Name change for the Chippewa Area Catholic School System

McDonell Area
Catholic Schools
www.macs.k12.wi.us
Mack
Messenger
McDonell Central Catholic High
9-12
Notre Dame Middle
6-8
Holy Ghost Elementary
3-5
St. Charles Borromeo Primary
Childcare, 3Pre, BB4C, 5’s and K-2 Summer 2011
Dear Alumni and Friends of McDonell,
We have had a very good 2010-11 school year here
at McDonell and the Chippewa Area Catholic Schools. I
would like to thank all of you for your financial, moral
and prayer support. We would not be able to exist as a
school or a system without your support.
One of the biggest and most exciting announcements
I would like to share is we have officially changed the
name of our school system. As of July 1st, we are no
longer the Chippewa Area Catholic Schools (CACS), we
are now the McDonell Area Catholic Schools (MACS).
Bishop Callahan has approved the new name and is very
committed to our Catholic schools. The main reason for
making this change is to provide a consistent identity
for all grades that resonates with all of our students,
families, staff, alumni and community.
Please note that while the name of our school system
has changed to McDonell Area Catholic Schools, the
individual school names, St. Charles Borromeo, Holy
Ghost, Notre Dame and McDonell Central remain the
same. There will be more information forthcoming at
our Welcome Back Wednesday event on August 31st
at 5:00 pm. As a sneak peek, we are currently working
with St. Joseph’s Hospital and with other members of
our community to develop collaboration in support of
our wellness vision. Teams of teachers are helping to
develop collaboration time that will focus on student
learning and achievement through assessment. They
are also reviewing and developing a curriculum that will
pull in the new state standards as well as reflect wellness,
which includes safe and healthy environments. All of
these initiatives are founded in our Catholic teachings
from Pope John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI and the
Catechism of the Catholic Church. This will be the center
of our Catholic Wellness School.
This summer we received notification from AdvancEd
(formerly North Central Association) that we are now
accredited as the McDonell Area Catholic Schools
(MACS) System. In the past we received accreditation as
individual schools, but we felt that we needed to take
the next step and work towards system accreditation.
This process assures a sound future for our MACS
system through curriculum articulation and the use
of Common Core Standards. During the next year we
will be evaluating our curriculum, incorporating state
and national standards and developing assessments
for student and system progress. There is a lot of work
ahead but it will ensure a positive academic future for all
of our students.
We have also begun work on transforming the MACS
QUALITY CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL
EDUCATION SINCE 1882
www.cacs.k12.wi.us
News For McDonell Alumni, McDonell Area Catholic Schools and Friends
Name change for the Chippewa Area Catholic School System
system into “Catholic
Wellness Schools”. We
want to do a better job of
preparing our students for
a life that is balanced and
includes a sense of their
spiritual nature, a good selfconcept,
understanding
nutrition and exercise,
and a better ability to deal
with stress and change.
We started this past year
at McDonell by providing
Br. Roger Betzold healthier meals and will
expand the process this year. We are currently forming
committees and expanding our business and community
partnerships. We have had discussions with St. Joseph
Hospital, UW-EC, UW-Stout, and One Faith Culinary. It is
our intention to help our students integrate their faith as
a part of their day to day life experience. We want them
to be better prepared for all that life has to offer them
and to be able to deal with all of the challenges of life.
In the past two years we have completed major
changes in our technology. We have added a number of
“SMARTboards” in each building, added a new server and
phone system, added a high school and middle school
computer lab and will be providing fiber optic cable
at Holy Ghost and St. Charles elementary schools. The
problem with technology is the cost and ever changing
hardware and software. Our students will need to be
well versed in technology to have a successful future
and we are committed to provide them with the best
that we are able to provide.
McDonell has again had a very successful athletic
year. Our girls’ Volleyball seeing state competition and
Softball team captured WIAA State second place finish.
Our boy’s baseball team also finished second in the
state. We may be small but we are very competitive.
In recent years McDonell has upgraded our
infrastructure with the help of bequests. New boilers,
a new roof, technology advances and this summer
upgrades on the plumbing and electrical systems. We
have also put in new energy efficient lighting in the gym
and commons and new ceiling tiles in the commons and
hallways. It is gifts like these that allow us to complete
our Mission and provide a good environment for our
students.
For the first time in many years we are able to
announce that the enrollment at MACS will be up for
the next school year. We are currently up eight students
with 28 new families. This is especially impressive
because we recently graduated 49 seniors. We feel that
there is potential for an additional 10 to 15 students over
the summer. If you know of any families that might be
interested in a Catholic Education, please forward their
names to me and I will follow up on them.
There are other changes that will be announced at
our “Back to School Wednesday” and an unveiling of
our new school system logo on August 31, 2011 at 5:00
pm. We are excited about the future for MACS and
McDonell and hope that all of you will be partners in that
future in whatever means you are able to participate.
Brother Roger Betzold
President-Principal
Welcome new area priests
Effective July 1, 2011, Bishop William Callahan,
Bishop of La Crosse, reassigned over 40 priests
within the Diocese of La Crosse.
For us here in Chippewa Falls this means we
have all new priests at our parishes: the Very Rev.
Edward Shuttleworth, acting Chippewa Falls Dean,
was assigned St. Charles Borromeo and St. Peter
in Tilden, Rev. Mark Pierce at the Church of Notre
Dame and Rev. Victor Inbaraj who came earlier in
the year to Holy Ghost and St. Bridget Parishes.
Also new to St. Paul, Bloomer is McDonell
alumnus Rev. John Potaczek class of 1988 and Fr.
Keith Kitzhaber to Cadott, Drywood and Jim Falls.
We would like to thank our Dean Very Rev.
Donald Bauer from Cadott who is now assigned
to Hillsboro, Rev. Bill Felix, assigned to Loyal,
Rev. Brian Jazdzewski, assigned to Waumandee
/ Cochrane / Fountain City and Rev. Joseph who
returned to India, for all their guidance over the
years and support of the Catholic schools.
Please join us in welcoming our new area
priests!

2 McDonell News
The 2011 McDonell graduation ceremony broadcast live
By: Allison Greenseth ‘09
On the evening of Thursday, June 2nd, 2011, 49 young
men and ladies processed through the gymnasium
serenaded by the McDonell Concert Band playing Pomp
and Circumstance. For the first time the pride shining off
their parents’, family’s, friends’, and faculty’s faces was
streamed live from the front page of the MACS web site.
