Thanks for Another Successful Jubilee Event!

Mardi Gras in Memphis turned out to be a fantastic 2-day event. We were blessed with the perfect weekend weather-wise; not a cloud in the sky with temperatures in the mid to low-70's.

The crawfish were spicy and almost all gone by the end of the first day. I'm not a crawfish lover, but I do love the sausage and corn on the cob boiled with the crawfish. Pineapple and green beans were the secret ingredients added to our crawfish boil this year.

I really like the format of the people's choice gumbo cook-off. Anyone who wanted to judge the gumbo did so. The gumbo tent was packed with judges. By the end of the judging, most of the gumbo was gone.

The winner of our first-ever gumbo cook-off was St. Joseph Catholic School despite protests from the competition claiming St. Joseph did not use Roux in their gumbo. Leslie Harden, New Orleans native and St. Joseph principal, refuted their claim and laughed off the protest by showing off the championship trophy with a victory lap. Nothing like a little touting to quiet your opponents.

The Risky Whiskey Boys, David Pool (Memphis Catholic '85) and Jimmy Smith along with guest soloists Fr. Michael Werkhoven (Memphis Catholic '84) and Philip Schulte, entertained the crowd on Saturday with their repertoire of classic rock, pop, and current music.

Memphis' own one man band, Charvey Mac, wowed the crowd on Sunday with his acoustic arrangement and vocally driven sounds. He is a former student of mine from CBHS. I love listening to him perform because his voice is so smooth and very relaxing.  Never seen that man not smiling.

This event could not have taken place without our many volunteers. The best volunteers were from St. Patrick Catholic School. They arrived early and stayed late. They worked the food tents throughout the entire event. Thank you to the St. Patrick volunteers: Susan Pittman, Jackie Brown, JoAnn McKinney, Jennifer Santes, Chad Martin, Kendra Masters, Yaschia Dillard, and Sheree Wilson.

I want to send out a special thank you to Heidi Ames, Mercedes Durham, Anita Whitthaus, and Philip Schulte for driving from Jefferson City, MO to volunteer at the Mardi Gras in Memphis. This was Heidi's first time in Memphis, but the other three have been volunteering for years.

Mr. Richard Jones volunteered once again to cook all the hamburgers and hotdogs for the 2-day event. Not easy for a strict vegan to do, but he did it and did it well!

Mrs. Lolita Miller put in her 20,000 steps each day of the event. No one works harder than Mrs. Miller, and she does so with a smile on her face.

Thank you volunteers! Here's a long list of volunteers who helped put on this event not including the dozens of students from Memphis Catholic and St. Patrick: Angela Fox (event coordinator), Terri Carney, Landaria Saulsberry, Nancy Eddins, Kristi Baird, Tunia Sangster, Lola Scarlett, Debra Robinson, Deacon Ted Schreck, Eda Fain, Victoria Moore, Rebecca Rosa, Dawn Rose, Eric Harper, Chip Pankey, Katie Trivitt, Erin Celeste, Erica Crabtree, Rosie Jupson, Michael Ash, Sherrie Justice, Consuelo Martell, Andrew McDougal, Carolyn Pinkston, Beth Niedzwiedz, Yolanda Scott, Derikah Scott, Deacon Henry Littleton, Esmeralda Martinez, Leticia Gonzalez, Antonio Hinton, Ruth Bowlin, Kelley Aur, Jonathan Aur, Brittany Aur, David Justice, Jeff Justice, and D.J. Harden.

Thank you to our crawfish chef, Shannon Runnels. Geaux Tigers!

Thank you to everyone who came out and supported the Jubilee Schools at the Mardi Gras in Memphis. We had a great time celebrating the Jubilee Schools.

We thank the crewes that set up teams and invited their family, friends, and co-workers to come out to enjoy great food, music, and company.

We have already debriefed and have started making plans for next year's Mardi Gras in Memphis.

Our next event will be our 3rd Wings of Jubilee this fall. We have tentatively set the date of Saturday, September 29, 2018 for the Wings of Jubilee. My team is ready and in place. We used the Mardi Gras in Memphis to perfect our wings!

My next blog is going to be a shout-out to all our sponsors.

Thanks again!

God bless you,
Didier Aur

Mardi Gras in Memphis!

