Thank You

Lead Donors

Founding Board members Mark Chipman, Steve Chipman and Bob Puchniak. Their contributions funded the feasibility study and other preparatory work and allowed Gonzaga Middle School to renovate the school building in preparation for the school opening. In addition, their ongoing support since opening has been instrumental in ensuring GMS continues to operate.

Thanks to Mark and Patti Chipman, Steve and Ruth Chipman, Jeoff Chipman and Bob and Marnie Puchniak!

Special thanks also to Jeoff Chipman who chaired the construction committee and helped guide the renovation project.

Endowment Fund Established:

In June 2018, Mark, Jeoff and Steve Chipman established an Agency Fund at the Winnipeg Foundation in support of Gonzaga Middle School’s ongoing operating costs through a very generous donation. This is a significant step forward in helping to secure Gonzaga Middle School’s long-term future. The funds invested at the Winnipeg Foundation are retained in perpetuity within the GMS Agency Fund. Annual grants are provided to GMS from this fund to help meet the annual funding needs of the school program. GMS is very grateful to the Chipman family for their leadership in helping to secure GMS’ financial base.

In November 2018, an anonymous donor made a very significant contribution that doubled the size of the GMS Agency Fund at the Winnipeg Foundation. GMS is extremely grateful for this donation that further enhances its ability to meet its annual funding needs! Ideally, this fund would continue to grow to help meet the annual funding needs for GMS’ extensive program. More recently, significant donations from other individuals have helped to grow the endowment fund. GMS would like to thank the late Henry J. Vis and Larry Beeston and Anna Sikora for their donations toward the endowment.

Adopt-A-Student Program:

GMS gratefully acknowledges numerous donors, named below and those who choose to remain anonymous, for their ongoing support through our Adopt-A-Student program. In this program, donors commit to a minimum of three years of annual contributions, typically enough to meet the annual cost of educating a current student each year.

Current Adopt-A-Student Donors:

Peggy Alto and Michael Guttormson	Shawn and Debbie Bergen - CWS Logistics	Kenneth and Diane Cranston	Kevin Dyck and Rebecca Friesen
Kevin and Els Kavanagh	Ken and Kaaren Neufeld	Hartley and Heather Richardson	James A. Richardson
Michael and Mona Linton - The Dufresne Foundation	Arthur Mauro and Jennifer Mauro - Mauro Family Foundation	James A. Richardson	Angus and Margaret Reid
Kevin Dyck and Rebecca Friesen	Hubert and Bernice Kleysen	Janice and James Tennant	Anonymous
Anonymous		Jim and Meghan Vis

Past Adopt-A-Student Donors:

Rick Braund	Hubert and Bernice Kleysen	The Chipman Family Fund - Susan Millican	Pamela and David Richardson Family Trust
Angus and Margaret Reid	Charles Winograd	George and Michelle Vis	Anonymous

The Adopt-A-Student Program is an important part of the GMS giving program that helps to ensure GMS can continue to provide its extensive program in support of its students and helping them fulfill their potential.

Dr. Chris Adams	Scott Baldwin	Michael Ballinghall (Big White Ski Resort)	George Broderick
Barry and Carey Chase	Robert Coughlin	Kevin Coughlin (Concert Services)	Chris Douglas
Gwen and Emeric Duha	Joe and Raffaella Fiorentino	Anthony Ford	David Jaworski
Glen Joyal	Randy and Sandra Komishon	Glen Komishon (Integra Agencies)	Kerry Knudsen
James Ludlow	Stephen McGlennen	Garth Nemy	F. John Packer
Michael Pura	Anthony Rowan	Derick Sigmar	Tim Turner
Douglas Waldron	Reginald Wightman

Gonzaga Middle School is also grateful to the numerous donors who have contributed to Gonzaga Middle School since we have opened. In particular, we would like to acknowledge the following gifts from businesses, organizations and individuals who have donated regularly to GMS:

Green for Life (formerly Johnson Waste Management) for the donation of their services since the opening of school.

The Catholic Foundation of Manitoba for annual grants in support of spirituality resources.

The Canadian Automobile Dealers Association (in honour of Steve Chipman)

The Manitoba Motor Dealers Association (in honour of Steve Chipman)

Canadian Maple Wings Association, Winnipeg Chapter	St. John Brebeuf Parish Social Justice Group	St. Benedict’s Foundation Inc.
St. Benedict’s Foundation Inc.	Larry Beeston and Anna Sikora	David and Lise Chaze
Howard R. Engel	Tim and Mary-Ann Fast	Geoffery Meadows and Carolyn Eva-Meadows
Alan and Barbara MacInnes	Randy and Cathy McElhoes	Joe and Darry O'Neil
Richard Pelda	Andy and Diane Penner	Michael Pura
Jim and Glori Slater (K9 Storm Inc.)	Jim and Claudia Weselake

Further Thanks for Ongoing Support:

GMS gratefully acknowledges the Winnipeg Foundation for its several Community Grants in support of our summer program! This program expands our students learning opportunities, helps to maintain learning through the summer, helps to build up the school community and fosters student well-being. We are also grateful to the WF for Adapt and other grants in support of programming and capital projects!

GMS is also very grateful to the Richardson Foundation for its ongoing support for our Nutrition Program! This support fosters student health and safety, encourages regular attendance and is essential to help our students be ready to learn each day.