Those who could not attend the actual ceremony were
able to still support these young men and ladies as they
crossed a stage to receive their diplomas and enter a
new stage of their life.
The valedictorians Amanda Bohl, daughter of Fred and
Deb Bohl, and David Plendl, son of Steve and Ann Plendl,
both gave speeches with an inside look at their class;
Fourth and third generation of
graduates from McDonell
There were four graduates in the class of 2011 that were the
fourth generation in their family to graduate from McDonell
Central Catholic High School, six third generation, 12 second
generation and 27 first generation.
Our four fourth generation graduates include:
Brianna Krause ‘11 daughter of Kris (Bresina) Krause ‘87,
granddaughter of Ron Bresina ‘63 and great granddaughter of
Henry Bresina ‘34.
Andrew Rubenzer ‘11 son of Tom Rubenzer ‘ 80 grandson
of Belinda (Bell) Rubenzer ‘58 and great grandson of Evelyn
(Kirby) Bell ‘28.
Danielle Rubenzer ‘11 daughter of Erv Rubenzer ‘90, granddaughter
of Belinda (Bell) Rubenzer ‘58 and great granddaugher
of Evelyn (Kirby) Bell ‘28.
Hannah Swoboda ‘11 daughter of Roxanne (Bennesch) Swoboda
‘, granddaughter of Jeanne (Miller)Bennesch ‘59 and great
granddaughter of Edger Miller ‘35
Our six third generation graduates include:
Arianna Gardow ‘11 daughter of Jennifer Gardow ‘88, granddaughter
of Lorraine (Horvatin) Gardow ‘66
Caleb Hunt ‘11 son of Beverly (Bohl) Delores’76, grandson of
Robert Bohl’46
Mallory Kopp ‘11 daughter of Jenna Schafer’88, granddaughter
of Donna (Erickson) Schafer’58
Angela Reiter’11 daughter of Tony Reiter’74, granddaughter
of Mary Ann (Baier) Reiter ‘51
Brittney Steiger ‘11 daughter of Alysia (Liddell) Steiger ‘87,
granddaughter of Pat (Bertrand) Hartman ‘64 and Mike Bertrand
‘65
Beverlyanna Wild ‘11 daughter of Scott ‘83 and Kathy (Bowe)
‘83 Wild’ and granddaugher of Clifford Bowe ’51 and Bernard
Wild ’51.
The Mack Messenger is published three times a year by the McDonell
Area Catholic Schools. Any comments or questions should be directed
to: McDonell Area Catholic Schools, Development Office, 1316 Bel Air
Boulevard, Chippewa Falls, WI 54729 TEL: 715.723.0538
EML: MackMessenger@cacs.k12.wi.us
Very Rev. Ed Shuttleworth, Interim Dean of the Chippewa Falls Deanery
Jenny Schafer, Dir. of Development
Cathy Greenseth, Dir. Public Relations, Graphic Design, Photographer.
Special thank you to Barb Gale and Allison Greenseth ‘09
Amanda describing each person individually, including
nick-names and achievements. She concluded with, “As
a whole, we are another class to go through McDonell
as annoying freshmen, forgotten sophomores, troublemaking
juniors, and fondly remembered graduating
seniors. Teachers might remember the barbecued locker
or the endless prayers that we would grow up, soon. But,
I can guarantee they won’t just remember the Class of
2011; they will remember each of our names.”
While David compared the whole class of 2011 to
trees. David described the graduates as, “A grove of
saplings, supporting each other in the face of the
storm, sheltered beneath the strong, mature trees
around us, (our parents and teachers) …characteristics
depend greatly on the environment. The
light. The water. The soil. The available space.
Even the weather. Each factor produces
variation, and each factor can be different
for each tree in a single forest.” He concludes
his speech by thanking the guardian trees
and sending off his fellow saplings saying,
“Thank you. You sheltered us from the storms
and showed us how to grow. To all my fellow
saplings: Thank you. Each of you made the
rest of us the trees we are today. . . . May each
of you find the forest you will prosper in.”
The next speech was given by the
Bishop’s Medal Award for Excellence winner,
Angela “Angie” Reiter, daughter of Sue
and McDonell teacher Anthony Reiter ‘74.
Angie started by stating, “As a senior in high
Angie Reiter, Bishop
Medal of Excellence
Award Winner
school it’s a quite common and
annoying question “Where are
you going to college… do you
know what you’re going to
study?” We are 18 and 19 years
old and it is a horrible time for
us to decide what we want to
do the rest of our lives. It has
been said that if we want to
make God laugh, tell Him
your plans”. (This gives me
the feeling Angie has heard
that question too many
times this past
year)! “Also,” Angie
goes on, “those
that do not know
where they are
headed should
not be afraid
because, God will
never leave. He
may seem so far
away and distant
but He is there
continue to
page 3
Ms Laurie Zukaitis,
Commencement Speaker addresses the graduation
class of 2011.
For the first time McDonell High School broadcasted, through a live video stream, the full McDonell
Central Catholic High School graduation. Members of Mrs. Renee (Ruf) David’s ‘84 Video Club helped
with the video.

Right: Fourth generation graduate
Hannah Swoboda greets her
Grandmother Jeanne (Miller)
Bennesch ‘59.
waiting for us to open the door to our heart where He has
stood knocking. ” She goes on to challenge everyone in the
continued from page 2
gymnasium to form a relationship with God because He is easy
to find and talk to.
The graduates asked former McDonell English
teacher Ms. Laurie Zukaitis to give the commencement address. She gives them
encouragement stating, “As I look at you, I want you to know that God will be
there on that journey”. While principal Brother Roger Betzold tells them, “On this
journey, be bridge builders and do for others, even if it is not asked of them. “
Between Baccalaureate and graduation speeches these graduates have been told they are
like trees, they should be bridge builders, and from Father Justin Kizewski, Chaplain, above all
do NOT be “a stick.”
The senior band and choir students would join their groups for one last performance before
walking across the stage to receive their diploma.
Graduate choir members join the choir for one last performance.
Left: Seniors take a
moment during the
graduation ceremony
to greet their families.
All School News 3
Class of 2011 top four
students recognized
David Plendl, Valedictorian Amanda Bohl, Valedictorian
Kiersten Brown and Mallory Kopp, Salutatorians
Br. Roger congratulates David Plendl, National Merit Winner, which
is the highest acedemic achievement a student can reach in the
United States.

