Blogging Changes

"Progress is impossible without change." I used these words on progress to review my blog in order to figure out what changes need to be made. Readership of my blog was extremely high then dropped off quite a bit towards the end of the year. The novelty of the blog simply wore off. I need to do something different. If my blog isn't progressing, it is time to make some changes.

If you have been reading my blogs, you know that I have no problem trying to do things differently and changing things up. I'll take a chance on making things work. If it doesn't work, change/improve it and move on. With that being said, I am making several changes to my blog.

First of all, the blog is TOO long! A blog needs to be shorter because blogs should be a quick read. We live in a time where you have 3 to 9 seconds to get and keep people's attention. If not, the backspace and delete keys work quickly. So, I plan to shorten the blog.

Secondly, the blog focuses on too many topics. The blog should cover one topic at a time. Kind of like when you are writing a paper; focus on one topic.  In many of my previous blogs, I tried to cover way too many topics. So, I will focus on one topic for each blog. This will be so hard to do because I have so many topics I would like to cover.

Thirdly, I started this blog back in 2011 when I lived in Missouri. The reason I started this blog was to focus on Catholic education with an emphasis on Lasallian education because of my roots with the Christian Brothers. Not only am I a graduate of CBHS and CBU, but I also worked at CBHS, Holy Names, Helias, and Resurrection. All these schools were part of the Lasallian family. Plus, I am a founding member of the Blue Streak Scholarship Foundation, which is an organization whose mission is founded on the teachings of St. John Baptist de La Salle. Today, I am serving my third term as president of Blue Streak. My plan is to continue focusing on different aspects of Catholic education especially with updates on St. Ann Catholic School.

And finally, I will make the blog a little less predictable. Instead of publishing the blog every Sunday evening, I'll publish it at different times when I have something to share. And, I already have a long list of topics I would like to share via my blog.

Let's see what change will bring. Some people hate change. I'm not one of them.

God bless you,
Didier Aur, Principal
St. Ann Catholic School.

Mardi Gras in Memphis Sponsorships

Most people know that the Jubilee Schools will close after the 2018-19 school year. Many people have stopped supporting Jubilee Schools since the closure was announced. There is one huge problem with this; we still have two months left in this school year, and all of next year before we close our doors.

WE NEED YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT!

One great method of supporting the Jubilee Schools is through event sponsorships!

In this blog, I want to focus on the great people in our community who sponsored Mardi Gras in Memphis. For every fundraising event we host, sponsors make the events profitable. Money generated at an event generally pays for that event. In other words, events pay for themselves. Sponsorships is how an event generates revenue.

For Mardi Gras in Memphis, the Jubilee development office set a goal of raising $20,000 in sponsorships, and a stretch goal of $30,000. With lots of hard work and through the generosity of our donors, we reached the stretch goal of $30,000 in sponsorships for the Mardi Gras in Memphis!

Blue Streak Scholarship Fund was our double platinum sponsor! Even though this is the last Jubilee event Blue Streak plans to sponsor, they have donated over $1 million in support of Jubilee students. Blue Streak was formed in 2003 for the sole purpose of supporting the Jubilee Schools. The Blue Streak board members are currently re-writing their mission and figuring out where to throw their support.

Billy and Gayle Posey, through Greystone & Co., Inc. were platinum level sponsors. Billy is a graduate of Memphis Catholic and has supported the Jubilee students for so many years in so many ways. They have sponsored every event we have had since I have been with Memphis Catholic. They usually don't wait to for me to ask before offering support. We can never thank Billy and Gayle enough for their support.

Boyle Investment Company (Gold Level) have increased their support of the Jubilee School over the last three years. Their support helps many of our families with tuition assistance. If not for great companies such as Boyle, families could not afford a Jubilee education. Thank you to everyone at Boyle Investment Company especially the Boyle and Morgan families for their philanthropic work in our community and their desire to make a positive difference in the lives of our children.

Independent Bank (Gold Level) has sponsored the Jubilee Schools through Blue Streak for more years than I can remember. Frank Stuppy is my contact at I-Bank. You will not find a nicer person. He really cares for the Jubilee students, and wants what's best for our young scholars. Because of Frank, I-Bank is willing to support our students and our schools. I-Bank is constantly working to make a different in the lives of our students and in our community. Thank you Independent Bank!

