrison found the right words: “I am extremely honored to be part of this tradition that brings many alumni to Jesuit twice a year, three nights in the fall and then again in spring,” said Garrison to a group of stalwart alums who celebrated with him on the roof of the small chapel overlooking the Traditions Courtyard and beyond Jesuit’s campus, the twinkling lights of the Mid-City neighborhood. “Over the course of these six amazing nights, I watched as more than 300 Blue Jays displayed their devotion to their alma mater while connecting with classmates. It’s incredible to witness the friendship among the volunteers from the various classes who are calling as well as the camaraderie between the alums and their classmates who are on the other end of the phone.”
Garrison thanked Fr. Raymond Fitzgerald, S.J. president of Jesuit High School, for asking him to chair the 2014 drive as well as the staff of the Institutional Advancement office that provided support and assistance throughout the intensive fall and spring phone events. He also thanked 2013 chairman Glenn Gillen ’85 for his invaluable advice during the year. Garrison will eventually pass the baton to Michael Varisco ’83, who has also answered the call by agreeing to be the next LEF chairman for the 2015 campaign.
Results of 2014 LEF Spring Phone Drive |
||||
| Amount Pledged | Alumni Pledging | Average Pledge | Alumni Volunteers Calling |
|
| Tuesday, March 11 |
$72,196 | 329 | $219 | 70 |
| Wednesday, March 12 |
$68,495 | 271 | $253 | 56 |
| Thursday, March 13 |
$33,577 | 214 | $157 | 36 |
2014 TOTALS |
$174,268 |
814 |
$214 |
162 |
Totals of 2013 LEF Spring Drive |
$108,693 | 578 | $188 | 136 |
Increase Amounts of 2014 Over 2013
|
+ $65,575 38% ↑ |
+ 236 29% ↑ |
+ $26 12% ↑ |
+ 26 16% ↑ |
Galleries
LEF 2014 Spring Phone Drive, March 11-13, 2014
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A handful of volunteers showed up from the Class of 1991, including, from left, Vinnie Varisco, Brad Hamilton, Ryan LeBlanc, Greg Nolan, and Ryan Gootee. -
Fr. Norman O'Neal, S.J., who serves as chaplain for Jesuit alumni, makes the rounds in St. Ignatius Hall, visiting with many of his former chemistry students, including this trio from the Class of 1967 (from left), Tony Milazzo, Frank Barry, and Sonny Boudreaux. -
Taylor Casey '72 and John Combes '73 -
Paul Queyrouze '82 (standing) and Mike Lavie '80 -
Lonn Ellzey and Jimmy Treigle of the Class of '87 -
Rob Casey '05 prepares to leave but not before he wishes Br. Billy Dardis, S.J. '58 a good night and a successful drive. -
In the center of St. Ignatius Hall is the "Round Table," which requires reservations months in advance. On this first night of calling, a trio of classmates from 1992 set up shop, from left, John Cangelosi, Marc Bonifacic, and Nathan Abercrombie -
Fr. Raymond Fitzgerald, S.J., president of Jesuit High School and an alumnus from the Class of '76, thanks classmate Bob Angelico for taking time to volunteer. -
Veteran callers of the LEF drive are represented by these four Blue Jays from the Class of 1951, from left, Dooty Patron, Edgar Saunders, John Shea, and Hank Ecuyer. -
Eddie Rice (seated) and Mark Rodi track down their classmates from 1959. -
Brian North '83 with fellow Blue Jay West Banker Dooty Patron '51 -
Taylor Bacquet (left) and Danny Fitzpatrick, who are the inaugural members of Jesuit's Alumni Service Corps, focused on contacting their classmates from 2009. -
John Combes '73 displays one of the raffle items, a t-shirt commemorating the Great American Rivalry between the Blue Jays and Tigers. -
The Class of 1983 brought in several volunteers to St. Ignatius Hall for the drive, including, from left, Michael Varisco, Brian North, and Vince Liberto. -
Fr. O'Neal talks with LEF chairman Snapper Garrison '81. -
This row of volunteers worked up a sweat calling their classmates: From front to back: Jimmy Treigle '87, Al Demarest '57, Lionel Carey '58, Joe Gendusa '58, Gerry Gillen '78, and Tom Kitchen '65. -
Fr. Fitzgerald thanks the volunteers for the hard work on behalf of their alma mater. -
Past, Present, & Future: Glenn Gillen '85 was LEF chairman for the 2012-13 drive; Snapper Garrison '81 is chairing the current campaign; and Mike Varisco '83 waits in the wings to lead the 2014-15 drive. -
As the third and final night of calling wound down, several of the volunteers went to the roof of the small chapel overlooking the yard to toast the results. -
The father-son team of Taylor Casey '72 and Rob Casey '05 -
Max Gruenig '06 of Koz's Restaurant grilled hamburgers and chicken for the LEF volunteers on the first night, and threw in some corn on the cob as the veggie du jour. -
The LEF drive typically brings a lot of traffic to the third floor hallway outside St. Ignatius Hall. -
Mike Varisco, Rene Alvarez, Mike Gunaldo, and David Keller of the Class of '83 hole up in one of the tidy administrative offices. -
Glenn Scheyd '67 finds a chair that allows him to stretch his braced leg while contacting his classmates. -
Nine Jays strong, the Class of 2005 takes over the president's conference room. Clockwise, from bottom, are Brian LeBon, Baker Potts, Todd Hack, Grant Adolph, Rob Casey, Tim Brinks, Michael Tufton, Ryan McCall, and Jack Stanton. -
Alan Ganucheau '81 has a comfortable chair in the third floor hallway from which to conduct business. -
A pair from the Class of '59 flank Tom Bagwill, director of institutional advancement at Jesuit High School. -
This quartet of newbie LEF volunteers from the Class of ’08 sought the silence offered in Mr. Ron Rossi’s history classroom to re-connect with classmates while taking care of business. From left, Troy Mathews, Craig Raymond, Mathew Irimpen, and Graham Williams transform Mr. Rossi’s history cave into their central command post where they busily worked cell phones while tracking the numerous pledges of classmates on the chalkboard. -
The success of the drive always depends on alumni participation. Last fiscal year (2012-13, which ended June 30, 2013), 3,518 alumni, approximately 27%, donated to the campaign. These six boxes hold a total of some 10,000 pledge cards and reflect those Jays who have not yet made a pledge or donation to the 2014 drive, which ends June 30, -
Snapper Garrison '81 chairs the 20-13-14 LEF drive and addresses Blue Jays in the Student Commons. -
The father-son team of Tom Perrien '62 and Steve Perrien '86. -
Ian Gunn '07 is flanked by Jeremy Burke (left) and Warren Surcouf, both from the Class of 1997. -
Enjoying the evening are the Class of '94's Matt Livacarri, Richard Edrington, and Travis Bonifacic. -
Snapper Garrison '81, chairman of the current LEF drive, is flanked by former leaders of the alumni campaign, Rene Alvarez '83 (left) and Rocky Daigle '85. Alvarez chaired the 2004-05 drive and Daigle led the 2010-11 campaign. -
Flying solo, but hardly the only lone Blue Jay is Jeff Serpas from the Class of 2000... -
... Also handling his class single-handedly, at least for this particular evening, is Tommy Redmann '92. -
Dan DiRosa '81 takes a break from teaching history, which he has been doing at Jesuit since 1991, to call his classmates. -
At the end of each LEF night, volunteers are treated to an increasingly popular raffle of Jesuit-logo items. Almost all volunteers leave with something as a small token of appreciation from Jesuit's institutional advancement office for assisting with the drive.
