Giving Guide

As we continue our celebration of 60 years, it is important to recognize the generosity of those who contributed to our growth through the years. We have certainly come a long way – from the first building in 1963 to the multi-building campus of today.

Gary Ricciardi was a member of the first class, starting his freshman year at the first (and only) Catholic high school in the county, in the fall of 1962. He shares his memories of the start of the Verot family and his time here.

“In the Spring of 1962, Bishop Coleman F. Carrol came to Fort Myers to Confirm the 1962 Confirmation Class, of which I was a member. At the end of the Confirmation Ceremony, Bishop Carroll said he had a gift for us, a Catholic High School. The school building still had to be built and was not complete when school began in the fall of 1962. The former St. Francis Xavier church building was available, so we started the school year there under the name of the

Fort Myers Central Catholic High School. With no formal classrooms, freshmen met in one wing and sophomores met in the main area of the former church. All the teachers were nuns. (One of the great benefits of the downtown location was that the Dairy Queen was right across the street!) In the Spring of 1963, the new school building was completed and dedicated as Bishop Verot Catholic High School after Bishop Augustin Verot. The first graduating class was celebrated in May of 1965 with the Class of 1966 being the first graduating class to complete all four years at Verot. In the Fall of 1963, athletics were introduced, with a baseball team, and then basketball and track. I am very proud to have been a member of each of those teams and still have my Varsity letters. We did not have the athletic facilities that exist today. Students and parents worked to clear an area where the present football stadium now exists to use as a baseball practice field. We also used the cleared area to practice track events like the high jump, pole vault, and other non-running events. For running events, we used the neighborhood streets. Basketball goals were set up in the parking lot for basketball practice. These memories will stay with me forever.”

The growth we have seen through the years would not have been possible without the continued support of the many families who have given generously. The Santini Building, Anderson Theater, Swanson Baseball Field, and state of the art Media Center are just some of the additions through the years. Along with these additions, we are also grateful for explosive enrollment, with waiting lists for all grades for the 2nd year in a row.

As the number of families seeking a Catholic education for their children continues to increase, we realize the need for continued campus growth. One of our greatest hurdles is space; a hurdle we cannot jump without financial support. There are many ways to support Bishop Verot including direct contributions, pledges over time, and bequests. Your gift of a Catholic education impacts current students as well as generations of future Vikings.

The Bishop Verot Annual Fund is the foundation of the community support for our school, supporting such initiatives as technology enhancements, tuition assistance, and campus improvements. The campaign asks for support from our Catholic community, alumni, current and former parents, and friends. Your gift of any amount may be designated to the area you are most passionate about or where it is needed most, the choice is yours. Every dollar donated to Bishop Verot is directly supporting our mission to build a community of faith and learning.

The purpose of an endowment is to provide ongoing support for the current and future activities of Bishop Verot and its students. It is, therefore, a perpetual, self-sustaining source of permanent funding. Each year, a portion of the endowment’s earnings are paid out, while the principal is retained for future growth. As a result, it is imperative the endowment grow its investment assets sufficient to support an annual spending stream of the endowment in perpetuity. The two key components required for the endowment to grow are new gifts and investment performance. New funds are essential to the future of Verot. Please consider starting a fund in your alumni class.

Bishop Verot currently has 11 endowed scholarship funds valued at over $2.9 million, which provide over $100,000 in scholarships each year.

Carl Kistel Memorial Scholarship Fund - Est. 2000

Income used to provide financial assistance for a qualified student to attend BVHS.

Rob Miller Memorial Scholarship Fund - Est. 2000

Income used to provide financial assistance for a qualified student to attend BVHS.

Jacob Alderman Memorial Scholarship Fund - Est. 2003

Income used to provide financial assistance for a qualified student to attend BVHS.

John and Mimi Hotchkiss Scholarship Fund - Est. 2004

Income used to provide financial assistance for a qualified student to attend BVHS.

Joseph Grabsch Scholarship Fund - Est. 2005

Income used to provide financial assistance for a qualified student to attend BVHS.

Dick Stahl Memorial Scholarship Fund - Est. 2008

Income used to provide financial assistance for a qualified incoming freshman from St. Francis Xavier Catholic School.

Edward and Esther Kuss Memorial Scholarship FundEst. 2010

Income used to provide financial assistance for a qualified student to attend BVHS.

Spirit of 1974 Scholarship Fund - Est. 2011

Income used to provide a scholarship for a well rounded, high performing qualified student.

Judy Springston Scholarship for the Arts - Est. 2014

A partial scholarship for a student wishing to focus on the Arts at BVHS.

Diana D’Olica Scholarship Fund - Est. 2017

Income used to provide financial assistance for a qualified student to attend BVHS.

Dr. Frederick W. Schaerf Neuroscience Scholarship Fund – Est. 2018

Income used to provide financial assistance for financiallyneedy students interested in pursuing a career in neuroscience.

Make a difference today and save on your taxes! It is possible when you support Bishop Verot through your IRA.

You can give any amount (up to a maximum of $100,000) per year from your IRA directly to a qualified charity such as Bishop Verot, without having to pay income taxes on that money. Gifts of any value $100,000 or less are eligible for this benefit and you can feel good knowing that you are making a difference at Bishop Verot! This is a popular gift option and is commonly referred to as the IRA charitable rollover, but you may also see it referred to as a qualified charitable distribution (QCD).

• Your gift will be put to use today, allowing you to see the difference your donation is making.

• Beginning in the calendar year you turn 73, you can use your gift to satisfy all or part of your required minimum distribution (RMD).

• You pay no income taxes on the gift. The transfer generates neither taxable income nor a tax deduction, so you benefit even if you do not itemize your deductions.

• Since the gift does not count as income, it can reduce your annual income level! This may help lower your Medicare premiums and decrease the amount of Social Security that is subject to tax.

If you’re at least 59 1/2 years old, you can take a distribution and then make a gift from your IRA without penalty. If you itemize your deductions, you can take a charitable deduction for the amount of your gift.

No matter your age, you can designate Bishop Verot as the beneficiary of all or a percentage of your IRA, and it will pass to us tax-free after your lifetime. It is simple, just requiring youth contact your IRA administrator for a change-ofbeneficiary form.

1. Contact us at (239) 274-6788 or jordan.harmon@bvhs.org to make us aware of your generous plans so we can discuss supporting the mission of Bishop Verot!

2. Seek advice of your financial and/or legal advisor.

3. Let us know of the confirmation of your gift, so we can make sure to honor your intentions of the contribution.

4. Come back and see the impacts that your gift continues to make at Bishop Verot each and every day! BV