GMS gratefully acknowledges the Goodman Foundation for its commitment to our Student Transportation Program. This support helps us transport our students to and from school each day, thereby encouraging regular attendance, supporting a sense of student safety and reducing barriers to school participation.

GMS is very grateful to the Glendale Golf and Country Club for naming GMS as the charity of choice for its Greater Glendale Pro-Am Golf Tournament with Douglas Financial as the Title Sponsor! Over $40,000 was raised in support of GMS at the tournament in July 2024!

GMS is also grateful to the St. Paul’s High School alumni Class of 1978 and the Manitoba Community Board of the TELUS Corporation for organizing a TELUS “Give Where you Live” fundraising event in June 2018. Thanks to the TELUS Community grant and donations from Class of ’78, which more than double, matched the community grant, over $17,000, was raised in support of new laptop tablets for the incoming Grade 6 class!

Right: Class of ’78 Alumni donors (in addition to Mark Chipman) and other contributors to this

Building Renovation Project

GMS entered into a long-term lease with St. Andrew’s Ukrainian Catholic parish prior to investing in extensively updating and upgrading the building. Thank you to Metropolitan Archbishop Lawrence Huculak, of the Ukrainian Archeparchy of Winnipeg, Fr. Mark Gnutel, the Archeparchy Property Manager, and St. Andrew’s Parish for their collaboration in establishing the building lease.

The Gonzaga Middle School Board of Directors and Staff are very grateful to individuals, businesses and foundations that contributed to the renovation project.

Business and In-Kind Donations:

Several companies donated a portion of their services, products or made contributions to the renovation project.

Number TEN Architectural Group - Overall project design and supervision Special thanks to architect Dave Lalama and to the Number TEN staff for their excellent design work.
Mechanical, electrical and structural engineering design and oversight. Special thanks to Jack Abuisi and to the other Tower Engineering partners and staff for their skill and expertise.
Our General Contractor who ably coordinated the overall project costing and numerous subcontractors and oversaw overall construction and renovation. Special thanks to John, Dan and Nick Bockstael along with the site superintendents and excellent staff who assisted throughout the renovation project.
Allco Electrical Ltd. Thank you for providing numerous lights and fixtures, especially to Dale Hendry and the outstanding staff on the project who expertly addressed all of our electrical infrastructure.
WesMan Mechanical Ltd. Thank you especially to Marc Phaneuf for his support and to the excellent WesMan staff who skillfully addressed our HVAC and plumbing infrastructure.
PAG Canada who supplied and installed our clock, public address and audio speakers and especially to Mark Kulas for the donation of equipment.
N. Jackson Ltd. who supplied our window coverings at a very reasonable cost. Special thanks to Doug Jackson for his support.
Airmaster Signs who supplied our external signage. Special thanks to Quentin MacCharles for his support.

School Opening and Programming:

The Gonzaga Middle School Board and Staff are also grateful to a number of organizations, schools and individuals who contributed their time, resources and expertise in preparation for the successful opening of school and ongoing programming.

Very Reverend Richard Gagnon, Archbishop of Winnipeg and Rob Praznik Superintendent of Catholic Schools for their ongoing support and encouragement.
Executive Director Curtis Kleisinger, Principal Terri Cote, past Executive Director Gwen Keith and the whole Mother Theresa Middle School board and staff for their inspiration, their advice and their sharing of a whole host of documents, procedures and policies which made it possible for us to conduct our Feasibility Study and to prepare for the school opening.
St. Mary’s Academy President Connie Yunyk for her ongoing support and both the Board of Directors and the Foundation Board for their support for Gonzaga Middle school. Also to the students, staff and community for their contribution to the book drive and continuing support for GMS. We are also grateful to Sr. Susan Wikeem and the Sisters of the Holy Name of Jesus and Mary for their support of Gonzaga Middle School.
St. Paul’s High School Board, staff, students, and community for their interest, ongoing moral, practical and logistical support, and for the book drive and additional contributions. Special thanks to:
- President Fr. Len Altilia and Principal Bob Lewin for steadfast support and assistance.
- Business Manager Richard Pelda for direct and practical assistance with business matters and serving on the GMS Finance board sub-committee.
- Director of Information Technology Rob Merello for guiding and supporting the establishment of the technology infrastructure at GMS.
- Librarian Mrs. Jonine Bergen who volunteered her time in coordination with part-time GMS librarian Ann Downey in organizing, cataloguing the books from SMA and St. Paul’s book drives and orders, and practically setting up our resource centre which supports GMS students’ reading development.
Provincial Superior Fr. Peter Bisson from the Jesuits in English Canada, and Fr. Eduardo Soto-Parra and the Winnipeg Jesuit community for their support for Gonzaga Middle School.
Past Executive Director Terry Shields at the NativityMiguel Coalition for his practical advice, encouragement and support.
Inger Schnerch retired long-time Assistant to the Principal at St. Pauls who came out of retirement to help GMS set up our Student Information System.
Terry Kryzyk who has volunteered his time and practical building and renovation skills.
Mike Fagundes and Paulo Fernandes, at Luscious Orange who have created and maintained our website.
True North Foundation Executive Director Dwayne Green, Camp Manitou Director Rick Bochinski and Winnipeg Jets Hockey Academy Director Murray Cobb for their assistance in helping establish GMS’ two-week summer camp at Camp Manitou and participation in the WJHA through the school year.