It has been some time since we provided an update. To be transparent, as the school year sadly comes to an end, for those of us who are parents to existing students, we have been managing our girls as best as we can as they mourn their final days.
In our last meeting, we were asked if we would join our efforts with OLMA’s Alumnae Association. While we extended our hand to them to join our team, the founding members of the Alumnae Association felt our visions and missions were not in alignment.
While we both feel a deep love for our beloved Our Lady of Mercy Academy, we diverge on our view of what “preserving the legacy” means.
To paraphrase OLMA’s Alumnae Associations recent correspondence, they are committed to preserving the past - to ensure alumnae contact information is up-to-date, that a soon to be created website is reflective of the rich history of the school, to coordinate reunions and similar events.
From our vantage point, the only way to truly perpetuate a legacy is to drive it forward into the future - to welcome and foster new young women into the “sisterhood” that an all-girls community creates, and to allow those who have partaken in this transformative experience to give back and pay-it-forward to the next generation. Without new life, there can only be an end. While this task is difficult to accomplish without the homebase the 4-walls of our beloved school provided, we are up for the challenge because #MercyGirlsDontQuit….and we pray and remain ever-optimistic that we may find a new home once again in the future.
Additionally, in our journey, we have been supported by many different stakeholders - current students (who sadly will never be alumnae), parents, current and former faculty members, family and community members, and yes alumnae. Some of our most inspirational Mercy Fans never attended the academy! For these key differences, it was felt best to pursue our avenues separately.
So what’s The Coalition’s game plan??
We will be hosting monthly meetings the first Wednesday of every month at 7pm. Join us for our first meeting on June 5th where we will present our vision and roadmap for the next year. We are recruiting additional leaders to head up our 4 critical pillars - join us and learn more!
We are pleased to offer our exclusive #MercyGirlsDontQuit gear. In partnership with New York Ink and Thread, our store will be open and accepting orders through June 7th. SHOP NOW
While we will continue to post updates on Change.org, we ask all to register at our website too HERE
We thank you for your continued support.
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