Presto-X Pest Control (Gold Level) is one of our new event sponsors. Not only did they sponsor this event, but they had their folks out at the Mardi Gras in Memphis representing their company all day Saturday and Sunday. They are super nice people and supportive of the Jubilee Schools. If you are looking for a pest control company, contact Edward Minier at edward.minier@prestox.com or 888-759-2307. We are very thankful for their support.

Jimmy McElroy & Associates (Silver Level) sponsored the Taste of Jubilee last year and Mardi Gras in Memphis this year. They were our musical stage sponsor as well this year. We would like to thank Jimmy McElroy, Joseph Fox (Memphis Catholic '82), and Marcelle Nia for their continued support of the Jubilee students and the work taking place in our schools. Their support makes us better for our students.

Juice Plus (Silver Level) is a regular Jubilee sponsor. They have sponsored the schools through Blue Streak as well. Juice Plus sponsors the 5K, golf tournament, Wings of Jubilee, and now Mardi Gras in Memphis. Talk about wanting to improve our students and community, Juice Plus is doing something about it. Thank you Juice Plus and Paulo Teixeira for your kindness and generosity in support of the students of the Jubilee Schools.

Bank3 (Bronze Level) has really come to the support of Jubilee Schools since they opened their bank in Memphis. Banc3 sponsored our golf tournament, Wings of Jubilee, 5K, and Education That Works internship program. Now, they also sponsored Mardi Gras in Memphis. We would like to thank our great friends at Bank3 especially Frank Cianciola and Scott Hauss for taking a chance on our students. That chance has very much benefitted the Jubilee students especially the Memphis Catholic students interning at Bank3. Thank you Bank3.

Baptist Memorial Health Care (Bronze Level) has been a long running supporter of Memphis Catholic and Education That Works. They have sponsored the 5K for years and several interns every year. Now, they sponsored Mardi Gras in Memphis. Thank you to Cynthia Allen and the great people at Baptist Memorial Health Care for supporting the students of Memphis Catholic and the Jubilee Schools. You put the children first and we thank you for your love and kindness.

Michael & Silvia Hecht (Bronze Level) have supported the students of the Jubilee Schools since 2003 when Blue Streak first began. Their involvement began when they supported families at Holy Names Catholic School in North Memphis. Every year since, they have answered the call to help the children in giving those in need a better future. Michael has also been very instrumental in the Jubilee Schools receiving support from Juice Plus. Michael and Silvia have been incredible friends of the Jubilee Schools. For what they have done, we can never repay. Thank you!

Little Caesars (Bronze Level) has supported the Jubilee School since 2004-05 when they began helping Holy Names. Now, they support Our Lady of Sorrows, sponsor Education That Works at Memphis Catholic, and sponsor every event that the Jubilee Schools host. Marty and Julie Mathews have been our friends and have helped to improve the lives of many in our community. Our students and teachers benefit greatly from their support. Thank you Little Caesars!

Thank you to Pediatric Dental Group (Bronze Level) for sponsoring Mardi Gras in Memphis! John and Terry Acosta (Memphis Catholic '80) support many of our events and Education That Works. We can always count on their support to help the students. The most important work PDG does for our students is through mentorship in Education That Works. Their work has been a motivational factor in promoting academic excellence in our students in both high school and college. Thank you PDG for your support!

The Wharton Law Firm (Bronze Level) is Memphis Catholic! André Wharton, Alexander Wharton, and Monte Flowers are all graduates of Memphis Catholic. Mrs. Ruby Wharton is a strong believer and supporter of Catholic education. The Whartons sponsor most every event that  takes place at Memphis Catholic. They not only support, they participate. Thanks to The Wharton Law Fire for their many, many years of support including Education That Works.

Balfour/Commemorative Brands, Inc. (Copper Level) sponsors many of our events especially the annual 5K. Doug Kearney has a passion for Memphis Catholic and is always available to help the school. In my time with the Jubilee Schools, he has been one of the most consistent sponsors of our events especially if it has to do with Memphis Catholic. Thank you Balfour and Doug Kearney for your sponsorship!

