My dad passed away on March 29, 2011 and is survived by my mother, Rosalie, my brother, Aaron (Neely), myself, 3 grandchildren (Ava, Tessa, and Brody); and his brother, Leo (Ann) of East Amherst, NY. He is also survived by many aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, and cousins. His father and mother, Leo Sr. and Josephine “Pep”, predeceased him.

 My dad was employed as an Administrative Vice President for M&T Bank in the special assets division and was actively involved in the Avon community. He served on various boards and was a lifetime parishioner of St. Agnes Church.

 I remember growing up my dad used to always be a part of Avon’s special events – especially when it was related to St. Agnes. When St. Agnes used to have their yearly festival, my dad would be busy all day either making fried dough or selling 50/50 raffle tickets. He was there from set up to clean up. He also helped with the Corn Festival for many years. I will never forget when he was the person IN the dunk tank. My Nannie (his mother) tried to throw the balls to knock him into the tank, but didn’t have very good aim. After she missed all 3 shots, she just ran up there and hit the target with her hands to make him fall in – man how we all laughed!

 My dad loved to do all our family grocery shopping because, for him, it was a weekly 3 hour social event. Sure he did some shopping, but mostly he would stop and talk to every single person he knew along the way.   My dad also enjoyed golfing in his spare time. I know he will be sadly missed at the Tuesday night golf league. He had so much fun with the guys – shared many laughs and good memories.

 I asked my mother if she wanted me to say anything on her behalf and she wants everyone to know how my dad always made her feel so loved. My brother and I both knew this to be true because it was them that set the example for us. When we each met and married our spouses, my dad accepted them and took them in as his own.  Family was everything to him. He has done nothing but love, support, and guide us our whole lives.

 My dad LOVED his grandchildren and everybody around him knew it. My dad talked about them all the time – to anyone who would listen! He would share their recent developments and comical stories that made him laugh. Whenever my brother and I are out and about in the community, so many people ask us about our children by name! They really kept him on his toes and loved their Poppie so very much.

 As sad and unexpected as this whole situation was - we have never been so proud of my dad. So many people showed up to pay their respects. We were able to hear many amazing stories about my dad. Every single person that came along said what a wonderful, respectful, honest, giving, caring man he was. It’s one thing to know that about your own dad – but awesome to hear so many others feel the same way. He touched many lives – more than we ever knew. He was a very dedicated family and community man and lived the life he had to the fullest.  My brother lost a best friend, taken much too young, who imparted an important philosophy. He always told my brother that you have to give more than you get. We all believe my dad did just that – he always lived life giving more than he got.

 For those of us who didn’t have the luck to know Vince or who hadn’t kept in touch with him over the years, I am so grateful to Andria for sharing this wonderful portrait of her father with us.  St. Agnes School, especially the friendships he made there, was special to Vince.  The SAS Class of 1960 paid a special tribute to him by placing a rose with a note from them into his casket.  In addition to Vince, both of his children attended St. Agnes School and his granddaughter, Ava is in Mrs. Zhe’s PreK-3 class.  Please remember to keep their family in your prayers.

When the earthquake and subsequent tsunami devastated Japan, we all felt a tremendous sense of sorrow, fear and helplessness.  These feelings are even more magnified for children.  Seeing the images and descriptions on the news shook the certainty of the safe, loving homes our kids are familiar with.  If it could happen to them, why not us?  Fr. Michael Upson, a priest at St. Agnes Church, counseled the children to take time out of their day to pray for those that have suffered so much.

Two 6^th grade students, John S. and Dixon R., were like many kids who talked about what they had seen and heard on the news.  Instead of being held captive by their fears, the boys determined to do something to help the people of Japan.  During a classroom segment on creating a business, Mrs. Kathy Ragan taught the 6^th graders about the different components necessary to create a business. The boys used the material they learned during their instructions to begin to formulate a plan to market and sell the wrist bands as a means to raise money for Japan.  The bands would serve two purposes:  they would raise money for relief efforts and would be a tangible reminder to keep the people of Japan in our thoughts and prayers.

