Day of Giving

Helen Ballas, Class of 1950, was an independent spirit who enjoyed life to the fullest. Having lost her mother when she was a toddler, she was adopted and raised by her aunt and uncle here in Brooklyn. She began her high school career in a public school but realized fairly quickly that she needed more structure in her education and her adoptive parents agreed to transfer her to St. Edmund High School. Here Helen formed lifelong friendships and received warm and steadfast guidance from the Dominican Sisters of Sparkill.  In particular she fondly remembers Sister Victoire Balzefiore as a young nun in tune with Helen’s own aspirations to join the workplace and see the world, goals which were entirely outside the norms of young women in 1950s America.

 

A fierce and loyal friend of St. Edmund, Helen continually answered the call to support our school through her generosity and active engagement. Helen had a long and stellar career at IBM, beginning as an administrative assistant, moving to management and retiring as a Senior Compensation Analyst. While at IBM, she reconnected with St. Edmund and was able to secure a grant for our school to receive new computers. This began our friendship with Helen until her passing in 2022.

 

Helen was aware of our desire to encourage support from our alumni, parents and friends and left a bequest to the school of $30,000 with the hopes that it could serve as an incentive to our community – young and old – to give back to St. Edmund and match this bequest dollar for dollar.  It is just like Helen to leave her mark on our school as she did our hearts whenever we had the pleasure to enjoy her company. She was a true champion of our school.

 

Please join us as a champion of Catholic education and St. Edmund Prep, with a gift to help us unlock Helen’s generous gift.  All gifts, no matter what the size, will allow us to serve our students and nurture their goals and aspirations just as St. Edmund did for Helen seventy five years ago.