Atlanta Humane Society gets $2.5 million grant from Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation
"Big news for pets across Georgia!" the society said in a statement. "We've received a transformative $2.5 million grant from the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation to launch a statewide initiative that strengthens animal protection, disaster response, and community outreach in all 159 Georgia counties."
With the grant funding, the humane society said they'd be:
Adding 150 new emergency shelter units
Expanding cruelty investigations and disaster response in underserved counties
Distributing vital veterinary care, pet supplies and training resources
'We are honored to support the Atlanta Humane Society's initiative to address the critical need for enhanced animal protection and community outreach across Georgia,' Margaret Connelly, Managing Director, Founder Initiatives, Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation said. 'This grant will help bridge essential gaps in services, ensuring every county has the resources to protect our animals.'
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Chicago Tribune
a day ago
- Chicago Tribune
Column: Gathering of Marmion Class of 1965 grads makes memories come alive
Three years ago, I took a walk down memory lane in this space, and invited about three generations of men to travel with me to remember the old Marmion Academy Lake Street Campus in Aurora. The all-boys Catholic high school, then known as Marmion Military Academy, operated on the corner of North Lake Street and West Illinois Avenue from 1933 until 1971, when it merged with the residential campus on Butterfield Road. Vivid memories of the old location live on for many grads of the campus that today is the home of the Prisco Community Center of the Fox Valley Park District. Many of those memories came alive again recently when nine members of the Class of 1965 attended their 60th class reunion at the academy. I was fortunate to join my classmates Tony Johnson, Bill Loftus, Tom Huberty, Bob Weber, Bob Woodrick, Gael Brewbaker, Dan Fox and Marty Cavato for an evening of renewed friendships and storytelling. Although there were many fun remembrances of the Lake Street Campus days and it was still very nice to see old friends, the 60th reunion seemed to be different from reunions of previous decades. We lost three of our classmates soon after graduation as a result of the war in Vietnam, and have lost many others along the way. It was, after all, a gathering of 78-year-old men who could not quite believe that 60 years had gone by so quickly. Our group of nine attendees represented a class of 168 young men. We remembered our living classmates who could not attend, but tried not to forget our friends who have passed away. They were an important part of our lives, and we had spent 12 years together in Catholic schools with some of them. Conversations became more about careers, retirement, spouses, kids and grandkids, and less about the fun times of 60-plus years ago. Short discussions of various medical issues were of course included but, thankfully, none about politics. This reunion was different, but in a good way in my opinion. The great Chicago columnist, Mike Royko, would frequently write about 'complaints and great thoughts from readers.' In that spirit, I asked several of my classmates for some of their 'great thoughts' about the six decades of our lives since we parted in 1965. These are samples of some of their reflections: 'The greatest change over the last 60 years has certainly been technological, but societal change has been most dramatic.' 'Sadly, we are seeing Catholic schools that were built to serve growing enrollments in the 1960s now sitting empty and shuttered.' 'I'm much less optimistic about the future of our society than I'm sure my parents were at a similar age.' 'When I drive past the playgrounds where we played endless summers of ball games, they are abandoned and lonely looking.' 'I see too much egoism and greed these days, and not sufficient concern for the common good.' 'My kids experienced more world travel before they reached age 30 than I have in my entire life. Not because they were wealthy, but because of their expertise and talents.' One classmate listed 'things a suburban 1965 grad could never imagine he would see 60 years later': 'More women than men would be graduating from college.' 'Smoking would be banned inside buildings, airplanes and even outdoor venues.' 'The Catholic Church would elect Polish, German and American popes.' 'Middle-income American families would typically have a car that cost over $50,000, and often two such cars.' 'There would be five presidential elections in a row, and the winners would have no military service.' 'West Point would begin accepting female cadets in 1976, and Marmion Academy would do the same a brief 50 years later.' A 'reality check' happened for me in the days following the recent class reunion when the concept of 60 years really began to hit home. The guys who live in my memory as strong, young teenagers (many of whom were star athletes and seemingly indestructible) are now much older men. Many of them have grandchildren, and some have great- grandchildren. Many have had difficult lives, and almost one-fourth of them have passed away according to the published alumni guide. Our elementary and high school friends, living and deceased, were and are important to our lives. Away from the classroom, we learned important life lessons from one another without actually realizing it. We learned to get along, and as much as some of us disliked it at the time, the military environment of Marmion Academy probably helped us with some of those life lessons. Reminisce with some of your oldest friends and make an effort to reunite with others while you and they are still able. You were important to one another, and you may find that those relationships are still rewarding.
