Alumni mission: We exist to unite and grow our alumni family, and champion

the dream and values of Father Flanagan through leadership.

BTNAA PO Box 2 Boys Town, NE 68010800-345-0458 www.boystownalumni.org

Boys Town National Alumni AssociationSM

Alumni newsSpring 2011 – Volume 50, Issue 1

“Character is formed by doing the thing we are supposed to do, when it should be done,

whether we feel like doing it or not.”

– Father Edward J. Flanagan

in THis issuE:From The Executive Director ............ 2

Alumni Profile ................................... 2

Faust Boys Town success story ....... 3

JRoTC stays strong .......................... 3

President's letter ............................. 4

senior Advisor’s letter ..................... 4

Veteran's memorial Project .............. 5

BTnAA Adds Board member ............ 5

Alumni Board members ................... 5

Convention Planner ...................... 6-7

Reunion Convention Pictures ........... 8

Convention information .................... 9

magers Remembered ..................... 10

Auxiliary President’s letter ............ 10

in loving memory ........................... 10

Where Are They now? .................... 11

1000th lifetime member .................. 11

Classmates search ......................... 11

Boys Town National Alumni AssociationSM Celebrates 60 Years at Biennial Convention

it’s time to come home again to Boys Town! From July 29-31 the BTnAA will host the 30th Biennial Alumni Convention at Boys Town. This is a time to reunite with classmates and friends. it is a time to bring your family home to share in the joy of reunion and to reminisce about the times of your youth. Whether you were at Boys Town in the earlier days, or you recently graduated, there is a common bond unique to all – that is the bond that only brother and sister alumni can share.

it is this sense of family and reunion that makes the last weekend of this July so special. Adding to the significance of this Convention is the celebration of the 60th Anniversary of the founding of the Boys Town national Alumni Association.

For 60 years, brother and sister alumni have joined together for the purpose originally stated in 1951; “To keep alive among the alumni, bonds of friend-ship formed at Boys Town; to assist brother (and now sister) alumni whenever possible; to maintain closer contacts with, manifest interest in, and foster genuine loyalty toward the home and school; to promote the general good and welfare of Father Flanagan’s Boys’

Home by good works, example and words.”This purpose is as important today as it was when

it was written 60 years ago. The Boys Town children of today are growing up to become alumni and are ful-filling the commitment of the purpose set forth those many years ago. Because so much has been given to alumni, it is important to find ways of giving back in the spirit of the purpose of the BTnAA.

The Convention is a time of sharing. This is what one alumnus said about returning for the Biennial Convention in 2007: James Brewer, ’66; “Even though we’ve been out for 40 years or 20 years … or one year, it just seems like you pick up where you left off. nothing ever changes … i guess it’s just the fellowship of all the friends i’ve had over the years…”

Whether you are here for your first Convention, or you are back again, you will find that the magic of friendship and good memories and the hospitality of your Home will welcome you back. Please plan to join your brother and sister alumni in celebrating the joys of your youth and the bonds of your friendships.

Details on registration and other information are included inside this issue of the Alumni news.

1952 Convention

Dear Alumni,i am looking forward to the 2011 Alumni

Biennial Convention in July just as i am sure many of you are. This will be a special con-vention in many ways as classmates, friends and families gather once again to share in the joy of reunion and to reflect upon the lives built after your time at Boys Town. Your

Boys Town national Alumni Association (BTnAA) will be celebrating its 60th Anniversary this year. it was 60 years ago that monsignor Wegner gathered with 40 alumni in the high school library to for-mally create the Boys Town Alumni Association. since that day the alumni association has represented the best of who we are, have spread the word about the work we do at Boys Town and across our country, and have given back in a number of different ways.

if you walk around the Boys Town campus you can see many of the contributions of the BTnAA. The Veteran’s memorial at the flagpole on Flanagan Boulevard stands as a reminder to each of us that many Boys Town alumni have served their country and have made the ultimate sacrifice. The Father Flanagan statue with the pavers in front of Father Flanagan’s original home is a reminder of the respect we have for our beloved founder. The alumni also placed a matching statue in Father Flanagan’s home town of Ballymoe, ireland. The meditation chapel is a special place in the Flanagan House and it reflects our deep faith and hope for the future.

Your alumni association created the BTnAA scholarship Fund and it has awarded more than $205,000 in scholarships to graduat-ing seniors and alumni since its founding in 1965. The BTnAA began the effort to work for the cause of canonization of Father Flanagan and that work is well under way as a separate non-profit effort. in 2007, the BTnAA commissioned Paul otero, ’68, to create a new and definitive portrait of Father Flanagan.

it is with a great deal of pride that i share with many donors and friends of Boys Town the accomplishments of our alumni. letting them know the “rest of the story” is so important because it brings to life the fact that they have been part of helping another person become a productive member of our society.

Easter is upon us and with it comes a rebirth of hope for the children in our care today. We are preparing another class of seniors to graduate and we are also steadily working to help chil-dren reunite with their families. i ask you to pray for our kids as they graduate and become your alumni brothers and sisters.

i look forward to seeing many of you again as we celebrate our Boys Town family in July. may the blessings of our Creator God be with you and your families during this holy Easter season.

