History of Cedar County Catholic School & Parishes Development Program & Blue Ribbon Development Committee
Compiled by Joani Potts, Cedar County Catholic Schools & Parishes Development Director
Launch the media gallery 1 playerDevelopment had been happening for years in the Catholic schools and parishes of Cedar County. Generations of Catholics have generously invested in, built and maintained our Catholic schools and churches. The Cedar County Catholic Schools and Parishes Development office and program is the offspring of previous generations' generosity of time, talents and resources.
Development today is an education process and ministry to strengthen the mission of the Church and Catholic education by providing for the churches' and schools' needs. The current Development Office has been an integral part of providing financial assistance for school improvement, academic and spiritual programs for Cedar Catholic High School and Holy Trinity, East Catholic and West Catholic Elementary Schools and all the Parishes in the Cedar County Catholic system.
In 1990, local church and school leaders recognized the need and importance for an organized and defined development program. Cedar Catholic High School established a development office in 1991. Principal Gary Dunn was instrumental in starting the school's development program after he had participated in development seminars and education. James Keiter was hired as a part time development director for Cedar Catholic High School from 1991 to 1995 while he also attended college. Some of Mr. Keiter's focused efforts were a computer drive in 1993, the annual "Dialing for Education" phonathon to raise money for the school's general budget, organizing a computer database for the school's alumni and donor cultivation.
The need for a complete development program for all the parishes and schools in our Catholic system became apparent as a Cedar County Catholic Education Commission coordinated educational needs between the three Cedar County Catholic grade schools and the high school. The purpose of a system-wide development program is necessary to coordinate the mutual donor base, fundraising events and fundraising schedules that Cedar County Catholic Schools and Parishes share as a cooperative effort for our Catholic system to survive and thrive.
It was proposed that the system-wide development program be called the Cedar County Catholic Schools and Parishes Development Office and a Blue Ribbon Development Committee would fund it. At that time, Msgr. John Flynn was Archdiocesan Development Director and his encouragement helped the current development program get started. Msgr. Flynn knew the commitment level of Catholic School and Parish members here for a Blue Ribbon Development Committee and Development program to work. Thus, the Blue Ribbon Development Committee was started through Msgr. Flynn's suggestions and as a result of a series of steering committee meetings that were held from May to December of 1995. Also at that time, the concept of a Blue Ribbon Committee was presented to the local parish councils. The Omaha Archdiocese Development Office instituted the concept of the Blue Ribbon Committee to support a development office at $1000 per year membership dues. The CCCSP Blue Ribbon Development Committee was modeled after the Archdiocesan Committee for Educational Development, which is the committee who funds the Archdiocese Development program. Mr. Keiter developed the Blue Ribbon Committee here by promoting and seeking individual or couple's memberships to get it started.
Those who served on the Blue Ribbon Steering Committee at the various meetings, as recorded in the meeting minutes, were: Tim. Kuchta, Holy Trinity, Gary Heine, Immaculate Conception, John Jansen, St. Boniface, Alfred and Clara Rolfes, and Joe and Donna Reifenrath, Ss.·Philip & James, James Keiter, CedarCatholic Development Director, and Duane Hoesing, Cedar County Catholic Education Commission. Others . who served on the Blue Ribbon Steering Committee at various times were Peter Burbach, Roger Wortmann, Chuck Steffen, Gary Dunn, Paul Steffen, John Mines, Marlen Schieffer, and Lenore Hoesing.
The Cedar County Catholic ·Education Commission later evolved into the Cedar County Catholic School Board. The Cedar County Catholic School Board is still a coordinating school board for Cedar Catholic School Board, West and East Catholic School Boards and Holy Trinity School Board. The CCCSP Development office/program and Blue Ribbon Development Committee are under the auspices of the Cedar County Catholic School Board by-laws. A Blue Ribbon Development Committee Executive Board is the immediate advisory board of the CCCSP D,evelopment Office.
The Blue Ribbon Development Committee officially started in January of 1996 with the first paid membership and charter member being our beloved Msgr. Cyril Werner.
The Cedar County Catholic School Board hired James Keiter, as first Development Director to serve Cedar County Catholic Schools and Parishes in the fall of 1995. Mr. Keiter hired Joani Potts as assistant director in January 1996.
Charter members of the new Blue Ribbon Development Committee on January 1, 1996 to July 1, 1996, included: Msgr. Cyril Werner, Marcell & Denelda Becker, Bud & Esther Becker, Peter & Eleanor Burbach, the late Helen Dwyer, Gary & Arlene Heine, Duane & Judy Hoesing, Jim & Sue Hochstein, Dan & Marsha Kathol, Gerald & Marjorie Miller, Alfred & Clara Rolfes, Chuck & Linda Steffen, Roger & Shari Wortmann, Tim and Judy Kuchta, Gerald & Connie Wiedenfeld, Chuck & Janet Albers, Roman & Nancee Sudbeck, Rudy and Anna Wortmann, Dennis & Lynette Hochstein, Joe and Donna Reifenrath, and Rod & Cindy Wiebelhaus.
The first Blue Ribbon meeting was a dinner meeting at the St. James Parish Hall on February 13, 1996. The Blue Ribbon Committee consisted of 15 memberships at that time. The first Blue Ribbon officers elected that evening were: Tim Kuchta, president, Helen Dwyer, vice president, Duane Hoesing, Treasurer, and Roger Wortmann, Secretary.
In the spring of 1996, Mr. Keiter recognized the call to go to the seminary and study for the priesthood. In April, he gave a notice to the Blue Ribbon Executive Committee, that he would not renew his contract as Development Director, effective June 30, 1996. Joani Potts was hired to fill the vacancy as Development Director beginning July 1, 1996. Mrs. Potts continues to be development director as she is in her ninth year at that position in the 2004-2005 school year.
Development office secretaries have been: Judy Hoesing, October 1996 to April 1998; Mary Heimes (Cedar student), December 1998 to August 1999; Karla Sudbeck, September 1999 to January 2002; Sheila Lammers February 2002 to August 2004; Patty Steffen, October 2004 to the present.
The Blue Ribbon Development Committee's full membership meets twice a year in January and July at a dinner meeting. The Blue Ribbon Executive Board meets four other times a year per quarter with the Development Director.
Mrs. Potts said, "The Development program has accomplished much in the past eight years. The program is still somewhat in its infancy and much remains to be done as evidenced by being in the midst of a capital campaign for the new activity center. Thank you for the prayers, support, commitment and integrity of a strong Blue Ribbon Development Committee to make the development program successful."
The Cedar Catholic Development Office was originally located in the Cedar Catholic building. The Cedar County Catholic Schools and Parishes Development Office is presently located next to the school cafeteria at Holy Trinity Elementary School.. In the future, it will be located just inside the main entrance of the new activity center when the activity center and additional rooms are completed.
"The genuine concept of development provides an intersection where faith and generosity are synonymous. It is absolutely phenomenal that generations before us practiced development in a sacrificial way and now we give that generous level of faith a name - development. Our benefactors have been many through the generations. May God bless them for their generosity and commitment," Mrs. Potts said.
