May 2012
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Election ballot for new Alumni Board members - vote through May 8
All alumni are invited to vote for nominated candidates. The election ballot will remain open through Tuesday, May 8, 2012, at 4:00 p.m. Newly elected Alumni Board of Directors members will be announced at the annual alumni meeting on May 8, and will be communicated in the next e-newsletter.
The Alumni Board of Directors is a group of dedicated alumni who gather monthly to plan events and networking opportunities, and to keep alumni close to their Notre Dame family. The board of directorsis comprised of: the director of alumni relations, a minimum of six and a maximum of 15 members-at-large (including a president, vice president, secretary and treasurer).
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Celebrating alumni nurses during National Nurses Week
By: Kelly Patrello '02 (NDP)
National Nurses Week is celebrated annually from May 6 through May 12 in honor of Florence Nightingale, the founder of modern nursing. For the eighth consecutive year, nurses have been voted the most trusted profession in America, according to Gallup's annual survey of professions, for their honesty and ethical standards. (Source: American Nurses Association). Besides a high level of integrity, it takes a highly qualified person to make it through a nursing program. It is not uncommon to see candidates with stellar GPAs on a five year wait-list trying to get into nursing school. According to the Michigan State University College of Nursing website, "Approximately 60 students are admitted each fall and spring semesters. The College receives 2-3 times the number of applications per seat. The average GPA for the cohort admitted for fall 2011 was 3.69." Some of our Notre Dame alumni have made it through rigorous training and now devote themselves to taking care of you and your loved ones. At Harper University Hospital in Detroit, you will find Leah Howdyshell '03 (NDP) working with cutting edge research on the Neurosurgery Intensive Care Unit. Elizabeth Hollenkamp '01 (NDP), a pediatric oncology nurse at the University of Michigan's Mott's Children's Hospital, uses some of the latest breakthroughs to help cure the smallest of cancer patients. If you want to hear a good story, try talking to Lyndsey Clements '03 (NDP), an ER staff nurse at the The Notre Dame Alumni Association would like to recognize |
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Three NDP alum athletes slated for hall of fame
Jeff Bultinck '06, Molly Coldren '08 and Brogan Wells '08
The Catholic High School League announced that three former Notre Dame Prep athletes have been inducted into the CHSL Hall of Fame. Jeff Bultinck '06, Molly Coldren '08 and Brogan Wells '08 will be honored at the league's annual dinner to be held June 11 at Fern Hill Country Club in Clinton Township. Bultinck played baseball at Madonna University; Coldren is a shortstop on the Central Michigan University softball team; and Wells is on the volleyball team at Hillsdale.
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5K walk/run in memory of NDP alumna, Ashleigh Iserman '04
Sunday, June 3. Proceeds benefit boating safety education
In Ashleigh's memory, the Iserman family established The Ashleigh Iserman Boating Safety Foundation to help promote boating safety education in order to keep families safe while riding in boats, jet skis or other vessels on Michigan waterways.
The third-annual "Light the Lakes" 5K walk/run will be held on Sunday, June 3, at Bloomer Park in Rochester Hills from 8:30 - 10:30 a.m. Proceeds benefit Ashleigh's foundation and all alumni and friends are invited to attend. Pre-registration pricing (all prices include t-shirts): Adults $20, Youths $15, Family $70. For more information, visit http://www.ashleighiserman.com.
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NDHS alum in basketball finals in Portugal
Greg Stempin '97 (NDHS) and his team FC Porto are waiting to find out who their opponent will be in the finals of the LPB professional basketball league in Portugal. He was named MVP of a first-round game in the playoffs with 31 points and 14 rebounds. Also, he was recently featured by his team in this "day-in-the-life" type video. |
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"Blues Fest" fundraising event in memory of NDHS alum's brother
Brother of John Motyka '85 was a talented Detroit musician
John Motyka's brother, Brian "Moe" Motyka's, life was taken on October 6, 2011, in Detroit. Moe was a talented musician on his way to perform at the Harbor House in downtown Detroit when he met his untimely demise. In hopes that this tragic mystery is solved and the killer(s) is/are brought to justice, Motyka's family has planned a fundraising event to benefit Moe's Memorial Fund.
