Press Release
Cardinal
Cushing Centers turns 60 and celebrates
Springtime
“Springtime” is St.
Coletta & Cardinal Cushing School’s annual
fundraiser. This year, the organization’s
60th Anniversary year, the
well-attended event raised $350,000 to
sustain the organization providing for
children, young adults and adults with
developmental disabilities.
Springtime returned to
the Hanover campus after being held in
Boston for the past eighteen years. A giant
tent filled the school’s parking lot and
contained the 450 guests. Trolley tours
during the reception gave guests an
opportunity to see some of the 150 acre
campus.
“We are extremely proud
to celebrate our work, our heritage and our
significant accomplishments with our
community, friends, families, and
benefactors,” said school President and CEO,
Paul J. Hudson. “We are very thankful for
the support and generosity of our
community.”
For the past 43 years,
top executives from the retailing and
manufacturing world have embraced Springtime
as an annual industry event recognizing
their peers’ philanthropy and benefiting the
mission of St. Coletta and Cardinal Cushing
Schools.
Many Past Springtime
Honorees were in attendance, including past
president of Marshall’s, Frank Brenton
(honored in 1981) to last year’s Honorees,
TJX top executives, Paul Butka and Herb
Landsman.
Sean Cardinal O’Malley
was an honored guest at the event. After
viewing the Portiuncula Chapel, the burial
site of the late Richard Cardinal Cushing,
Cardinal O’Malley spoke to the assembly
about the school’s rich tradition and
Franciscan values. He called the
Portiuncula Chapel a “holy place.”
Serving as the Masters
of Ceremonies, and back by popular demand,
were TV personalities Liz Brunner (WCVB-TV)
and Brian Leary. Liz electrified the crowd
as the evening’s auctioneer.
Cardinal Cushing
students were featured prominently in the
evening’s program. Former student, now
Hanover resident, Joey Remington sang The
Impossible Dream and received a standing
ovation.
Current Cushing
students performed a precision percussion
dance. After the performance, one student
exclaimed, “Once 500 people started clapping
along with us it made the routine so much
better. I loved that part.”
Dinner was donated by
Outback Steakhouse. Uno Chicago Grill,
Panera Bread and Roche Bros. Catering
contributed to the varied food choices.
Montillio’s Bakery sculpted a 3-D cake
replica of the Portiuncula Chapel and it was
served as dessert. Horizon Beverage of Avon
made a generous donation of table wine and
Nestle Waters provided bottled water.
John Pappone of
Zildjian and Frank D’Addario provided
musical entertainment during the reception,
performing as Three’s A Crowd.
At the end of the
program, new lights for the chapel clicked
on for the first time. Thanks to a grant
from the Archdiocese of Boston, the stairs,
exterior, and features of the chapel are now
bathed in a soft light that brings out the
charm of the chapel at night. It also adds
safety for the chapel’s many visitors.
The event was planned
by a committee chaired by Laura Sen,
Executive Vice President of event sponsor
BJ’s Wholesale Club and by Michael Sheehan,
President and CEO of Hill Holliday.
Co-chairs included past honorees, including
Ted English, CEO of Bob’s Discount Furniture
and Jim McDonough, Chancellor of Archdiocese
of Boston, long time supporters like Charlie
Jacobs of the Boston Bruins and Rita Harris
a consultant with Executive Service Corps.,
and new faces like Jeff Smith of Rockland
Trust Investment Banking Group and Rick
Roche, Owner and Chair of Roche Bros.
“There were many
people at the event who have been supporting
us financially for years and have never
stepped foot on campus,” said Paul Murphy,
Executive Director of Corporate Relations.
“This was an opportunity to invite everyone
here to see how the seeds they planted years
ago have grown.”
Each student from Cardinal Cushing
Centers Hanover and Cardinal Cushing Centers
Braintree created a flower to decorate the
chapel's hill for Springtime.
BJ's Wholesale Club sponsored Springtime
2007. Paul Bass and Laura Sen of BJ's
are pictured above with their spouses,
Michael and Joyce.
Sean Cardinal O'Malley visited the
Portiuncula Chapel, the final resting place
of the late Richard Cardinal Cushing.
President and CEO of St. Coletta &
Cardinal Cushing Schools of MA, Paul Hudson,
greets Cardinal O'Malley on the chapel
steps.
Three's A Crowd, with John Pappone and
Frank D'Addario, performed during the
reception. John works with Zildjian
and the duo donated their time and talent.
Trolley tours of campus allowed guests to
view the campus in comfort.
The Massachusetts State Police were
honored at Springtime for over twenty years
of service to Cardinal Cushing Centers.
Pictured is Frank Mendes, parent and former
state trooper who is responsible for getting
it all started years ago.
Fr. Chris Hickey of St. Mary's of Hanover
greets Joey Remington, former student.
Outback Steakhouse of Hanover donated
sirloin and BBQ that satisfied the hungry
crowd. Thank you Outback Steakhouse!
Former student Joey Remington received a
standing ovation for his moving performance
of The Impossible Dream.