Nexus Exxon (Copper Level) on the corner of Poplar and McLean has been a 5K sponsor for several years. We are good customers of Nexus Exxon so they support us. That's a nice partnership to have. So, if you are in the Midtown area and you need to fill-up on gas, snacks, or beverages, shop at Nexus Exxon and thank them for supporting Memphis Catholic and the Jubilee Schools.

Pendergrast Insurance (Copper Level) has also sponsored the Memphis Catholic 5K for several years. Jody and Cindy Pendergrast are wonderful supporters. You will find Cindy on campus every Monday and Wednesday morning for Mass. Looking for an insurance agent, contact Jody at (901) 507-7046 or jody@pcrins.com. Thank you to Pendergrast Insurance for your sponsorship!

Piretti Home and Garden (Copper Level) are relatively new sponsors of Jubilee events. They sponsored our golf tournament in the fall and now the Mardi Gras in Memphis. Richard is a former student of mine. When I contacted him about sponsoring Jubilee events, he didn't hesitate to help. For your home and garden needs, contact Richard at (901) 870-1679 or pirettihomeandgarden@gmail.com. Thanks again for sponsoring another Jubilee event!

Cargill (Copper Level) is a first time sponsor of Jubilee events. Thank you for helping our students and investing in their future.

Junior Achievement (Chrome Level) is another first time sponsor. We love our new and recurring sponsors. We need both in order to reach our goals and provide the best we can for our students. Thank you Sarah McDonald and JA for your help in making a positive difference.

Mid-South Minority Business Council Continuum: MMBC (Chrome Level) is yet another first time sponsor of Jubilee events. We thank you for supporting our students!

Patrick Rassi (Chrome Level) is a fantastic friend of the Jubilee Schools and a good Lebanese friend of mine. Patrick has supported the Jubilee Schools for some time now and wants the students to have a successful future. I asked him to sponsor Mardi Gras in Memphis and he did. Thanks Patrick!

Soccer Olé (Chrome Level) has sponsored just about more Jubilee events than anyone else. Rogerio and Simone Lima are great friends who want what is best for the children. We cannot thank them enough for their recurring support and their kind hearts.

Thank you to all our sponsors! You are greatly appreciated and much needed. You are helping to make our students and schools better. Please continue to sponsor our events!

Our next event is the Wings of Jubilee on Saturday, September 29th from 12-5pm at Memphis Catholic. My wing cooking team is ready!

God bless you,
Didier Aur

Want To Make a Difference? Invest In a Child.

"He who opens a school door, closes a prison." - Victor Hugo

Have you ever been to prison? I have, several times. It was enough to scare me straight. I wish somehow everyone could experience prison. I think we would view life and our actions a lot differently.

Just to set the record straight, my adult league soccer team used to play the prisoners at the federal penitentiary at Shelby Farms. We had a lot of fun playing soccer but it was scary being on the inside even though I knew that once the game ended, I would be on the outside. I felt just like Boov did in the movie Home: "Can I come in to the out now?" Those games versus the prisoners confirmed in me that I was going to be a law abiding citizen and toe the line. I want to do as much good as I possibly can in my community. I don't want anybody going to prison.

I'm not going to quote studies and statistics about the correlation between a education and prison.  I'm just going to quote Victor Hugo again. "He who opens a school door, closes a prison."

Have you ever opened a school? I have and it was the best thing I have done professionally. It was second to none. Wish I could open a school every year. That would be my dream job; traveling around the country opening schools. Now, that's a life well lived. Since that isn't going to happen, I plan to stay right here in Memphis and do the best I can to keep the Jubilee Schools open.

Why am I staying in Memphis to help the Jubilee Schools? Memphis needs me just like it needs you! If you are reading this blog right now, we need your help. I love this city, and Memphis needs more people working to develop and promote excellence in education.

I'm sick and tired of the violence. We cannot watch the news without hearing about another senseless murder. Do you realize how many people were shot in the Mid-South this past weekend from Harbor Town to Southaven to Millington to Fox Meadows? Our neighborhoods are filled with the blue light police cameras. I hate that we need to have them but we need to have them. The busiest people in the city are our men and women in blue. If we give ALL our children an EXCELLENT education, our police officers can slow down and catch their breath.