4 Alumni News
Alumni Spotlight
Shelley '07 and
Jamie ‘06 Coughlin
Shelley and Jamie are daughters of Mike and Annie
Coughlin who both graduated from St. Thomas. Shelley
with a major in Neuroscience and Jamie a graduate
student at Northwestern University in the Medill School
of Journalism where she writes and produces video
content. Shelley spent six weeks this summer in Hohoe,
Ghana volunteering at a hospital and other social
institutions. Thank you Jamie for sharing Shelley’s story
with us!
Ghana
Written by Jamie Coughlin, Journalist with the Medill
News Service.
“Hello?”
I croaked into my cell phone, half asleep, snug in
bed in my air-conditioned studio apartment. Light was
streaming in through the windows, where I could see
one or two sailboats on the lake.
It was 7 a.m. on a Saturday in late June and I had been
out late with friends the night before, enjoying the brief,
transcendent Chicago summer, when the streets come
alive at the crack of dawn with runners and couples
walking their dogs along the lakeshore and don’t empty
until the last drunken 20-something has stumbled home
from Wrigleyville on the shoulders of friends.
I answered the phone on impulse; I didn’t recognize
the international number. But I did recognize the
frightened voice on the other end.
“Jam,” said a voice I had heard nearly every day of my
life. “Are you awake? I don’t know if I can do this.”
It was my sister, Shelley, calling from Hohoe, Ghana,
where she spent six weeks in the summer of 2011
volunteering at a hospital and at other social institutions.
Ghana is nation like so many of its neighbors. It is
severely impoverished. It lies on Africa’s western coast
on the Gulf of Guinea, bordered by Cote d’Ivoire, Burkina
Faso and Togo.
When Shelley was 7 years old, our family went to a
homeless shelter in Minneapolis during the Christmas
season to drop off clothes and toys. There were people
lined up around the block, many without coats. I started
to cry, but Shelley didn’t. She asked our dad what more
she could do to help.
That intrinsic desire to help others and her natural
strength to face situations others could not has steered
Shelley’s path in life. Fifteen years after the homeless
shelter in Minneapolis, Shelley, found herself on a 10day
medical volunteer trip in Costa Rica and Nicaragua.
She loved the experience so much, she wanted to do
more. She started researching programs that would let
her volunteer in a medical capacity in a nation where the
help was truly needed.
“As much as I know there is a lot of poverty in the
US, these people in third world countries don’t even
have access to healthcare that the poor have in the US,”
Playing with the kids at the GBI School for the Mentally Challenged in Hohoe, Ghana.
Shelley said.
She stumbled upon non-profit Cross-Cultural
Solutions, which organizes volunteer trips abroad. She
found their program in Ghana and was convinced she
had to make it happen.
The lack of doctors or trained medical personnel in
Ghana and the infant mortality rate, which is 49 out of
1000 compared with six in the United States, were just a
few of the factors that she said made her decision easy.
She had to go.
With help from our parents and a loan from an aunt,
Shelley had the $7,000 she needed to finance the trip.
Without hesitation, she flew out Memorial Day weekend
to embark on what she later said was the most amazing
and difficult adventure of her life.
Shelley traveled for 24 hours before she finally arrived
at the tiny Accra airport. She said walking off the plane,
it was hot and crowded and a little overwhelming.
Then she got into a van for the drive to Hohoe. They
drove through the streets crowded with people selling
their wares. “There were so many people, I’m surprised
nobody got hit,” Shelley said. Small children with baskets
of fruit on their heads ran up to the van trying to sell it
to them.
Shelley said the drive to the volunteer bunkhouse in
Hohoe wasn’t for the faint of stomach. “There weren’t
lanes on the dirt road, so it was a free for all. The driver
had to weave in and out to avoid potholes and other
vehicles.”
When she got to the house she picked the top bunk in
a room she would share with four other volunteers. She
covered her bed with a mosquito net to keep out insects
and lizards. It rained all day on her first day, which was to
be expected during the rainy season. June is the wettest
month of the year, averaging more than 8 inches and
temperatures in the mid 80s, keeping the country hot
and sticky – conditions ideal for the spread of malaria.
That night Shelley met up with some of the other 40 or
so volunteers and they went out for drinks at a local bar
called Obama Gardens.
“Lots of bars, restaurants and stores are called Obama
something,” Shelley said. “They love him here.”
At the bar, Shelley and the other volunteers met some
of the locals. She told me how amazed they were with
her bright blonde hair. Never having seen blonde hair
in person before, many people kept walking up to her
to touch it.
Playing with the Mona Monkeys at the
Tafi Monkey Sanctuary

Shelley is six feet tall, slender, with long, wavy hair, soft
brown eyes and a smile that could light up the darkest of
rooms, so it’s no wonder the Ghanaians were taken with
her appearance. But Shelley was as mesmerized with
them as they were with her.
“The people are all so beautiful,” she said. “Every man
has a six-pack. The women are fairly thin, but there aren’t
really any overweight people. They see being fat as a
good thing because it means you have enough money
to afford food.”
After a brief weekend of exploration, the volunteers
went to work Monday
morning at their various
placements. Shelley got in
a van with another girl and
they set out for the hospital,
where she was able to
administer vaccinations
and prenatal check-ups,
among other tasks she would not have been able to do
with her experience level in the US.
She and the other volunteers at the hospital taught
the staff about safety and cleanliness in hopes of
avoiding the diseases caused by dirty instruments.
“It was important for us to provide care and lead by
example,” Shelley said. “Helping the staff learn sterilizing
techniques was huge. Something as simple as hand
washing was a big deal.
“Sing happy birthday two times in your head and that’s
how long you should be washing your hands,” Shelley
told children at the schools and orphanages where she
taught health education.
She said the children ate out of the same bowls.
Without proper hand washing, disease spread quickly.
One day when Shelley was at a school teaching the
children about health, she made up a game where she
explained a situation and the children would tell her if
it was healthy or unhealthy. She asked the children if it
was okay to touch a person with HIV/AIDS. The kids all
screamed “Unhealthy!”
Ghana, like several countries in Africa, is rampant with
HIV/AIDS, but many children have not been educated
about the disease. An estimated 2 percent of the
population of Ghana is currently living with HIV/AIDS
compared with less than one-third of a percent in the
US.
