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Alumni News
Mike Knipp, 1418 Oakcrest Driv, Waterloo, IA 50701 or Jackie Ingles, 2613 Edgemont Avenue, Waterloo, IA 50702 Please call me if you have any questions. Thank you, Jackie Ingles 269-9309 To read more about Chris Weber's accomplishments, click here. To read more about Casey McLaughlin click here. To read more about Beth Knipp click here. Cassandra Hart was one of 10 Black Hawk County teachers selected for the Gold Star Teacher Award. To read more, click here. Sally Kelly, an alum and head of patient relations at Allen Hospital, made a big difference in someone's life. To read more click here. Read how alumni Monica Huff Robbins, Corrine Murphy True, Besty Sink McDougall Tricia Armstrong O'Loughlin, Rose Quirk, JoDee Gengler Schmit Debbie Youngblut Knipp, Sandi Frein Brennen, Mary McGee Cushing Sue Kinney Ball '75 and Barb Sink Burns '73, Julie Hagemann Delagardelle ' 79 were featured in a story about their longtime frienships. To read more, click here. A Journey of Faith features Amy and her family as they handled Amy's illness and death in November, 2006. To read more, click here. Knipp retires after working 32 years in the Waterloo schools, coordinates wrestling event . To read more, click here. Monsignor puts in time building clocks for fundraisers. To read more, click here. Monsignor Steimel celebrated his 80th birthday. To read more, click here. Standout basketball player at University of Texas – Pan American. To read more, click here. Was named President of the University of Connecticut To read more, click here. As most of you are now aware, Bob Durnin was involved in an automobile accident on 05/05/2007 that took his life. Bob was a graduate of Columbus High School , Class of 1987. More importantly, Bob was a husband and father to (4) young children. His death has no doubt left a huge void in so many lives, but none more so then his children and spouse. One of Bob’s wishes was to ensure that his children were afforded the opportunity to go through the Catholic school system as he did. Several of his friends and classmates have decided that they would like to help the family out monetarily. With that in mind, the Bob Durnin Benefit Account has been established. If you would like to help the Durnin family through this most troubling time and be a part of something miraculous, then please contribute whatever monetary amount you feel might make a difference. Reach out to your network of people that may have known Bob and see if they would be willing to help. The family will no doubt appreciate the generosity, but they will also realize that there is a community of people whom truly care. Bob Durnin Benefit Account c/o Veridian Credit Union P.O. Box 6000 Waterloo, Iowa 50704 Place Acct. # 5602160 in Memo Teresa was one of 200 women religious leaders invited from around the world as a delegate to the Women's Assembly of the World Conference of Religions for Peace, held in Kyoto, Japan. Ms McGee was also a delegate to the General Assembly of The World Conference of Religions for Peace which is an NGO (non governmental organization) of the United Nations. Delegates for the General Assembly represented nine religious traditions and 100 countries. The General Assembly published a series of documents called the Kyoto Statements which detail work to bring together religious leaders of all traditions to work for the common concern for peace. Waterloo man gears up for 43-mile trek in friend's memory: Faith. Support. Strength. Glenda (Sweeney) Connor never lost any of those during her nearly two-year battle with cancer that ended in March with her passing. Mike Knipp will need the same faith, support and strength to honor her. Knipp will embark on a 43-mile journey Friday morning --- one mile to celebrate every year of Connor's life. He'll cover the distance on foot, alternately running and walking until he reaches the finish line at the Friday'Loo event in Lincoln Park. "I've tried to picture it several times over the last few months what it will be like," Knipp said. "Reaching the finish line will be very emotional." Knipp and Connor were Columbus High School classmates and close friends. Knipp's quest to honor her began while listening to a sermon during Lent. The priest asked parishioners, rather than give up something for Lent, what could they do for someone else to show their faith? "I went running one day, something I hadn't done for 20 years, and it came to me," Knipp said. It was an idea that required his own leap of faith, the support of others and the strength within himself to continue even when his body wanted to give up. Those who knew her said Connor displayed the same courage. "She was an amazing, extraordinary woman," said Scott Sweeney of New York, Connor's brother. "For a year and a half she battled a very debilitating disease and never lost her faith. You never heard her complain." Knipp's effort will raise money for Connor's surviving children, Amber, 18, a college freshman, and Brianna, 15, a high school sophomore, who live in Minnesota with their aunt. The money will be placed in a trust to help the girls pay for college. "His concern about the well-being of the girls and wanting to honor my sister's life really touched my family's heart," Sweeney said. "It's incredible what he's doing. I've run a marathon. That's 26 miles. I can't imagine running any more than that. It's truly amazing." Knipp, 43, director of planned giving and major gifts at Cedar Valley United Way, began training in April. He hadn't run since high school and the farthest he'd ever run was 10 miles. Forty-three miles was a pretty tall order, so he looked to the experts for help. Enter Dana Foster, fitness coordinator{M3 at the University of Northern Iowa. She volunteered to train Knipp at no cost. "At first I thought he was crazy, but when I found out why he wanted to do it I felt I could help him," Foster said. "I remember that day," said Knipp. "I had gone to