If education leads to a drop in crime, we should be investing all the money we possibly can in education!

We need every single person in this city investing in education, and I'm not talking about just paying taxes. We need to go above and beyond the tax thing and fully fund every public, charter, private, and religious school in this city to ensure ALL children receive an EXCELLENT education.

As the development director for the Jubilee Schools, my job is to help as many people as possible invest in the children of the Jubilee Schools. The more people invest in the schools, the fewer prisons we need. The more people invest in the schools, the more jobs will come to Memphis. The more people invest in the schools, the better our community becomes.

At the Jubilee Schools, we are always coming up with ways to get people involved and investing in the children. There is no secret to this. You invest in a child and a child succeeds. Invest in a child and prison becomes a non-factor. Don't invest in a child, might as well open another prison.

We have a plethora of ways you can invest in the life of a child to ensure they receive the education necessary to succeed in life.

#GivingTuesday, #Jubileeis4me
http://jubileeschools.org/givingtuesday
Jubilee Schools serve over 1,500 students across nine schools located in urban Memphis areas by supplying low-income students with significant need-based scholarships. This year our goal is to meet the needs of the areas we serve by expanding enrollment capacity; minimizing wait lists and incorporating modern classroom technology to ensure the Jubilee schools have a bright future serving the Memphis community.

10x10 Challenge
http://jubileeschools.org/10x10
It’s time for Jubilee’s second ever 10x10 Challenge. This challenge is for all members of the Jubilee family: faculty, staff, friends, and families! Participating is easy, and prizes will be awarded to the top performing teacher and school. When you invest via the 10x10 Challenge, select a teacher and school you would like to honor.

Jubilee Christmas Card- On Sale Now
http://jubileeschools.org/christmas
When you purchase these Christmas cards designed by our students, you are supporting a child at one of the nine Jubilee Catholic Schools in the Memphis area.

Back to School Appeal
http://jubileeschools.org/invest
The unique mission of the Jubilee Catholic Schools opens doors to students who would not otherwise have the opportunity for a quality faith-based education. If you believe all children have value, unique gifts, and the right to a quality, faith-based education... If you believe in helping those that have less than others... If you believe in Memphis then we invite you to join us.

Blue Streak 1,000 Club
https://bluestreakmemphis.net/1000-club
Make a difference in a child's life by partnering with BlueStreak Scholarship Fund today. The purpose of the 1K Club is to grow our membership and encourage long term annual support and recurring giving throughout donor base. By partnering with Blue Streak, we can continue to provide a Catholic education to Memphis families most in financial need.

If you would like to discuss other ways to help, please feel free to contact me at didier.aur@jso.cdom.org or 901-373-1226

Together, let's make a difference in the life of a child.

God bless you,
Didier Aur
http://didieraur.blogspot.com/
https://twitter.com/didieraur

Thank You Blue Streak!

Dear Blue Streak Members,

"We know that all things work for the good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose." - Romans 8:28

Jubilee School Students

As followers of Christ, we are asked to have faith in God’s plan for us. He is leading us to where He needs us. Following God’s plan is never easy, but when we take the road less traveled, God recognizes our efforts and gives us the strength to persevere.

I want to use this opportunity to simply say thank you for responding to His call in support of those who greatly benefit from your love. Your dedication in making a difference in the lives of the Jubilee students is greatly appreciated.

As you have probably figured out by now, I constantly use quotes to emphasize key ideas and why stop now. This next quote to me perfectly describes the work of the Blue Streak Scholarship Fund.

Pope Francis

“Growth can only occur if we respond to God’s grace through constant acts of love, acts of kindness that become ever more frequent, intense, generous, tender and cheerful.” — Pope Francis

Thank you for being a supporter of Blue Streak.  Thank you for your response to God’s grace through your constant acts of love and kindness. 

St. John Baptist de La Salle

As we rapidly approach Thanksgiving and the season of Advent, let us please continue to respond to God’s grace in support of the children of the Jubilee Schools.

