ALUMNI Step Back into the Den ___ 10 ___ ST. MICHAEL’S APPOINTS REMEMBERING MAN OF ST. MICHAEL’S: DOUBLE BLUE PICTORIAL: New Principal Mike Labinjo ’99 Joe Younder ’56 Class of 2019 ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ 8 ___ 14 16 18 ALUMNI MAGAZINE | SUMMER 2019 | VOLUME 25 CONTACT DIRECTORY Message from the PRESIDENT www.stmichaelscollegeschool.com BLUE BANNER ONLINE: www.mybluebanner.com BASILIAN FATHERS: www.basilian.org e St. Michael’s College School alumni magazine, Blue Your example in the world is what these soon-to-be CISAA (ATHLETIC SCHEDULE): www.cisaa.ca Banner, is published twice a year. It reects the history, graduates see and will see. It may appear as a light flickering accomplishments, and stories of graduates and its purpose is TWIER: www.twier.com/smcs1852 in the distance or something far more concrete, as visible as to promote collegiality, respect, and Christian values under ADVANCEMENT OFFICE: [email protected] the light of day. However it appears, these students will likely experience its impact. the direction of the Basilian Fathers. ALUMNI AFFAIRS: [email protected] ARCHIVES OFFICE: [email protected] Your presence at the Grade 12 Alumni Homeroom Visits INTERIM PRESIDENT: Fr. Andrew Leung, CSB BLUE BANNER FEEDBACK: [email protected] and several other spring events including, the A Gi of Glamour fashion show, the sixth Alumni Networking Event, EDITOR: Gavin Davidson ’93 COMMUNICATIONS OFFICE: [email protected] the Father & Son BBQ (with past graduates participating TEL: 416-653-3180 (ext. 292) CO-EDITOR: Michael De Pellegrin ’94 with their sons who are current or incoming students), the FAX: 416-653-8789 Alumni Spring Reunion & BBQ, the Archangel’s Den Joe Younder ’56 Peter Fillman CONTRIBUTORS: , , E-MAIL: [email protected] Dear Alumni, Alumni Contest, the Evans Tannis Alumni Soccer David Grossman, Kimm Bailey, Stephanie Nicholls. • Admissions (ext. 200) Showdown, quarterly Alumni Association meetings, • Advancement (ext. 118) e sense of hope and renewal that comes with spring is only countless mentoring roles, as well as helping the Community outdone at St. Michael’s College School by the anticipation, Partnerships department and participating in experiential • Alumni Affairs (ext. 273) excitement, and wonder that go hand-in-hand with the learning initiatives throughout the academic year. ese are TABLE OFTABLE OF CONTENTS • Archives (ext. 457) culmination of another school year and graduation - the among the visible signs of the light you provide in the world CONTENTS • Arena (ext. 422) crowning glory that kicks off the summer! and to our students and wider community. President’s Message 3 • Chief Operating Officer (ext. 239) Achieving this milestone of progressing to the next academic Your active, dedicated involvement in the life of the school is • Communications (ext. 292) Alumni Association Message 4 level is a tangible accomplishment for the student and a gift to our students. Thank you for your time, energy, efforts, • Facilities (ext. 230) Editor’s Leer 5 everyone involved in supporting his scholastic journey - and passion in sharing these treasured gis. • Finance (ext. 117) faculty, staff, parents, classmates, and you, graduates of SMCS Leers to the Editor 6 • Main Reception (ext. 0) who, in some way, made an impact. It is our hope and goal as educators that these contributions St. Michael’s Appoints New Principal 8 help blaze a trail for our current and future students, like they • Marketing (ext. 288) Whether as mentors for our students, examples of leadership have for you, and as they have for 167 years and counting, Welcome Back to the Den, Gentlemen 10 • Mporium – School Store (ext. 431) in the community, change-makers in society, key towards living lives that exemplify faith, character and Mike Labinjo ’99 was a Homegrown Star since Day 1 14 • Interim President – Fr. Andrew Leung, CSB (ext. 180) contributors through partnerships, volunteers for various service. Man of St. Michael’s: Joe Younder ’56 16 • Acting Co-Principal – Mr. Emile John ’87 (ext. 156) school initiatives, role models in some capacity or another, each of you paves the path for SMCS graduates behind you - Thank you for all that you do. Double Blue Pictorial: Welcome class of 2019 18 • Acting Co-Principal – Mr. David Lee ’94 (ext. 179) many of whom you will never meet. • Dean of Students – Mr. Daniel Blaik (ext. 265) Securing our Future by Giving Back: Class of 1984 20 Blessings, e common denominator for all our graduates is learning Where Are ey Now 22 Canada Publications Mail Agreement #40006997 and living our mission of Goodness, Discipline, and Around the Rink 25 Knowledge through the Basilian model of teaching, rooted ON THE COVER: