Thank you to the parents, families, alumni and friends who joined us virtually for our first-ever Celebration of Giving at The Grove event on Tuesday, June 1, 2021.
Close to 100 guests came together online to celebrate the spirit of giving at The Grove. This was an opportunity to recognize our generous donor community and shine a light on the incredible impact that your support is having on our school and our students, today and for future generations.
It was our great pleasure to open the celebration of giving with an address from Honorary Chair of the LCS Foundation Trustees John Hepburn ’68, with greetings from Chair of the LCS Foundation Board Jock Fleming '74 P '03, '06 and Head of School and Foundation Anne-Marie Kee.
Co-Head Students, Jack Freeman ‘21 and Catherine Kim ‘21 shared their insights and helped us to see Lakefield through the eyes of our students who are making the most of a year defined by challenges and unique opportunities. As Jack says, “Lakefield is a little oasis that continues to thrive.” Speaking on behalf of students and staff, Jack and Catherine expressed their deep gratitude for the achievements and prosperity that our LCS community has experienced over the past year thanks to the support of our donors.
Tom Stevenson ’78, Chair of the Fundraising Committee, presented an overview of donor impact then led us into a series of guest speakers, all of whom have a shared passion for advancing LCS. Their inspiring remarks explored a variety of initiatives, projects and plans for the future. We heard incredible stories from: Marc Parent P ‘15 ‘18 ‘20 (on our new double residenceParent House and Ross House), Rupel Ruparelia ‘89 P ‘22 ‘23 (on community giving), Sandra Delisle P ‘23 ‘24 ‘25 (on the new dining hall), Allyson Brown, faculty (on the From Seed to Table course and Northcote Farm), Maddy Sheward ‘18 (on the new fitness and Dance extensions) and David Sword ‘88 (on Lakefield’s A Vision for the Future of Tuition Assistance).
Thank you to all who attended the event and a special nod of appreciation to our guest speakers whose stories inspired us all with a sense of strength and optimism for the future and to feel the love of Lakefield. It was truly a wonderful experience to celebrate our donor community and learn more about the impacts of your generosity. Thank you also to Trevor Smith ’17 and Maddy Sheward ’18 who did a wonderful job as our co-emcees for the event.