Roedel Pledges Largest Donation in BG History
NASHUA, N.H. — Bishop Guertin High School is proud to announce that it has received the largest single pledge in the school’s history.
Thanks to the extraordinary generosity of Fred Roedel Sr., his late wife Kay, and the Roedel Family, Bishop Guertin has received a commitment of $2.5 million in support of the Sacred Heart Scholars Foundation, a program designed to provide financial, personal, and academic support to students who can most benefit from the opportunities a BG education provides.
“This historic $2.5 million gift to the Sacred Heart Scholars Foundation ensures that no student who desires a Bishop Guertin education will ever be turned away because of financial need,” said Bishop Guertin President Linda Brodeur. “It is a powerful affirmation of our mission: to make a BG education possible for all who seek it. The generosity of the Roedel Family will help provide pathways for generations of students to experience our beloved community and reflects the heart of our mission: faith, community, and opportunity for all. We are deeply grateful for their support and belief in our mission.”
The announcement was made by Brodeur during the President’s Society Dinner on Tuesday, Oct. 28, at the Nashua Country Club. Fred Roedel III ’81 — representing the family — was in attendance to make the pledge and to be recognized by the BG community for his family’s transformative gift.
"The success and development of any one person is so important during the high school years,” Fred Roedel Sr. said. “Bishop Guertin was so important for my kids in those formative years. I am fortunate to be able to support the students at Bishop Guertin for future generations."
The Sacred Heart Scholar Foundation is part of The Future is Now: Capital Campaign, which has been led since its inception three years ago by Tony Johnson ’77, a former student-athlete, coach, administrator, and recent inductee into the BG Athletics Hall of Fame. Johnson worked closely with the Roedel Family to ensure that their intentions for this donation were fully realized.
“This commitment by Fred and Kay will be a ‘game changer’ and provide a life-altering experience for kids for decades to come,” Johnson remarked.
The Roedel Family’s connection to Bishop Guertin spans nearly 50 years. Beginning in the late 1970s, Fred and Kay chose a BG education for their children, and later, their grandchildren. Their decades of involvement and generosity have helped shape the school’s growth from an all-boys institution into the thriving coeducational community it is today. Among their many contributions, the family provided the funds that made the Roedel Fieldhouse possible.
Bishop Guertin extends its heartfelt gratitude to Fred and Kay Roedel and the entire Roedel Family for this historic and inspiring act of generosity, which will ensure that future generations of students have access to a Bishop Guertin education and the opportunities it makes possible.
For those interested in making a gift of support to Bishop Guertin, please visit BGHS.org or contact:
Tony Johnson ’77, Capital Campaign Chairperson – (603) 566-6757
Dakota Bilodeau ’17, Director of Advancement – (603) 889-4107 ext. 4329
SACRED HEART SCHOLARS FOUNDATION
This Sacred Heart Scholars Foundation is aimed at providing financial, personal, and academic support to a select group of students who could most benefit from the opportunities we offer. The Brothers of the Sacred Heart came to Nashua with the intent to educate the children of millworkers, unfortunately, over the past few years, rising tuition costs have separated us from the community the Brothers sought to serve. The foundation aims to provide financial relief for the types of students our Brothers originally intended to minister over a half-century ago, but have been reluctant to apply with the cost of tuition acting as an initial barrier.
Since its inception, Bishop Guertin has been able to offer financial assistance awards. These meet, on average, about 50 percent of the calculated needs of our families. Unfortunately for many worthy and deserving students, the remaining financial gap is still too large. The Sacred Heart Scholars Foundation aims to close that gap, allowing deserving students a chance of a BG education by guaranteeing $10 million in endowment that will sponsor students in need. This foundation creates a pathway that allows a Bishop Guertin education to be attainable for all who seek it.
THE FUTURE IS NOW!
This $40 million capital campaign is bold and aggressive and will solidify BG for the next century. In the next few months, we will be contacting friends, family and alumni of Bishop Guertin asking them to partner with us to achieve these goals. We believe that this campaign, and the accompanying improvements it outlines, will set up Bishop Guertin’s success for another six decades. The future is now and, we as a school community, could not be more excited for what is in store. We look forward to speaking with you soon.