Mardi Gras in Memphis is the newest fundraising festival for the Jubilee Catholic Schools.  This festival combines the Tails of Jubilee (Jubilee Crawfish Festival) and the Memphis Catholic 5K (Education That Works Out 5K) to create a 2-day Jubilee celebration taking place on April 28th & 29th at Memphis Catholic located at 61 N. McLean Blvd, Memphis, TN 38104.

This event benefits the nine Jubilee Schools and 1,600 students supported by the Jubilee Fund.  For more information about the Jubilee Schools, click on http://jubileeschools.org.

Mardi Gras in Memphis takes place on April 28th & 29th from 1-5 pm. Admissions is $5 with children 5 & under are free.  There will be live music, bouncy castles, face-painting, and games included as part of the admission.  Purchase tickets online at http://jubileeschools.org/mardigras.

The Crawfish Boil begins at 1 pm on both Saturday and Sunday.  Each box of crawfish (roughly 2 lbs.) is $10.  You can pre-order crawfish at http://jubileeschools.org/mardigras

We will also be serving hamburgers, hotdogs, chips, water, sodas, and beer.

At 2 pm on Saturday, the People's Choice Gumbo Cook-Off begins.  It is free to enter a pot of gumbo for judging.  Register online at http://jubileeschools.org/mardigras to enter the Gumbo Cook-Off.

Live music on Saturday will be performed by the Risky Whiskey Boys. https://www.facebook.com/Risky-Whiskey-Boys-879415615534581/

Live music on Sunday will be performed by Charvey Mac. http://charveymac.com/

The Education That Works Out 5K takes place on Sunday.  Registration and beer tent open at 1 pm with the race beginning at 2 pm.  All racers receive a Mardi Gras in Memphis shirt, 2 food/beverage tickets and festival entry.  Register for the 5K at https://racesonline.com/events/etw5k.

Bring your chairs, blankets, and umbrellas and join the party.  If you need more space for your crew and would like to bring a tent, we do have spaces available.  10x15 spots are $150, which includes 10 free admissions (worth $50), 10 boxes of crawfish (worth $100), and entry in the gumbo cook-off.  Reserve a spot for your crew at https://jubileeschools.org/mardigras.

If you cannot make it to the event but would like to invest in a Jubilee student, you can do so online at https://www.jubileeschools.org/invest.

For questions, please contact me at (901) 373-1226 or didier.aur@jso.cdom.org.

Hope to see you there!

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

Enjoy the Challenge

“You will enrich your life immeasurably if you approach it with a sense of wonder and discovery, and always challenge yourself to try new things.” - Nate Berkus

From an early age, I learned the importance of being a team player. As a kid, I used to love playing baseball. I played baseball up through my junior high days at Richland Junior High (now White Station Middle School). What I really liked about playing for Richland was that I became the utility fielder. Every game I played a different position, and got the opportunity to play all nine positions. My coach put me where the team needed me most and I enjoyed the challenge.

When I was sixteen, I got a job at The Loft Restaurant. I became the utility worker. One day I was washing dishes, the next I was bussing tables, the next I was grilling steaks. When I turned eighteen, I added bartending to that rotation. I did everything from scrubbing pots and pans to waiting tables. My bosses put me where the team needed me most and I enjoyed the challenge.

 

Fast forward to my career in education. I have become the utility educator. I started off as a P.E. teacher and coach, moved from there to classroom teacher to director of admissions to principal to president back to principal to head of school and now the development director of the Jubilee Schools. My bosses put me where the team needs me most and I still enjoy the challenge.

Call it a sense of adventure or lack of sense; I enjoy doing what I need to do to help the team succeed. The desire to succeed is in my blood not for some sense of pride or an inflated ego. My desire to succeed is for the good of all team members from students to teachers to support staff to our donors.  I have a passion for the Jubilee School and all those involved.

“The challenge of the unknown future is so much more exciting than the stories of the accomplished past.” - Simon Sinek

The Jubilee Schools have an exciting future and a huge challenge ahead of us. Ugly rumors about our future have surfaced over the past year and they are just that; ugly rumors. We have over 1,500 students and roughly 200 staff members in our 9 Jubilee Schools.  We are going nowhere but up. We continue to improve classroom instruction, our test scores continue to rise, and our graduation and college attendance rates are at 99%, and most importantly, we are doing all this in areas of Memphis where children are given little hope for success.

