IT IS DONE!
In the early morning hours of this fourteenth day of riding, I headed west out of Valparaiso with, Tom Glennon, John Breckenfelder, Ron Stoffregen, on the last leg of my journey back to Marist. With 72.6 miles of cycling today I arrived back at Marist thankful for a safe return after a total of 1,054.6 miles of cycling and 22,229 ft. of climb from Esopus, NY where I began this journey on Sunday, June 28th. I put in a few miles extra over the two weeks for extra credit. It's always good to cover yourself with some extra credit. The roads were good, the weather just right, and the friendship and support of my fellow riders just what was needed to finish a journey to support the Marist students. As our group of four riders approached the Chicago area we were joined by Dominic Gattone '11, my son Owen '02, and my nephew, Tom. We arrived back at Marist after a quick jaunt through Mt. Greenwood with the assistance of the Chicago Police Department. We Glennon boys felt good to be chasing the police cruiser driven by Sgt. Brian O'Connor through Mt. Greenwod rather than having the police chase us. What a difference. (I'm just kidding. The Glennon boys always behave. ) It was great to see so many alumni, faculty, administrators, parents, students, and family back at Marist to celebrate the great support that has poured in during these last two weeks to financially support the Marist students in need.
With the great weather and clear roads, we, the little band of four cyclists, quickly and with great delight made our 72.6 mile journey from Valparaiso back to Marist. Along the way we stopped at St. John the Evangelist Church and The Shrine of Christ's Passion in St. John, IN. If you haven't been there I recommend it as a destination. Everything about the Shrine and St. John's Church is impressive and a worthwhile place to reflect upon our faith.
There are so many people that I have to thank for helping in this journey.
At Marist, Br. Hank Hammer, Larry Tucker, Ruth Maloney, Marty Wirtz, Tom Inzinga, Amy Hughes, Dee Snyder, Kerry Mullaney, Maggie McEldowney, and Patti Arvesen.
Riders that joined me and helped with their drafting, camaraderie, and humor: Tom Glennon, Young Tom Glennon, Ron Stoffregen, Gale Stoffregen, John Breckenfelder, Tom Gouterman, Young Owen Glennon, Gerald Beeson, and Dominic Gattone.
Hosts along the way including, Phil and Patti D’Amato in Nelsonville, NY; Br. Owen at the Marist Brothers Retreat House in Esopus, NY; Fr. Matt Newcomb in Port Jervis, NY; Fr. Chis Welch in Hancock, NY; Deacon Dave LaFortune and his wife, Tricia, in Hammondsport, NY; Fr. Ed Sheedy in Olean, NY; Fr. Mark Hoffman in Corry, PA; Matt and Beth Casey in University Heights, OH; Chuck Lamphier at Notre Dame; and Ed and Mary Gawdzik in Valparaiso, IN.
Those who traveled to join Carlin and I at the mass and dinner at Notre Dame including Br. Hank, Br. Paul, Br. Rich, Marty Wirtz, The Nicholsons, The Maxwells, The Leonards, Pat and Molly Quinn, Larry and Sharon Malito, Tom and Catherine Glennon, Gerald Beeson, Chuck and Sarah Lamphier, and my daughters, Carlin and Mary, and my daughter Mary's friend Courtney Vargas.
And you, Alumni, friends, parents, students, and family who have been so extraordinarily supportive of this effort to raise funds for the support of students in need at Marist High School. I am awed by the support this effort has generated. I am told by the good people in the development office that contributions came from forty-one different graduating classes of Marist High School.
And along the way, before the journey, during the journey, after the journey - my wife, my support team, Carlin.
I began this trip some two weeks ago reflecting at the cemetery in Esopus, New York about the generous spirit of the Marist Brothers with the faith and academic community that they brought to us on the south side of Chicago. There at Esopus lie many good Marist brothers who I came to know and respect over these last thirty-nine years for their work, devotion, and faith in the building of the Marist community in Chicago. I know that those of us who are Marist will continue that building and strengthening of the faith and education in this corner of the world at 115th & Pulaski. I thank all of you again for showing your generosity in helping to provide that Marist education continues in hearts, minds, and souls for the current generation.
In the meantime, as my adventure on the bike ends, the adventure that is Marist continues and for all of us, the adventure of life. Haven’t we all been so blessed? And don’t we owe it to ourselves and to others to approach life with a sense of adventure, willing to approach the unknown, overcome fear, work dilligently, share our gifts, talents and life itself with others, and be thankful yet responsible to a good God who has made this gift of life possible for us all?
This place called Marist is a sacred place to me because of the wonderful people and the wonderful things that happen here spiritually, academically, and athletically. It takes a lot of good and devoted people doing a lot of good a lot of the time for it all to happen.
And finally, let us always remember---- to pray for each other.
