ESCANABA — Dan “Butch” Paterick (known now as Joe Paterick), 1969 Holy Name High School graduate, has quite a lofty — and challenging — goal. His plan is to ride his bike from his home in Milwaukee to Holy Name Catholic School this summer to help raise funds for the new Holy Name Catholic High School.

To a “regular Joe,” this might seem daunting, but Joe Paterick has completed his share of daunting tasks–52 marathons, to be exact. Being a triathlete for 24 years, (His first triathlon was at Bayfest in Gladstone in 1994), Paterick is a natural competitor and athlete. His interest in athletics started at Holy Name High, having earned letters for varsity football, basketball and track.

To support Paterick and his challenging endeavor, Holy Name Catholic School will be holding a Back-to School Bike-a-thon and BBQ on Wednesday, Aug. 14 on the school playground. Registration begins at 4 p.m., with the Bike-a-thon beginning at 4:30 p.m. The Back-to-School BBQ will run from 5:30 to 7 p.m., with Paterick arriving between approximately 6 and 6:30 p.m. Kids can bring their bikes to ride around the school block as they await Paterick’s arrival to Escanaba; there will also be a toddler trike track for little children. Awards will be given to students with the most laps in each age group. People can get involved by pledging funds for Paterick’s ride to Escanaba. Pledge forms are available on Holy Name’s Facebook page, or at the school office, located at 409 So. 22nd Street. All funds raised will be used for the reopening of Holy Name Catholic High School.

Paterick said he has been planning on traveling to Escanaba on the weekend of August 17 for his 50th HNHS Class Reunion, so when he heard about the Now Is The Time HNHS Capital Campaign, he thought it would be a great idea to come to town a few days early and combine his trip with a fundraising drive for the new HNHS.  

This August 14, when Paterick plans to complete his 240-mile ride, he’ll be two months away from turning 69 years old, but he doesn’t let his age slow him down.

“I’m proud of my age, and hope this helps to inspire people to stay healthy and active – and to give to the Holy Name High campaign,” he smiled. “My plan is to finish the ride – from my doorstep in Milwaukee to Holy Name – in seventeen hours, but of course, I’m going to have to train pretty hard to do that.”

“I have fond memories of Holy Name High School,” Paterick reminisced. “The great student camaraderie and the togetherness of the school family really stuck with me, and I am looking forward to my ride this summer when I can hopefully help in some small way to bring the high school back.”

He continued: “In looking back, the staff at Holy Name High School provided us a family-like, supportive, structured learning environment within education, school activities and athletics (taught at the teenage level, the understanding that the winning values gained through athletic sportsmanship outlast the memories of competitive wins and losses). Though, most importantly, as the school song lyrics of Hail Holy Name High taught then, and continue to teach, an indisputable faith in the God Divine – God Within all of us –to serve, to feel, to care and do for others. This, I truly believe, is the Holy Name way.”

For more information on the Back-to-School Bike-a-thon and BBQ to welcome Joe Paterick to Holy Name, search “Holy Name Catholic School Escanaba” on Facebook.