The next challenge is for us to find ways to continue funding our growth. We want to continue building a solid future for our children and our community. We want to give every parent the opportunity to enroll their child(ren) in a Catholic School; to receive an education strong in academics and Christian values, all within a structured and nurturing environment.

As the development director, I not only want to help the students and community, I also want to help donors achieve their philanthropic goals.

In a speech given to the Germantown Area Chamber of Commerce, Geoff Calkins of the Commercial Appeal compared Memphis to other cities such as San Francisco and New York.  In those cities, it is what you can take from those cities.  You are really not making a difference there.  “In Memphis, you can make an impact.”

Memphians are making an impact. Memphis is the 2^nd most philanthropic city in the country and has been for years. Memphians support non-profits of all kinds especially those that help the children.

At the Jubilee Schools, we need your continued support to help our children succeed. Without you investing in our students and their future, the work we do cannot take place. With you, the future becomes that much more exciting. Those who support the Jubilee Schools are passionate about helping the youth of our community in providing them a brighter future. In providing our youth a brighter future, it also helps make our community a better place for all.

My challenge to you is to make an impact. If you currently support the Jubilee Schools; THANK YOU! If you would like to join us in supporting the Jubilee Schools, please accept my challenge in building a brighter future for our students and community. And together, let’s make an impact.

In the words of Conor McGregor, “Why go through life if you're not going to challenge yourself?”

Click Here to SUPPORTthe Jubilee Schools

Click Here to LEARN more about the Jubilee Schools.

Thanks and God bless you,

Didier Aur

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

Bringing Us Together Through Golf

Every year, many of us participate in a number of charity golf scrambles. I usually team up with my brothers and some close friends. I like to play golf, but what I really appreciate is spending time on the golf course with my brothers and friends while playing golf. Golf is what brings us together. Any chance I get to participate in a golf scramble, I'll do my best to be there if for no other reason than just to get together with family and friends.

Last week, we hosted the 13th Annual Memphis Catholic/Education That Works Golf Tournament at Irene Golf and Country Club. Instead of playing this year, I had the privilege of driving a beverage and snack cart around the course. I enjoyed it because I got the opportunity to meet everyone who participated in the tournament and to see some good and sometimes comical golf.

We host this event because it is a Fun-Raiser; it is a fun way of raising funds for Memphis Catholic. We need to raise money in order to do the best we can in providing our students the best education possible.

Our sponsors bring in the bulk of the funds raised. We focused this year on bringing in new sponsors to this event instead of soliciting our usual donors. We can drink from the same well too often. Don't want the wells to go dry. We were able to bring in many new sponsors for the tournament plus eight restaurants that provided all the prizes.

The company that probably sponsors more of our events than any other is Greystone. Billy Posey is a proud graduate of Catholic High as well as a Hall of Fame member. Greystone is also a supporter and promoter of the Education That Works program at Memphis Catholic. Every year, four Memphis Catholic students intern at Greystone. Billy and Greystone are improving the lives of many of our students as well is making our community a better place to live. We are all better for having Greystone's support.

Pediatric Dental Group (PDG) is another local business that supports everything we do including the 5K, golf tournament, and Education That Works.  John and Terry Acosta (Terry is a Memphis Catholic graduate) sponsor through PDG and personally. You would be hard pressed to find two nicer people. The Acosta and Aur families have been very close since the 90's with our kids started playing soccer together.

Health Choice has once again stepped up to sponsor our golf tournament. They also sponsored the Memphis Catholic 5K. We are very grateful to Mitch Graves and his team at Health Choice for investing in our students.

Michael and Silvia Hecht have been supporting the Jubilee Schools since 2002 when I was the principal of Holy Names. If there is a Jubilee event, Michael and Silvia are there to help. Wish we all had hearts as big as their's. I have known Michael since our teenage years out on the soccer field.

Neil Heins, owner of Neil's Grille and Bar and a member of the Memphis Catholic Hall of Fame, is always there to support the school be it the 5K, Wings of Jubilee, or golf tournament. He is proud of his alma mater and wants to invest in the future of our students.

Some of our newest sponsors include:

Danny Burke of Crye-Leike Realtors: Danny and I were classmates at CBHS. His father was a member of Catholic High Class of 1950. He sponsored because he wants to pay back the good he received while growing up. We could all use some help and Danny wants to provide the help we sometime need.