“A lot of kids think if you hug a person who is HIV
positive, you will get AIDS,” Shelley said. She explained to
the children how the HIV virus is passed and assured the
children they could still play with HIV positive children.
It was in late June when I got the phone call. Shelley had
Little girl living in Shelley’s neighborhood in Hohoe.
She came over to play and read nearly every day.
begun work at a boarding school for disabled children.
“Jamie,” she said. “I don’t know if I can do this.”
The story she told me next was so difficult to listen to,
I can’t imagine living it.
Shelley went to the boarding school in the early
morning to get the kids out of bed, bathe and feed
them. Then they were sent to school, where all different
age groups are lumped together in one room. She said
half the children didn’t even know their own names.
Many didn’t have names at all, they were just left there
as babies. They were children without identities, love or
hope.
“They don’t know what disorders they have,” she said.
“The workers don’t help and they won’t bring them to
the hospital. We had to beg them to take one little boy
to the doctor who obviously had an upper respiratory
infection.”
“The little boy who was sick just wanted to be held all
day. The kids there just want you to hold them; they
want you to hug them. This one little girl would start
crying every time she wasn’t next to me.”
She said that as a disciplinary measure, the teachers beat
the children with sticks when they misbehave. Some of
the older kids just started beating each other because
that’s what they’ve learned. When the teachers saw this,
they hit the children more.
It was after she witnessed a teacher beat a child, when
Shelley reached her limit. She screamed, begging the
teacher to stop.
“Even though it’s tough doing the difficult
things, it’s harder not being there and not
being able to help,” Shelley said. “I want to
go back; I want to help more.”
Shelley ran outside to cry and try to summon the
strength to go back inside. She needed a moment to
collect herself, to talk about what she had seen, to make
sure it was real and not just a bad dream, so she called
me.
After our conversation, she went back inside and spent
the rest of the day with the children. As difficult as it was
in the moment, she later said witnessing the boarding
school’s conditions was a formative experience.
“Seeing it reinforced that it was important that I was
there. It opens your eyes. They say it’s a boarding school
but it’s not. Parents drop their kids off there and they
don’t come back for them. Some do, but not many.”
Shelley returned home July 10, but she can’t stop
thinking about the Ghanaian people and how much
Above: St. Patrick Hospital in Kpando, Ghana. Shelley
volunteered at this hospital five days a week.
more there is to be done.
“Even though it’s tough doing the difficult things,
it’s harder not being there and not being able to help,”
Shelley said. “I want to go back; I want to help more.”
Shelley plans return for a year or more once she finishes
graduate school and has an advanced medical degree.
“I not only want to go back to Ghana but I want to be
able to provide health care in other places too,” Shelley
said. “I loved what I was doing in Ghana. It just reinforces
the feeling that this is what I want to do with my life.”
Ghanaian woman carrying her products to be sold at
the Hohoe market in Ghana.
Keep in Touch!
You can find news on McDonell Alumni on
the internet at: www.cacs.k12.wi.us/alumni
or on Facebook search McDonell Central
High School Alumni.

Music Trip 2011
To the windy city of Chicago!
Saturday, February 26th through March 1st
Every four years the music students at McDonell Central Catholic look forward to a trip to a
different destination. Chicago here we come! Not only did the 39 students and six chaperones,
including band director Joe Hartson and choral director Emily Klotz, take in all the fine arts of the
windy city, they were able to attend a workshop, share their talents and faith.
Families’ fund raising and volunteer efforts these last four years through the MACS Music Boosters,
supported this trip by paying over $11,000 in expenses making this experience affordable for
the students! Thank you to the music teachers, parents and families who support the K-12 music
programs and volunteer club.
More photos and trip information at:
http://cacsmusicchicago.wordpress.com/
Above: Clinics for the choir and band students at the
VanderCook College of Music.
Left: Clare, Amanda, Mike and Kyle pause after Mass in
front of the massive organ at the Cathedral. Students were
asked to particpate in the Mass by bringing up the gifts.
Below: The bands and choir perform at Howland Charter
School the Christian Brothers founded in Chicago. Later
the students broke up into small groups to talk to the
students about attending a Catholic High School.
Eniko sings a solo to the students with Jazz back up.
Above: Jazz Band playing at the Field Museum. Below: Seniors
Brittney, Amy and Brianna have fun with the art in Millenium Park
before experiencing the Art Institute of Chicago. Everyone enjoyed
Les Miserables at the Cadillac Palace Theatre.

The Sound of Music
Above: Chaplain Rev. Justin
Kizewski and Rev. William “Bill”
Felix ‘73 both made a brief
appearance in the musical.
DIRECTORS FOR THE MUSICAL
Drama:
Vocal:
Orchestra:
Scenic:
Sue Decker
Emily Klotz
Joe Hartson
Carol Way
Lighting & Sound:
Costumes:
The 30th annual McDonell
musical production of The
Sound of Music was quite
a show with Sunday a sell
out. Over 90 cast members
stepped on stage. Teachers,
staff and Chippewa Falls
community members joined
the cast as well.
Left: Nancy Blomlie, Joan
Sommerfeld, Carolyn Peloquin
and Carol (Rowan) Heyde ‘68
play cards to pass the time
waiting for their part.
The costume ladies did a wonderful job of sewing
and putting together many of the outfits seen
during the musical. Without the countless hours of
student, parent and friend volunteers behind the
scenes the magnificent shows put on at McDonell
would not exist.
Thank you for
your support
and love of the
fine arts to keep
them going!
Skip August
Rose August
McDonell Fine Arts News 7
Fine Arts Award Night
Congratulations to the students on their outstanding performances
by the bands, choirs and forensics teams. Many fine art pieces were
displayed in the commons for the attendees’ enjoyment as well.
During the night, recognition was announced in all areas of the fine
arts program including the participants in the Sound of Music musical.
Awards and scholarships were given in the following catagories:
Patrick S. Gilmore Band Award - Alison Howard
John Philip Sousa Band Award - Brianna Krause
Show Choir Award - Beth Jacobson
Woody Herman Jazz Award - Lindsay Pomietlo
Louis Armstrong Jazz Award - Angela Reiter
Patrick Michael Kelly Forensics Award
and Scholarship – Angela Reiter
Choral Director Awards:
National School Choral Award - Amy Bye
Fine Arts Award - April Sloan
Art Dept Studio Camp Scholarship to Green Bay -
Shelly Sarauer and Alyssa Glasby
New Stage Lighting System
We have a tremendous “Wish List” plea for a new stage lighting system
to replace our original anitiquated one, which is entirely run in the
wings behind the curtains. The student technicians cannot see the
stage and have to rely solely on written cues to run the lights. The
auditorium lighting is used continually for music, academic classes,
Masses and forums, as well as our musical productions. Please help us
in our quest to get a new lighting system. Call 715.723.0538.
