Reunion Breaks Record! Over 640 Celebrate at Molloy
On Saturday, November 2nd, Archbishop Molloy High School was truly buzzing. Of course, that will happen when you host one of the largest alumni events in school history. When word of this year’s Stanner Alumni Reunion reached our class years ending in 3 and 8, and our track & field alumni, interest was remarkably high. There was so much buzz, in fact, that Molloy quickly began to see record registration numbers in anticipation of the big night. Alumni spread the word to their classmates, got organized, and made plans to return proudly to their alma mater. Little did they know they would be making history.
It all started with the enthusiasm of the Class of 1963. Celebrating their 50th Anniversary in 2013, four class officers stepped up to track down their classmates and invite them to what would be an incredible evening. Tom Sarosy, Bob Corrigan, Damon Pouyat, and Richard Bauer searched far and wide for their classmates, finding some as far as California and others right here in Queens. After months of phone calls, emails and planning, the Class of 1963 boasted over 85 alumni on reunion night – including some that had not returned to Molloy in 50 years. They were pleasantly surprised upon their arrival, realizing that while some things change for the better, like the William J. Murphy Library and the Ralph DeChiaro Theater, others stay the same. When they saw the hallways, the original bricks, the campus layout, and other hints of the 1950’s and 1960’s, there was no shortage of nostalgia. Also among the Class of 1963 were 10 individuals who attended St. Ann’s and Molloy together for 12 years, which is extremely rare: Br. Kevin Brogan, Francis Fitzpatrick, Ernest Liebre, Harold Magee, William McAdams, James McDermott, Damon Pouyat, Tom Sarosy, and Steve Surman. Though they would tell you it was no trouble at all, Tom, Bob, Damon and Richard deserve much recognition and thanks for their efforts in assembling this proud group of alumni.
Elsewhere, the Class of 1988 celebrated their 25th Anniversary reunion. Notoriously one of the most enthusiastic classes in recent memory, ’88 assembled over 50 classmates to return to Molloy and collect their silver anniversary medals. Would you expect anything less with Mr. Jim Sheldon ’88 and Mr. Jeff Gallagher ’88 as part of the crew? The Class of 1988 also benefited from the hard work of class officers including Sheldon, Gallagher, Bob Metzger, Anthony Filorimo, Charles Rabus, Nick Labella, and Steve Scacalossi. Their phone calls, emails, and Facebook messages paid off in a big way. Other anniversary classes boasted impressive numbers as well, creating an exciting atmosphere throughout the evening.
The night began with the annual Mass of Remembrance, giving alumni an opportunity to pray together and honor the members of our community who we have recently lost. Mass was celebrated by Fr. John Serio ’71 and concelebrated by Fr. Joe Franco ’93, who had many fans among his fellow ’93 grads in attendance. Following Mass, anniversary medals were awarded to the Classes of 1953, 1963, and 1988. They would proudly wear their medals for the remainder of the night.
As alumni moved on to their cocktail receptions, their route took them past the newly dedicated Track & Field Wall of Honor. Featuring many of the greatest athletes in St. Ann’s and Molloy history, the wall would become home to 12 new honorees that evening. Molloy honored Fred Ammann ’68, Francis Gallagher ’68, Richard Gumbs ’68, Kevin Krenn ’68 (posthumously), Phil McCluskey ’68, Robert Russell ’68, Gilbert Peters ’69, Elnar Rod ’69, Michael Sweeney ’72, Frank Gambino ’74, and Steve Parham ’88 for their outstanding performances, many of which still qualify as all-time records in Molloy and CHSAA history. A special treat for those attending the reunion, legendary coach Frank Rienzo was on hand to lead the celebration of Molloy’s great track & field program. Molloy presented Coach Rienzo with a replica of his plaque that currently resides on the Wall of Honor, while George Ruotolo ’68 represented alumni in presenting their beloved coach with an award of their own. Rienzo then addressed the crowd, thanking everyone who came out to celebrate the program while offering some light-hearted remarks. “By the looks of it, I think we all need to get out on the track and run some laps,” Rienzo joked upon seeing many of his former runners.
