The John Carroll School is proud to announce that The Dresher Foundation has awarded the School $600,000 in support of the Lighting the Way Capital Campaign. This transformational gift is an investment in the School’s vision of a dynamic academic and athletic environment. The largest gift to John Carroll in the School’s fifty year history, it will support the addition of two turf playing fields as well as the renovation of the academic wing.
The Dresher Foundation is the largest lifetime donor to the School, having given John Carroll more than $1.5 million over the past three decades. The Dresher, Meoli, and Butcher Families of the Dresher Foundation have been prominent members of the John Carroll community as alumni, parents, grandparents, and Board members stretching back to the 1980’s. Alumni include: Michael Meoli, ’82; James Dresher, III, ’89 (dec.); Melanie (Meoli) Robinson,’90; Amy (Butcher) Parker,’92; Susan (Butcher) Roarty,’95; Joshua Dresher,’97; and Christina Dresher,’03. Additionally, Anthony Meoli, alumni parent, and Susan Roarty,’ 95 are former members of The Board of Trustees. Currently, Susan Roarty is a member of the admissions staff at John Carroll and Joshua Dresher,’97 is a member of the John Carroll Black & Gold Association that raises funds for student-athletes who demonstrate financial need
“John Carroll has truly been blessed with the active involvement in the School’s life of all the members of the Dresher, Meoli, and Butcher families,” says Richard O’Hara, President. “Their willingness to invest in the Capital Campaign early and generously enables us to plan for the future with great confidence.”
The Lighting the Way Capital Campaign, launched in September 2013, is a two-year initiative to raise 10 million dollars. The Dresher gift provides a strong boost to the Campaign, pushing proceeds to the $3.5 million mark, and helping the School to complete the turf fields initiative in 2014 as well as to begin planning for the academic wing renovations.
In January, the Foundation awarded the School a gift of $100,000 to name a science laboratory in honor of the 50th Wedding Anniversary of Anthony and Virginia Meoli. Another $100,000 will be applied in 2014 to the addition of the turf field in both Gerry Gray Stadium and the Women’s Varsity Field.
Knowing that the Campaign will require the active participation of the entire John Carroll community, the Foundation had the foresight to use the remaining $400,000 to challenge alumni, parents, grandparents, and friends of John Carroll to give to the fields and to the academic wing renovations. The Foundation will then match each person’s support dollar for dollar.
The John Carroll School community is profoundly grateful for this magnificent support, and thanks the Dresher Foundation for joining in and sustaining our important mission in service of young people.