Father steven E. Boesnational Executive Director

Alumni NewsBoys Town national Alumni Association

EdiTorBrent Robinson

GrAphiC dESiGNErSmike BuckleyAnne Hughes

CoNTriBuTiNG WriTErSstan Graeve

John mollisonBrent Robinson

phoToGrAphYmike Buckley

AluMNi AdviSorSmandalyne Atencio ’01

George Buckler ’64sarah Williamson-mohn ’94

John mollison ’64stephen Postert ’69

stan struble ’68

priNTErBoys Town Print shop

The Alumni news is published by Boys Town

14100 Crawford st. | Boys Town, nE 68010alumni@boystown.org

1-800-345-0458p 402-498-1150 | f 402-498-1159

www.boystownalumni.org2 | Alumni news

For Caitlin Hooi, ‘01, the path to her present status as a second year law school student has taken many turns.

Caitlin arrived at Boys Town in June of 1996 and lived in John and Barb Real’s home. After she successfully completed the eighth and ninth grades she returned home to go to high school in omaha. When things didn’t work out at home she came back to Boys Town in the middle of her junior year and remained until graduation in 2001. While at Boys Town, Caitlin participated in cheer-leading and enjoyed her second home with Julius and michelle Biggs.

Because of her academic success at Boys Town, Caitlin was awarded a prestigious Wegner scholarship to attend Wayne state College in Wayne, nebraska. looking back, Caitlin says that her “new found freedom” was not conducive to doing well in school. she dropped out of college and lived in nebraska for a couple of years and then moved to Chicago. During this time she gave birth to her son, Broderick (Brody) Daniel and moved to Cleveland, ohio, to be closer to her son’s grandparents.

it was at this time that Caitlin set her sights on completing her college education. she enrolled at Cleveland state university in the summer of

2004, taking a full load of classes every summer to achieve her goal. After try-ing a couple of major areas of study, Caitlin settled on Political science. in December of 2007, she graduated with a Bachelor’s of science in Political science.

in the fall of 2009, Caitlin enrolled in the Cleveland-marshall College of law and is presently in her second year. she is slated to receive her law degree (JD) in the spring of 2012 and plans to sit for the ohio state Bar in July of 2012.

she says that “Boys Town has helped me in so many ways … i can always count on my Boys Town family should i ever need them. Boys Town has inspired me to help people whether it be volunteer-ing at the local food bank whenever i have a few spare hours, or dedicating my law career to those that are treated with injustice and inequality. i have taught my son some of the social skills i learned while being a Boys Town youth and he, too, has learned the power of just saying ‘okay’.”

Caitlin has recently become engaged and will be married in may this year.

Alumni Profile

Caitlin Hooi, ‘01

From the Executive Director

Caitlin Hooi

www.boystownalumni.org 3 | Alumni news

Christophor Faust says he came to Boys Town “as a confused young man who was surely on the path to becoming a dropout, drug-dealing felon.”

But thanks to the care and direction he received from people like Father Hupp and Father Brown, Faust’s life has turned out very differently.

in fact, the 1976 graduate, who now holds a Bs and ms in nuclear Engineering, credits Boys Town with giving him opportunities to grow and being there for him to assist in furthering his education after spending eight years in the u.s. nuclear navy.

Faust’s path to Boys Town is like many others of his era. He had endured the domestic violence of an alcoholic home. As his family disintegrated, he says he ran away from home “to improve my odds.” He ended up in an orphanage in Central Florida and a family friend opened communication with the local Catholic Church. Just four months later, he was at Boys Town in nebraska.

The Boys Town that Faust came to was in a time of change.

“Boys Town was in the process of reorganization,” Faust said. “it was transforming from an institution for wayward boys into a family living center for at risk youth."

Faust admits he was rebellious during his time at Boys Town. He says he fought change “with every waking breath.” But while he guesses that some staff were probably happy to see graduation day come for him, he credits Father Hupp and Father Brown with sticking with him and his sometimes challenging beliefs.

“Both of them felt standing up for one’s beliefs were an integral aspect of the growing up process,” Faust

said. “And they did that even when they didn’t agree with the opinions.”

After his graduation from Boys Town, Faust entered the military. He says it was some 12 years after leaving Boys Town that he was finally serious about his education. He wrote to the Boys Town Alumni Association and told them he wanted to go back to college and asked if they could help financially if he got accepted into Texas A&m’s nuclear Engineering program

“one call turned into a maybe, and 10 years later i’m a PhD candidate in Passive Environmental Engineering with a Bachelor and master degree in nuclear Engineering,” Faust said.

Today, Faust heads up a small sustainable design/build firm in new orleans. He has some impressive

credits during his career.During the mid-1990s he created an

“interactive” building energy design strategy for hot and humid climates and designed, engineered and built the Passive Environmental Engineering Research (PEER) facility on the Texas A&m university Riverside Campus. in 2001, he designed and built the first, full-sized, passive-thermal-engine home in College station, Texas, which is one of the most all-around sustainable dwellings ever built.

After Hurricane Katrina in 2005, Faust moved to louisiana to help empower the sustainable redevelopment in new orleans.

Faust admits he has come a long way since Boys Town. And, he says like others before him, he wants to give credit where credit is due.

“i’m what i am today because Boys Town took a chance on me,” Faust said. “it is a debt i know i can never fully repay, yet one i try to make a contribution towards every day of my life; to live like i’m dying, to be strong in the face of adversity and always remember to love God, love life, love our fellow brothers and sisters and to be the change we want to see in the world.

“Yes, it’s hard at times to shoulder burdens, to be that change. But as Alumni, if you listen closely, you can always hear the wind whisper … He ain’t heavy Father, He’s my Brother! it’s sure to help you carry on yet another day.”

www.boystownalumni.org

Faust, ’76, Gives Boys Town Credit for Shaping His Life, Career

in the 1920s, Father Flanagan established a self-government system at Boys Town so his boys would have a stronger voice in running their Home. He believed that the boys’ active involvement fostered leadership skills and a greater sense of community and connectedness.