As St. John Baptist de La Salle once said, “Let the way you live be that of the Gospel.”

God bless you and love,

Didier Aur

Click above for more information about the Blue Streak Scholarship Fund

Wings, Wings, and More Wings of Jubilee!

Teams Setting Up for Competition

Nineteen teams competed for the title of Holiest Hot Wings in Memphis at the 2017 Wings of Jubilee.

The Northwestern Mutual team led by Bill Drennan took home the top prize. I have a feeling the good folks at NM are going to enter a few more wings contest now that they have won the Wings of Jubilee. Rumor has it that Drennan is going to cook wings full-time.

Frank & Teddi Niedzwiedz with Team Skrydetka Kurczaka (Polish for chicken wings) came in second.  I noticed Frank eyeing the specialized cookers from some of the other teams (especially the Fat Head BBQ cooker). I believe next year, he will use his engineering and computer skills to design and build his own specialized wing/bbq cooking trailer. That will raise their game a notch or two.

Philip Schulte

Craig Blondis and Central BBQ, the big boys in the competition, came home in third. Who doesn't love Central BBQ wings! Central BBQ had the largest cooking trailer in the competition. Very impressive.

Most importantly, Team Blue Streak (my team), under the guidance of grill master Philip Schulte, took fourth place! Team Blue Streak was so happy not to finish in last place again. Schulte has been perfecting his special dry rub ever since last year's last place finish. He came all the way from Jefferson City, MO to help Blue Streak compete. Wouldn't surprise me if he started bottling his secret dry rub and we see Blue Streak Dry Rub in grocery stores.

Here' a little about each of the competing teams:

Coach/Chef Wood

-Ryan Trimm from Sweet Grass prepared wings with blue cheese. Doesn't get much better than that.

Mike Callahan

-James Shelton, principal at Resurrection, had the hottest wings in the competition. He claims they weren't hot but boy were they ever hot.
-Coach/Chef James Wood, representing Memphis Catholic, claims his wings were so good that they were all consumed before the judges got to sample.
-Mike Callahan was representing the cooking talents of all the Callahans with his secret Purple Haze sauce.
-The Knights of Columbus showed up in full force representing the area Catholics. Amen!
-901Q brought their monster mobile cooker/kitchen (a tiny house on steroids) representing Arlington.

901Q

New Wing Order

-Duncan Williams, led by grill master Kyle Gowen, had the best party area set-up. This wasn't their first rodeo.
-The youngest team to compete was led by Jonathan & Brittany Aur and Dustin & Kelly Jones. Their wings didn't quite make it to the top of the list, but they had the biggest/best party including a game of beer pong. Oh to be young again.
-New Wing Order was one of the new teams competing this year. Don't know much about them except they had the best shirts and banner.
-Mariko and Tiffany Wiley from Riko's Kickin Chicken (they serve up my favorite at their restaurant: Jerk Chicken with a side of broccoli and cheese) made the WOJ their first wings competition. Bet you it won't be their last. Their restaurant is located at 1329 Madison. It is worth the visit.
- Wings of Fire were a first time entry into the Wings of Jubilee. Thank you for your support.
-Neil's Music Room entered a team as well. Neil Heins is a graduate of Memphis Catholic and a fantastic supporter of all things Memphis Catholic.

Riko's Kickin Chicken

-R.J. Young, last year's winner, participated for a second year in a row. They had to defend their title and glad they did so.

Fat Head BBQ

-Wingy Dingy is another two time entry.  We hope to have them as a three time entry next year.
-Fat Head BBQ was the last team to enter the competition. It was great having them participate in the WOJ. I also want a cooker just like theirs.

A special thank you to our main sponsor for the second year in a row, Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen. We had three new sponsors as well: Christian Brothers High School, Paulo and Jeanne Aur, and Reynolds Bone & Griesbeck. Thank you to all the sponsors for investing in the Jubilee Schools.

Our in-kind sponsors were Little Caesars Pizza Pizza (donated pizzas, of course), Ledbetter Meats (donated hamburgers), Jonathan and Brittany Aur (donated beer for the VIP tent), Central BBQ (donated food for the VIP tent), and Jeremy Park & cityCURRENT (advertised the event). Thanks for helping to make Wings of Jubilee a success.

