#304 -September 14, 2007

Greetings

I took my blood pressure the other day. You don’t really want to know what the reading was, but it made me think. I thought about how our bodies break down. The cause may be self inflicted abuse, too many Whoppers, or neglect in not doing enough sit ups. The deterioration can be caused by others via second hand smoke or by bad things in the environment such as asbestos. Many of us have the seeds of our destruction diabolically born inside us. The dangerous levels of sugar and cholesterol in our blood can be something of a “birth right.” Our bodies are certain to breakdown.

Ah…but Walther grads and others are working to deliver help to us as they counter the diseases that have haunted people since the Fall. Lipitor, Celebrex and even that new stuff that makes your legs not twitch can help us. There is help for our bodies. Medicine and the people who practice it can bring us a measure of peace and extend the time we have been given to live a life of praise.

Many times in the Bible of image “the body” is used to help us think of our lives in the Christian community. If one of us has a problem or a need, others are called on to minister and to serve. If one member is weak another will be stronger. You can bank on the fact that we will encounter trials -- physical, spiritual and emotional. You can also be assured that God has provided a network of believers to help you through any of the perils of the world.

The comfort we seek may come in unfamiliar forms. The answers we receive might not be the answers that we are looking for, but be certain that God does know when a sparrow falls and He has counted the hairs of your head. He has a plan for you -- a plan to deliver you from all the threats of this world. Live with that thought.

School News

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We encourage you, however, to try the newsletter for a while first. If you like it, you may even want to add others to the list by CLICKING HERE.

Walther Lutheran High School has formed a partnership with The New Light Group and BenefitBar to create a unique toolbar similar to the popular Yahoo! Toolbar to be used with either Firefox or Internet Explorer. The Walther BenefitBar will serve as a new wave communication tool and provide up-to-date information on resources, news, important organization information and much more.

The Walther BenefitBar has dual purposes. While the toolbar provides a platform for ongoing outreach, the bar will also raise money for Walther as users of the toolbar search the web. The money raised will work to help Walther continue to provide quality education to all of our youth. There is no cost involved to the user or Walther.

The Walther BenefitBar is free of Spyware, Adware and Viruses and is updated on a regular basis. Walther will respect a user’s privacy. Once installed, users will be able to do searches in a very convenient way, access the Walther Website, and remain updated on late and breaking news. Remember, there is no cost to the user and no purchase is necessary and constituencies of Walther benefit every time the bar is used. We encourage you to share the Walther BenefitBar with family members, friends, co-workers or anyone who wants to support Walther. Please type in the following link on your computer to install the Walther BenefitBar to your computer:
http://www.benefitbar.com/benefitbar/subscribe/toolbar.php?toolbarId=276
(Important Note: THE TOOLBAR HAS NO ADWARE, SPYWARE, POPUPS or TRACKING.)

Operating a Lutheran School is an expensive proposition. We depend on the stewardship of many people and the active partnership of many institutions to support the work that we do here. The photo below shows one gift that will certainly make life nicer for the students and faculty at Walther. The Chicagoland Lutheran Education Foundation (CLEF) has been an important source of advice and support for many years. This past Wednesday at chapel, CLEF Executive Director Robin Dodin contributed to our chapel offering by bringing ten flat screen computer monitors as a gift from CLEF.

Flatscreens

We believe that, in the future, support for Christian Education must also come from the governmental world. If you are interested in ways that our school and individual families can benefit from existing State operated programs, then this next item will interest you. It comes from the Catholic conference which actively monitors what goes on in Springfield:

In the first two weeks of October efforts will be made in the legislature to override the Governor's recent vetoes of certain items in the state's budget. This includes two programs vitally important to nonpublic schools: $10.1 million in the School Safety Block Grant to help our schools pay for state mandated health and safety measures, and $14.1 million to increase the transportation reimbursement to parents forced to drive their children to school.

Principals, teachers, pastors, parents of your school, and congregation members can help in several ways.

First, please CALL AND/OR WRITE your state representative and state senator in the next two weeks and ask that they commit to voting to override the Governor's vetoes! Attached to this notice are a sample letter, a fact sheet and a list of state mandates related to health and safety. Please copy the letter and send it to your state representative and senator.