Today, nearly a century later, those same values live on in all facets of Boys Town life, including a program popular with many Boys Town High school students – Army JRoTC.

under the direction of lt. Colonel Kevin lee and master sergeant Erik Penaherrera, the Boys Town Army JRoTC program has a three-fold mission for cadets: to make them better citi-zens, to give them greater self-confidence and to empower them to become leaders.

lee said the success of the program is based on the hard work and commitment of the cadets. They have ownership of and responsi-bility for meeting goals and completing tasks

throughout the year. in his words, the program “belongs to them.”

“JRoTC teaches you how to step up and take charge, especially when you have a leadership position,” said Cadet Corps Commander Kahli. “Everyone has to work together, and kids really do run the program.”

in addition to learning leadership skills, Army JRoTC offers cadets a variety of opportu-nities and activities to stimulate their minds and strengthen their bodies. Every year, for exam-ple, cadets put on a pass and review parade. Performed with precision and according to mili-tary regulations, the pass and review showcases the cadets’ mastery of skills, including parade commands, standing at attention and stand-ing at parade rest. Cadets also participate in a number of confidence-building activities during the year, such as rappelling, ropes courses and rock wall climbing.

JRoTC, an elective course, is taught during regular school hours. students can earn college credit, or, if they are going into the military, can enter at a higher rank. Contrary to popular belief, JRoTC is not a military recruitment tool. Although many Boys Town cadets choose to join the service, many others opt for college or job training.

Boys Town JROTC: Life Lessons on Character, Confidence and Citizenship

“I’m what I am today because Boys Town took a chance on me,”

– Christophor Faust

Christopher Faust

www.boystownalumni.org4 | Alumni news

2011 is upon us and it is the year of our Biennial Convention. This is the 60th Anniversary of the founding of the Boys Town national Alumni Association and we are looking forward to a big turnout this year.

in the nearly two years since i became president the most rewarding times have been when we gather together as family to celebrate our common experience as Boys Town alumni. We see old friends, make new ones and we share the days of our lives with each other. This is important. Too often, families go along separate paths in life and just when they begin to want to reconnect it might be too late. That is why it is so important for us as alumni to gather as an extended family to reawaken the ties that made us brothers and sisters in our youth.

Your convention committee has worked hard to put together a fantastic reunion. This year’s banquet will be held at the Embassy suites in la Vista. it is a great facility and will be a great venue for our 60th Anniversary banquet. Boys Town has done a lot to fix up the campus and i am sure you will be impressed with the improvements that have been made to make Boys Town safer for the kids and keep our home looking good.

This past november one of our longtime board members, leo magers, ’48, Region 5 passed away. leo served us all as a board member on two different occasions and remained strong and ener-getic to the end. We will miss him and his lifelong commitment to the Boys Town national Alumni Association and to Boys Town.

i would like to welcome Chuck Ripple, D’68 as the new board member from Region 5. Chuck is a lifetime member of the BTnAA and was at Boys Town for seven years. He brings lots of enthusiasm and excitement to the board and will represent the southeast united states well.

one of our challenges continues to be membership in the BTnAA. We have nearly 965 lifetime members and only about 145 annual members. An annual membership only costs $15.00 per year and it has remained at that level for many years. We send out over 3,200 alumni newsletters every quarter and we have a website that is current and informative. There is value to membership and i encourage you to think about becoming a member of your Boys Town national Alumni Association. You can now join the BTnAA online. using the secure and quick membership enrollment by using your credit card is a great way to join.

As we move into the spring of the year i look forward with antici-pation to the upcoming convention. Your BTnAA board is working hard to make it the best ever for you and all you need to do is show up. make this your family vacation and show them where you grew up. it will be fun and rewarding.Your Brother in Christ,

John Abare, ‘81BTnAA President

From the Senior Advisor for Alumni MattersThe 2011 Biennial Alumni Convention, July

29th-31st, will mark the 60th Anniversary of the Boys Town national Alumni Association. This is a milestone in our BTnAA history and we hope that you will join us at Boys Town for this important

event. The reunion weekend promises to be full with activities, time for gathering with friends and classmates and time to reflect on your days as a youth at Boys Town.

in this issue you will find a registration form and schedule. Please call the travel agent or the alumni office at 1-800-345-0458 to arrange for lodging. You can also go to the secure Alumni website at www.boystownalumni.org and register for reunion events using your credit card and to email the travel agent for hotel reservations.

mike Trevino, ’58, has arranged the golf tournament again this year, so get your reservations in early for that great Friday morning event.

The classes of 1960 and 1961 will be celebrating their 50th Reunion and 1985 and 1986 their 25th reunion. Take the time to meet with the members of these classes and listen to their remembrances of life at Boys Town.

The alumni choir will sing at mass on sunday and will be presenting a short concert during the weekend. if you would like to sing, email us at alumni@boystown.org. We need to have an idea of how many will be singing in order to have the music ready for rehearsal. We would like alumni members of the “Voices of Boys Town” to join us.

We will offer a short spiritual retreat, as we have in the past, for alumni to share their Boys Town experiences. This retreat will be led by clergy who are Boys Town alumni.

