At Morning Assembly on Friday, April 13, members of the maintenance and facilities staff were recognized by Jesuit president Fr. Christopher Fronk, S.J., for their excellent work in preserving Jesuit’s 90+ year old complex on the corner of Carrollton and Banks. Walking out to cheers of appreciation from students, faculty, and staff, the maintenance department was thanked for countless hours of dedication to the school community.

Fr. Fronk told those assembled: “When I first got here, I immediately realized that in order to maintain a building of this age and size, there is constant need for repairs, upkeep, and rehabilitation. The men in front of you are responsible for keeping it going, and for that they deserve our recognition.” After a boisterous applause, Fr. Fronk then introduced each member of the staff and noted his years of service to Jesuit.

So much of what Jesuit is and how it operates is due the work of the maintenance staff. The day-to-day upkeep of a facility that is home to 1600 students and faculty is a monumental task in itself. The major community events put on by the school – the Blue Jay Bazaar, Celebration, the Golf Classic (to name but a few) – are just the tip of the iceberg of the workload for this dedicated staff, especially considering the set-up required for the numerous meetings involving visitors to campus after hours – the Alumni Giving Drive calling nights, evenings of reflection for alumni and parents, faculty and staff Christmas parties, and the list goes on and on. All of these are made possible by the work of the maintenance staff.

The address concluded with Fr. Fronk presenting a framed copy of an article in The Blue Jay newspaper to Mr. Eddie Habisreitinger. Eddie was featured in the December issue of the student paper for his craftsmanship in constructing a new altar for the Chapel of the North American Martyrs. The design of the altar beautifully matched the woodwork in the pulpit and other architectural details of the chapel and allowed for a larger altar top to accommodate the sacred vessels for the large school community at Mass.