Fund Raising

Ceile Calendar
This is a mandatory student fund raiser.  Each student is
required to sell 8 calendars. Cost of each calendar is $35.00 and the purchase of          
each calendar allows the purchaser one chance at a daily drawing for prize money.
Daily prize money ranges from $50.00 to $5000.00 with a winner drawn each
day of the year.  Calendars go on sale in October each year.  Proceeds from
this fund raiser are applied to the general school budget.

Annual Fund
Each year Bishop McNamara High School conducts an Annual
Fund drive whereby people can donate funds  to help the school meet its annual
 budget.  Mailings to our alumni and friends occur each October and culminates
with the Phonathon in February.   This is an excellent opportunity for alumni and
for matching gifts.

Spring  Dinner-Auction and Raffle
The first weekend in May is reserved for the Dinner-Auction and Raffle.  A silent and oral auction is held accompanied by a formal gourmet dinner.  Donations of cash and auction items are necessary for the success of the Auction-Dinner.
Raffle tickets are limited to the sale of 2000 with $75,000.00 being the top prize with total prize money being $100,000.00.  Tickets are sold for $100.00 each and go on sale in February. 

For more information on any of the fund raisers, please contact the Development Office at 815-933-7620 or e-mail Sharon Jackson at sjackson@bishop-mcnamara.org                                                                                              

Giving to BMHS

Bishop McNamara is a Catholic high school and therefore government financial support is not available.  Our only sources of income are tuition, endowment income, fundraising and gifting.  This is why it is so important for you to participate in our fundraising or  gifting programs.  Each and every gift is important and provides significant help in continuing to provide a McNamara education in this area.

We are sometimes asked is one can restrict their gift to a specific purpose.  The answer is yes.  Please inform us   at the time the gift is given.  However, unrestricted gifts are greatly appreciated as they allow BMHS to direct your support to budget priorities. For more information contact the Development Office at 815-9337620.

Bequests ... Let your gift live on!
As people make their long-term financial plans, they may consider charitable donations. 
Wills and trusts are methods for making charitable gifts which will help secure the future of BMHS.  Bishop McNamara would be eternally grateful to you if you would consider such a gift.  Remembering Bishop McNamara in your will or living trust will help future students obtain a McNamara education.
For more information contact the Development Office at 815-933-7620.

Endowment
The Bishop McNamara Foundation Endowment helps to assure that the school will have significant sources of income in the future.  Monies in the endowment fund are invested in diverse portfolios and are under the direction of the BMHS Foundation.  The interest from these investments is used each year to provide scholarships, need-based financial assistance, and to help with faculty salaries…but the principle remains intact and continues to grow in the coming years.

Contributions to the endowment include, but are not limited to:

• Cash can be given for investment
• Stocks, bonds and mutual funds can be gifted to the school. These would be sold and monies placed in investment portfolio: Life insurance can be purchased by the individual with BMHS named as beneficiary. 
  
• Life insurance can be purchased by the individual with BMHS named as beneficiary.  Upon the death of the person the death benefit would
  be placed in the investment portfolio.

Scholar’s Society
One can become a member of the Scholar’s Society by contributing $100.00 each year.  The Bishop McNamara Foundation directs this fund and provides $1000.00 scholarships
to students from proceeds derived from your membership.  Members are guests at a Scholar’s Society dinner each year where each student is presented with the scholarship.

Joan Hegg Faculty Tuition Reimbursement Fund
In 2007, Dr. David Hegg provided a substantial monetary gift in memory of his wife, Joan.  Dr. Hegg and Joan sent their children to Mac and worked tirelessly over the years on behalf of the school.  The fund has been directed to help defray some cost to faculty as they pursue advanced degrees and continuing education which in turn would provide more educational experiences for our students.  Contributions may be made to this fund by contacting the Development Office. 

Memorials
One can remember that special person(s) by  making a gift to BMHS in honor or in memory of the individual family.  Gifts can include a general gift to the school, restricted or unrestricted, or a scholarship in the name of the person/family.  The name of the person/family will be inscribed on our memorial plaque which is displayed in the school.

Buy a Brick
A thoughtful way of remembering that special person or family would be the purchasing of a brick with your chosen inscription on it.  This would be permanently placed in the special memorial area along the newly constructed main entry to the school.  Contact the Development Office at 815-933-7620.

Matching Gifts
Frequently, employers will match your gift to Bishop McNamara thereby increasing the effect of your donation.  We encourage you to check with your employer to see if they offer such a program.