Beauty and the Beast
McDonell High School audiences will step into the enchanted
world of Broadway’s modern classic-- Disney’s BEAUTY AND THE BEAST
this January 26—29, 2012.
Based on the animated Disney film, this “tale as old as time” is filled
with spectacular costumes and sets and offers a great opportunity to
bring our entire MACS community together for family theatre at its
best.
Sue Decker, our director, has already been hard at work imagining
the castle and village sets, the wonderful costumes, the necessary
magic tricks, and creating a convenient rehearsal schedule.
We definitely see the rewards and needs to make this show a MACS
community production with high school students in the main roles,
and middle and elementary students, along with MANY adults, to
complete the production and fill in voices and characters. Adults,
high school, and middle school students will also be needed to assist
with scene painting and construction, creating, gathering, and sewing
costumes. This format will keep the musicals at McDonell alive and
well for many years to come.
Specifically, adults—male and female—along with some middle
and elementary students-- will be needed for four major scenes: the
opening scene in the village with the song “Belle,” the huge number
“Be Our Guest!” The humorous scene in the tavern with “Gaston!” and
the Mob Song and Battle in the Castle—all of which should be lots of
fun. Sue will rehearse these scenes with the large cast on specific days
with the main characters rehearsing their scenes on separate days.
Join in the fun and camaraderie of being part of a great show. Plan to
sign up on November 14th, 15th, or 16th which will also be Audition
Days. We need lots of ADULT participation!

8 McDonell Sports News
McDonell Central Catholic “MACKS”
State trophies continue to line up at McDonell
Softball
By Headcoach Chelsea Rosenow
The 2011 softball team is a team to
remember. With eleven girls in the entire
program they fought their way to the
State Championship game. The work
ethic and determination of these girls
was a great representation for McDonell
Central Catholic High school.
Our team included four seniors,
Karley Wiensch, Ali Shufelt, Carrie
Anders, and Hannah Krejci, four juniors:
Allison Waldusky, Sarah Schoch, Ellen
McIlquham, and Cassie Ortmann, one
sophomore, Gabby Geissler, and two
freshmen, Bailey Eckert and Sammy
Sarauer. The assistant coaches were Dave
Olson and Rich Rosenow. The weather
at the beginning of the season was less
than ideal and forced the team in the
gym up until the first nonconference
game when they traveled south to
Cochrane Fountain City to play a
double header. McDonell split with CFC
losing the first game 0-1 and winning
the second game 9-1. The next week
brought the first two conference games
of the season where McDonell faced two
of its toughest conference opponents,
Thorp and Regis. McDonell lost both of
these competitions putting the record
at 1-3. The next conference game was
against Altoona where McDonell earned
its first conference victory and never
looked back. The Macks went on a 20
game winning streak that continued
until they lost a heartbreaker against
Fall Creek landing them in second place
in the conference behind Thorp. After
conference play McDonell received the
number one seed in the region to earn a
bye in the first round of play-offs. They
beat Elmwood 9-0 to reach the Regional
final against Emmanuel Lutheran. Down
by six runs after 5 ½ innings, the Macks
rallied in the bottom of the 6th scoring
seven runs to take the lead and hold on
to claim the Regional Championship. The
momentum of that game carried into
the Sectional games where the Macks
trounced Thorp 18-4 and earned a trip
to the State Tournament by beating
Northwood 9-0.
The first opponent in the State
Tournament was Highland and in an 8
inning game the Macks came out on
top 4-3. The Championship game was
against the #1 seed in the State, Oakfield.
McDonell was also able to score 3 runs off
one of the best high school pitchers in the
state, but it wasn’t enough for a win, and
the team took home the silver trophy.
These girls worked hard every day and
pushed themselves to become better
people, teammates, and softball players.
They have set the bar extremely high for
upcoming players and teams. Supported
by a terrific bunch of parents, this team
is an example of what hard work and
dedication can earn. GREAT JOB to all the
players, parents and assistant coaches of
the 2011 McDonell Softball Team.
Track
By Headcoach Steve Roesler
When the season opened both teams
began with a very small contingent. Nine
McDonell Athletic Booster Club Officers
mcdathboosters@macs.k12.wi.us
Athletic Director: Archie Sherbinow
boys and thirteen girls. It had been many
years since that few people turned out
for the start of a season. But there was
good quality in those small numbers. The
kids competed well and finished high
in a number of meets. We had typical
Wisconsin weather for much of April
and May and had four meets canceled.
Besides the shortage of participants the
President:
Vice President:
Secretary:
Treasurer:
Jason Hiess ‘84
Open
Tina Ochs
Jeff Zander
Left:
WIAA Division 4
State Softball Runner
Up McDonell Team.
photo: Dave Bossick
Below:
State bound the
4 x 800 relay team
John Polus,
Nick Zander,
Grant Pulver and
Mike Ruf took 13th
place and Hayley
Bresina taking 11th
place in the long
jump.
photos by: Cindy Ruf and
Heidi Bresina
girls team battled injuries much of the
year. They persevered and at the end of
the year were still battling. Amy Bye, Ari
continue to page 9

continued from page 8
Gardow, Hannah Millkert, Lexi Raihle,
Jaylen Knowlton, and Hayley Bresina
were performing at a high level at the end
of the year. The year was capped with an
appearance at State for Hayley in the long
jump where she finished 11th. During the
course of the year she became only the
third girl in McDonell track to go over 16’.
The boys team also accomplished much
with small numbers. First year participant
Mason Richlen advanced to sectionals
in the discus. Andy Anderson went 12’
11 3/4” in the pole vault and missed
State by one place. Andy was only the
third McDonell athlete to go over 12’ in
the pole vault. The boys 4 X 800 Meter
Relay team qualified for State. It was a
surprising development because they
were so young. Two freshmen, (Grant
Pulver and Nick Zander) one sophomore
(John Polus) and one junior (Mike Ruf). It is
not often that boys who are so young can
compete so well. Their accomplishment
is a testament to their ability and to their
work ethic.