Moe's Rock'n Blues Fest will take place on Sunday, July 8, 2012, at the VFW in St. Clair Shores. The show runs from 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. and will feature a long list of professional blues musicians performing on four acres. World-class Polish and BBQ cooking from Mama Moes Kitchen will be offered, along with children's games and activites. John Motyka says, "It will certainly be fun for the whole family," and invites all alumni to attend. For more information, call 586-759-8446. |
April 2012
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Alumni Board of Directors informational session
April 16 & 18 at Red Ox Tavern, Auburn Hills
Interested in learning more about joining the Notre Dame Alumni Association Board of Directors? This group meets once monthly to plan alumni events and activities, and is looking for new members.
Join us for an informal informational session:
Monday, April 16 at 12:00 p.m.
Wednesday, April 18 at 6:00 p.m.
Both sessions will be held at the Red Ox Tavern in Auburn Hills, located at 3773 East Walton Blvd.
Nominations for new board members are welcomed through April 30, 2012. To nominate yourself or another alumnus to the ballot, visit: www.ndpma.org/alumniboard. The election will take place in early May and new members will be announced at the Alumni Annual Meeting on May 8, 2012.
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Alumni Business Networking Breakfast
The next alumni business networking session is on Thursday, April 26, at 7:30 a.m., at the Stuffed Bun, located at 603 East Walton Blvd., Pontiac, MI 48340. Attendees are invited to 7:00 a.m. Mass in the chapel at NDPMA (Pontiac) beforehand. Business attire. Breakfast is purchased on a pay-your-own-way basis.
Please RSVP to Daniel Marchese '02 (NDHS), Vice President of the Alumni Board of Directors, at danojm@umich.edu.
For more information, visit www.ndpma.org/networking.
Pictured from left: Daniel Marchese '02 (NDHS),
Peter Halabu '04 (NDP), and Kristopher
Powell '75 (NDHS) at the March networking
session.
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Dave Coulier Comedy Show at NDP - Saturday, May 12
Don't wait to get your tickets to the Dave Coulier comedy show, taking place on Saturday, May 12, at NDPMA. This event is a special fundraiser to benefit the Fr. John Bryson, s.m., Memorial Scholarship Fund. Presented by the Notre Dame Alumni Association, the comedy show is for all ages and starts at 8:00 p.m.
All tickets are general admission seating:
$25.00 adults
$15.00 for students and seniors (under 18 and over 65).
$50.00 premium tickets admitting you to private "meet & greet" afterglow
Meet & greet tickets are almost sold out - only 15 left!
To purchase tickets, visit www.ndpma.org/davecoulier.
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of the NHC staff newsletter. In the interview, Zelinsky was asked what planted the weather bug in him and answered, "When I was four, there was a huge cottonwood tree that fell onto my house outside of Detroit during a storm. That was the defining moment for me. When I was in elementary school, I would come home and turn on The Weather Channel rather than cartoons." Read the interview here.In 2010, Zelinsky participated in NASA's Genesis and Rapid Intensification Processes (GRIP) project, a NASA Earth science field experiment conducted to better understand how tropical storms form and develop into major hurricanes. As a student forecaster in the experiment, he flew on the NASA DC-8 during hurricane surveillance missions into Hurricanes Earl and Karl.
David graduated from Purdue University, and earned his masters degree from Florida State University. In his spare time, he enjoys long-distance running and playing ice hockey.
Tony DeNardo '90 (NDHS) and Danny Methric '90 (NDHS) were buddies in high school. Their friendship led to one of the Midwest's most popular blues-rock bands, The Muggs. The Muggs are going back to Spain for a third tour and, for the first time, also will be touring in France, Germany, Switzerland and the Netherlands promoting their third full-length release, "Born Ugly." The tour will run May 15 through June 18, 2012.