We would like to plan for a large group photograph at the picnic on sunday afternoon. so plan on staying for the whole weekend to be part of this remembrance of our 60th Anniversary Alumni Convention.

mike smith, ’67, Board member for Region 4, has created a Facebook site for the convention and we are seeing a large number of people who are planning to attend the convention. if you are a Facebook user i recommend that you go to the site and see who is coming. We are also keeping a list of alumni who plan to attend by year, decade, and name on the front page of our website.

i strongly encourage you to attend the Convention. Come home to Boys Town and visit. You will see some changes to the campus, yet much remains as it was when you were a student at Boys Town. Father Boes, his staff, the BTnAA board and your alumni office are looking forward to having you visit Boys Town this summer. make this the family vacation of a lifetime.

see you in July and have a safe journey to Boys Town.Your brother,

John mollison, ‘64senior Advisor for Alumni matters

From the BTNAASM President

www.boystownalumni.org 5 | Alumni news

BTNAASM Announces Project to Expand Alumni Veteran’s MemorialThe Boys Town national Alumni Association

unanimously approved the formation of a committee to expand the existing Alumni Veteran’s memorial on campus at its november board meeting. The board voted to include the names of all alumni who have given their lives in the service of their country. This would include all who were killed in action in war and those who died while serving our country in uniform.

This project was the idea of George Buckler, ’64, and Bob mitchell, ’49. They felt that alumni who have made the ultimate sacrifice in uniform should be honored. Their suggestion is to add panels above the existing memorial wall and engrave the names of our brother and sister alumni on those panels so that all who visit the memorial can better understand the sacrifice Boys Town alumni make for our country.

An architect is working on a design and a total cost estimate that will be ready by the Biennial Convention in July.

in the meantime, we will begin to gather the names of those who have died while serving our country in uniform. The Hall of History has many names of alumni who were killed in action, starting with World War ii through the war in iraq. We are certain we do not have

all the names of alumni killed in action since World War ii, nor do we have all the names of alumni who died while serving in uniform. We are asking alumni of all generations to let

us know if you are aware of an alumnus who was killed in action or died while serving our country. We will publish a list of known alumni who fall into these categories on the alumni website at www.boystownalumni.org.

if you wish to make a financial pledge (no money required at this time) to support this project you can do so by sending a note to:

BTnAA-Alumni Veteran’s memorial Project14057 Flanagan Blvd.Boys Town, nE 68010

or you can email the Alumni office at alumni@boystown.org and let us know that you would be willing to pledge your support for this project.

Because the BTnAA is a 501 (c) 10 Fraternal organization, donations are not tax deductible.

Please feel free to call the alumni office at 1-800-345-0458 or email alumni@boys-town.org with any questions you might have or suggestions you would like the committee to consider. members of the committee are: mike smith, ’67, Carl Hegerty, ’70, George Buckler,’64, Bob mitchell, ’49, John mollison, ’64, Bruce Dolan, ’68.

John Abare ‘816148 Highway HHigginsville, MO 64037660-237-4272hanghat@ctcis.netPresident - Region 1 - 2011

Robert Nelson ‘5310200 Cardinal AvenueFountain Valley, CA 92708714-962-1276rsamus@aol.comVice President – Region 7 – 2011

Kevin Barcomb ‘917255 Ledgewood DriveKirkland, OH 44094440-951-3080kbarcomb@kbarcomb.comSecretary – Region 2 - 2013

Stephen Postert ‘6916524 Weir Street  Omaha, NE 68135402-896-6626stephenpostert@cox.netTreasurer – At Large – 2011

Jennifer Hill-Coba ‘96293 Central AvenueHawthorne, NJ 07506973-949-3125jennifercoba@gmail.comRegion 3 – 2011

W. Mike Smith ‘673709 S. George Mason DriveSuite 1313 EastFalls Church, VA 22041703-373-8206mike.smith@skyline-ultd.comRegion 4 – 2011

Chuck Ripple, D’68822 Lillian LaneSarasota, FL 34243941-809-7989ripgoldwing@yahoo.comRegion 5 – 2013

Carl Hegerty ‘70206 Bronc DriveCopperas Cove, TX 76522254-577-5178chegerty@hot.rr.comRegion 6 – 2013

Erica Delaney-Rosser ‘90721 N. Stafford StreetPortland, OR 97217503-247-3621edrosser@hotmail.comRegion 8 – 2013

John Fox ‘8216211 Middle Island DriveSouth Bend, NE 68058402-944-2969terri68138@yahoo.comAt Large - 2013

Ron Fisher ‘611685 Riverbend Terrace #7Green Bay, WI  54311920-465-0295roncfisr@new.rr.comOfficial BTNAA Historian

John Mollison ‘6414057 Flanagan Blvd.Boys Town, NE 68010Cell: 402-650-4135john.mollison@boystown.orgSenior Advisor for Alumni Matters

Father Steven BoesNational Executive Director402-498-1000Honorary President

Monsignor Peter Dunne402-498-1469Honorary Chaplain

Alumni Office14057 Flanagan Blvd.Boys Town, NE 68010Office: 402-498-1150/1151Toll Free: 800-345-0458alumni@boystown.org

20102011

AlumniAssociation

Boardof

Directors

The BTnAA Board of Directors is pleased to announce the appointment  of Chuck Ripple to the Region 5 vacant board position.  Region 5 encom-passes the states of

mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Florida, south/north Carolina, Tennessee, Kentucky.  Chuck is an active and long-time supporter of the BTnAA and we look forward to his contribu-tions to the board and to his outreach in Region 5.  Chuck will serve in this position through the year 2013. 

