Officers of the College of Saint Elizabeth (CSE) Alumnae/i Association Monmouth-Ocean Chapter presented to CSE President Sr. Francis Raftery three checks totaling $15,000 for the Chapter’s Scholarship fund on Thursday, October 18, 2007 on campus.

The checks were a result of the fundraising efforts at the Chapter’s Annual Scholarship Luncheon, held at the Jumping Brook Country Club in Neptune, N.J., on August 8, 2007.

 The CSE Alumnae/i Association Monmouth-Ocean Chapter officers present checks totaling $15,000 to CSE President Sr. Francis Raftery for the Chapter’s Scholarship fund. Pictured left to right are: Sr. Francis Raftery; Anne O’Neill Kellers, ’65, Chapter vice president; Linda Cericola Fisk, ’70, Chapter treasurer; and Helene Sachs Downey, ’49, Chapter president.

(Photo by Donna Lindemeyer)

The luncheon alone brought in more than $10,000 through raffles and donations from CSE enthusiastic alumnae. Approximately 280 alumnae women attended the event, which welcomed author Adriana Trigiani as keynote speaker for the day. She is one of today’s leading writers and the niece of CSE alumna Josephine (Pina) Trigiani Ronca, ’61. Ms. Trigiani shared not only her personal experience of family life and what it means to be an Italian, but also donated more than $3,000 in memory of her uncle, Michael Ronca (late husband of Mrs. Ronca, ’61), as part of the total $15,000 donation to the College.

Additionally, participants at the “La Bella Italia” luncheon had a great time mingling, catching up with their friends and especially having their books signed by Ms. Trigiani. More than 40 raffle baskets were put together to represent something significant from her seven novels and one cookbook.