Bishop Emeritus J. Terry Steib

Everyone was thrilled to see Bishop Emeritus J. Terry Steib. Not only did he make an appearance, he also visited all the tents. Bishop Steib created the vision of the Jubilee Schools and we thank him for his dedication to the students of the Jubilee Schools.

Br. Chris Englert

Br. Chris Englert, president of CBHS, was also present. The Christian Brothers are huge supporters of the Jubilee Schools and sponsor De La Salle at Blessed Sacrament, the Jubilee School in Binghampton. We thank the Christian Brothers for their support and the thousands of volunteer hours CBHS students perform at the Jubilee Schools every year.

None of this would have been possible if it were not for the leadership of Angela Fox. Angela is the director of marketing and events for the Jubilee Schools. The Wings of Jubilee is her brain-child and she works tirelessly to make sure all Jubilee events are a success.  Thank you Angela for your leadership and strength. You have a special touch and I'm thrilled to be able to work with you.

Thank you to the many, many, many volunteers, including the students of Memphis Catholic and Jubilee School staff members, who gave of their time and energy to make this happen. A special shout out to Richard Jones, Lolita Miller, David Justice, Jeff Justice, Joe Fox, Philip Schulte, Mercedes Durham, and Kelley Aur for going above and beyond in setting up, working the event, and breaking down after the event was over. These folks are the super-volunteers we cannot do without. They did the same thing last year at the Wings of Jubilee and earlier this spring at the Tails of Jubilee. These events just don't happen and it takes a lot of effort to make the events fantastic.

We are already working on 2018 Wings of Jubilee. Our goal is to have forty wing teams competing for the title of Holiest Hot Wings in Memphis.

Our next event is the Memphis Catholic/Education That Works Golf Tournament on Friday, September 29th at Greens of Irene with a shotgun start at 8:00 am.  If you are interested in participating, volunteering, or sponsoring, please call me at 901-373-1226 or click on http://www.memphiscatholic.org/news-events/golf/ to sign up.

God bless you,
Didier Aur

Join The Fun: 2017 Wings of Jubilee

Until last year, I had never been a part of any cooking contest. Even though I was a cook at The Loft Restaurant during my high school years, entering a cooking contest never entered my mind until last year when I entered a team in the 2016 Wings of Jubilee.

I am fully committed to the mission of the Jubilee Schools and the philanthropic work of the Blue Streak Scholarship Fund. When Blue Streak decided to hold a hot wings cooking contest (Wings of Jubilee), I decided that I would enter a team not in an attempt to win a trophy but to support the Jubilee Schools and join the fun.

Had I ever cooked chicken wings before? No. Do I enjoy eating chicken wings? Yes, but not hot wings. I like mild wings with just a little bit of dry rub and not the dripping wet use a roll of paper towels type wings.

I hoodwinked my good friend, Philip Schulte, from Jefferson City, MO to come down and help me cook. He had never cooked wings before so it was all new to him as well.

The first time we cooked chicken wings was for last year's Wings of Jubilee. Philip and I concocted our secret recipe the night before the Wings of Jubilee. The sauce was created on a trial and error basis. We had no idea how most people even cooked wings. We marinated the chicken wings all night in our newly created secret sauce hoping we had created something good to share the next day.

Come the morning of the Wings of Jubilee, we set up our team tent with lots of food and drink. We fired up our grill and started cooking chicken wings for the first time ever. We had a lot of fun and our team tent was full through much of the day with lots of friends and family. With several live bands and lots of kids games, the place was hopping.

With the 2017 Wings of Jubilee rapidly approaching, Philip and I decided to enter our team once again. We helped raise money for the Jubilee Schools while having a great time supporting another Blue Streak event. This FUN-raiser was well worth it and we are ready to go again.

We stepped out of our comfort zone and ended up having a great time! It didn't matter that we had no idea what we were doing. We just said "YES" and had lots of fun.