As alumni took their seats i
n the Jack Curran Gym, President Richard Karsten ’81 welcomed the crowd of 645 strong and introduced them to the 19 Stanner Hall of Famers in attendance. As they each took a bow, the largest ovation went to Mr. John Diorio, who taught the majority of the people in the room at one time or another. Also in attendance were three great Marist Brothers who hold special connections to Molloy and its community. Br. Roy George ’62, Br. Ben Consigli ’80, and Br. John Klein had not all been at Molloy together in quite some time, and their presence served as a great moment for the countless alumni they taught and inspired over the years.
The remainder of the evening included dinner, dancing, adult beverages, some very delicious cheesecake, and the highly anticipated class photos. Alumni reminisced, reconnected, and forged new friendships as part of a remarkable night. All in all, the reunion was an rousing success because of the hard work and dedication of so many. From the Stanner Alumni Center staff, to the many alumni volunteers that recruited their classmates, to the student and faculty volunteers that worked so hard. We also thank our hired alumni for their great work, including Frank Bailey ’75 with Delmar Photography, James Dellapace ’80 and his wait staff, and our DJ Paul Senica ’12.
As we look ahead to next year’s reunion, we prepare for the largest graduating class in Molloy history in the Class of 1964. We also prepare for the first reunion in which two coed classes, 2004 and 2009, will be reuniting at the same time.
Browse our photo gallery on Facebook or view class photos below.
Around the School
Students Raise Pledges for 20th Annual Walk-A-Thon
You don’t often see more than 1,500 students and faculty members walking up and down the streets of Queens. While this may seem out of the ordinary to some, it would elicit many fond memories for thousands of Stanner alumni. For the past 20 years Molloy has set aside a special day on its school calendar for the annual Walk-A-Thon. The only student-driven fundraiser of the year, every homeroom, along with faculty and staff, walks the 10K route each October in an effort to raise money for the benefit of their school. The Walk-A-Thon has changed a bit in recent years, now utilizing a new route that is safer and less intrusive to larger intersections and higher traffic areas in surrounding Briarwood. Upperclassmen can now also choose from several different activities in lieu of completing the Walk-A-Thon, including football, ultimate frisbee, Zumba, and the World Trade Center walk. And of course, any of our track alumni would remember this day as the Run-A-Thon, heading out before their classmates to get a leg up on running the 10K route. The goal of the day, however, remains the same: raising money to improve Archbishop Molloy High School.
According to Principal Br. Thomas Schady, “Thanks to the enthusiastic support of our students and their families, this year’s Walk-A-Thon surpassed our original goal with pledges totaling over $160,000.” These funds will be allocated for planned upgrades to the school’s student cafeteria facilities. These improvements will bring in natural daylight and create a sense of openness in addition to facilitating better access to food areas and speedier service during lunch. The environment will also be more comfortable for students with the installation of new seating and climate control. The school’s first floor chapel will also see several upgrades to its design, including new carpeting, seating, energy-saving lighting and air conditioning. These spaces are used every single day at Molloy, and the great generosity of our students and their families has ensured our school can continue to offer top-rate facilities as part of our overall award-winning learning environment. Special thanks to all of our students and their families, our dedicated faculty and staff, and the local police precinct for keeping everyone safe during the walk.
Coat Drive
Molloy students have begun cleaning out their closets in an effort to donate as many used coats as possible to needy individuals this season. Campus Ministry will be accepting all coat donations as well as collecting money for two weeks in order to purchase brand new coats for 2 local shelters. Those individuals who receive coats are always extremely grateful for our community’s generosity, and we want to keep that spirit alive this November. All coats and donations must be collected at the school by November 18th. So come on down to Molloy and donate a coat! You’ll be keeping someone in need warm this winter.
