Advancement
Annual Appeal 2009
Each year, the Owensboro Catholic Schools prepare students spiritually and academically to be the Church of the future. Additionally each year, your support in prayer and in offering open opportunities for our students that would otherwise not be available to them.
Your wonderful giving spirit is deeply appreciated; and our thanks to you cannot be offered enough!
Each project we fund through Annual Appeal, gives our students an enhanced education. So whether we are funding technology, upgrading facilities, growing our endowment or building a new building, the Annual Appeal is vital to the education we provide.
We all carry with us a responsibility to help create a successful campaign. The past four years have been the best years Annual Appeal has ever achieved! With the Annunciation Center being the driving force, AA has received donations totaling more than 1 Million dollars! Additionally, we have more people actively involved in Annual Appeal than ever before with over 1100 donors in the last 4 years; a sign that we are moving in the right direction.
Over the years, your contributions have helped us be at the forefront of technology, including the incorporation of Smartboards and ELMOs! Smart boards are interactive chalk boards; ELMO’s are the modern day version of an overhead projector, but can work in conjunction with computers or any other media.
Speaking of right direction, with a goal of $225,000 for AA09; we have already been able to secure a donation to fund one of the projects outlined in our case statement for the 09 Annual Appeal. This $28,000 donation will fund the adoption of the Lexia reading program; an interactive computer based program helping students improve every aspect of reading and comprehension. Projects we are looking to fund during the current campaign include –
Annual Appeal 09-10 Projects Our Goal = $225,000
• Replace instructional computer labs at K-3 and 4-6. Labs were last updated in 2006.
• Lower the ceiling in the cafeteria and install new sound system at Owensboro Catholic Middle School. As the only place in the school for assemblies, parent meetings or open houses, the acoustics are poor at best. Lowering the ceiling will improve acoustics and reduce the amount of energy required to heat and cool that portion of the school.
• Lexia reading program for K-8. Program designed to help students who struggle with reading and comprehension. Studies indicate 1 out of 5 children suffer from some type of reading deficiency. (A generous donor has already fully funded this project!)
• Annunciation Center debt reduction. This building continues to provide multiple benefits to students throughout the system.
• Tuition Assistance – to provide the many benefits of a Catholic education to those who otherwise would not be able to afford it.
• Endowment investment - to provide for Catholic education well into the future.
That leads me back to you. Active participation can be accomplished in a variety of ways; but I want to focus on three.
1. Prayer – pray for the success of our efforts. The old saying about “work like everything depends on you; pray like everything depends on God” is how we approach each Annual Appeal campaign.
2. Donor – Make a financial contribution to the Annual Appeal! If your situation allows, increase your last gift.
3. Connector – we all run in different circles; we know different people. Help the Annual Appeal by connecting us to people who can make a difference financially.
These are but 3 ways to actively participate – we invite you to join us!
I pray for God’s blessings to be with you and your loved ones,
Keith Osborne
P.S. The invitation has been extended – How do you see yourself helping us achieve our goals?