Chicago Tribune
3 days ago
- Chicago Tribune
Cupich celebrates 50 years as a priest. ‘Every day was an opportunity to live out my priesthood.'
In one of the most exhilarating moments in his half century as a priest, Cardinal Blase Cupich watched in awe from an adjacent balcony in May as newly-elected Chicago native Pope Leo XIV gave his first address to the world on the loggia of St. Peter's Basilica, While the experience was unprecedented, the head of the Chicago Archdiocese says he has felt that same spirit of joy and elation laced throughout his five-decade career, ever since he was ordained Aug. 16, 1975. 'I have to say that I brought the same excitement of that day to every day that I've been a priest,' he told the Tribune during a recent interview. 'I've always looked for moments in which being a priest could be a benefit to other people.' Cupich will celebrate the 50th anniversary of his ordination with a golden jubilee Mass at 5:15 p.m. Saturday at Holy Name Cathedral in Chicago. The service will be livestreamed for those who can't attend in person. Despite major challenges facing the global Catholic Church — from financial woes to ongoing fallout from the church sex abuse crisis — Cupich says his love for pastoring and service hasn't waned since his ordination five decades ago. 'Whether I was teaching kids in high school my first years after I was ordained or serving in the Vatican embassy in Washington, D.C., or being the pastor of a parish, and then of course being named bishop, I always felt that every day was an opportunity to live out my priesthood,' he added. Born in Omaha, Nebraska, in 1949, the grandson of Croatian immigrants believes his roots helped shape his ministry and leadership, particularly in an ethnically and racially diverse part of the country such as Chicago, where he was installed as archbishop in 2014. At the helm of the third-largest Catholic archdiocese in the country, he serves roughly 2 million Catholics at 216 parishes. Cupich, the third of nine children in a devoutly Catholic home, recalled his grandparents 'tried as immigrants to come here and start a life and family that would become more prosperous than where they came from.' 'And I think that is the story of all immigrants,' the 76-year-old cardinal said. 'That's why I'm so very focused on immigrants' rights, not only to protect their dignity but also to make sure that the country doesn't forget that we've been enriched by immigration.' Often deemed more a pastoral leader and less authoritarian in style than his predecessor, the late Cardinal Francis George, Cupich has been criticized by a more conservative faction of Catholics for his focus on issues such as gun violence and poverty, as opposed to more politically right-of-center causes such as abortion opposition. Illinois abortion opponents last year condemned Cupich for giving the invocation on the opening night of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, an event that included pro-reproductive rights organizations, including Planned Parenthood. Yet the archbishop of Chicago says that he's championed the dignity and sanctity of human life throughout his ministry, adding that 'the full gamut of issues that deal with respect for life have always been a center of my attention.' 'It may be that people don't see that gun violence and poverty and homelessness and war and peace are necessarily pro-life. I would disagree with that,' he said. 'I think that the Holy See, the teachings of the church and the catechism and the works done by (Pope) John Paul II all the way to Pope Leo are very clear: We have to have a consistent ethic of life.' In 2016, Cupich's influence over the international church expanded when Pope Francis elevated him to cardinal at St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City. During the ceremony, he received the iconic red hat, also known as a biretta, which symbolizes a cardinal's willingness to shed blood in service of the church. The service was attended by then-Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel and the governor at the time, Bruce Rauner, as well as members of Cupich's family. 'I told myself, as I went up to the pope to receive the red biretta, that I was going to just drink in the moment and enjoy it as much as I could and be present to the situation. And not be distracted by anything else,' Cupich recalled. 'It was a proud moment, not just for me, but I think for Chicago. Chicago has had a special place in the life of the church and I think that was recognized on that occasion.' As cardinal, Cupich took part in the papal conclave's May historic election of Pope Leo, the first American-born leader of the world's estimated 1.4 billion Catholics, who grew up in south suburban Dolton. During Pope Leo's first three months, Cupich has seen a renewed spirit among local Catholics as well as excitement across the area among folks of all faiths and backgrounds that a Chicago native was named pontiff. It's like nothing the archbishop has seen in his 50 years of service since ordination as a priest. 'There's a new pride that I'm seeing in having the pope come from Chicago, for people to know that Chicago produced a pope,' he added. 'So there is a new kind of energy that I'm seeing.'
