Alumnae (and Friends) in the News

Wedding Belles

The group is made up of Mount Mercy Alumnae who have all graduated within the past 30 years.  All proceeds from the group's performances go to scholarships for MMA students.  The group was created by Fred Kirisits, Music Director at MMA. During recent years as the Magic Belles would travel around the Buffalo community, Mr. Kirisits would receive many requests for the student handbell choir group to perform at a wedding. Unfortunately, rehearsing for seasonal and competition pieces means that students' rehearsal time is limited.

Three years ago, Mr. Kirisits reached out to Alumnae bell ringers to gage interest in forming a wedding bell choir.  With the help of  Cheryl Ward '81, Adele Flanagan '05, Anna Hejmanowski '02, Jamie Boeheim Howard '02, Jessica Hudack '05, Sue Schwing Johnson '96, Cati Knab '99, Eileen Crowley Kubiak '95, Maggie Henesey '94, Jacque Krycia Partridge '02, Rachael Partridge '04, Erin Sabia Slazak '96, April Hayes Sroka '00, Abby Webster '10, Colleen Webster '11, Heather Wedgwood '08, Suzanne Perry (Guidance Office), Kim Cuddy '05, Jeanne Liberati '07, Sarah Kraus '11, Hilary Leininger Ungaro '99 and Christine Smith Belin '98 he was able to form a five octave group - all volunteers!  "It took a while for all of us to get back into ringing, but now we are rehearsing twice a month and have a lot of performances booked for 2012", says April Sroka, one of the group's organizers.  Congrats and best wishes to the Wedding Belles - we hear beautiful music in your future!

Check out their website to view a performance or check the schedule: www.weddingbellesmma.com

 

Remembering Heather

In our Fall 2011 issue of Horizons, we announced the creation of the Heather Ann Schwabl Memorial Scholarship.   Heather was diagnosed with cancer at the young age of 13, and battled the disease for 20 years.  She was a graduate of the Class of 1991.  While at MMA, Heather served as class president for a time, and graduated with honors.  Following graduation, she received the "Spirit of Mercy" award in recognition of her determination.  She received her degree from Ithaca College, and devoted much of her time to charity work for the Boys and Girls Clubs of America.  Her journey ended in 2009 at Roswell Park Cancer Institute at the age of 36.

The Heather Ann Schwabl Memorial Scholarship has been created to help provide an education at the Mount, and all it embodies, to another remarkable young woman.

Friends and classmates will be honoring Heather's memory at a fundraiser to benefit the scholarship.  Join us at the Buffalo Irish Center on June 2, 2012 6-9pm.  Tickets to the benefit may be purchased for $25 in the MMA main office.  Local businesses and working professionals are needed to donate goods, services, baskets for the auction, food, or monetary contributions.  Thank you for supporting the Heather Ann Schwabl Memorial Scholarship.


McGrath Promoted 

Patricia A. McGrath (Class of 1974) recently was promoted to partner at Tronconi Segarra and Associates. Patricia is a CPA and joined the firm of Domachowski, Kempisty & Salvatore in 2002. She then made the move to Tronconi Segarra & Associates when the two firms merged in 2008.  She's also a University at Buffalo graduate.

 

MMA 5K Race Committee Names Awardees for June 2012 Race

The MMA 5K Committee have named the "Race Ladies" as their 2012 Civic Pride Awardees for the Race on June 15, 2012. These ladies are legendary assistants with race registrations and we are so happy we can honor them this year! Our 2012 Civic Pride Awardees are: Paula Scarcello Fitzgerald '71, Sandy Scarcello Breen '77, Mary Sheehan Moore '69, Peggy Flanagan Barrett '73, Peggy Wade and Patty Jackson.