Baseball
By Headcoach Eric Wedemeyer
The 2011 season for the McDonell
Central Baseball team was an up and
down one. The team entered the season
with their usual top goal in mind. Winning
the Western Cloverbelt was their focus.
McDonell Macks Baseball Division 4 State Runner Up three consecutive years.
The squad started out the season winning
7 of their first 10 games. Then at that midway
point they rattled off 6 wins in a row
bringing there record to 13-3. While the
team was playing well, the three losses
were too much to over come and they
were already out of the conference race.
With 4 games left in the regular season
they set their sights on getting ready for
the play-offs. Although losing their last 4
games, they were still feeling good about
where they were and were excited to start
the “2nd season”. They rolled through the
regionals and sectionals beating Pepin,
Immanuel Lutheran, Bruce and Shell Lake
by a combined score of 49-2. They would
finish their season at Fox Cities Stadium in
Appleton for the third straight year!
At state, behind a brilliant pitching
performance by Junior Kyle Cody, the
team beat previously unbeaten and #1
ranked team in Division 4, Barneveld.
McDonell Central Catholic High School Athletic Awards
The Norm Rubenzer Courage and Desire Award is given based on nominations
submitted by coaches. Coaches nominate senior athletes who display the
characteristics of courage and desire, as well as sportsmanship, teamwork,
leadership and a good work ethic. Receiving this award above left to right is: Zach
Elstran son of Chris and Donna Elstran, Hannah Krejci daughter of Bruce and Colleen
Krejci, Amy Bye daughter of Mike and Dawn Bye and Clint Abramczak son of Cheri
Breault and Gary Abramczak.
McDonell Sports News 9
photo by: Lisa Tenold
The team however, did not win the
championship and went home with the
silver for the three straight season.
Six Macks were recognized for allconference
selections. Senior Jake Bohl
and Junior Kyle Cody were named to
the first team. Senior Robby Cooper
and Junior Ryan Baier were named to
the second team. Juniors Tyler Erickson
and Chris Suilmann received honorable
mention.
The Father Mac award is presented to the outstanding male and female senior
athletes. The award is based on grade point average, number of years of participation
in athletics at McDonell, and number of varsity letters earned. Receiving this award
for female senior athlete is Megan Pulver, daughter of Eric and Sandy Pulver.
Receiving this award for male senior athlete is Sam Rubenzer, son of Rick and
Jennifer Rubenzer.

10 Alumni News
1930s
= Harriet L. Pinch, Class of
1932, passed away Sunday,
May 15, 2011. She was the
daughter of Dewitt and
Bernice (Dalton) Pinch. She
is survived by her sisters
Mary (Pinch ’39) Rifleman
and Elizabeth “Betsy” (Pinch
’40) Lagomarcino and many
nieces and nephews. She
was preceded in death by
her parents, two brothers
Robert and Richard ’34 Pinch,
two nieces and two nephews
and several cousins.
= Helene (Harings) Storm,
Class of 1934, passed away
Friday, May 6, 2011. She
was the daughter of Peter
and Louise (Larson) Harings.
She is survived by her
daughter, Louise (Storm ’59)
(Tom) Lea, her youngest
sister, Cathy Nelson, five
grandchildren and eight
great-grandchildren, eight
nieces and nephews and her
special “granddog” Missy.
She was preceded in death
by her parents, two brothers
Bernard “Mike” ’32 and
Peter ’38 and a sister, Lucille
(Harings ’39) Prueher.
= Bernadine Mae (McElroy)
Hughes, Class of 1938, passed
away Tuesday, April 26, 2011.
She and her twin sister,
Bernadette Mary ’40 (Loiselle)
were the daughters of James
and Louise (Beaudette)
McElroy. She married
Willard “Bud” Hughes in
1943. She is survived by her
seven daughters and four
sons, 28 grandchildren and
14 great-grandchildren. She
was preceded in death by
her husband Bud in 2010,
one son Bruce in infancy,
two sons-in-law and her twin
sister Bernadette.
1940s
= Mary Jane (Haley)
Stepanek, Class of 1941,
passed away Tuesday May 3,
2011. She was the daughter
of Dr. Bernard and Florence
Haley. She is survived by her
husband, Anton G. Stepanek
’41, six children Mary
Elizabeth, Meg (Stepanek)
Bollig, Steven (Teresa),
Thomas (Renee), Susan
Jane (Robert) Juneau, Paul
(Rachel), daughter in-law
Cathy, 14 grandchildren and
four great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death
by three children, Timothy
(Cathy), and infant children
Mark and Mary Florence,
her brother, Dr. John Haley
’39, her sister Jean (Haley)
Quigley and two sisters-inlaw.
1950s
= Ethel Mayer, Class of 1950,
passed away on September
9, 2011.
Mass Intention at
McDonell Central Catholic
High School Chapel
Mass dates are available for the 2011-2012 school year for
any individual or class interested in having a Mass said for
a loved one or class member(s) - living or deceased. The
person(s) will be named as part of the general intercession
for that Mass. Please fill out the name or class year for the
Mass in the space provided. Masses are $10 per intention.
Name (please print)
Please say Mass around this date:
This person is: ___ living ___ deceased
Send your intention to:
Rev. Justin Kizewski, Chaplain
c/o McDonell Central Catholic High School, 1316 Bel Air Blvd.
Class Notes
Please send us your Class Notes.
tel: (715) 723.0538
eml: MackMessenger@macs.k12.wi.us
Write: Development & Alumni Relations Office,
1316 Bel Air Blvd., Chippewa Falls, WI 54729
= Kathleen M. “Kitty”
(Bowe) Boos, Class of 1956,
passed away on Wednesday,
June 8, 2011. She married
Arnie Boos in 1957 and
she is survived by their five
children, Larry (Jenny),
Karen (Rick) Ericksen, Sharie
(Les) Lisowski, Roxanne
(Tom) Hinrichs and Sandy
(Chuck) Stephens. Kitty is
also survived by her special
friend Vern Erickson, one
brother, Marvin Bowe, and
three sisters, Eileen (’59
Bowe) Kramschuster, Doris
Jacobson and Joann Sobotta,
23 grandchildren and 11
great grandchildren. She
was preceded in death by her
husband Arnie in 1983, her
parents, one brother Ralph
Bowe, one sister Regina
Kuebler and one great
grandson Jordan Ericksen.