Business Journals
5 days ago
- Business Journals
"Inspiring leaders of tomorrow — St. Luke, the first Catholic IB School in the Pacific NW."
St. Luke School — Inspiring Leaders of Tomorrow The First Catholic International Baccalaureate (IB) School for Primary and Middle Years in the Pacific Northwest. Since 1957, St. Luke School has been a cornerstone of academic excellence and community engagement in the north King/south Snohomish region. Initially staffed by three Edmond Dominican Sisters and one lay teacher, our first classes welcomed 125 students in grades one through five. Over the decades, we've grown and evolved—today serving over 260 families and 450 students in Preschool through eighth grade. Our reputation as one of the marquee Catholic schools in the area is built on a steadfast commitment to academic rigor, values-based education, and continuous innovation. Facilities and instructional programs are continually enhanced, and students enjoy a variety of extracurricular opportunities that enrich the learning experience. A Regional First in Catholic IB Education: In February 2021, St. Luke School became the first Catholic school in the Pacific Northwest authorized to offer both the International Baccalaureate (IB) Primary Years Programme (PYP) and Middle Years Programme (MYP). This distinction places St. Luke in an elite category of schools worldwide, blending the depth and discipline of Catholic education with the globally recognized inquiry-driven IB framework. The PYP serves students from Preschool through grade five, fostering curiosity, critical thinking, and the ability to make connections across disciplines. Students explore transdisciplinary themes such as Who We Are and How We Express Ourselves, building essential skills for lifelong learning. The MYP, designed for grades six through eight, challenges students through a broad curriculum that includes language acquisition, sciences, mathematics, arts, and design, while encouraging independent thinking, collaboration, and service. The program culminates in an 8th Grade Community Project, a meaningful capstone that demonstrates each student's ability to apply their learning to real-world challenges. Educating the Whole Child: Our mission—Inquiring minds, hearts for Jesus, and hands for service—guides every aspect of the St. Luke experience. We aim to educate the whole child: intellectually, spiritually, emotionally, and socially. Through a combination of academic excellence, faith formation, and community involvement, we prepare students to lead lives of purpose, compassion, and integrity. A Strong, Supportive Community: St. Luke is more than a school—it's a network of connection and support. Our close-knit community includes dedicated faculty and staff who know students by name, active parent organizations that support and enrich school life, and a parish that is deeply invested in the well-being of every family. These relationships help foster an environment where students feel valued, engaged, and inspired to reach their potential. Why St. Luke Stands Out: Proven Excellence — Over 68 years of continuous growth and achievement. Innovative Approach — First Catholic IB Primary and Middle Years School in the Pacific Northwest. Mission Alignment — Grounded in Catholic faith and the IB's global perspective. Community Focus — Strong partnerships among families, faculty, and parish. Holistic Development — Academic rigor combined with character formation and service. Join Us: We invite families and community members to learn more about what makes St. Luke School exceptional. Whether you are seeking a high-caliber education for your child, an engaged and values-driven community, or a school that blends tradition with innovation, St. Luke offers an unparalleled experience. Where leaders of tomorrow begin today — discover St. Luke School, the first Catholic IB School for Primary and Middle Years in the Pacific Northwest. Visit to explore our programs, schedule a tour, and see firsthand how St. Luke inspires students to think deeply, act justly, and lead with heart.
