Welcome
to Christendom's Alumni E-Zine. If you have information that
you would like to share with your fellow alumni, send it to
Tom McFadden at tmcfadden@christendom.edu.
The
Grapevine Online will be uploaded, depending on the amount
of information sent to the editor, every month. It will have
a couple of sections (when information is available), namely,
Class Notes (your basic information on alumni babies,
weddings, jobs, etc.), Calendar of Events, and Links
to various recent stories about Christendom College and/or
the Alumni of Christendom.
Of
course, all comments, suggestions, and information should
be sent to tmcfadden@christendom.edu.
November
2002 Edition of The
Grapevine Online
Class
Notes / Calendar of Events / Links
to Stories / Prior
issues /Old
Editions of The Grapevine Print Edition
Class
notes
George
McFadden '84-'88, of McFadden fame, was married (finally)
on October 19, 2002 to Agnieszka
Wiesyk.
The wedding was celebrated at St. Andrew the Apostle Catholic
Church in Clifton, VA, with CC alum Fr. Stephen McGraw
'88 witnessing the marriage.
Meghan
(Bratt) Doran gave birth to a healthy baby girl on 10/23.
She was 8lbs., has red hair (like her daddy - Bill Doran),
and is called Mary Kathleen!
Jeremiah
and Jennifer (Knopf) Tutwiler ('97-'00) are expecting
their first baby next June. Jen is quite sick which she has
been told is the sign of ahealthy baby, so she supposes it
is worth the suffering! :) Jen and Jeremiah can be contacted
at jatutwil@usinspect.com.
Dan
Miller (mid 80's, the big hair years) writes: "I
would like to thank the many thoughtful alumni who have offered
prayers and gifts for Holy Cross Academy - especially many
unknown to us personally, but who responded generously to
a good cause. A few more prayers will be required as we enter
the final week before purchasing our new facility with just
$5,000 more to raise. It is exciting to participate in the
growth of a much needed apostolate focused on transforming
secondary education, winning souls for Christ and preparing
the next generation of Christendom students! I pray that Our
Lord will bless you and your families.
Also,
while Tom McFadden was a loser in this year's Huge
Cash 
Raffle,
a pair of Alumni - Greg and Michelle Bodoh - did win
one of 20 cash prizes. Thanks to those who purchased tickets.
Sorry, Tom. Better luck next year."
To
the right and above are a couple of bad photos - one is of
students on the HCA campus during P.E., and one is Dan Miller
(minus the big hair) conferring HCA's first diploma upon Danielle
Tiller, possible future Christendom student and relative of
alumnus Matt Herter.
Sarah
Akers '00 is now a director
of her FOCUS, the Fellowship of Catholic University Students,
team at Benedictine College. She is planning a Conference,
hoping for an attendance of over 800 college students. This
is a national conference for all college students, whether
FOCUS is on their campus or not. The Conference is to be held
in Kansas City, Jan. 10-12. All college students are invited
and if you seek further information, please contact FOCUS
headquarters at: P.O. Box 1210, Greeley, CO 80632.Please pray
that God will open many hearts and that they will be open
to attending Conference.
Here's
a cute photo of Brenda Davis O'Reilly and Molly Walsh O'Donnell
during Molly's recent visit from Portland to sunny Phoenix.
This was at the Arizona Science Center.
John
and Eileen Janaro's fourth
baby is due in less than three weeks, and they ask for prayers
for a safe delivery.
Steve
and Erin (Murphy) VanderWoude just had their 7th child,
named Jack. He was born on October 23rd.
Dr.
Bernard and Carmen (McCoy '94-'96) Hete were married
on August 17, 2002 in Flensburg, Minnesota. They currently
reside in Trafford, PA and can be reached at hete@attbi.com.
Greg
Rice ('97) is completing a certificate course in web development/e-commerce
this month. If you know of any entry-level job opportunities/leads
in this field or any knowledgable/influential/powerful persons
or beautiful babes (kidding! - lighten up, you Christendomites!)
you can hook me up with, (or if you just want to discuss mountain
bike maintenance), feel free to email me at girice75@shentel.net.
God bless you all.
Ben
and Alicia (Podlinsek) Laxton '01 were happy to meet
up with an old friend out here in 29 Palms, CA: Captain Patrick
Weinert, USMC. Patrick is a Cobra helicopter pilot stationed
in Camp Pendleton, CA. They had a nice visit with him over
some dinner at their home on base, and he seems to be doing
very well. They let him know about the Grapevine Online, so
he may be joining up soon. Christendom friends are always
welcome at the Laxtons! Please contact them if you are in
the area. They are doing well, though Ben's schedule does
keep him out in the field and away from home much more than
they would like. Olivia just turned a year old in October
and continues to delight her parents and keep them on their
toes. Nothing is out of reach for her grasping hands!
