Karen Krieger-Tober ‘72 and Dianne Schaefer Gordon ‘72 were friendly while they were students at Buffalo Academy of the Sacred Heart. “We were one of those classes,” Karen explains, “Everyone was friends with each other. We didn’t have cliques.” Even though the two women had not stayed in close contact since graduation, they immediately fell into an easy rhythm when it came time to plan their 50th anniversary celebration. They were also very like-minded about using the opportunity to make a significant gift in support of today’s SHA girls. In addition to meticulous planning for a gathering at Karen’s home the two crafted a letter to their classmates. In the letter, Karen pointed out that a significant gift to SHA created the opportunity for the class of 1972 to build a legacy. Boldly, the two each committed to gifts of $1,000 and challenged their classmates to consider the ways SHA invested in them years earlier. Leadership from Karen and Dianne led the class of 1972 to raise $17,000 in just a few months. They are working with SHA to identify the best way to allocate this gift. Dianne reflected on the perspective gained in the years since her graduation. “As a senior, I never would have thought I would make a gift to SHA or encourage others to do so. Time changes how you see things and helps you value your experiences in new ways.” The Class of 2002 has always taken their reunions seriously and this year was no exception. Marking the 20th anniversary of their graduation, they took a moment to reflect on how far they have come. Kate Feroleto Chetta ‘02 looked at all that her class accomplished in the two decades since graduation and determined that it was time to mark their success by creating a scholarship that invests in the next generation of SHA women. Kate and her team of classmates reached out via email, letter, postcard, social media and phone. The message was clear: We’re successful women and that success calls us to help others as we were helped. Known for their “can-do” attitude, the women of the Class of 2002 responded in many ways. Some made a one-time gift. Others committed to a monthly subscription gift that will add up over time. Still others took advantage of their employers’ matching gift policy to double their generosity. Through these efforts, the members of the class of 2002 contributed more than $10,000 in support of our students. Kate is encouraged by the response of her classmates and sees it growing, “It’s awesome to think that 20 years from now, a girl we helped will be in a position to help a future SHA girl!” Honoring 50 Years of Friendships Giving back to SHA brought the class of 1972 together in new ways We’re Ready to Give Back The Class of 2002 Gets Creative in Supporting SHA Members of the class of 2002 were all smiles as they gathered to celebrate their 20-year reunion. S P I R I T . M I N D . B O D Y . C O R D E C H O 1 1 Karen Krieger-Tober ‘72 and Dianne Schaefer Gordon ‘72 were delighted to bring their classmates together in celebration of the 50th anniversary of their graduation from SHA. The class of 1972 enjoyed reminiscing and reconnecting at their 50th anniversary celebration.
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