Phonothon Reaches Final Week
Sometimes it takes more than a simple phone call. No problem for the students of St. Xavier High School.
Sure, it started with the simple phone call for the Annual Fund Fall Phonothon. A student reached an alumnus to solicit a donation to the annual fund. Again, no problem. He agreed to make an investment in St. X, helping bridge the gap between the price of tuition and the actual cost to educate the students.
But, being a man for others, he had a proposition. He would double his pledge if the student would sing the alma mater for him. The student, always striving for the magis, did him one better and rounded up half a dozen of his buddies for a rousing rendition to secure the double pledge.
So it goes at the Fall Phonothon winds to its conclusion this week.
So far in six nights of calling, students have tallied $188,714 in pledges from almost 1,700 alumni. The average gift is more than $100.
“The kids are doing a great job and we still have two nights to go,” said Tony Schad (’81), director of development services. “The kids like to talk with the alumni; they can get a sense of where they might be 10, 20, 50 years from now. The alumni like to hear from the students so they can get a first-hand glimpse of what’s going on at their alma mater.”
“The Annual Fund is such an important part of supporting our mission of educating the young men of St. X. It is so gratifying seeing these young men put in the time and effort to give back to this institution,” Schad said.
“There’s so much energy with that many kids together. They’re there because they want to be there and it’s exciting. The kids also know they have a job to do and they are glad to be doing it. We have great faculty coordinators in John Cole (’85), Ed Nardini ('81) and Jim Telles, a great team in development led by our assistant Cheryl Asper, and the 18 senior chairmen who really rally their fellow students and take ownership of the Phonothon.”
The Fall Phonothon finishes with call nights Nov. 11 and 12.