Beautiful
little Miss Veronica Rose Pegis, daugher of Melody (Stachyra)
and Bernard Pegis, (whose birth was announced in theOctober
Grapevine) is the niece and goddaughter of Mary Catherine
Pegis and Bernard is her baby brother!
Ann
Marie Popielarz (class of 1999)
and Deo W. Read III were married on October 11, 2002 at St.
Columba Catholic Church in Hopewell Junction, NY. Despite
the rain a good time was had by all. They reside in LaGrangeville,
NY.
Mary
Walker visited Christendom
last summer and was not able to meet with everyone she would
have liked to, but is planning another visit this summer,
so she hopes to reconnect with some, and to plan to see all
her fellow alum:) She recently received her Master of Arts
in Teaching (elementary education), and is currently teaching
second grade, which is a challenge in the socioeconomic trends
-- lots of single moms, but they have no education, and are
struggling to stay afloat, let alone have time for their children.
Anyway...she is proud to be working and able to take care
of her 2 healthy, and thankfully happy children. Thankful
too, that they are able to attend a Catholic school nearby,
thanks
to the same wonderful parents who sent her to CC!! Hopeful
that they'll one day be alumni of CC!!
 |
Here
are some pictures from the life of Andrew and Julie
(Fox) Fier, Class 2001. "Attached is a picture
of the living room of the new house that we bought in
June 2002; and a picture of the new car that we bought
so we no longer have to beg for money for my husband to
be able to get his car! Now, we just plead for your prayers
so that God may bless us with children, which we have
desired for the past year and a half since we got married
but have not been able to conceive yet. Pray for a miracle
because we are going to need one. Thanks everyone!!" |
 |
Calendar
of events
Our
Lady of Guadalupe Party - December 12, 2002
Epiphany
Party on January 4, 2003 (probably)
4-P's
Fundraiser on January 19, 2003 (supposedly)
Alumni/Students
Networking Gathering on February 8, 2003 (planned)
Lenten
Retreat (sometime in Lent)
Homecoming
2003 (Josh- you can register early) on October 10-12, 2003
(definite)
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Press
Releases and Campus News: http://www.christendom.edu/news/releases.shtml
Stories
Homecoming
2002 Brings out the Crowds
Over
200 alumni flocked back to the campus over the Homecoming
Weekend, held on Christendom's campus on October 11-13, 2002.
Lorena Echeverria '90 won the contest for coming from the
furthest distance - Costa Rica. Other alumni of far away fame
(well, further away than those who live in Front Royal and
Northern Virginia) who were in attendance were Michael "Blackmaster
of Disaster" Blackmer '91, John Hofbauer '88, Jesse Batha
'02, a couple of Schwenklers - John and Paul, and many more.
The
Alumni VS the Crusaders Basketball game, played on Sat. afternoon,
was a big hit with the fans. In fact, the alumni actually
won this year, beating the young bucks by a score of 76-68.
Not bad for a bunch of has-beens. The MVP of the game, if
there was such a thing, was possibly, maybe, Pete "The
Glove" Jensen '00 who, along with Paul "Kooch"
Kucharski, braved his way down from the Big Apple for the
weekend, and stole the game from the students in the final
five minutes or thereabouts. For such a short kid who is extremely
out of shape, he surprised all in attendance. Special thanks
go out to Danny VanderWoude for carrying the team on his back!
Alumni Players were John Echaniz, Greg Bodoh, Mike O'Herron,
Joe O'Herron, Jim Kelly, Pete Jensen, Scott "The Ring"
Halisky, Paul Kucharski, Greg Rice, John Hofbauer, Tom McGraw,
and Danny VanderWoude.
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The
Alumni Reception was held from 6pm-midnight on Saturday evening
in the Chapel Crypt. Of course, as has been the case for the
past two years,College Chef, Ron Steckman, and his kitchen
staff provided a gourmet meal consisting of stuffed tortellini
with various sauces, roasted beef tenderloin - sliced thin
for mouth watering sandwiches, hand-cut 
cheeses,
special dips, and gourmet desserts. The College spared no
expense in offering a top-shelf open bar for the evening,
and a keg of the good stuff on the patio for those without
class. Overall, it was a very enjoyable weekend and according
to alumnus Mike Blackmer, "I can't believe that Christendom
College would, and could, put on such an incredible party
for its alumni. It rocks! I especially loved all the cheese."
Car
For Sale: $2500 or best offer 1995 Mazda Protégé
177,000
miles, Good shape & dependable, AC and heat work well.
If you're interested please call Jean Rohan at 703-244-7324
or email her at je_rohan@hotmail.com.
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