GIFTS FROM LOCAL ALUMNI ANCHOR NEW LMC FUNDRAISING CAMPAIGN

ST. JOSEPH, MI: Generous donations from two local families are giving the Lake Michigan Catholic School Fund an opportunity to raise $800,000 for endowed tuition scholarships and instructional support for teachers. These incredible gifts are the latest in a flood of support that demonstrates donors’ commitment to LMC.

LMC graduate Mary Caryl (DaDan) McEvoy and her husband, Paul, have pledged to match up to $250,000 for endowed student tuition scholarships. Tony and Jackie Monte, both graduates of LMC, focused their matching gift of up to $150,000 on creating an endowment for instructional support in conjunction with the new Sam and Connie Monte Global Trading and Finance Lab.

The McEvoy and Monte families are calling on their fellow alumni and friends of LMC to give over the next 40 days to maximize their match. “Catholic education, now more than ever, is needed in our community as we move through the response to COVID-19 and the recovery from its impact,” says MC McEvoy. “Teaching our kids how to respond with an authentic Christian spirit will be the hallmark of a strong Catholic education for decades to come.”

The tuition scholarship endowment from the McEvoy family’s gift will help offset the cost of attendance for LMC students. Lake Michigan Catholic’s enrollment process includes the opportunity for families to apply for tuition scholarships each year. The Monte family’s gift will provide ongoing, top-notch instructional support for teachers in the Global Trading and Finance Lab, which was established through the generosity of Tony’s parents, Sam and Connie Monte.

“The Global Trading and Finance Lab is a game changer in all of Southwest Michigan,” says Sam Monte. “Our students need to be prepared to succeed in a fast-paced global economy, which means they need teachers who are equipped with the latest knowledge and skills. I’m proud that my son and his wife are continuing our family legacy of giving to LMC by establishing an endowment to support our dedicated teachers.”

To maximize the matching gifts, the LMC School Fund is launching the “40 Days for Catholic Education” online fundraising campaign. “We are blessed to recognize generous donors like MC and Paul McEvoy and Tony and Jackie Monte,” says Sarah Jollay, president of the Fund. “They set the pace for all of us who believe in the value of Catholic education – now we’re calling on our loyal alumni and friends to set a new standard for educational support in Southwest Michigan. During ’40 Days of Catholic Education,’ each dollar donated becomes two. When will there be a better time to support our Catholic schools?”

Online giving to the “40 Days of Catholic Education” campaign opens Friday, May 15 and concludes on June 24 – the Solemnity of St. John the Baptist. Contributions can be made at https://www.lmcadvancement.org/donate.

Lake Michigan Catholic is a private pre-kindergarten through 12 ^th grade Catholic school dedicated to nourishing the human spirit – mind, body and soul – through Jesus Christ.

	Our Lady of the Lake Catholic School Downtown Campus Grades 6th - 12th Grade 915 Pleasant Street St. Joseph, MI 49085 Phone: 269-983-2511 Fax: 269-983-0883		Our Lady of the Lake Catholic School South Campus Grades PS - 5th Grade 3165 Washington Avenue St. Joseph, MI 49085 Phone: 269-429-0227 Fax: 269-429-1461		"Under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, rooted in Sacred Scripture and centered on the Eucharist, Our Lady of the Lake Catholic School embraces the values of Education, Faith and Citizenship.”
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