‘Marooned on
an Island’ makes a big splash
Butte Central Catholic Schools’ auction weekend netted $57,000 for the budgets
of Central elementary, junior high and high schools. The figure is a reflection
of the generosity of the businesses, supporters, parents and volunteers in the
Butte community according to the schools’ development office.
Every child from preschool through eighth grade submitted individual handcrafted projects for the family fun night.
The “dunk tank” once again was a highlight of the evening. Butte Central notables, including high school principal Tim Norbeck, chief financial officer Greg Ritter and Father William Vernon, good naturedly took turns in the tank. Students threw balls in an attempt to dunk them.
The auction itself featured more than 170 silent auction items, while 50 items were featured in the live auction. Each class created a large project, which in many cases brought heavy bidding wars. The senior high art classes created exotic fish, flora and palm trees to convert the Stage Department Store location in the Butte Plaza Mall into a tropical paradise.
Butte Central alumni Jack McGuiness (’66) was the auctioneer, and Pat Schulte (’71) was the master of ceremonies.
Under balmy skies Sunday, a rubber duck race at the creek in Father Sheehan Park concluded the weekend activities.
Helena woman
honored by Chicago’s Amate House
Amate House, a young adult volunteer service program for the Archdiocese of
Chicago, recently honored Elizabeth “Liz” Grant of Helena, Mont.
Grant was one of 42 Amate House volunteers who were recently recognized at Amate Magic, the program’s annual gala and biggest fundraiser of the year. During the 2003-2004 program year, Liz has been volunteering at Heartland Health Outreach in Chicago where she works with HIV/AIDS patients as case manager. She is the daughter of John and Mary Grant of Helena.
Amate House, founded in 1984, has as its mission the formation of faith, service and community living among its young adult volunteers. Amate House draws young people from all over the country. Volunteers are recent college graduates who live in community, share a simple lifestyle and participate in opportunities for personal, professional and spiritual development. Amate House young adults work with under-resourced agencies, parishes and schools throughout some of the poorest areas of Chicago.
For more information about Amate House, visit their website at www.amatehouse.org.
Two from Missoula
earn Scouting awards
Ad Altare Dei awards for two Scouts from St. Francis Xavier Parish in Missoula
were announced last week. One is Charles Putz-Lamport. He made headlines in
the 1990s when he won the men’s cooking division at the Missoula County fair,
and was invited to appear on the “Tonight Show with Jay Leno.”
The other is Dr. Michael Simons, an optometrist.
The Ad Altare Dei award is usually presented to Boy Scouts of junior high school age and beyond for their growth in understanding and appreciation of sacramental life of the Church.
Putz-Lamport and Simons also received Scouting as Youth Ministry patches, which are issued by the National Catholic Committee on Scouting.
Published in The Montana Catholic, Vol. 20, No. 6, June 18, 2004.