When I was hired last summer, Fr. André-Joseph asked me to focus on stewardship and development and assist the school in the areas of marketing and alumni relations. Since January, Christina Tkacz, ’82 and SGS Alumni Association President, and I have spoken often and she provided me the alumni information she has compiled. Thanks to her (and others), there is a tremendous foundation in place! Last weekend at the festival, we were able to add to it. The “Bulldog Alumni-ght” tent was a great success as well over 50 alumni, their families, and their friends visited the tent to ask questions, review yearbooks, and update their contact information (see the photos below of the alumni and friends who stopped by to say hello!) It was fun to see current students (and recent graduates) flip through the archives to find their parents and relatives who once roamed the halls of SGS! Manning a tent is just the start of rekindling the school’s alumni committee. There are several alumni who stopped by that night, or have been in contact with me earlier, to indicate a desire to help strengthen our alumni presence in and around our community by reaching out to peers and others they are in contact with. If you couldn’t stop by to say hello and want to help or ensure we have your current contact information, send me a note at stewardship@stgertrude.org. As the Classes of ’62 and ’82 prepare for their 50th and 30th reunions, respectively, and with a recent email from an alumnus from 1965, it is plain to see the excitement and passion for our school is alive and well … and getting stronger! — Jeff Plate, Director of Stewardship and Development