Chuck has been a distributor for Kinetico Water systems for 19 years. Prior to moving

to Florida, he coached football, wrestling and track at Fremont Ross High school in ohio for 15 years. He is a 1974 graduate of Bowling Green state university. He is married with two children and enjoys golfing and walking. Chuck, who was at Boys Town for seven years, is a lifetime member of the BTnAA.

Please join us in welcoming Chuck to the Board.

BTNAASM Appoints Chuck Ripple, D '68, to Region 5 Board Position

Chuck Ripple

www.boystownalumni.org6 | Alumni news

SCHEDULE EVENT LOCATION

JULY 28 – THURSDAY All Day Early Arrivals Hall of History

5:00 – 9:00 pm. John Corrigan, ’68 - Memorial Pizza Party Sam & Louie's New York Pizzeria 2062 North 17th St.

6:00 – 9:00 pm Class of 1960 Gathering Upstream Brewing Company 171st & West Center Road

JULY 29 - FRIDAY 6:30 am to Finish Golf Tournament (Shotgun Start – Be on time!!) Knolls Golf Course (See Map)

9 am. – 9 pm. Registration Great Hall

11:40 am – 12:15 pm Mass Dowd Chapel

1:00 – 2:00 pm Auxiliary Visit to Msgr. Wegner and Hupp Gravesite Catholic Cemetery 7710 West Center Road

1:15 – 3:15 pm Spiritual Retreat Music Hall Choir Room

2:30 – 5:00 pm BTNAA Board of Directors Meeting (Open) TBD

3:30 – 4:30 pm Father Flanagan League Pilgrimage Flanagan House Chapel

5:30 – 6:00 pm Father Flanagan Reflections (Father Clifford Stevens, ’44) Dowd Chapel

7:00 – 10:30 pm Social Great Hall

SCHEDULE EVENT LOCATION

JULY 30 – Saturday 8:30 am – Noon Registration Great Hall

8:45 – 9:45 am Awards Presentations – Hall of History Awards, Alumni Appreciation Award, Alumni Service Award, Recognition of the 25-Year Reunion Classes of 1985 and 1986

Music Hall Auditorium

9:50 – 11:30 am General Assembly/Election of Officers Music Hall Auditorium

10:00 – 11:30 am Auxiliary Meeting Visitor’s Center Café

11:40 am – 12:30 pm Mass and Renewal of Wedding Vows Dowd Chapel

12:30 – 1:15 pm Complimentary Lunch Great Hall

1:20 – 2:00 pm Armed Services Memorial Ceremony Flagpole at Heroes Boulevard

2:00 – 4:00 pm Cottage, Music Hall, High School, Career Center and Apartment open for Self Guided Tour

TBA

3:00 – 4:00 pm Alumni Choir Practice Music Hall Choir Room – 2nd Floor

6:00 – 11:30 pm Social Hour/Banquet (Presentation of Father Flanagan Outstanding Alumnus Award, Installation of Honorary President, Presentation and Recognition of the 50-Year Reunion Classes of 1960 and 1961

Embassy Suites-La Vista (See Map)

July 31 - Sunday

9:00- 10:00 am Alumni Choir Rehearsal Music Hall Choir Room

9:15 – 10:00 am Protestant Services Chambers Chapel

11:00 am – Noon Mass – Alumni Choir Sings Dowd Chapel

Noon – 12:20 pm Alumni Choir Short Concert of Patriotic Music Dowd Chapel

Noon – 12:20 pm Auxiliary – Wreath Ceremony Honoring Father Flanagan Father Flanagan Tomb Dowd Chapel

12:30 – 3:30 pm Picnic Picnic Grounds at Lake (Rainout: Great Hall)

60th Anniversary Boys Town National Alumni Association Founded 1951

AMENITIES HOURS LOCATION

Hall of History Research Room Thursday-Saturday 10:00 am – 4:00 pm Hall of History Complimentary Breakfast Thursday-Sunday 7:00 – 9:00 am Visitor’s Center Café Complimentary Lunch Thursday & Friday 11:30 am – 12:30 am Visitor’s Center Café

Our Founder…

Father Edward J. Flanagan

1886 ~ 1948

30th Biennial Convention July 28 – 31, 2011

Boys Town, Nebraska

Our National

Executive Director…

Father Steven Boes

Preliminary Schedule Preliminary Schedule

www.boystownalumni.org 7 | Alumni news

SCHEDULE EVENT LOCATION

JULY 28 – THURSDAY All Day Early Arrivals Hall of History

5:00 – 9:00 pm. John Corrigan, ’68 - Memorial Pizza Party Sam & Louie's New York Pizzeria 2062 North 17th St.