With the help of their families and the tremendous support and encouragement they received from Mrs. Ragan (their 6^th grade teacher) and Dr. Ben, John and Dixon were able to sell over 150 wrist bands in about two weeks.  The boys were not alone in their efforts.  The entire student body participated in a fundraising drive which, along with the money contributed by Dixon and John, amounted to a donation of $653.53!  Jann Armantrout, from Catholic Relief Services, made a special trip to St. Agnes School to officially accept the children’s donation. 

As a result of the support they received from their families and the entire St. Agnes Community, Dixon and John have decided to continue raising money not only for the people of Japan, but for anybody else in the future who has been effected by natural disasters.  They have created a FaceBook page where people can find information about them, their wrist bands and news from around the world.  The page is called “We H.O.P.E.”, which stands for We Help Other People Everyday .

St. Agnes is certainly proud of what the students were able to accomplish for their brothers and sisters in Japan!

Enjoy this wnderful weather!

When two family friends from Avon were diagnosed with breast cancer within a short time of each other, Theresa and her mother, Cathy Clancy, struggled with the normal emotions we feel when sad news comes through our front doors.  Rather than feeling sad and powerless, they took hold of something they could control – the faith that prayers and visible signs of support could provide everybody with something positive.

Theresa created The Pink Project and enlisted everyone she knew to take part in it and spread the word.  It’s very simple – tie a thin, pink ribbon to your car’s antenna.  That’s all the effort it takes to remind yourself and others to pray for those suffering with breast cancer and other serious illnesses, to be grateful for our health, and to let those people fighting breast cancer know that we are thinking of them and praying for them.  Theresa contacted SAS and asked if they would let the school families know about The Pink Project and provided enough pink ribbons for all of us.  The school community was so enthusiastic of Theresa’s project, that she was invited to SAS to speak about The Pink Project and encourage the students to take part. 

The kids don’t drive cars, but they all wear backpacks and at the end of the assembly Theresa passed out pink ribbons to all the students.  You should have seen the kids racing down to their lockers to tie them on the second the assembly was concluded!!  All the kids – girls AND boys – tied the pink ribbons onto their backpacks and are now part of The Pink Project as well. 

Theresa is a junior at Our Lady of Mercy and received special permission to leave school early so that she could come back to SAS and speak with the kids.  She really did a great job talking about a very difficult and scary subject gracefully and with compassion.  I think it was her approach which made the kids feel like they could do something for people who have serious illnesses.  Many of the kids have experience with family members or family friends who have cancer and this was probably the first time anyone told them that they don’t have to sit around and be worried – that they actually have the power to DO something!!  I can’t think of a better person for the students to learn this lesson from.  Theresa has first hand knowledge of being a kid and having someone she loves diagnosed with cancer…her own mother, Cathy, went through a lot after her diagnosis, but thankfully is doing great these days!

If you would like your family to be a part of The Pink Project, please call the school office or stop by and pick up your very own pink ribbons!

The event sponsor was Genesee Valley Motors, owned by past St. Agnes parent Dom Genova.  He gave a wonderful speech and gave the guests a very entertaining quiz which contained a question about St. Agnes!  In his speech he also congratulated the two 6th grade boys who will be receiving the first “Bright Kids Award” EVER from Channel 13 for their efforts in raising money for the people of Japan.  We brought along the wrist band stand for our display and were able to sell more than 30 wrist bands!  Although we weren’t trying to sell them – people were very supportive of the two students and their efforts to help Japan.

Dr. Ben knew just about all 370 guests.  They were all either former students, the parents of former students, old friends, friends of friends, colleagues, aquaintances from church, etc.  He was also announced as one of the event’s dignitaries!  Dr. Ben’s good friend Tim Hayes (SAS ’73), the Superintendent of Geneseo Central School, saved all of us seats at his table. Also seated with us was Tim’s brother and current SAS parent, Rob Hayes, representing the Avon branch of Edward Jones

Wendy and Dan Moore, current parents, were there as friends of one of the farms and were responsible for the sale of many of the wrist bands!