Bass-player DeNardo has released a solo album entitled "Kid Gloves" under the artist name, DUDE. From DeNardo's biography, "Kid Gloves is an honest musical account that deals with Tony DeNardo's life, before and after his stroke. This collection of songs, some of which date back to 1996, are an autobiographical cross section of life through the eyes of a man who always had the greatest of ambitions."
For more information, visit www.themuggs.com. CD's are available at: http://cdbaby.com/cd/dude32
In an excerpt from "Mantle of Blue - History of the Northeast Province Society of Mary 1924-1974" by Rev. Lionel F. Beaudoin, s.m., published in 1974, and used by permission of the Marist Fathers & Brothers of the United States, Boston, the following is a detailed account of what went on behind the scenes before Notre Dame High School in Harper Woods was built and the roughly 20 years after. Full Story.
Special thanks to event chairperson, Gina (Coppola) Cereska '00 (NDP), and other members of the Notre Dame Alumni Association Board of Directors who hosted this event: Victoria Sidor '01 (NDP), Jim Gammicchia '99 (NDP), Daniel Marchese '02 (NDHS), Trent Thiry '00 (NDP), and Keaton Curran '10 (NDP).
Correction: First NDP alum to score 1,000 pts. in basketball careeer
Jennifer (O'Rourke) Bennett '01 (NDP)
In the February 2012 alumni e-newsletter it was incorrectly reported that Notre Dame Prep senior Kellen McCormick reached the 1,000-point milestone in the Irish's 2012 basketball season, the first time a basketball player from NDP - boy or girl - has reached 1,000 points in a high school career.
The alumni office regrets that we did not accurately report that Jennifer (O'Rourke) Bennett '01 (NDP) had first reached 1,000 points in her high school basketball career, during her senior year at an away game vs. Oakland Christian.
Upon graduation from Notre Dame Prep, Jennifer continued her education at Oakland University, where she earned her B.S. in elementary education. Jennifer is married to Anthony Bennett (who attended NDP in 1996 - 1999) and they have 3 children: Nikolas who is 8 years old, Jacob who is 4 years old and Emily who is 3 months old. The family resides in Shelby Twp., Mich.
March 2012
View the March 2012 alumni e-newsletter
Open nominations through April 30
The Notre Dame Alumni Association board of directors represents the alumni of Notre Dame Prep, Notre Dame High School, Oakland Catholic, Pontiac Catholic, St. Michael and St. Frederick schools. Board members meet the second Tuesday of each month on the NDPMA campus (Pontiac) to discuss and plan special events, to advance the Marist mission and to ensure our alumni have a positive connection to their school.
Nominations for new board members are welcomed through April 30, 2012. The election will take place in early May and new members will be announced at the Alumni Annual Meeting on May 8, 2012.
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Alumna, coach and teacher named one of CHSL's greatest athletes
Bobbie (Bieszki) Hall '00 (NDP)
Notre Dame Prep alumna, coach and teacher Bobbie (Bieszki) Hall has been honored as one of the best athletes in the history of the Catholic High School League. Hall is one of thirty-nine female athletes named to the CHSL list, which also includes Pontiac Catholic athletes Mary Haslinger '83, Vicki Morrow '83 and Bridget Syron '82.
Hall, who graduated from NDP in 2000, currently coaches JV basketball and assists in softball, and teaches English and health/PE in NDPMA's upper and middle divisions. A three-sport standout who earned all-state recognition in basketball, volleyball and softball, she was NDP's first Division-1 athlete to sign a National Letter of Intent. She owns the following school records in basketball: assists in a career (316); three-pointers in a game (6); second all-time in assists in a season (104); and second all-time in career steals (187).
On the boys side, eighty-five athletes were named as the best in CHSL history, including Jim Berra '74, Doug Brown '70 and Joe Przybicki '64 from Notre Dame High School in Harper Woods; and John Hood '86 and Matt Strickler '83 from Pontiac Catholic.