in educating the whole person - his mind, his body, and his Fr. Andrew Leung, CSB In Memoriam 27 Robert Celik ’14 (le) is presented the Archangel’s Den spirit. Interim President The Way We Were: Remembering Mike Lavelle ’54 35 winner’s cheque by last year’s Conor Ross ’12 (right). BLAZING A TRAIL FOR OUR CURRENT AND FUTURE STUDENTS i 3 ALUMNI ASSOCIATION Message EDITOR’S Leer My Fellow Alumni, Once Joe was done taking his bow, we asked him if he would not mind taking another run at the old typewriter. His answer, Since graduating, I've always found comfort in coming back as always, was yes. It’s brilliant to see him grace these pages to St. Mike's. It's like coming home and I've found a way to once again as he remembers his dear, departed friend Mike help out. To be able to give back to the school that made me Lavelle ’54 in e Way We Were (p.34). who I am is a true privilege and, in a self-serving way, incredibly gratifying. While we couldn’t convince Joe to write the whole issue, we have managed to ll it with other fantastic alumni tales, Over the past ve years, the Alumni Association has worked including a recap of the second edition of Archangel’s Den diligently at connecting St. Mike’s to the community. (Welcome Back to the Den, Gentlemen, p.10), a lovely article We continue to receive great feedback from young alumni on recently deceased grad, and former NFL player, Mike Labinjo ’99, originally wrien by David Grossman for c.ca that have beneted from mentorship pairing. I urge you to We invite you to continue to get involved, aend an alumni Dear Readers, (Remembering Mike Labinjo, p.14), and our traditional read their stories in the Where Are ey Now section (p.22). meeting, or submit ideas and feedback at [email protected] welcome to the newest group of St. Michael’s alumni (Double You know, with a dozen issues now under my belt as editor, Blue Pictorial, p.18). In April, alumni including myself, partnered with the A Gi I’m nally starting to feel like I am geing the hang of this of Glamour fashion show, struing/stumbling our way John P. O'Neill thing! Considering we only publish two issues a year (or at John P. O’Neill ’86 Best of all, aer the delays surrounding the last issue, we some- down the runway for this great school fundraiser. ankfully, least we try to publish two issues per year!) it is amazing President, SMCSAA how managed to get this out on time (I hope). Like I said, not a lot of pictures/evidence exist. how quickly six years (and various missed deadlines) have time ies. at’s why we’re already planning for the next issue, own by. in which we hope to feature the stories of a lesser known May was a crazy month for the Alumni Association! On May 7, group of alumni – those who did not aend St. Mike’s for the we hosted our sixth Networking Event, and we had a record I must say, it’s all been great fun, geing to hang around the full high school term, but still managed to benet from the school on a regular basis, constantly inhaling the sweet turnout. is year the keynote speaker, Susan Motkaluk, gave PAST time they did spend here. tips and tricks on how to be successful at networking PRESIDENTS stories of successful grads, and working closely with my evenings. On May 11, seven teams gathered for the Evans co-editor, Michael De Pellegrin ’94. It could have gone Frank Di Nino ’80 William Rosenitsch ’57 If you are one of those alumni, why don’t you drop me an Tannis Alumni Soccer Showdown to raise funds for the very dierently. Aer all, I had huge shoes to ll in following Marc Montemurro ’93 Paul Tomson ’65 email at [email protected] and let’s see if we can’t Alumni Association and the Varsity Soccer Team. On the Joe Younder ’56, who is revered around these parts not just Josh Colle ’92 John G. Walsh ’58 + get you into the next issue. 30th, we invited graduates from the past decade to the for his successful tenure as editor, but for his more than Romeo Milano ’80 Frank Thickett ’57 50-year association with the school as a student, teacher, and Annual Spring BBQ & Reunion. is gave me the Joyous Reading, Peter Thurton ’81 W. Frank Morneau ’59 opportunity to ocially welcome the Class of 2018 into the general all-around legend. Alumni Association, during a reception held in their honour. Dennis Caponi Jr. ’86 Frank Glionna ’53 + It was a great evening of seeing old friends and telling Rob Grossi ’72 George Cormack ’49 Luckily, those shoes, as with the man himself, were the nicest, university war stories. Paul Grossi ’69 Richard Wakely ’64 + most comfortable pair you could ever nd, helping to make my transition seamless, although perhaps not to readers who Daniel Brennan ’70 Gordon Ashworth ’45 + Gavin Davidson ’93 miss Joe’s unique and engaging style.