6:00 – 9:00 pm Class of 1960 Gathering Upstream Brewing Company 171st & West Center Road

JULY 29 - FRIDAY 6:30 am to Finish Golf Tournament (Shotgun Start – Be on time!!) Knolls Golf Course (See Map)

9 am. – 9 pm. Registration Great Hall

11:40 am – 12:15 pm Mass Dowd Chapel

1:00 – 2:00 pm Auxiliary Visit to Msgr. Wegner and Hupp Gravesite Catholic Cemetery 7710 West Center Road

1:15 – 3:15 pm Spiritual Retreat Music Hall Choir Room

2:30 – 5:00 pm BTNAA Board of Directors Meeting (Open) TBD

3:30 – 4:30 pm Father Flanagan League Pilgrimage Flanagan House Chapel

5:30 – 6:00 pm Father Flanagan Reflections (Father Clifford Stevens, ’44) Dowd Chapel

7:00 – 10:30 pm Social Great Hall

SCHEDULE EVENT LOCATION

JULY 30 – Saturday 8:30 am – Noon Registration Great Hall

8:45 – 9:45 am Awards Presentations – Hall of History Awards, Alumni Appreciation Award, Alumni Service Award, Recognition of the 25-Year Reunion Classes of 1985 and 1986

Music Hall Auditorium

9:50 – 11:30 am General Assembly/Election of Officers Music Hall Auditorium

10:00 – 11:30 am Auxiliary Meeting Visitor’s Center Café

11:40 am – 12:30 pm Mass and Renewal of Wedding Vows Dowd Chapel

12:30 – 1:15 pm Complimentary Lunch Great Hall

1:20 – 2:00 pm Armed Services Memorial Ceremony Flagpole at Heroes Boulevard

2:00 – 4:00 pm Cottage, Music Hall, High School, Career Center and Apartment open for Self Guided Tour

TBA

3:00 – 4:00 pm Alumni Choir Practice Music Hall Choir Room – 2nd Floor

6:00 – 11:30 pm Social Hour/Banquet (Presentation of Father Flanagan Outstanding Alumnus Award, Installation of Honorary President, Presentation and Recognition of the 50-Year Reunion Classes of 1960 and 1961

Embassy Suites-La Vista (See Map)

July 31 - Sunday

9:00- 10:00 am Alumni Choir Rehearsal Music Hall Choir Room

9:15 – 10:00 am Protestant Services Chambers Chapel

11:00 am – Noon Mass – Alumni Choir Sings Dowd Chapel

Noon – 12:20 pm Alumni Choir Short Concert of Patriotic Music Dowd Chapel

Noon – 12:20 pm Auxiliary – Wreath Ceremony Honoring Father Flanagan Father Flanagan Tomb Dowd Chapel

12:30 – 3:30 pm Picnic Picnic Grounds at Lake (Rainout: Great Hall)

60th Anniversary Boys Town National Alumni Association Founded 1951

AMENITIES HOURS LOCATION

Hall of History Research Room Thursday-Saturday 10:00 am – 4:00 pm Hall of History Complimentary Breakfast Thursday-Sunday 7:00 – 9:00 am Visitor’s Center Café Complimentary Lunch Thursday & Friday 11:30 am – 12:30 am Visitor’s Center Café

Our Founder…

Father Edward J. Flanagan

1886 ~ 1948

30th Biennial Convention July 28 – 31, 2011

Boys Town, Nebraska

Our National

Executive Director…

Father Steven Boes

Preliminary Schedule Preliminary Schedule

www.boystownalumni.org8 | Alumni news

www.boystownalumni.org 9 | Alumni news

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BOYS TOWN NATIONAL ALUMNI ASSOCIATION AIRLINES AND LOCAL ACCOMODATIONS For your hotel and airfare needs please contact Shelley Rempe of Concierge Travel Omaha at shelley.rempe@yahoo.com or by phone at 1-402-894-5991. If the line is busy please leave a message and she will call you back shortly. You can also leave a message with the Alumni Office at 1-800-345-0458 and we will contact Shelley for you. American Airlines is offering a 2% discount and Continental, Delta and United Airlines will offer a 5% discount for certain flights. You can receive this discount by contacting Shelley.

HOTELS Hilton Garden Inn 17879 Chicago St Omaha, NE 68118 $99 single/double occupancy plus taxes

Regency Lodge 909 So. 107th St Omaha, NE 68114 $90 single/double occupancy plus taxes includes breakfast daily

Super 8 11610 West Dodge Rd Omaha, NE 68154 $45 single / $55 double plus taxes includes continental breakfast daily

Baymont Inn and Suites 2201 So. 72nd St Omaha, NE 68124 $79 single/double occupancy plus taxes

LaQuinta Inn 10760 M St Omaha, NE 68127 $65 single/double occupancy plus taxes includes breakfast daily

Comfort Inn West Omaha 9595 So. 145th St Omaha, NE 68138 $72 for a king room plus taxes $82 for a two bed room plus taxes includes continental breakfast

Comfort Inn Southwest 10728 L St Omaha, NE 68127 $84.99 single/double occupancy plus taxes

Best Western Settle Inn 650 No. 109th Court Omaha, NE 68154 $84.95 single/double occupancy plus taxes includes breakfast buffet daily

Holiday Inn Omaha 11515 Miracle Hills Dr Omaha, NE 68154 $89.99 single/double occupancy

Country Inn and Suites 11818 Miami St Omaha, NE 68154 $99 single/double occupancy plus taxes includes breakfast buffet daily

Hampton Inn LaVista (Next to Embassy Suites) 12331 Southport Pkwy LaVista, NE 68128 $89 single/double occupancy plus taxes includes breakfast buffet daily

Courtyard Marriott (Next to Embassy Suites) 12560 Westport Pkwy LaVista, NE 68128 $89 single/double occupancy plus tax

RV PARKS

NP Dodge Park (46 Pads) 11005 John J. Pershing Drive Omaha, NE 402-444-5920

Glenn Cunningham Lake (58 Pads) 8305 Rainwood Road Omaha, NE 402-444-4628

Eugene T. Mahoney SP (74 Pads) 28500 West Park Hwy Ashland NE 68003 402-471-1414

West Omaha KOA 14601 Highway 6 Gretna, NE 68028 402-332-3010

Pine Grove RV Park and Campground 23403 Mynard Rd. Greenwood NE 68366 I-80 exit 420 402-944-3550

Questions or registration information?