It was a really fun night with dinner, drinks, great people, and a wonderful, celebratory atmosphere.  It is an event that all members of the community are invited to attend and I really encourage all of you to go!  Farming is an important and historical part of life in Livingston County and we all know someone who is a farmer or grew up on a farm.  Please celebrate this tradition next year.

Back Row L-R: Cindy Zhe, Sr. Karen Dietz, SSJ; Cathy Dickinson, Jerry Benjamin, Kathy Ragan and Tracy Martin. Front Row L-R: Audrey Walck, Vickie Rose, Anne Willkens Leach, Sandy DiPasquale, Kris Sigwald

Some of you might be aware that the diocesan schools are undergoing a tremendous amount of change this year.  By next fall, almost all schools within the Diocese of Rochester will revert to Parish affiliations.  Last summer, in an effort to take the temperature of families currently enrolled in the 25 diocesan elementary schools, the Superintendent’s office commissioned a multi-topic survey. 

Dr. Ben and the other school principals recently received the results of this survey and I am pleased…no, THRILLED to be able to report that St. Agnes scored the highest amongst all 25 elementary schools within the Diocese of Rochester in parent satisfaction!  We received an impressive 96% from the parents who filled out this survey.  The second place school was St. Ann’s in Hornell (Mrs. Sigwald’s former school).  I find it very telling and encouraging that the top two schools have always been closely affiliated with their associated parishes.  Schools like St. Agnes and St. Ann’s not only depend upon close relationships with their individual parishes, but also must develop and maintain close ties with the other area sending parishes.

Last Friday, Diocesan Superintendent of Schools Anne Willkens Leach visited St. Agnes to officially announce the survey results and to congratulate Dr. Ben and all of the teachers responsible for creating an environment of academic excellence, Catholic values, and deep devotion amongst all members of the school community.

Congratulations Everybody!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Olivia was dressed in a beautiful white gown and wore a shining crown on her head.  In honor of this most wonderful day, Olivia was presented with a beautiful white shawl made by the ladies of St. Paul of the Cross Church. The garment was as lovely as Olivia and she beamed from ear to ear throughout the ceremony.

Fr. Michael told the students and parishioners in attendance that the date Olivia picked, February 11th, was the day St. Bernadette saw the mother, Mary, for the first time. Fr. Michael explained to the congregation that St. Bernadette was a special saint. He reminded the students that although our bodies will return to dust once we die, St. Bernadette’s body remains miraculously intact to this day. Bernadette was very sickly throughout her life, but her great faith allowed her to obey what Mary and her parents asked her to do.

Olivia with her father, Jim, on the right; her Godparents - Tom and Lynne Mignemi - on her left, and Olivia's 2nd grade class in front

After mass, Sr. Karen walked with Olivia down the aisle of the church to greet everyone in attendance while the children sang “May the Lord Bless You and Keep You.”

What an incredible example of faith, and a true testament of the love and spiritual community we are blessed with at St. Agnes!

Our government is empowered to remove a child from a neglectful home – and rightfully so.  But why then isn’t a family empowered to remove their child from a government-run school that is neglecting their education or perhaps even their safety?  The only means of escape for these children is if their family has enough money to move them to another school, or if they win a seat in a charter school.  And what about the families whose children are enrolled in an independent school?  These families are shouldering the dual burden of taxes to support public schools and tuition to support their own children’s education.   Why can’t they get some of their own tax money back to help support their own children?

To read the Archbishop’s comments follow the link to his blog: http://blog.archny.org/?p=1045

To sign an online petition from the Catholic Action Network follow the link: http://capwiz.com/nyscatholicconference/issues/alert/?alertid=25821501&type=ST&azip=10022&bzip=6424&show_alert=1