Our Treasures...

Believe it or not, at this time last year, our School had not officially kicked off our current Soaring to Greater Heights capital campaign. While our volunteers and Development Team had certainly worked quietly for nearly two years to that point, we had not actually gone "public" with our announcement until last November. As you may or may not recall, our grand celebration was scheduled for November 4; thus, we were in the final stages of preparation, working diligently to put the final touches on both the event and the "roll out" of the campaign. 
Accordingly, with the public announcement of our Soaring Campaign last November, we have moved swiftly in both the opening of the South Campus and with the early stages of development of that property. Our students are enjoying these completed, new spaces daily, and each day I witness wonderful things happening in those beautiful areas. And now, nearly one year ago since that Campaign Kickoff, as I prepare my brief remarks for our Trinity Chapel Groundbreaking this coming Tuesday, I must admit that it feels a bit surreal.  Our landscape has undergone dramatic change, and here we find ourselves getting ready to wrap up yet another semester...Time flies, right...?! 
 
Writing to you today, it is with a deep sense of satisfaction knowing just where we stand as a School and just where we are headed, so to speak. As I read my remarks from last year's Campaign Kickoff, I am struck by a particular quotation I shared that evening. It is one of my favorites, and I have offered it on a couple of occasions. With the advent of November, and the Thanksgiving season now fully underway, I find it particularly meaningful and appropriate. And, as you may guess, it captures my own feeling of gratitude, most especially, on this beautiful Fall Sunday. And, so, as I count my blessings, particularly this time of year, I "yield" to the great Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Thornton Wilder, who reminds us all,
 
"We can only be said to be alive in those moments when our hearts are conscious of our treasures."
 
So true!
 
We have so much to be thankful for here at Palmer Trinity School...Where to begin?
 
A beautiful campus, set in a natural habitat full of peacocks, tropical creatures and over 70 different species of trees alone...760 young (and energetic!) adults, navigating life and looking to us for encouragement and support...Over 100 dear friends and trusted colleagues, blessed with creative talents galore, and committed to serving others...A true sense of identity and feeling of genuine Community as a School...An inspiring, exciting and rewarding day-to-day environment...A solid framework for teaching and learning---one built on kindness, infused with love, and designed for a higher purpose...An Episcopal heritage, and academic tradition infused with meaningful ritual...A place so many of us call "Home"...A Board of Trust, with 20 active members who support fully our Mission...Over 3,000 Alumni who proudly call themselves "Falcons"... Incredible state-of-the-art facilities, natural playing fields and green spaces in which we can teach, grow and develop...A deep sense of collegiality and respect for what it means to be "Professional"...A bright and inviting Future, beckoning us!
 
Yes, I would agree with Mr. Wilder...We definitely have many "treasures" of which we should be conscious, and the list for the Palmer Trinity Community is an endless one.
 
As we begin the Thanksgiving Season, and "take stock", I hope you'll join me in my optimism and continue adding to this list, for, as we are also told by the wise American author Annie Dillard,
 
"How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives."

Patrick
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