church that morning and prayed for some kind of answers to how I'd get this thing done. When I opened up my e-mails, there was Dana saying she'd do this free of charge. I sat and cried." Others have offered support, also. Sarah and Scott Gall, owners of the Runner's Flat, hooked Knipp up with the right running shoes at a reduced cost, and the YMCA allows Knipp to cross-train there at no cost. Knipp's training was on track until about three weeks ago when a calf injury sidelined him from running. He picked up the slack by swimming, bicycling and walking to maintain his fitness level. Monday was his first day back to running. As Friday draws nearer, Knipp grows nervous. But Foster's confidence in him is strong. "There's a lot to mind over matter," she said. "Your mind can double what your body can do. Mike's faith is so strong and his desire to do this is so strong there's no doubt in my mind he will complete it." Knipp will begin his journey Friday at 7:30 a.m. He'll complete the distance in 5-, 4-, and 3-mile walk/run increments. In the end, he'll have walked 20 miles and run 23. He'll have company every step of the way courtesy of a handful of family and friends who will join him at selected intervals. He'll eat and drink plenty along the way to maintain hydration and energy. At the finish line waits Knipp's classmates, the Columbus High School Class of 1981. They will gather at Friday'Loo for their 25-year reunion and cheer on Knipp as he runs into Lincoln Park. He expects to arrive around 6:30 p.m. "I'm going to need somebody to grab hold of me as soon as I finish," he said. "I hope I don't totally crumble." To View Pictures Of Mike Finishing His Run click here. WATERLOO --- A member of a recently formed police unit has been named Waterloo's officer of the year of 2005. Members of the Waterloo police force nominated Matthew McGeough, 26, for the award. He was honored during a luncheon today by the Waterloo Exchange Club. "Fellow officers describe McGeough as respectful with his dealing with all people he has contact with," said Capt. Bruce Arends. McGeough, who joined the Waterloo Police Department in February 2003 after a stint as an officer in Iowa City, is one of the original members of Waterloo's Citizen's Response Unit. The special squad was formed over the summer to respond to neighbor complaints and give increased attention to "hot spot" locations. "It's a more proactive assignment," McGeough said "We work with a lot of the neighborhood groups and associations. We get feedback from them about concerns in their neighborhoods problems with drug dealing or illegal dumping, and we address those concerns." A native of Waterloo, McGeough graduated from Columbus High School, Class of '98, and earned a bachelor's degree in political science and sociology from the University of Iowa in Iowa City. He became interested in law enforcement because had a number of family members who were in law enforcement, including his uncle who headed the Department of Natural Resources law enforcement division. After college, he was hired by the Iowa City Police Department in 2002. He joined the Waterloo force to be closer to home and has since served with the patrol division and bicycle patrol, and he is also a Neighborhood Association Liaison. "It's one of those jobs where every day is different. You don't just go sit at a desk and work at a computer for eight yours straight. You're constantly doing different things and dealing with different situations," he said. In his free time, McGeough likes to run, ski and spend time with friends and family. He also works part-time as a security at Devonshire School. Contact Jeff Reinitz at (319) 291-1578 or jeff.reinitz@wcfcourier.com. WATERLOO --- A Waterloo native has been named to one of the top positions with Deere & Co. Michael J. Mack Jr. has been named senior vice president and chief financial officer with Deere, company officials announced Thursday. It is a senior officer position with the company. He had served as treasurer since June 2004. Mack, 49, is a 1975 graduate of Columbus High School in Waterloo and of Iowa State University. Mack began his career at the John Deere Des Moines Works in 1978 as an engineer while attending Iowa State. Following graduation, he worked as a research and development engineer for Hewlett-Packard. After returning to John Deere in 1986, he held a variety of positions in information systems, corporate finance, international finance, business development, strategic planning, product engineering, purchasing and as a factory manager. In 1999, he was named vice president of marketing and sales for Deere's Worldwide Commercial & Consumer Equipment Division, formerly known as lawn and grounds care. He was named a senior vice president in February 2001, responsible for the division's marketing, sales, order fulfillment, finance, information systems, and e-business activities worldwide. Mack serves on the board of the Figge Art Museum in Davenport and the Iowa State University Engineering College Industrial Advisory Board. Mack's namesake father, of Waterloo, is the retired longtime director of the John Deere Product Engineering Center in Cedar Falls. In 1971, Mack, then 14 and a crossing guard at St. Edward's School in Waterloo, won state and national lifesaving awards and recognition for saving 10-year-old Beth Sand from being struck by a car at the Kimball Avenue school crossing. We are pleased to announce that alumni Claire Stigliani, class of 2002, is having her first art show, "Self-Portraits". Her pictures are on display at the Panther Pause Cafe, University Book and Supply located at 1009 W 23 St, Cedar Falls. She will be hosting an open house on Tues, Jan. 27 from 7:00-9:00 p.m.       Chuck Yagla
Currently works in Waterloo At Kirk Gross Company and is a NCAA Referee working nation wide including the Big 10 tournament, PAC 10 tournament & the National Tournaments every year since 1994. |
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