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Elias Khalil '88 (NDHS) authors book about Detroit's Cass Corridor
Elias Khalil from the NDHS class of 1988 co-authored a book about Detroit's Cass Corridor. The book is part of Arcadia Publishing's popular series, "Images of America," which chronicles the history of communities across the country. Each book celebrates a town or region, bringing to life the people, places and events that defined that community through historical accounts and photographs. Elias and his co-author, Armando Delicato, are having a book launch party at the Cass Café (4620 Cass Avenue, Detroit, Mich.) on Saturday, March 3, 2012, from 6:00 p.m - 9:00 p.m. All are invited to attend.
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NDP Alumna on University of Notre Dame rowing team
Paige Aiello'09 (NDP)
 Paige Aiello is preparing to begin her third season with the University of Notre Dame women's rowing team. The Rochester Hills, Mich., native looks to help whichever varsity boat she sits in claim gold yet again at the BIG EAST Championships and help the team to earn qualification for the NCAA Championship in 2012. (Source: University of Notre Dame Athletics)In an interview with Notre Dame's athletic department, Aiello said, "Rowing is a sport in which you can always push yourself harder. The most rewarding part about rowing is sitting in a boat with seven other girls and knowing that they are fighting for you just as hard as you are fighting for them. There is a connectedness that goes beyond the race itself." Read the full interview. |
Central Michigan's Molly Coldren, who graduated from Notre Dame Prep in 2008, is one of thirty student-athletes selected for the Lowe's Senior CLASS Award.Coldren currently has a 3.52 GPA and in 2011 was named to the Capital One Academic All-District IV third team and was on the Academic All-MAC team.
February 2012
View the February 2012 alumni e-newsletter
The Traveling Irish Dinner series continued with concurrent stops in the towns of the Wolverines and Spartans on Friday, February 10, 2012. More than 50 alums and guests gathered for dinner at the Pizza House in Ann Arbor, and Harper's Restaurant in East Lansing. Thank you to Keaton Curran '10 (NDP) for his efforts in organizing these events.
Notre Dame Preparatory School and Marist Academy hosted a free presentation on the topic of "Estate and Financial Planning in Practice." The session covered the general aims of estate planning, basic tools and techniques, things to consider, and the costs of doing nothing. Case studies were presented for illustrative purposes and all attendees received with a financial planning checklist.
The seminar was conducted by Mr. Tom Del Pup, J.D., C.F.P., a Rochester-based attorney and certified financial planner with 20 years of experience in representing individuals and businesses with their estate, retirement, business and financial planning needs. Tom's informal and educational presentation style has been very popular with alumni and parents in the past.
The longtime Notre Dame tradition of Irish Games lives! Remember competing in student games during Irish Week, like cageball, tug of war and chariot racing? Well, grownups can have just as much fun! 
The Notre Dame Alumni Association Board of Directors invites you to the 3rd annual Alumni Irish Games. Take part in or watch a spirited tournament of games in the gymnasium at Notre Dame Preparatory School and Marist Academy, Pontiac campus. Enjoy dinner, adult beverages and socializing with fellow ND alumni.
Tickets: $15.00
includes tee-shirt,
food, and drink
tickets for the bar.
(21+ please bring
ID)
Please save the date for the 15th annual 
fashion show and shopping gala, presented by the parents club of Notre Dame Preparatory School and Marist Academy. This year's event will be held on Tuesday, March 20, at Cherry Creek Golf Club in Shelby Township, Mich., and will feature fashions from the shops and boutiques of downtown Rochester. Channel 955's Mojo in the Morning will be the master of ceremonies. The shopping gala and cocktails will begin at 6:00 p.m., followed by dinner and a fashion show. More information to follow in the March e-newsletter. Contact Liz Brisley at 586.484.5718 with any questions.
Alumni and friends are invited to join us for Notre Dame's annual golf outing on Monday, June 4, 2012. This year's golf outing will be held at the Eastwynd, the Wyndgate Country Club's private course in Rochester, Mich. In addition to players for the golf outing, the parents club is looking for help in the following areas to make the event successful: lunch, dinner or beverage cart sponsorships; hole sponsorships; donations of items to the silent auction or raffle. If you are interested in participating, please contact Rick Sutkiewicz at 248.207.9788 .
