St. Mary's Academy saved

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FUN DAY ON SATURDAY

The next fundraiser for St. Mary's Academy is 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday at the Champlain Town Offices, 729 Route 9, rain or shine.

The event includes a car wash, bouncy house, cotton candy, hot-dogs and hamburgers, hula-hoop contest, bake sale, face painting, Twister game for children and other activities. Dr. John Southwick will give rides in his vintage car. Town trucks will be on display.

A pig roast starts at noon. Tickets are $8 for the meal; $1 for beverage. The karaoke contest is 2 p.m.

Also taking place will be the free and delayed-by-weather Dodge Memorial Library Friends of the Library Easter Egg Hunt at 12:30 p.m. Fun Day co-organizer Jane West said 2,000 eggs will be hidden on the grounds.

A silent raffle features at least 25 packages including tools, hand-made afghans, gift certificates, pillows, jewelry and a barbecue kit. Tickets are $1 each or six for $5.

No town resources will be used for the event, West stressed. Generators will power the bouncy house and rotisserie. Doug Pilon of Chazy is providing a tanker truck of water for the car wash. Portable toilets will be available so town facilities won't be used.

"There have been numerous personal contributions," West said. "From electricity to water to helium for the balloons, everything, everything, everything is provided. The Town of Champlain taxpayers are not contributing a dime (through taxes)."

Also Saturday is the "Go the Extra Mile" walkathon — walkers will leave from the Rouses Point Civic Center at 11 a.m. and end their trek at Fun Day. Participants will receive a hot dog and beverage.

To volunteer for Fun Day or enter the karaoke contest, call 298-8160, Ext. 5.

A Zumbathon to benefit the school takes place 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday, May 15, at the Rainbow Wedding and Banquet Hall in Altona. Cost is $10; age 12 and younger are free.

Learn more or make donations at http://stmarys.worldwordweb.com, http://www.facebook.com/StMarysAcademy or by calling the school at 298-3372.

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May 5, 2011

SUZANNE MOORE News Editor The Press Republican Thu May 05, 2011, 06:48 AM EDT

CHAMPLAIN — St. Mary's Academy will be open next school year.

And, officials hope, many years to come.

This week, the parochial school reached — then passed — its fundraising goal of $80,000.

The total now is $80,709, with more fundraisers — including Fun Day on Saturday — still to come.

Principal Marie Cordata Kelly, deeply appreciative of the efforts of school staff, families and the community at large, said the $80,000 will pay off debt owed by the school but that it's vital the fundraising continues.

"We do not want to get into this situation again," she said. "We would like to have a reserve."

Recent revenues include a net profit of $5,500.25 from an auction and $1,275 from a Texas Hold'em event.

ENROLLMENT OPEN

Health insurance and a decrease in tuition revenue are among the issues that created the crisis that, in February, seemed to spell doom for the preschool-through-grade-six school.

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Ogdensburg told St. Mary's Parish its school would be slated for closure should the debt go unpaid past June 1. Parents of students met shortly afterwards to mount an effort to save the school and planned numerous events.

The academy provides numerous jobs and provides a site for events including basketball tournaments and exercise classes.

Most of all, Cordata Kelly said, "it's a home for our children ... gospel values that cannot be taught in a public school and have to be instilled in the heart."

There's no bullying at St. Mary's, she said, which welcomes students of all faiths and backgrounds.

The school offers Universal Pre-K, preschool for 3-year-olds and follows the same calendar as the Northeastern Clinton Central School District. Scholarships are available, Cordata Kelly said, and no child is turned away because of inability to pay. Enrollment is open now for next school year.

Cordata Kelly encourages families to come visit, to drop off children for a time to experience what the school is all about first-hand.

There were doubts when the fundraising campaign was launched, she said. But it's clear now.

"God wants our school open."

Email Suzanne Moore at: smoore@pressrepublican.com