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Avila Celebrates History While Building for Future Avila University is celebrating its 90th anniversary. The college opened its doors in 1916 to educate young women in the Kansas City area. Avila can trace its beginning to 1650 in a small town, LePuy, France. There the original Sisters of St. Joseph banded together to respond to the needs of their community, nursing the sick and helping the homeless. In 1836, six members of the order found their way to the New World, and in 1866 five sisters came to Kansas City, where they opened the area’s first private high school for young women. In 1916, Saint Teresa College began classes as a two-year junior college. In 1940, the four-year college opened its doors in the newly erected Donnelly Hall. In 1963, construction began on the new campus at 119th and Wornall and the name was changed to Avila College to honor St. Teresa of Avila. In 2002, Avila became a “university” to better represent the academic offerings of the institution.
Celebrating 90 Years of Heritage, Service & Scholarship Helping the Dear Neighbor Avila Community Brings Christmas in October to Families in Need On Oct. 14, twenty-eight faculty, staff and students joined together to assist the “dear neighbor” by working on a house for the Christmas in October outreach project in Kansas City. Avila workers built a wheelchair accessible ramp, tore out and refinished a screened-in porch, put a new door on the porch, painted the living room, painted indoor ceilings, cleaned out the back yard, razed a storage shed, repaired windows, repaired a cellar door, and repainted the entire exterior of the two-story structure. All of the work was completed within 12 hours. Dave Armstrong, director of mission effectiveness and campus ministries, coordinated the project and said none of it would have been possible without the dedication and hard work of Don Blinzler, Kenny Stark and Chris Rocco. Dr. Ron Slepitza and his wife, 6
More than two dozen Avila faculty, staff and students helped make repairs on a home as part of the Christmas in October outreach program in Kansas City.
Suzanne, were among the many volunteers. Many faculty and staff who wanted to help, but could not attend, donated over $500.00 to help purchase supplies needed for the repairs.
Christmas in October is a Kansas City based non-profit group dedicated to assisting homeowners in need to repair and prepare their homes for the winter. WINTER
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