Dave Coulier "LIVE" at Notre Dame
Dave Coulier, who graduated from Notre Dame High School in 1977, will take the stage Saturday, May 12, at NDPMA in a special fundraiser to benefit the Fr. John Bryson, s.m., Memorial Scholarship Fund. Bryson was a Marist priest who taught and served at Notre Dame High School in Harper Woods for nearly 45 years. He died in May of last year at the age of 87.
Coulier has been a regular face on television, first starring as Joey Gladstone in the ABC-TV sitcom "Full House" from 1987 through 1995. He also had a stint hosting "America's Funniest Videos." In between, he's acted in movies and continues a successful standup comedy routine at colleges and clubs around the country.
Presented by the Notre Dame Alumni Association, the comedy show is for all ages and starts at 8:00 p.m. on Saturday, May 12. Tickets are $25.00 for adults and $15.00 for students and seniors (under 18 and over 65). Premium tickets are available for $50.00, which also admit you to a private "Meet & Greet" afterglow reception with Dave Coulier. All tickets are general admission seating.
Five NDP alumni will take the field on Sunday, February 12 when the Detroit Mercy Titans host the University of Michigan Wolverines in the first Division I game in the history of the U-M program. Come on out and watch this exciting match-up!
Playing for the Titans: Nick Garippa '10 (NDP), Tim Robertson '10 (NDP), Brandon Beauregard '11 (NDP) and Joe Gifford '11 (NDP). For the Wolverines: Rob Healy '08 (NDP) (shown at right). The game will be played on February 12 at 1:00 p.m. at Ultimate Soccer, located at 867 South Blvd. East, Pontiac, Mich. For tickets, call 313.993.1700. .
More than 100 people turned out Thursday night, January 26, for the opening reception of the fourth annual alumni art show hosted by the Notre Dame Alumni Association. Twenty-one artists, 
including alumni from Notre Dame Prep and Notre Dame High School, exhibited art in media ranging from oil and watercolor to photography and sculpture.
92 unique pieces of alumni artwork were on display in the main lobby of Notre Dame's Pontiac location from January 26 to February 3, 2012.
Pictured at left: Fr. Joe Hindelang, s.m., '68 (NDHS) and current principal of Notre Dame Prep; Kirby Smith, retired art instructor from NDHS and NDP; Rachel (Alexander) Miller '00 (NDP), director of alumni relations; and Frank Castronova '89 (NDHS), annual fund director.
Artists who exhibited their work in the 2012 alumni art show included:
Joe Borri '80 (NDHS), Nallely Flores '11 (NDP), Katy Hojnacki '08 (NDP), Patrick Kelly '00 (NDHS), Walter Kempski '69 (NDHS), Alexandra Kosik '08 (NDP), Daniel Marchese '02 (NDHS), Paige McGrail '11 (NDP), Madison Moreno '11 (NDP), Allison Perez-Valle '11 (NDP), Catherine (Kopytek) Procissi '00 (NDP), Nicole Roser '11 (NDP), Victoria Sidor '01 (NDP), Gregory Simon '89 (NDHS), Hayden Smith '11 (NDP), Megan Stephanic '10 (NDP), Bryan Ureel '82 (NDHS), Erin Welsh '05 (NDP), Kati Swieca-Brockman (NDP art faculty), Ned Devine (NDP art faculty), and Kirby Smith (retired NDP and NDHS art faculty).
Ron Wade '87 (NDHS) will represent the Detroit Tigers - and their charity, the Detroit Tigers Foundation - on the MLB Network's "Baseball IQ" quiz show. The series debuted on Tuesday, January 24. Two episodes will air every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday at 9:00 p.m., leading up to the opening of spring training camps in late February. It is not yet known on which date Wade's episode will run.
