Fundraiser:
Peter Gelinas Memorial Scholarship
Organized
by the Xavier High School Class of 1986
The Xavier High School community and Madison, CT
suffered a painful and shocking loss in the death of Peter Gelinas during the
attacks of the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center on 9/11. Peter’s death was both sudden and
senseless. In the wake of 9/11, Peter,
like many who perished, left behind a loving spouse, and two young sons. Peter represented
all the best characteristics in a young man. He was an enthusiastic, proactive, and
positive member of his community. He always included others in the fun, and he
stuck up for the most vulnerable members of our community who needed help. We
remember him from our shared time at Xavier High School as a friend and
teammate, an exemplary scholar-athlete who shined as the captain of the
football team. Peter went on to higher education at Villanova and success in
the Manhattan firm Cantor & Fitzgerald.
Since 2001, many of us have participated in remembrance
ceremonies for Peter and other victims of the 9/11 attacks. There is a bench
dedicated to him along the shoreline at the Surf Club, and a memorial plaque with
his yearbook picture outside the doors of the Xavier Chapel. In any city with a 9/11 memorial you can
touch the letters of his name where he is listed with so many others and
remember the man who is no longer with us.
While we all remember Peter in our own private way,
especially when a new anniversary of 9/11 comes and goes, we classmates of his
have set out to honor his memory in an living and breathing manner. We are establishing a memorial scholarship at
Xavier High School in Peter's honor. Creating a recurring gift of a partial scholarship
requires a minimum endowment of $25,000. The more we raise the more support we
can provide to a deserving incoming freshman every year. After a short campaign, we are happy to
report that we have already received pledges in excess of $10,000 from a core
cadre of alumni and Peter’s teachers who remain at Xavier.
Our deadline to make the Peter Gelinas Memorial
Scholarship a reality for the next incoming class is June 30, 2013. Peter is an
important facet of the Xavier community and he has even deeper roots in his
hometown Madison where many friends remember him with fondness. As the calendar
year of 2012 comes to a close, please consider making a contribution to this
worthy effort. Your contribution is
tax-deductible as well so please take that into consideration prior January 1st.
With your financial support of any amount within family
budget, this idea, started by a few of Peter’s friends will become a recurring
scholarship for students who need not only financial assistance, but also nurturing
of the characteristics that personified Peter. If you have any questions about
the scholarship, please contact me, Chris Coppola, or Matt Strekel ’99,
Director of Advancement at Xavier High School at (860) 347-6079 or mstrekel@xavierhighschool.org .
Warmest regards to you and your families during this
Holiday season!
Chris
Christopher Coppola
237 Sunbury Rd. Danville, PA
17821
(570)380-3686
Online giving via: www.xavierhighschool.org/give
Donations by check to: “Xavier
High School” with “Peter Gelinas Scholarship” on memo line
and mailed to:
Peter Gelinas Scholarship, c/o
Matthew Strekel, Director of
Advancement Xavier High School
181 Randolph Road
Middletown, CT 06457
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