Sports Update
It seems that every Fall our athletes pick up right where they left off in Spring. Even with many varsity players departing for college and underclassmen stepping up to fill their roles, Molloy’s athletics program never misses a beat. Not only does Molloy boast talented young athletes, but a dedicated coaching staff that emphasizes hard work and moral values along the road to success. This season, several Molloy teams established themselves as champions. The Boys Varsity and JV soccer teams both earned the Brooklyn/Queens Diocesan Championships. Both teams also fought hard in their respective playoffs, but lost in the City Championship Finals. Rounding out the success of Molloy’s soccer program, the Girls JV soccer squad won the NSCHSAA “A” Division Championship. In Volleyball, the Girls JV volleyball team reached the finals of the diocesan playoffs.
Alumni Race at Van Cortlandt Park
On the track, the Boys and Girls Varsity and JV teams each won Brooklyn/Queens Sectional Championships. The Boys sophomore team were also Brooklyn/Queens Sectional Champions. Our Girls sophomore team and Boys and Girls freshmen teams each finished second in the Brooklyn/Queens Sectionals. Molloy’s runners are looking forward to tomorrow’s city championship races at Van Cortlandt Park in The Bronx. Alumni races will also take place at the park beginning at 12:15pm. There are always many Stanners that participate in this alumni race, and if you’d like to make last minute plans to join the fun, come on down to Van Cortlandt Park tomorrow morning! It’s a scoring race, so be prepared to run hard!
While recently visiting family in the area, Edwin Ramos ’85 stopped by Molloy for the first time in many years. Edwin is a retired technical sergeant with the United States Air Force. He has been married for 21 years and is a proud father as well. He and his family currently live in Peterborough, England with no plans of changing addresses anytime soon. Edwin is bi-lingual and possesses strong skills in mathematics, physics and engineering – just a few reasons why the Air Force proved to be a good fit for him. While in the USAF Edwin worked on many planes and instructed many new cadets. According to Edwin, he modeled himself after his former Government teacher, Mr. John Diorio. “Mr. Diorio is the reason why I joined the Air Force,” Edwin explained. “When I instructed cadets, I modeled myself according to Mr. Diorio’s example.” During his visit, Edwin was impressed with the changes around Molloy and excited for future Stanners. “I hope current students know that Molloy is one of a kind, and they should appreciate everything the school offers because it goes well beyond just teaching academics,” said Edwin. “It teaches life, and how to live it the best that you can.”
Marisa Raimondi-Smith ’07 and her husband Mike are very excited to announce to the Molloy community the birth of their daughter, Meadow Rose, on September 3rd, 2013 at 11:34pm. Meadow was happy and healthy, weighing in at 6 pounds, 12 ounces and measuring at 19 inches. Congratulations to the proud mom and dad! (Photo courtesy of tammy michelle photography)
Mike Connolly ’90 was one of several Stanners to run this year’s New York City Marathon on Sunday, November 3rd. Mike’s run had a remarkable purpose beyond his own desire to finish the race: raising money for the Brain Tumor Foundation in honor of his sister Marybeth, who suffers from the disease. Over the past two years, Mike has raised $39,000 in donations for the organization. Great work, Mike!
Three Stanners from the Class of 1962 recently had lunch at Duffy’s in Stuart, Florida. Pictured from left to right are Dennis Hartnett, a retired High School Teacher and Football Coach; Charlie Chomas, still working but having fun; and Clem Crea, a retired Superintendent of Schools. Dennis and Clem did not attend the Class of 1962’s 50th anniversary reunion in March 2013, but Charles was able to connect with them in Florida as a result of the reunion team effort he and his fellow classmates undertook to reach all graduates from their year. The trio were thrilled to catch up and hope to do so again in the near future.
We are saddened to share news of the passing of Karen Guerrero, daughter of Thomas McKnight ’64 and Christine. Karen passed away on October 21st after a long and courageous battle against cancer. Karen is also survived by her uncles Dan McKnight ’70, Frank McKnight ’75, and Br. James McKnight ’60. Please pray for the Karen and the Guerrero and Mcknight families.
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