1-800-345-0458 alumni@boystown.org

www.boystownalumni .org 9 | Alumni News

www.boystownalumni.org10 | Alumni news

leo magers arrived at Boys Town early in the summer of 1945.  He immediately took to sports at Boys Town and was a standout on the football, baseball and boxing teams. He earned All-state honors in football and baseball and won the state championship in boxing.

upon graduating from Boys Town, magers enrolled at Kentucky Western university where, in addition to earning his college degree, he played running back on the football team.  in 1951, magers signed with the professional foot-ball 49ers. it was during this time that he began his successful career as an Air Force officer and pilot flying 182 combat missions in Korea and Vietnam in a variety of aircraft including fighter, transport and electronic warfare aircraft.  He

earned the Distinguished Flying Cross for his com-bat flying. During his Air Force career, magers played for the Air Force on inter-service football championship teams and coached football.  After his retirement, he coached football at the high school level. 

magers was a lifetime member of the Boys Town national Alumni Association and was serving on the Board of Directors for a second time.

magers was inducted into the Boys Town

Alumni Athletic Hall of Fame in may.  He was involved with the BTnAA as a committee chair-man and active region director.

He and his late wife, Carol, who passed away in April, resided in Fort mills, south Carolina.  surviving magers are his children, leo and mark magers, lynn magers-Pardo, Rebecca smith, Amy Richardson, laura Barclift, and his 16 grandchildren. magers was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Carol D. magers, and his beloved son, Brad magers.

Burial will be at Arlington national Cemetery in Washington, DC in the summer of 2011. magers and his wife will be buried in a joint ceremony.

Remembering Leo Magers, ‘48, USAF Retired, BTNAASM Region 5 Board Member

This issue’s roll call includes the names of some Boys Town alumni who died a number of years ago but whose passing was only recently reported to the Boys Town National Alumni Association.

RoBERT A. WHiTE, D '31, passed away on July 10, 1993, in Eugene, oregon.

AnTon "TonY" GERWiCK, '38, passed away on January 3, 2011, in medford, oregon.

ViRGil HEnRY DEsoTA, D '41, passed away on January 22, 1999, in Grand Rapids, michigan.

lEonARD J. oRTiz, D '42, passed away on April 4, 2010, in Reno, nevada. leonard was a Charter member of the Boys Town national Alumni Association.

lEonARD CHARiTY, D'48, passed away on February 1, 2003, in Brooklyn, new York. leonard was a Charter member of the Boys Town national Alumni Association.

lEo J. mAGERs, '48, passed away on november 27, 2010, in Charlotte, north Carolina.

JoHn BERnARD CAHill, JR., '52, passed away on november 10, 2010, in Buford, Georgia. John was a lifetime member of the Boys Town national Alumni Association.

JAmEs "JimmiE" mARTin, D'52, passed away on July 26, 2009, in lansing, Kansas.

BooKER T. PHilliPs, '53, passed away on December 31, 2010, in Columbia, south Carolina. Booker was a lifetime member of the Boys Town national Alumni Association.

JEssE o. iRVin ii, D'58, passed

away on December 29, 2010, in omaha, nebraska.

sAnTiAGo (JAmEs) CAlDERon, '60, passed away on February 19, 1989.

CliFFoRD EDWARD JACKson, '60, passed away on February 4, 2006, in saint Cloud, minnesota.

RiCHARD A. sloVE, '60, passed away on may 20, 2010, in streamwood, illinois.

DAniEl W. sTEPHEns, '60, passed away in march of 1989.

FRAnKlin H. FoosE, '61, passed away on June 21, 2010, in Aurora, Colorado.

louis J. GARzA, '62, passed away on January 6, 2011, in omaha, nebraska. louis was a lifetime member of the Boys Town national Alumni Association.

EDWARD PATRiCK DuFFY, '66, passed away on June 16, 2008, in oregon.

FRAnKiE CARl DoYlE, '70, passed away on november 27, 1994, in Denver, Colorado.

JosEPH m. BACon, D'84, passed away on December 19, 2010, in omaha, nebraska.

WilliAm "Will" J. JAYCox, '94, passed away on november 26, 2010, in murfreesboro, Tennessee.

JunE sTRAuss passed away on December 6, 2010. June was a former Boys Town national Board member and was a key driver behind the first non-nebraska cam-pus in Tallahassee, Florida in 1985.

Greetings Auxiliary members,When you are reading this i hope you are not

worrying about snow, snow removal, ice and put-ting down salt or all the activities associated with inclement weather. We have had our fair share but

not as much as some of you. Keep your chin up, this too shall pass.The next time it gets really cold, my suggestion is to think about

July 29-31, 2011 and the Boys Town national Alumni Association (BTnAA) Convention. That should warm you up a bit, melt the snow and get you ready to start wiping perspiration from your brow. Yes, the alumni association is working with all deliberate speed to make this convention, the 30th, the best convention ever as they celebrate the 60-year anniversary of the BTnAA.

so all you have to do is get ready to attend.

i encourage you to go on line at www.boystownalumni.org to stay abreast of the plans for the convention. Again we will be needed to help with registration and to serve as general welcoming faces and helping hands for persons attending the convention. of course we will have our usual Auxiliary meeting and silent auction. Please let me know if you have any items to contribute to the silent auction.

