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St. Martin's Class of '73 Harold Graf Memorial Project
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Initiated by the Class by 1973
In conjunction with our 30th reunion, the class of 1973 has started to raise funds for a tribute to the late Harold Graf. Our first goal was to install a memorial bench on the Van Slate Lawn in Mr. Graf's honor. We reached our fundraising goal on this project and dedicated the bench during a ceremony held at our reunion picnic July 19, 2003.
Mr. Graf's three sons, Jeff '65, Barry '71, and Steven '73 were in attendance at the ceremony at which The Reverend Gedge Gayle officiated.
The service opened with a trumpet fanfare composed by Roger Dannenberg ('73), and tributes were delivered by students and colleagues of Mr. Graf -- Melissa Perrett Cook, Dorothy Porter, Bob Livingston, Dolf and Lannie Fanning Dunn, and Jim Marsalis.
You can read the (approximate) text of several addresses:
- from Melissa
- from Jim Marsalis
- from Dolf
- from Lannie
Wendy Newlin and Linda Kimble Powell unveiled the temporary version of the bronze plaque that is on order (right)
The Graf family participated in the ribbon-cutting and installation of the temporary plaque, which will be given to our classmate, Steven, when the permanent plaque arrives. Music was performed by class of '73 members Chris Carpenter, Eric Wedemeyer, and David Hawkins, and the service concluded with "When The Saints Go Marching In."
The class of 1973 is also spearheading an effort to raise an additional $25,000 to renovate a high school science lab as a more ambitious memorial to Mr. Graf, and we are hoping that alumni from other years, our parents, and our teachers who were Mr. Graf's colleagues will join us in this effort..
The school would create a memorial plaque for Mr. Graf that would be placed on the door of the lab, and if the school ever conducted further renovation or even constructed new labs, the memorial plaque would be moved to the new facilities.
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We hope everyone will help the class of 1973 spread the word to all members of the St. Martin's family who might wish to honor Mr. Graf, and we hope you will consider a contribution yourself. (Please feel free to direct potentially interested parties to this website.)
Contributions in any amount are welcome, so please be as generous as you wish. If contributions exceed the amount needed for the science lab, additional projects or programs will be sponsored in Mr. Graf's honor. Should you wish to contribute, please write a check payable to "St. Martin's Episcopal School," with "Harold Graf Memorial" on the memo line, and mail to Development Director Patti Micklin at 5309 Airline Drive, Metairie, LA 70003. The school will acknowledge your tax-deductible donation and provide you with the proper documentation for use in filing your tax return. |
Check this website periodically for updates on this project.
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Please send questions, comments, suggestions, offers of content contribution or site development / maintenance help to Kicker at kicker@hav.com
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