Baseball IQ, hosted by Matt Vasgersian, features 32 contestants, including one from each MLB team and representatives of MLB.com and the Baseball Hall of Fame. Contestants match up head-to-head in bracket-style format with a chance to win up to $45,000 for their team's charity. Wade told Blessyouboys.com in an interview, "You have to come up with an answer quick, it's a lot of fun. I highly recommend people tune in to it." (Source: Blessyouboys.com) Full Story
January 2012
View the January 2012 alumni e-newsletter
Thank you to all alumni who offered help or prayers for Joey Caretti, eleven-year-old son of Joe Caretti '84 (NDHS) and Lisa (Verkest) Caretti '84 (Regina). Thousands of get well cards were sent to Joey by members of the Notre Dame community, and many alumni attended or made a donation to the bone marrow donor drive, which was held on December 19, 2011 in Shelby Twp, Mich. Your continued prayers are sincerely appreciated by the Caretti family as they support Joey through a final round of chemotherapy and continue testing for a bone marrow donor match.
To join the National Bone Marrow Donor Registry click here.
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Alumnus designs performing arts center for Ground Zero
Shawn Cencer '07 (NDP) featured in NY Times
Shawn Cencer '07 (NDP) is soon to be finishing his degree in architecture from Carnegie Mellon University. Cencer was featured in the NY Times for his participation in a student architecture project to design a performing arts center at Ground Zero. Cencer traveled to NYC for the project and was quoted in the NY Times saying of his assignment, "My initial reaction was overwhelming - shock. It was hard to come up with an idea of where to begin." |
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Bob Lantzy '64 (NDHS) announces retirement from coaching
After 41 football seasons as head coach at Utica Eisenhower
"Hip-hip hooray! Hip-hip hooray! Hip-hip hooray!" Anyone who's followed Eisenhower's football program over the last four decades knows this was Eagle coach Bob Lantzy's
 celebration chant after Eagle victories, singling out players for playing an outstanding game or making a spectacular play. That signature victory celebration is a thing of the past now as Lantzy, the Eagles' only head football coach in school history, has decided to retire after 41 seasons and a 304-116 overall record."It wasn't as tough of a decision as I thought it would be," Lantzy said. "I think it will be tougher living with this decision than making the decision. It was demanding once I got home from Arizona in June until right now. I'm still not done yet. That's a long time and commitment."
(Source: Advisor & Source Newspapers, by Kevin Lozon) Full Story
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NDP alumna's research in China helps bone transplants
2008 grad hopes research will eliminate organ and tissue rejection
Patty was kind enough to spend a few minutes answering some questions from her high school alma mater for the January/February issue of our Blarney Stone publication.
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NDHS alum published in new British-based literary magazine
Recounts childhood memories in "complicated city", Detroit
Ben Blackwell '00 (NDHS) authored an article recently for Boat Magazine, a new British literary magazine that twice a year chooses what the editors call a "complicated city" to live in for a month or so and write about it. The first issue was on Sarajevo, Bosnia, and the second, for which Blackwell wrote his article, is on Detroit. Next is London, England.
The issue also features an article by novelist Jeffrey Eugenides as well as a piece on Ben Gordon and Charlie Villanueva of the Detroit Pistons. Find the magazine at Leopold's Books on Kirby, near Woodward. In addition to writing, which he does extremely well, Blackwell helps his uncle Jack White (White Stripes, Raconteurs, Dead Weather, etc.) manage Third Man Records in Nashville. He also continues in his role as drummer for the band The Dirtbombs. |
Blackwell's article, called 'Things We Left in the Fire,' recounts when his mother's Detroit house caught fire and how difficult it was sorting through what remained afterward. Erin Spens, Boat's editor-in-chief, says the article among other things discusses "the impressions of his feet in the cement sidewalk as a little baby and the baseball cards he left in the attic."|
Alumni gathered for a night at the Palace of Auburn Hills
College basketball game on December 10, 2011
Alumni from Notre Dame High School and Notre Dame Preparatory School, along with their guests, watched the University of Michigan Wolverines beat the Oakland University Grizzlies in basketball at the Palace of Auburn Hills on Saturday, December 10, 2011. The annual event, which is generally a Detroit Pistons game, was hosted by the Notre Dame Alumni Association Board of Directors. Special thanks to Julie Kherker '01 (NDP) and Trent Thiry '00 (NDP) for their help in organizing this enjoyable evening.
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osted by the Notre Dame Alumni Association Board of Directors.
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