By Lili Ayala
Director of Philanthropy
Catholic Foundation of Southwestern Indiana
Can you believe summer has gone by yet again? Time to get back into our school routines with the kiddos. Homework, after-school practice, bedtimes, alarm clocks,and so much more. Those of us who are parents can probably agree that this season can be stressful and hectic for EVERYONE.
Yet every new school year is also a reminder that the lessons our children learn today help shape the adults they will become tomorrow. That’s one of the many reasons Catholic education is so important.
The Catholic Foundation of Southwestern Indiana focuses our endowments on four pillars: Parish Support, Catholic Education, Social Services and Vocations. Today, I want to focus on one of those pillars — Catholic Education — and the incredible donors who are helping ensure those opportunities remain available for generations to come.
I have been at the Foundation for less than two years and I am amazed every day by the support we receive from our community. When I was relatively new and serving in the administrative position, one of the first endowment applications I had the opportunity to review was one started by Randall L. Haaff. Mr. Haaff is originally from the Rockport area but now lives in Evansville. He knew about the partnership that Youth First has with the Diocese of Evansville and felt motivated to establish new endowments that could continue that work. He started endowments at St. Bernard School in Rockport and Holy Rosary School in Evansville to help support the work of Youth First at both schools. To me, that was heartwarming. It reminded me that Catholic education is about so much more than academics. It’s about caring for the whole child — spiritually, emotionally and academically.
One of the things I love most about working at the Foundation is seeing how people choose to honor those they love. Many of our endowments are created not only to support a ministry but to ensure a loved one’s values and passions continue making a difference for generations.
Recently, I met with Dr. Ken Spear and his wife, Charleen. They wanted to establish an endowment in honor of their daughter, Carrie Ellen, who recently passed away. They chose to create an endowment that will provide a $500 scholarship to a senior female tennis player graduating from Reitz Memorial High School, with the remaining annual distribution supporting the school’s tennis program. Through one family’s generosity, future students will have the opportunity to compete, grow and create memories of their own. That’s what an endowment does — it continues opening doors long after the gift is made.
The Joshua Alan Gantner Memorial Scholarship is another endowment created in memory of a loved one. Joshua Alan Gantner passed away at just 12 years old after battling bone cancer. His family chose to honor his life by creating a scholarship to help students facing life-threatening or lifelong physical or mental challenges, with those applicants receiving first consideration. Although the scholarship has not yet begun making awards because the family wishes for the corpus to reach $25,000 first, I know that one day it will become an answered prayer for a student who needs it most. That is the beauty of an endowment — it keeps giving year after year.
I feel so blessed to be part of such a strong Diocese. Seeing the generosity of our donors and the passion they have for leaving lasting legacies never ceases to amaze me. Every endowment tells a story of faith, hope and love for future generations.
Today’s Catholic school students will become tomorrow’s parents, teachers, priests, religious and community leaders. Thanks to the generosity of so many faithful donors, they will continue to learn, grow and lead in schools rooted in our Catholic faith. If you’d like to learn more about our existing endowments or explore creating one of your own, we’d love to visit with you.
To learn more about the Catholic Foundation of Southwestern Indiana, visit https://catholicindiana.org/.