If you do not know who your state representative and senator are, you can go to Ilga.gov, click on Legislator Lookup in the lower right hand column and plug in your street address.

Second, over the next three weeks, there will be budget hearings held across the state to discuss the Governor's vetoes and possible overrides. We need local principals, parents and other interested parties to attend these hearings and show their support for an override. A list of the meeting dates, locations and times is also attached; please check to see if there is a hearing convenient to your school. You can speak at the hearing if you wish (using the materials attached), but if you don't wish to speak, simply submit the written materials attached -- your presence alone will send a great message.

Please do all you can to help and get this word out. Thanks.

Zach Wichmann
Catholic Conference of Illinois
Associate Director for Education
Illinois Coalition of Nonpublic Schools
217-528-9200

We have added a new icon to our web site -- check out Walther.com for our weekly sports schedule.

This new feature is the work of Walther students reaching out to you. But don’t take my word listen to these Walther moms:

From: Autumn May-Haras,
The weekly Sport Schedule is an excellent idea. Great JOB!!

From: Nancy Orrico I noticed the Weekly Sport Scheduleyesterday and I think it is an awesome thing!

We will soon be welcoming a new student from Slovakia. Nikola (aka Nika) is picture below. CLICK HERE to read Nika’s letter of introduction.

Nika

Alumni News

Look at all of the lovely Walther ladies in their finest wedding attire. In the photo below you see wedding guests Emily-Jo Lymon ’04, Stephanie Tetzler ’00, Jennifer Smith ’03 and of course the beautiful bride -- former Walther teacher and member of the class of 1996, Danille Tetzler, now Mrs. Bavin Mbadu.

Danielle Emily Stephanie Jenn at Wedding

Last Call for Class of 1972…The 35th REUNION DINNER is this Saturday, September 15 , 2007 at 5 p.m. starting at the home of Peggy Larry DiFazio, 1205 Helen Dr., in Melrose Park, then moving to Danny's Cafe at 15th and Division, in Melrose Park. Post-dinner, the group will return to Peggy's. It is requested that each woman bring a dessert to share and each man bring a beverage or dessert to pass. The cost is $35 per person, alcoholic beverages are extra.

Class of 1957 is looking forward to being the first class to reach their 50 year Walther anniversary. They will be celebrating during the Homecoming 2007 weekend, October 12 through 14 with a class dinner at Tom's Steakhouse in Melrose Park. Marilyn (Ernst) Dietz, chairperson of the reunion, has another reason to celebrate--her mom Elvira (Huxhold) Ernst celebrates her 103 birthday! Elvira was born in Forest Park, on Sept. 15, 1904, and was baptized and confirmed at St. John Lutheran Church in Forest Park. She married Arthur Ernston April 16, 1932, and was able to celebrate their 50th anniversary in 1982. Elvira was committed toproviding a Lutheran educationfor Marilyn, theironly daughter. Elvira sent her child to St. John Forest Park and then to Walther Lutheran High School, where Marilyn became part of Walther's first graduating class.Elvira lives at the Lutheran Home in Arlington Heights where she celebrated her birthday on Wednesday. Walthe rLutheran High School's Christian Minstrels provided music at this milestone event. All of us at Walther congratulate Elvira on this achievement and wish her God's continued blessings.

Elvira Ernst

We include in our prayers the family of Rev. Jon Strand of Hope Lutheran Church in Countryside. Jon was a student teacher in the English Department at Walther in 2002. Late last week he succumbed to brain cancer at the age of 27. His father is the Senior Pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church in Tinley Park, and Jon followed in his father's footsteps, graduating from Concordia Seminary in St. Louis in May 2006. For more information about Jon and where to send condolences CLICK HERE.

Walther Lutheran eNews & Notes add on

Alumni Ron Olsen '85, former Bronco quarterback and all around good guy is carrying a heavy weight. His dad has been battling cancer and the cancer is getting the upper hand. We invite your prayers that all will see clearly the will of God as this family struggles.

God’s blessings

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