Please let me know if you plan to attend the convention and if you will be able to help with registration and the silent auction. Also, if you have any agenda items for our meeting, send them to me and i will be sure they are on the agenda.

stay warm and most of all stay safe. spring is coming, trust me.God Bless,

margaret Crossamargaretcross@bellsouth.net, 919-465-2242

In Loving Memory

From the Auxiliary President

Leo Magers

www.boystownalumni.org 11 | Alumni news

nearly 60 years ago the Boys Town Alumni Association was founded.  over the years, mem-bers were paying dues on an annual basis.  in 1984, Joe ortega, ‘47, and the leadership of the BTnAA created a new membership cat-egory; the lifetime member.  The idea caught on quickly as many alumni took advantage of this new membership category to support the BTnAA and to benefit from not having to make annual dues payments for the rest of their lives.

since that humble beginning, the number of lifetime members has steadily grown and is now on the verge of reaching the milestone goal of 1,000.  Presently, there are 962 lifetime members of the BTnAA.  our goal is to reach 1,000 lifetime members by the end of this year.

As an incentive to become a lifetime member, we are designating a special prize for the 1,000th lifetime member.

The alumnus who receives the lifetime membership number of 1,000 will win a framed, signed and numbered BTnAA special Edition of the Paul otero, ‘68, Father Flanagan Print (approximately 11”x 17”) and a signed

copy of the gallery qual-ity artist’s journal describ-ing the process, thoughts and feelings of the artistic journey otero encountered while creating the wonder-ful portrait of our beloved founder.

The 1,000th lifetime member will be deter-mined by the date and time their membership applica-tion and full payment is received and processed in the Alumni office.  our longtime BTnAA office volunteer, supporter, membership coordinator and dear friend of the Alumni, Jerri novotny, will determine which person will receive lifetime membership num-ber 1,000.  Jerri has been involved with the lifetime membership effort since assigning lifetime member number 1 to sam Breci, ‘41, Founding President of the Boys Town Alumni Association.

if you are making installment payments on your lifetime membership, now would be the time to complete your payments so that you will have an opportunity to be eligible for the special prize.  Who knows, you could end up receiving the coveted 1,000 as your lifetime member number.

Go to the alumni website and join today!

STACY GoNZAlES, ‘94OMAHA, NEBRASKAstacy graduated from the national Tooling and machine Association training Center in norwalk, California in February of 2011. He has relocated to omaha and will be working in the machine and tooling indus-try. He is very appreciative of the training he received at Boys Town and credits the completion of his schooling to the skills he learned while at BT.

CAEli MorFord-FEllEr, ‘96OMAHA, NEBRASKACaeli works at l i f e C o m / A i r methods as a Transfer Center supervisor. she enjoys spending time with family and friends, bike riding, golfing, fishing and shop-ping. Caeli is planning on attend-ing the BTnAA Convention this summer and catching up with old friends.

MiChAEl WilliAMS, ‘66FAIRBANKS, ALASKAmichael is retired after

owning and managing a roofing company for 32 years. His son has now taken over the busi-ness. He says he plans on leav-ing Alaska in march of 2011 and wants to “travel to all the lakes i can find and just fish and enjoy the lower 48.”

GErAld lillY, ‘66NASHVILLE, TENNESSEEGerald is retired from the metropol-itan Transportation Authority. He is looking forward to attending the BTnAA Convention this summer.

doNAld poSEY, ‘89TUCSON, ARIZONADonald has three chil-

dren (stephen, sunday and P.J.) and enjoys all kinds of music. He is planning on attending the BTnAA Convention this summer.

Where Are They Now?JohN doYlE, d ‘91ROCKVILLE, CONNECTICUT

John graduated from the university of Connecticut in 2009. He earned a Bachelor of General studies degree, focusing on the areas of law, philosophy and anthropolo-gy. He works with the VisTA pro-gram at AmeriCorps in Hartford, Connecticut.

ChriSToS piliAFAS, ‘91TRAVERSE CITY, MICHIGANChristos is the CEo of Caged Aggression llC and Great lakes mixed martial Arts (mmA). He also competes in mmA at the professional level for King of the Cage. He is planning on attending the BTnAA Convention this summer.

rENEA STArr, d ’99MEMPHIS, TENNESSEERenea graduated from the national College of Business and Technology-Tennessee in 2009 as a medical office Assistant and was honored by being named on the Dean’s list. she has a daughter (Adriana) who fills her life with joy.

lESliE NuNEZ, ‘10PERU, NEBRASKAleslie attends Peru

state College and participates in the choir and is on the dance team. she enjoys taking part in cam-pus activities and has played pow-der-puff football in the intramural sports program. leslie says she is planning on transferring to the university of nebraska at Kearney at the end of the school year. she is planning on attend-ing the BTnAA Convention this summer.

’80s

’60s ’90s

’10s

BTNAASM 1,000th lifetime Member to Win Father Flanagan print

50 Year Reunion: Missing Classmates

1961Erwin CheatumBernard McLeaney

John ProudJohn Watson

1960Donald AndersonAnthony CastelloRichard Cho

Robert LittleGerald MorganLaverne NealJames Oliver

Harold ToddJohn WiseEugene Young

Father Flanagan’s Boys’ Home Boys Town, nE 68010

Biennial ConventionJuly 29-31, 2011

Boys Town, Nebraska

The Original Father Flanagan’s Boys’ Home

non-Profit org.u.s. Postage

PAiDBoys Town, nE PERmiT no. 1

www.boystownalumni.org

60Years

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