Spring 2009 - St. Vincent-St. Mary High School

Alumni Answer
Call to Help
sue lang V71 recipient of classmates generosity
AL LETTA CELEBRATES HIS DAY WITH wife Joanne
and Daughters Michelle and Stephanie
Al Letta Honored
STVM Faculty, Staff and Students
gathered around Al Letta as the 2008
STVM Football team presented him with
an autographed football. October 17,
2008 has been officially designated as
“AL LETTA DAY!”
Al was recognized in April 2008 as one
of the STVM Alumni Association 2008
Irish Crusader Award Recipients. The
Irish Crusader Award has been created
by the STVM Alumni Association to
recognize those living individuals who
are not graduates of St. Mary, St. Vincent
or St. Vincent-St. Mary High School, but
who play an active and important role
in the day-to-day running of our school
and special events. The STVM Alumni
Association recognizes that the efforts
of our non-alumni are integral to the
success of our school.
Al, his wife Joanne and daughters
Michelle and Stephanie were part of the
celebration at the school in the morning
as well as Jewell Cardwell (Akron Beacon
Journal) and an ABJ Photographer were
also on-hand to experience the moment!
Congratulations Al Letta VM08.
Alumni Connection
Magazine TRAVELS WELL
Lauren VM10 and Patrick VM11 Connell
catch up on STVM news in the Alumni
Connection while on ski holiday in
Whistler, B.C.
L-R: Sue lang V71 and belle maglione gale v71
Akron Beacon Journal writer, Jewell
Cardwell, wrote in her November 24,
2008 column about 1971 St. Vincent High
School alumna Sue Lang. Sue suffers
from MS, but has continued her work
as a dispatcher with the Akron Police
Department and is known as a dependable
and compassionate person by those who
work with her.
This article spurred many people
into action, among them Sue’s V71
classmates! An e-mail went out to a
small group of people in the hope that it
would go “viral”, asking for donations in
time to help Sue before the Christmas
holiday. In a two week period, $1,025.00
was donated and a check was delivered
to Sue by classmates: Isabelle Maglione
Gale and Pola Mackey Ochsenhirt on
December 20th. We want to thank the
following Class of V71 alumni and friends
for their generous support: Joe Mellion,
Fran Pozuc Booker, Kathy Volkmor Tate,
Frank Spinelli, Debbie Henry Helmkamp,
Bill Helmkamp, Rose Pianalto Cameron,
Judy Sigmund Crater, Charnee Barnes
COME HOME
FOR
(widow of George Barnes), Pola Mackey
Ochsenhirt, Mike Ochsenhirt and Belle
Maglione Gale.
Detective Mill Morris of the Akron
Police Department has also informed us
that Sue’s friends in the Safety Forces/
Communications departments have issued
a Safety Forces Assistance Challenge
to her many co-workers. They have
established a “Sue Lang Building Fund,”
with the goal of raising enough money to
do major remodeling on Sue’s small home
to make it handicap accessible.
The St. Vincent Class of 1971 would like
to spread the word about this opportunity
to help a fellow classmate and so we
encourage your donation, however large
or small, to the Sue Lang Building Fund,
Account #3555, c/o The Akron Police
Credit Union, 217 S. High St. Akron, Ohio
44308. Anyone wishing to donate services
should contact Detective Morris at 330-
607-0967.
A big Thank You to those who have and
will contribute to this effort. It is what the
St. Vincent-St. Mary and City of Akron
community are all about!
Update received on January 21, 2009
The Safety Forces Challenge kicked off
officially on January 12, 2009. So far the
Sue Lang Building Fund has raised
$5, 217.00 of their $10,000 goal.
Other updates include:
• Channel 5 featured a story on Sue and
the Safety Forces Challenge on the Good
Morning Cleveland show during the week
of January 19, 2009.
• Roof Masters removed all the snow & ice
on Sue’s roof during the week of January
19, 2009. Once the roof is repaired then the
other renovations to the doorways, ceiling
and floors will begin.
HOMECOMING
Alumni Reunion Night September 25, 2009
SEE PAGE 30 FOR COMPLETE DETAILS
5 Alumni Connection | Spring 2009