Amen.
In the early morning hours of this fourteenth day of riding, I headed west out of Valparaiso with, Tom Glennon, John Breckenfelder, Ron Stoffregen, on the last leg of my journey back to Marist. With 72.6 miles of cycling today I arrived back at Marist thankful for a safe return after a total of 1,054.6 miles of cycling and 22,229 ft. of climb from Esopus, NY where I began this journey on Sunday, June 28th. I put in a few miles extra over the two weeks for extra credit. It's always good to cover yourself with some extra credit. The roads were good, the weather just right, and the friendship and support of my fellow riders just what was needed to finish a journey to support the Marist students. As our group of four riders approached the Chicago area we were joined by Dominic Gattone '11, my son Owen '02, and my nephew, Tom. We arrived back at Marist after a quick jaunt through Mt. Greenwood with the assistance of the Chicago Police Department. We Glennon boys felt good to be chasing the police cruiser driven by Sgt. Brian O'Connor through Mt. Greenwod rather than having the police chase us. What a difference. (I'm just kidding. The Glennon boys always behave. ) It was great to see so many alumni, faculty, administrators, parents, students, and family back at Marist to celebrate the great support that has poured in during these last two weeks to financially support the Marist students in need.
With the great weather and clear roads, we, the little band of four cyclists, quickly and with great delight made our 72.6 mile journey from Valparaiso back to Marist. Along the way we stopped at St. John the Evangelist Church and The Shrine of Christ's Passion in St. John, IN. If you haven't been there I recommend it as a destination. Everything about the Shrine and St. John's Church is impressive and a worthwhile place to reflect upon our faith.
There are so many people that I have to thank for helping in this journey.
At Marist, Br. Hank Hammer, Larry Tucker, Ruth Maloney, Marty Wirtz, Tom Inzinga, Amy Hughes, Dee Snyder, Kerry Mullaney, Maggie McEldowney, and Patti Arvesen.
Riders that joined me and helped with their drafting, camaraderie, and humor: Tom Glennon, Young Tom Glennon, Ron Stoffregen, Gale Stoffregen, John Breckenfelder, Tom Gouterman, Young Owen Glennon, Gerald Beeson, and Dominic Gattone.
Hosts along the way including, Phil and Patti D’Amato in Nelsonville, NY; Br. Owen at the Marist Brothers Retreat House in Esopus, NY; Fr. Matt Newcomb in Port Jervis, NY; Fr. Chis Welch in Hancock, NY; Deacon Dave LaFortune and his wife, Tricia, in Hammondsport, NY; Fr. Ed Sheedy in Olean, NY; Fr. Mark Hoffman in Corry, PA; Matt and Beth Casey in University Heights, OH; Chuck Lamphier at Notre Dame; and Ed and Mary Gawdzik in Valparaiso, IN.
Those who traveled to join Carlin and I at the mass and dinner at Notre Dame including Br. Hank, Br. Paul, Br. Rich, Marty Wirtz, The Nicholsons, The Maxwells, The Leonards, Pat and Molly Quinn, Larry and Sharon Malito, Tom and Catherine Glennon, Gerald Beeson, Chuck and Sarah Lamphier, and my daughters, Carlin and Mary, and my daughter Mary's friend Courtney Vargas.
And you, Alumni, friends, parents, students, and family who have been so extraordinarily supportive of this effort to raise funds for the support of students in need at Marist High School. I am awed by the support this effort has generated. I am told by the good people in the development office that contributions came from forty-one different graduating classes of Marist High School.
And along the way, before the journey, during the journey, after the journey - my wife, my support team, Carlin.
I began this trip some two weeks ago reflecting at the cemetery in Esopus, New York about the generous spirit of the Marist Brothers with the faith and academic community that they brought to us on the south side of Chicago. There at Esopus lie many good Marist brothers who I came to know and respect over these last thirty-nine years for their work, devotion, and faith in the building of the Marist community in Chicago. I know that those of us who are Marist will continue that building and strengthening of the faith and education in this corner of the world at 115th & Pulaski. I thank all of you again for showing your generosity in helping to provide that Marist education continues in hearts, minds, and souls for the current generation.
In the meantime, as my adventure on the bike ends, the adventure that is Marist continues and for all of us, the adventure of life. Haven’t we all been so blessed? And don’t we owe it to ourselves and to others to approach life with a sense of adventure, willing to approach the unknown, overcome fear, work dilligently, share our gifts, talents and life itself with others, and be thankful yet responsible to a good God who has made this gift of life possible for us all?
This place called Marist is a sacred place to me because of the wonderful people and the wonderful things that happen here spiritually, academically, and athletically. It takes a lot of good and devoted people doing a lot of good a lot of the time for it all to happen.
And finally, let us always remember---- to pray for each other.
Amen.
