The St Benedict Academy Alumnae Spring Luncheon brought a banquet-room full of alum together to once again spend time with “friends we never can forget.” In addition to reconnecting with friends and classmates, nearly fifty creative generously filled gift baskets were raffled to raise funds for the SBA Alumnae Association to support the Benedictine Sisters, their inner-city ministries, and provide scholarships for Catholic education for family members of SBA Alumnae.
Thank you to SBA Board members and Board co-chairs Darlene (Harkness) Kerstetter ‘82 and Valerie (Joint) Purzycki ‘88 who did a phenomenal job making sure the event was a success. They also announced upcoming SBA Bingos, another fundraising effort, held at the Polish Falcons, 431 East Third Street, Erie, on April 19, July 11, and October 11. Doors open at noon, bingo begins at 1 pm.
This year marks 170 years that the Benedictine Sisters have been in Erie and a special SBA event is part of the anniversary lineup. Michelle Basista of Benedictine Sisters Development Office distributed save the date cards for the special St. Benedict Academy Open House on Sunday, July 26, from 1 – 4 pm in the former Academy building on East 10th Street, currently home to St. Benedict Education Center.
Musical entertainment was provided by a Benedictine Sisters’ table and drumstick ensemble directed by by Sister Charlotte Anne Zalot that included SBA Class of 1970 alum Dianne Sabol and Sisters Anne Wambach, Colleen Leathley, and Susan Doubet. We won’t tell Villa girls that Villa alum, coach, and principal Sister Susan is an SBA alum wannabe!
When the sisters started drumming to the tune of Loco-motion, alum Jane (Fuhrmann) Wagner, ’79, started a Conga line that danced around the large ballroom—although the years have flown by, the spirit is as young as ever.
