Congrats to Art Hasse ’61- awarded 2014 Goodwill Legacy Award

2014.0929.Nwy.KentwoodOfficeFurniture.GoodwillAward2.full (1)Congrats to Art Hasse ’61 for receiving the 2014 Goodwill Legacy Award

Art Hasse ’61, on behalf of his company, Kentwood Office Furniture was honored as the 2014 Goodwill Industries Legacy Partner Award Recipient. Kentwood Office Furniture has helped cultivate change for individuals and our communities through the power of work. For decades, Art Hasse, President and CEO of Kentwood Office Furniture, and his entire team have invested in Goodwill through employee volunteering, financial contributions, donation initiatives and the hiring of Goodwill program participants. “What I like about Goodwill is that Goodwill helps people. They take people who are really struggling in the economy, struggling to find a job or may have some barriers to employment, and they work with them, develop them, and train them to get a job,” says Hasse. “These workers become productive members of society and save the community, state and federal government money. They put people to work rather than placing them on welfare.”

Art has also been very generous with ATO Gamma Zeta as he donated furniture for our renovated study room. Congrats and THANKS Art!!

RGS Golf Outing wrap up…

Chris Crawford '96 and Eric  Handley '97

Chris Crawford ’96 and Eric Handley ’97

Note: Steven Spychalski ’96 and Matt Massucci ’96 started the R. Gregory Swedo Foundation in memory of their Gamma Zeta brother Greg Swedo ’96 who was tragically killed in a hit and run accident in November 2000. The foundation funds scholarships honoring the schools Greg attended, Fremd High School and the University of Illinois. Here’s a wrap up sent in by Matt regarding this August’s golf outing…

We wrapped up another successful R Gregory Swedo Foundation (www.gregoryswedo.com) Golf Outing in August (our 13th event). We had an impressive roster of golfers, sponsors, volunteers, and families at this year’s event. There were over 160 golfers, 15+ volunteers, and another 20+ families at this years Golf Outing & BBQ. We raised nearly $11,000 for the RGS Foundation! In the 13 years of the event, we’ve now raised over $200,000 and have awarded 9 scholarships.

As usual, there was a strong Gamma Zeta presence – over 30 golfers (and representing 15 of the foursomes). Gamma Zeta’s also were responsible for nearly half of the corporate sponsors (Hirewell, Sayers, William A Randolph, Energy.me, CMC Advisory Group, Brian Welch / State Farm, and Scott Augustine / Derse). Unfortunately, its been several years since a Gamma Zeta has won the event, but John Bucklar’s (96) team did finish second after winning a four-way shoot out. We had ATOs ranging from 95s to 2013s. It was a great event, and we’d love to get an even bigger turn out next year. Next year’s event is already on the books – 8/15/2015.

Matt Massucci ‘96

Gamma Zeta’s Moms, Alumni and Undergrads team up to support the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society

Dante Ciccone '02 and cousin Danica

Dante Ciccone ’02 and cousin Danica

We recently received a nice thank you and acknowledgement letter from the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society addressed to our undergraduate president Jimmy Kowalczyk for ATO’s donation of $6,360. This donation is a direct result of the silent auction that our undergraduate members coordinated at Mom’s Day last spring. THANKS to all of our ATO moms who participated in that event and made generous donations.

Also, Dante Cicone ’02, Joseph Patrevito ’02.5 and Justin Ross ’02 were all members of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Poker Run Organizing Committee for the fourth strait year and played key leadership roles in assuring the success this past August of the event that raised a record $87,000 for the society. In their four years of leadership, they have raised $245,000… $21,000 of that has come directly from Gamma Zetas. Charlie DeFranco, Christian Barron and Parker Pevitz, ATO Gamma Zeta undergrads volunteered and helped support Dante, Joe and Justin on the day of the event.

LLS helps blood cancer patients live better, longer lives.

  • in the 1960s a child’s chance of surviving leukemia was 3%, today, 90% can expect to survive into their adulthood
  • since the 1960s Hodgkin’s lymphoma patients rates have more than doubled to 88%

Amazing breakthroughs are happening every day from the support from the money raised at events like the Poker Run.

This was a great example of ATO Gamma Zeta parents, alumni and undergrads coming together to support a great cause. We hope to build upon this fantastic example in the years to come and do it even bigger next time.

Awesome job guys!!

Chris Kenessey ‘97 climbs for Dwankhozi-Hope

chris kenesseyThis past August Chris Kenessey ’97 set out to climb to the summit of the tallest mountain in Europe, Mt. Elbrus. Not impressed yet? Mt. Elbrus towers 18,510 feet above the earth, which is over 4,000 feet higher than our own Mt. Rainier.

