Giving At The Heart —
The 100 Friends of Bro. George Larkin Fund
By Alison Lowenstein
B
ro. George Larkin, O.S.F. ’60 was a
Eileen didn’t wait. She signed up as one of the
beloved fixture of the St. Francis College
100 Larkin Luminaries, and quickly got her
campus for decades, doing everything
brother Chris involved.
from welcoming students during the first days
Money from the Larkin Luminaries goes
of class each semester to making rounds in the
to an extraordinary needs fund that will
cafeteria to check on them.
provide need-based scholarships, student“His office felt like a second home and no
assistant programs and capital initiatives.
matter how busy he was, he always had an
But the Luminaries wasn’t enough for
open door policy,” recalled Chris Long ’99 as
the trio and they worked with the Office
he talked about how Bro. George embodied the
of Development to create the 100
spirit of the school. Long added, “St. Francis
Friends initiative, with a fundraising site,
A highlight of his life, Bro. George Larkin, O.S.F. ’60
started and ended with Bro. G eorge.” Chris,
www.brothergeorge.kintera.org. Visitors to
meeting Pope Paul VI.
along with his sister Eileen Long-Chelales ’92
the site can become a Friend of Bro. George
are both involved in The 100 Friends of
by making a commitment of either $1,000 per
The goal of the 100 Friends is
Brother George Larkin Fund, which is being
year for 10 years, or any combination that
spearheaded by Long, Long-Chelales and a
would meet a commitment of $10,000 over
to invite 100 alumni and friends
third alum, Robert Trapp ’77.
the course of a decade. The site also allows
of Bro. George to make a
Bro. George died in 2009 after a brief illness
alumni, friends and family to light a candle
commitment to give or raise
at the age of 75. The three alumni hope that
in Bro. George’s memory and share memories
creating this fund will help keep his memory
via an online poster board.
$10,000 each, over the span of
alive for many years. Long-Chelales remarked,
The fund is still in the early stages and
10 years. This collective act will
“Bro. George was a very important person in a
excitement continues to build as word spreads.
establish a $1 million fund in
lot of people’s lives. There are people who
Reflecting on Bro. George and the importance
would not have made it through the college
of the fund, Eileen said, “Bro. George never
Bro. George’s memory.
experience without him.”
wanted any credit. He was very humble. It’s
She and her brother, Chris, were two of five
important to identify individuals who make
siblings to attend the College, and both had a deep connection to Bro.
such an impact.” She believes the fund will “maintain his gracious way
George. Eileen worked in his office while at St. Francis and still conof dealing with students of all backgrounds” and will keep St. Francis
tacted him for advice long after graduation. Chris said, “I made sure,
College “a place to learn to grow.”
when I walked out the doors to say thank you and say goodbye. He was
When discussing the fund that will be created in Bro. George’s name,
larger than life in terms of the school.”
Eileen remarked, “He gave his life to God, but he had more children
The goal of the 100 Friends is to invite 100 alumni and friends of Bro. than everybody. He was a father figure who became a great friend.”
George to make a commitment to give or raise $10,000 each, over the
Her brother Chris noted, “He was a behind-the-scenes person who
span of 10 years. This collective act will establish a $1 million fund in
moved mountains and didn’t want credit for it.” The three alumni agree
Bro. George’s memory. Eileen became involved when she visited the
that this is an effort to honor an extraordinary person. They hope
college and saw a poster with a drawing of Bro. George surrounded by
Bro. George’s influence will never be forgotten and his helping hand
the prayer of St. Francis. She immediately wanted a poster for her office
will continue to serve Terriers of today and tomorrow. ●
but was told that posters are reserved for The Larkin Luminaries.
Bro. George doing what he
did best, greeting students
on the first day of class.
12 | S T. FR A NC I S COL L EGE T ERR IER | W IN T ER 2012–2013