John Snyder, Managing Director of SVN/Investec Realty Services: John and I have spent many hours on the soccer field together; John was refereeing and I was getting yellow carded. John currently serves as the president of the Tennessee State Soccer Association and is a member of the East Memphis Rotary Club.



Richard Piretti, Jr of Piretti Home and Garden: Richard is a former student and soccer player of mine at CBHS. It is great seeing him support the education of our students. He is a fantastic young man.

Bryan Shaver, Vice President of Sales for Insurance Consulting Group, Inc.: If there is a Catholic (not just Memphis Catholic) event going on, you will find Bryan there in support. Thanks Bryan for supporting Memphis Catholic and Blue Streak Scholarship Fund.


Dr. Carl Schulter of Dental Implant Aesthetic Center: Dr. Schulter appeared out of the blue to support our golf tournament. We sent him a letter and he said yes. Dr. Schulter could not have been any nicer.

Dr. Bill Terrell of Memphis & Shelby County Pediatric Group: Dr. Terrell is also a member of the Memphis Catholic Hall of Fame. He could not participate in the tournament this year so he decided to sponsor it instead.

We received a special treat this year from Jerry Melton at Principle Toyota. He sponsored three hole-in-ones at the event including the chance to win a brand new Toyota Camry for the person who could sink a hole-in-one on number 4 at Irene. One person came within 10-feet but unfortunately, no one won the car.

Here is a great example of non-profit organizations helping each other. We have four students in the ETW program interning at JA. As a thanks to Memphis Catholic, JA has helped sponsor our golf tournament. We have a great relationship with JA, which will only continue to grow even stronger.

The team prizes for the tournament are all restaurant gift certificates.  We receive great support from the wonderful, hard-working restaurant folks. Our go-to restaurants are Bangkok Alley, Celtic Crossing, and Dino's Grill.

Thara & Dottie (Cull) Burana are owners of Bangkok Alley. Dottie is a graduate of Immaculate Conception. Her brothers are all graduates of Catholic High. Bangkok Alley has supported every Jubilee School event I can think of. They want what's best for the children and our community. My wife and I enjoy their outdoor dining at Brookhaven Circle. Great place to go to relax and unwind.

D.J. & Jamie Naylor are owners of Celtic Crossing. In my opinion, they serve
up the best fish and chips in town. Just like the Buranas, the Naylors support everything we do for the Jubilee Schools. They are very philanthropic folks and great friends to all. If you want to learn more about D.J. and Jamie, listen to them on cityCURRENT radio show. http://citycurrent.com/blogdetails/408/Radio-Show-Celtic-Crossing

Rudy Grisanti, owner of Dino's Grill, is a graduate of Catholic High. Rudy and his son, Mario, help us at all of our events. Mario is also a former student and soccer player of mine at CBHS. Dino's has some of the best lunch specials you will find in Mid-Town. Mario makes the best Tiramisu you'll ever eat!

Edward Cabigao, operating partner and co-owner of Interim, S.O.B. (South of Beale), and Zaka Bowl provided gift certificates from these three restaurants. I'm looking forward to dining at Zaka Bowl because I have not been there yet. Interim and SOB are both awesome restaurants

Our neighbors around the corner from Memphis Catholic, Frank,
Hazel, and Eric Vernon at The Bar-B-Q Shop also provided gift certificates for the winners. You've got to try their barbecue spaghetti but don't wear a white dress shirt when you do. I've made that mistake before. It was worth it.

Scott Smith at Holiday Deli & Ham Co. on Erin Drive also stepped up to support the golf tournament. Most of my planning meetings take place at that location so it was a nice way for Scott to thank us for the business we bring his way.

Our golf tournament not only brought together a lot of golfers but also a lot of local businesses in support of the work we do at Memphis Catholic. It takes a lot of great folks coming together to make our community better. Golf is just one means of bringing us together.

Thank you to all those who supported our 13th Annual Memphis Catholic/Education That Works Golf Tournament. Please support those great folks who support us. Together, our students learn and our community grows.

If you missed out on the tournament but want to support Memphis Catholic and Education that Works, click below to go to our donation page. You are the reason we can offer our students a better tomorrow.

Support Memphis Catholic

God bless you,
Didier Aur