= Marilyn Mae (McKay)
Anderson, Class of 1957,
passed away on May 17,
2011 after complications
from lymphoma. She is
survived by her two children,
Laura and Eric, her sister, Sue
’62 Elstran and her sister inlaw
Jean McKay. She was
preceded in death by her
parents Reginald and Doris
’37 McKay and her brother
Robert McKay.
= Maureen (Friedeck) Ryan,
Class of 1958, passed away
on Saturday, May 28, 2011.
She is survived by her two
sons, Thomas and Daniel
(Brittney), along with three
grandchildren, her mother,
Alsadie Friedeck and her
siblings, Michael (Maureen),
Daniel (Mary) and Mary (’73
Friedeck) (Don) Kliner. She
was preceded in death by
her grandparents and her
father, Richard Friedeck.
= Ronald J. Poirier, Class
of 1959, passed away on
Saturday, March 19, 2011.
He was the son of Marvin
and Leona (Zwiefelhofer)
Poirier. He married Veronica
Derks ’59. He is survived
by his parents, his children
Dean (Shirley), Keith (Sheila),
Steve, Jim (Staci), Mark
(Sheryl), Ann (Brian) Mitchell
and Amy (Chris) Leavens,
twenty grandchildren and
three brothers, Eugene
(Monday), David (Sylvia)
and Daniel (Barb). He was
preceded in death by his
wife, brother Dana, one
granddaughter and four
brother and sisters-in-law.
1960s
= Nancy Jo (Gorton)
Rothbauer, Class of 1968,
passed away on Tuesday
April 26, 2011 due to
complications from small cell
lung cancer. She is survived
by her mother, Ardith
(Norquist) Gorton, her sisters
Debbie (’67 Gorton) Ritzinger
and Patty (’73 Gorton) Virnig,
her brother David ’72, her
children Michael Rothbauer,
Michelle (’89 Rubenzer) Asp
and four grandchildren. She
was preceded in death by
her father, Kenneth Gorton.
2000s
Justin (’02) and Nicci (Clark)
Zwifelhofer are the proud
parents of a baby girl,
Aubrey Jean, born on March
3, 2011.
Friends
of McDonell
= Gilbert C. Geissler passed
away on Saturday, May 21,
2011. He attended Notre
Dame School and married
Loretta Rank ’48 in 1949. He is
survived by his wife, four sons
Ronnie (Judy), Bob (Donna),
Rick (Debbie) and Randy, his
daughter Debbie Geissler,
ten grandchildren and
seven great-grandchildren.
He is also survived by four
sisters, Clara Zenner, Alvira
Michels, Henrietta Derks and
Charolotte (Geissler ’55) Goettl
and his brother Irvin ’58
(Colleen). He was preceded
in death by his parents and
his brother Edward (Marge)
Geissler.
= Thomas Lagomarcino
passed away on Saturday
June 11, 2011. He is survived
by his wife, Elizabeth “Betsy”
(Pinch ’40) and his children
Mary Beth Laomarcino, Tom
(Sandy), Ann Lagomarcino,
Paul (Valerie), Lisa (Phil)
Ambrose and Carol (Mike)
Babcock, 19 grandchildren
and one great-grandson. He
was preceded in death by his
step mother Carmella, his
brother Charles and his sister
Mary.
= Winifred “Wini”
Sorrentino passed away
on Saturday April 9, 2011.
She was a teacher with the
McDonell Area Catholic
Schools until she retired.
She is survived by her two
daughters, Linda (Sorrentino
’65) Howe and Janet (Hormoz
Fallahi) Sorrentino ’73, one
son Roger (Karlyn), three
grandsons and three great-
grandchildren. Wini is
preceded in death by her
parents, her husband Frank,
her son-in-law Jack Howe
and siblings Elmer, Willard,
Robert, Evelyn and Ethel.
= LaVerne D. Spry passed
away Saturday May 21,
2011. She is survived by her
Chippewa Falls, WI 54729. Make check payable to: McDonell HS continue to page 11

continued from page 10
children Mary Beth (Spry
’61) (David) Spooner, Patricia
(Spry ’62) Mrozinski, Russell
“Rusty” ’64, Thomas ’69, three
brothers Myron Miedaner,
John (Mona) Miedaner and
Donald (Michiko) Miedaner,
eight grandchildren, seven
great grandchildren and
several nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death
by her husband Russell, her
parents, three sisters, two
brothers and her son-in-law
John “Jack” Mrozinski.
27th Annual Alumni Craft Expo
The craft expo will be held on Saturday, November 19, 2011
at the McDonell Central Catholic High School starting at 9 am
and is held each year the opening Saturday of deer hunting
season. Alumni and crafters contact the Alumni Association
Secretary Julie Clark to help or participate in this successful
event.
Julie Clark
304 S. Grove St., Chippewa Falls, WI 54729
715.723.0907
REUNIONS
Class of 1946
The 65th Reunion! August 20, 2011
Classmates came together at the 4:00 p.m. Mass at
St. Charles Borromeo Parish then had their reunion
at the Avalon.
Class of 1955
We had a great reunion at Octoberfest last fall. The
Octoberfest committee let us use Fest Hall for no cost and
said they would like to see more class reunions and other
groups use the facility. Holy Ghost catered the entrée and did
a super job. The dessert was brought in by St. Simeons Church
in LaFayette. And we got pretzels from the Cook- Rutledge
booth. Forty-two attended.
Class of 1956 - Reunion will be held at the Lake
Wissota Golf on Friday, September 23rd. Return your meal
choice FIRM by September 6th. Questions call Dorothy
Hudson 715.382.4998.
Class of 1966 - 45th Reunion
October 14, 2011 at Loopies on Business 29 - 6:00 p.m.
Contact Gary Korger at 715.723.8297 or Kathy (Boos) Dachel
715.723.5382 email: dachl1949@charter.net
Class of 1971 - 40th joint reunion with Chi-Hi on
Saturday, September 24th at the Fill-Inn Station. Contact Jerry
Cherrier at cherrier@sgi.com or Jean Durch 715.723.7002
Development and Alumni Relations
Jenny Schafer, Director
j.schafer@macs.k12.wi.us • 715.723.0538
Greetings!
First I want to extend my best wishes and say
congratulations to the Class of 2011! All of us here
at the McDonell Area Catholic Schools are very
proud of you. I am especially proud of my niece,
Mallory Kopp (3rd generation graduate) who is
co-Salutatorian of her class – way to go Mallory!
