NUACS planning $3 million drive

By KURT NESBITT

Journal Staff Writer

NEW ULM -- This past summer was a summer of anniversaries, and the New Ulm Area Catholic Schools proved no exception to that trend Friday.

Students at Cathedral High School, Holy Trinity Middle School and St. Anthony's Elementary School got birthday cake along with lunch, as NUACS observed the high school's 50th anniversary, the middle school's 100th anniversary and the 130th anniversary of the school system's official opening.

During her remarks to school children at St. Anthony's on Friday afternoon, NUACS executive officer Mary Ellen Domeier called the anniversaries "some really important birthdays" and likened the school system to a tree.

Students at St. Anthony's took turns shoveling dirt into a hole dug around a maple tree donated by Cathedral graduate Dr. Paul Hamann in memory of his mother, Leddy Hamann. When the shoveling was finished, Fr. John Richter, the pastoral coordinator for NUACS, led the children in prayer and sprinkled the tree with holy water, before the students went back to class.

Domeier said September is the official launch date for the school system's capital campaign.

NUACS was one of 21 parishes, 17 Catholic elementary schools and three Catholic high schools established by Fr. Alexander Berhold around the turn of the last century.

In 1969, the parishes of St. George, St. Mary's and St. John's joined with Holy Trinity School and formed NUACS.

NUACS's last capital campaign was 12 years ago. At the time, NUACS managed to raise $5 million to build St. Anthony's Elementary. At the same time, NUACS leaders also identified some significant campus needs.

A more recent assessment identified more significant campus needs and now NUACS is already in the process of raising money for a five-year, $3 million captial campaign that NUACS officials plan to launch soon.

According to a NUACS press release, $2 million will be used for:

* Update science labs and computer labs along with communication, accounting and record-keeping systems.

*Tuckpoint, replace roofs and remove the asbestos in Cathedral High School and Holy Trinity Middle School, which are celebrating their 50th and 100th anniversaries respectively.

* Install new security systems and replace the wheelchair elevator.

* Retro-fit some areas for offices and buy two new pieces of equipment for the food service area.

Another $1 million would go to increase the NUACS Foundation, the press release said.