Still need some convincing? How about this: Chris is climbing to raise money for Dwankhozi Hope. This is the THIRD mountain he has climbed to support DH. His first two expeditions raised $11,000 to help construct school buildings, and this latest fundraiser raised another $11,000 for Dwankhozi Hope! With this being his third mountain climb fundraising expedition, he’s raised over $20,000 total for Dwankhozi! Great work Chris!!!

Jeff Solaro ’04.5 wins award for Excellence in Pro-Bono work

Jeff ScolaroJeff Scolaro ’04.5 of Daley Mohan Groble received an award at the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois’ Fifteenth Annual Award Ceremony for Excellence in Pro Bono and Public Interest Service. He represented, through the Federal Settlement Assistance Program, a client who initially sued her union for failing to represent her after she was terminated by her employer.Continue reading

Bill “BB” Barry ’77 Inducted into the Taylorville High School Sports Hall of Fame

Dane Luhrsen '77, Bill "Buckets" Ganey, BB, Bruce "Carp" Barry '79

Dane Luhrsen ’77, Bill “Buckets” Ganey, BB, Bruce “Carp” Barry ’79

BB graduated from Taylorville High School in 1973. He was a three sport star who was an All Mid-State Conference quarterback in 1972, team MVP on the Tornadoes ‘ basketball team and shortstop for the baseball team in 1973. However, he was inducted into the Hall of Fame as a “Friend of Sports” for his generous support of Taylorville athletics for many years as a contributor to the Tornado Open Golf Outing and many Continue reading

Dr. Seth Berl ’78 and Dr. Tom Sullivan ’78 team up again on medical mission trip in Honduras

Seth SullyIn early March, Dr. Seth Berl and Dr. Tom “TSully” Sullivan, pledge brothers from the Gamma Zeta Class of ’78 reunited and traveled with a group led by Seth from his church in Moultrie, Georgia on a medical mission trip to Honduras. The following are some excerpts from TSully’s blog from this incredible trip…

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Michael “Cone” Barrett ’80 invites you to the Ringside for Mercy’s Sake annual gala on October 19, 2013

ringsideDear ATO Brothers:

I’d like to invite you to the annual Ringside for Mercy’s Sake annual gala on October 19, 2013 at the Chicago Downtown Marriott.  For 22 years Ringside has raised critical funds to ensure that Mercy Home for Boys & Girls continues to care for more than 700 of Chicago’s most at-risk youth annually, including 135 boys and girls that live at our two campuses in Chicago. We have about 100 live-in boys at the original campus on West Jackson Blvd and about 35 girls at the old Walgreen’s mansion in my old Beverly neighborhood.  As Chairman of Mercy Home Ambassador Board, their mission is one I have gotten to know well and believe strongly in as it provides a nurturing home, opportunity for an excellent fully-funded education, and means for personal growth for kids in need.  Mercy Home is 100% privately funded, so events like Ringside are critical for Mercy Home to continue its mission.   Continue reading

Bob Simonds’ 47 raises over $54,000 for ALS research

simonds walkOn September 22, Bob Simonds, Gamma Zeta ’47 led thousands of walkers along the Chicago lakefront as the family chairman for this year’s Les Turner Foundation ALS Walk4Life. The 2013 event has raised over $700,000 for ALS research and it was Bob and his team that led the way from the very start. Bob’s team was the #1 team with over $54,000 raised and Bob was the #1 individual fundraiser at over $36,000 raised alone. Within those numbers are over $10,000 from Gamma Zeta undergrads from their Mom’s Day event last spring and over $10,000 from Gamma Zeta Alumni and the event last weekend at the Soldier Field Illini vs. Washington football game.Continue reading

Bob Simonds ’43 Surpasses $60,000 Goal for Les Turner ALS Foundation Fund Raising

simonds alsALS has put Bob Simonds ’43 in a wheelchair unable to walk, talk or eat on his own but he didn’t let that stop him from achieving an incredible goal of raising over $60,000 for ALS research this year. Bob initially set a “stretch” goal of $50,000 which was significantly higher than last year’s achievement. However, with strong contributions of over $11,000 from Gamma Zeta undergraduates and their Mom’s Day fund raiser last spring and over $11,000 from Gamma Zeta Alumni from the program initiated by John Aymond ’80 at the Illini vs. Washington football game at Soldier Field in September, he raised the bar again to $60,000. Andy Daniels, ATO Tulane ’75 (our own Stu Daniel’s son and grandson) agreed to pitch in another $1000 to put Bob over the top if he could get to $59,000.Continue reading