OK, enough bragging about my niece – how
about a little bragging about our schools? The
2010-2011 school year was quite exciting for
us. We are very proud of the fact that we are a
nationally accredited school with the NCEA. The
accreditation puts in writing what we have known
all along – that our teachers do an excellent job
and our students are well rounded.
During the past school year we began the
visioning process of becoming a total wellness
school. As Brother Roger states in his message,
this is not just about eating right and exercising, it
is also about being spiritually well, having coping
skills to deal with stress and change, and to have a
good self concept. We are very excited about this
new direction and we will keep you up to date as
things progress. If you would like to help with the
visioning process, please contact me! We would
love to hear from you.
And for the cherry on top for our schools - our
enrollment is up for the first time in eight years for
2011-2012! This is very exciting – keep spreading
the good news about Catholic education! We are
very blessed to have added 28 new families to
President - Principal Br. Roger Betzold
recognizes and presents the Clarence Rushman
award to McDonell Chaplain Father Justin
Kizewski on awards day.
Alumni News 11
our Catholic school
family. Welcome!
Thank you for
your support of our
Spring phone-athon,
the One Day
campaign. Thanks
to your generosity,
we were able to raised 910 days of tuition. What
a wonderful gift for our students! Their Catholic
education will give them the strong foundation
they need to succeed in their future endeavors.
Exciting things are happening and we need
your help to continue moving forward! Please
prayerfully consider giving a gift of prayer and/
or treasure to the Chippewa Area Catholic
Schools. We have made some major upgrades to
our infrastructure (new boiler, new electric and
plumbing, lighting, etc) due to the generosity of
alumni who graciously included McDonell High
School in their estate plan. If you would like more
information on how you can let the gifts God gave
you during your lifetime continue on after you
no longer need them, please give me a call and I
would be happy to help you through the process.
Thank you for your support of our schools and
our students. May God bless you and your families
In loving service –
Jenny Schafer
Clarence Rushman Award
McDonell faculty member Clarence Rushman
(CR) passed away January 2, 1984, one week after
his beloved wife Violet. That Spring the Clarence
Rushman Award was established at McDonell
High School. It is awarded annually to a faculty
member that matches the qualities and character
of CR.
Criteria for the Clarence Rushman Award:
1. Witness the Gospel values.
2. Dedicated to moral, spiritual, physical and
emotional development of the students.
3. Actively involved with the students.
4. Motivated the students to achieve their best.
5. Contribute to the educational growth and
development of McDonell Central Catholic
High School.
HONORING OUR TEACHERS WHO DEDICATE THEMSELVES TO OUR CHILDREN/STUDENTS
Alumni and community members who would be honored to serve our teachers by:
offering day care services for our teachers; offering discount on housing/rentals;
discounts on business services/products; and help with handyman services.
please contact Jenny Schafer.

McDonell Area
Catholic Schools
Development & Alumni Relations
1316 Bel Air Blvd., Chippewa Falls,
WI 54729
McDonell Central Catholic High
Notre Dame Middle
Holy Ghost Elementary
St. Charles Borromeo Primary
Childcare, 3Pre, BB4C and 5’s
www.macs.k12.wi.us
In This Issue:
Graduation 2011 . . . . . . . 2 - 3
Alumni Spotlight . . . . . . 4 - 5
Shelley Coughlin ‘07 volunteers six
weeks in Hohoe, Ghana at a hospital
and other social institutions. Her
sister Jamie Coughlin ‘06 shares
her story.
Fine Arts . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 - 7
The 30th musical production at
McDonell The Sound of Music
Sports Summaries . . . . . 8 - 9
Additional
State Trophies
for the MACKS
Class Notes . . . . . . . . . 10 - 11
Unveiling of new
system name and
logo on Wednesday,
August 31st, 5 pm
at McDonell
See cover story!
Nonprofit Org.
U.S. Postage
PAID
Eau Claire, WI
Permit #2000
Mack
Messenger
QUALITY CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL
EDUCATION SINCE 1882
www.macs.k12.wi.us
News For McDonell Alumni, McDonell Area Catholic Schools Families, Friends and Supporters
Summer 2011
McDONELL BOOSTER CLUB PRESENTS….
“Spirit of the Macks”
21th ANNUAL SILENT
LIVE AUCTION
Purchase your
Football Mania
tickets by Sept 1!
715.723.0538
Saturday October 8th, 2011
at 6:30 P.M.
McDonell Central Catholic High School
Commons & Gym
It doesn’t seem possible that a full year has gone by much less 20
plus years! We are once again working hard on preparing for the
annual Silent/Live Auction. The McDonell Athletic Booster Club is
asking for your help to make our 21st year a huge success! First we
would love for you to attend the auction as it’s the perfect time to
mingle with old and new friends while bidding on great merchandise.
Second, maybe you would like to make a donation to the auction? It
takes $65,000 dollars to run all the sports programs at McDonell, well
worth the investment as evidenced by our successful 2010/11 sports
season. One third of that amount is raised through the Silent/Live
Auction due to generous donations from individuals and businesses
throughout the Chippewa Valley and beyond. If you are interested
in donating to the auction on behalf of a business, a graduating class,
a deceased loved one or yourself, please contact:
Brian & Kara Heidtke 715.726.1721 (Home) email heidtke@charter.net or
Todd & Debbie Schemenauer 715.288.6035 (Home) or 715.726.4614 (Work)
email tdschem@charter.net
Mack Bus
Drivers Needed
Would you like to be a very important
part of every athletic team at McDonell?
Our volunteer Mack bus drivers are
looking forward to adding a few drivers
to our group, to replace a few long time
drivers who are “retiring” from this most
worthwhile activity.
Last school year we saved over $24,000
in travel costs with the Mack bus, while
our program will complete 25 years of
successful operation this year, and we need
to continue the tradition. Our norm is to
take 100% of athletic trips assigned to the
bus, and of course we couldn’t ask for a
more impressive and fun clientele than our
own McDonell students.
Please, if you feel you might be able to
help, please contact President-Principal
Brother Roger at McDonell, and he will
provide you with detailed information in
packet form regarding our busing program.
A few more drivers would bring our total
number back up to 11 or 12, which has
always been ideal.
Tom Voitl, Bus Director
715.723.9126