Donors Ken Gartland and Donna Richer present a check for $50,000 to Holy Name’s Pastoral Designate Father Timothy Ferguson, Pastor of St. Joseph and St. Patrick Parish in Escanaba, and HNCS Principal Michelle Brief at the Community Foundation for Delta County office last week. (Courtesy photo)

ESCANABA – Income earned on one of the funds dedicated to Holy Name Catholic School has resulted in a $50,000 sum presented to the school.

Years ago, the Staff Support Endowment Fund by Alumni and Friends of Holy Name Catholic School was created with the sole purpose of providing annual economic support to the administration and staff of HNCS. It remains held by the Community Foundation for Delta County (CFFDC).

Last week, two key donors, Ken Gartland and Donna Richer, presented a check for $50,000 that was accrued through interest and dividends earned on the account to HNCS Principal Michelle Brief and Holy Name’s Pastoral Designate Father Timothy Ferguson, Pastor of St. Joseph and St. Patrick Parish in Escanaba.

The staff at Holy Name Catholic School expressed their thanks for the generosity of alumni and donors like Ken and Pat Gartland, the late Dale Richer and his wife Donna. Ken, a 1958 graduate of Holy Name, and Donna, on behalf of her husband who also graduated in ’58, presented the check on Jan. 8 at the CFFDC office.

“We are so grateful for all of our supporters,” said Brief. “The Gartland and Richer families have been — and continue to be — large supporters of Holy Name, both spiritually and financially.”

Holy Name Catholic School is dear to the Gartlands’ and Richers’ hearts.

“We’re giving back some of what God has given us,” Ken said. “Holy Name is a phenomenal school. We’re confident it will grow and prosper in the future.”

Holy Name High School – A Chesterton Academy reopened in 2021, the the 50th anniversary of the original high school’s closure in 1971. The Catholic high school had operated from 1954 to ’71; from then until just a few years ago, Holy Name only went up to eighth grade.

Both Ken and his wife Pat are graduates of Holy Name High School; Pat one year later in 1959. Ken also served on the Holy Name School Board in the ’60s and the Scholarship Board in the ’70s. All seven of Ken and Pat’s children also graduated from Holy Name, and some of their grandchildren as well.

The late Dale Richer graduated from HNHS alongside Ken in ’58. Donna and Dale’s daughter Renee is a 1986 graduate of HNCS, and their granddaughter Camille — Renee’s daughter — is presently in eighth grade at Holy Name.

A total of 191 students are enrolled from pre-kindergarten to 12th grade. The grade school operates at 409 S. 22nd St.

The current high school, located at 2203 7th Ave. South in an annex of St. Anne’s Church, started with 12 students and has since grown to 25 students, with seven graduating in this school’s third senior class in the spring of 2026.

The Staff Support Endowment by Alumni and Friends of Holy Name Catholic School, of which Ken Gartland and Dale Richer are the original fund holders, joins with several other funds within the CFFDC that support scholarships and operating expenses for Holy Name.

As far as the $50K recently issued, it is to provide economic support to school support staff.

“We have a great support staff at Holy Name, and we will use these funds to retain these valuable employees, with the ultimate goal of increasing enrollment at Holy Name,” wrote Marketing Director Victoria LaFave.

“We want to encourage other Holy Name graduates to give back and are hoping we can inspire others to support the school,” Ken said.

People may start a fund of their own, give a donation of any size to the General HNHS Scholarship Fund, or donate to one of CFFDC’s other Holy Name funds. Interested parties may call the Community Foundation for Delta County at 906-786-6654 or email office@cfup.org

More information on Holy Name Catholic School or Holy Name High School — A Chesterton Academy may be obtained by calling the office at 906-786-7550 or visiting one of the schools.