We challenge all Jubilee and Blue Streak supporters to do the same for this year's Wings of Jubilee. Enter a team and invite your friends and family to come out for a day of fun. Enter a team from work and use this opportunity to treat your employees and clients to a fun day out and also as a thank you for being a part of your organization.

Here is a partial list of teams already entered:
Blue Streak
Rytech
Duncan William Asset Management
Skrydetka Kurczaka (Polish for chicken wings)
Northwestern Mutual
R.J. Young
Peggy & Mike Callahan
Wingy Dingy
Wing Dingers
Ray Fracchia
Neil's Music Room
Knights of Columbus (Matt Sorg)
Riko's Kickin' Chicken
Central BBQ
New Wing Order
Jonathan & Brittany Aur
901Q
Wing of Fire: T.J. Mulligan/Pinch
Memphis Catholic

Click here for the Wings of Jubilee website.

Click here to register a wings cooking team.

Click here if you would like to sponsor the Wings of Jubilee.

It is about having lots of fun with friends and family while supporting the Jubilee Schools. It is also about trying something new. Glad I did last year and looking forward to it again this year. Hope to see you out there having fun.

God bless you,
Didier Aur

Are You a Philanthropist?

"A philanthropist transforms the social wellbeing of others through generosity." - McCabe Callahan

Finding the philanthropists who want to transform the social wellbeing of our students in the Jubilee Schools is our goal.  These are the folks who are going to make the difference needed to change lives by providing our students with the opportunity for hope and success.

The current development team for the Jubilee Schools has been in place for less than eleven months. We are searching our way through the development process and in many cases starting from scratch. We have experienced many successes and I want to focus on one of these successes.

We, as a development team, were asked by the Jubilee Schools board of directors to meet several objectives with one major objective being to increase the number of new philanthropists to the Jubilee Schools. They gave us no specific number mainly because there was no real data to go by in setting a number.

We began the process by first cleaning up the database. If a person in our database never contributed to the schools or participated in any activities, they were removed from the database. We then worked to update contact information for the folks in our database to make sure they would be receiving communications from the Jubilee Schools office.

This was a long and tedious process that removed about 2/3 of the names from our database. We want philanthropists and volunteers in our database who are engaged in our mission and not a bunch of names of important people who aren't a part of our Jubilee School mission.

The next task was to set a goal for the number of new philanthropists to the Jubilee Schools. We still didn't have a formula to use so we set an arbitrary goal of bringing in 500 new philanthropists. We had no idea if this was achievable so we set a plan to get this done. We have to have a plan in order to achieve a goal.

The most important part of actually doing development work is to create engagement. To create engagement, we developed first time events and organizations such as the Wings of Jubilee, Tails of Jubilee, Blue Streak 1,000 Club, and Memphis Catholic Alumni Association. We asked the Memphis Catholic Hall of Fame to become more involved with the school. Blue Streak created CatholicTree.org to help the Jubilee Schools raise funds for non-budgeted items such as SMARTBoards, iPad charging carts, and even a new flag pole for Memphis Catholic. This week we will have our first ever End of the Year Bash at Neil's Music Room.

We also created the Jubilee Employee 10x10 Challenge to encourage new philanthropists to join our efforts. In the 10x10 challenge, we asked all Jubilee School employees to donate a minimum of $10 and/or pray one decade of the Rosary (10 Holy Marys) for the schools and ask 10 other people to do the same.

Between the Jubilee Schools and Blue Streak, we are currently at 450 new philanthropists on our way to hopefully reaching our goal of 500.

Part of the plan is not for a one time donation but for our philanthropists to become recurring donors. If we receive one time donations, that is nice but it doesn't transform the social wellbeing of our students. The idea of transformation takes place over time and with a lot of dedication. It doesn't happen overnight. We need the philanthropists to join and help lead our team. These folks are leaders and we need their commitment and ability to make a positive difference.

We are creating engagement so we can bring people on board to support our mission. From there the transformation can take place.

We could sure use your help in transforming the social wellbeing of our students. If you are interested in being a part of the transformation, please feel free to contact me. There are many ways you can help. Let your philanthropic heart and desire to transform the social wellbeing of the Jubilee students lead you to be the change you want to see in the world.

God bless you,

Didier Aur