Restore the Glory

Inspired by the Past, Building for the Future

Our Team

A great team of people are the driving force of the Restore the Glory campaign. They are committed to the work that will bring the condition of the Field House back to a source of pride for generations to come and make it a real asset to the entire neighborhood. We are thankful for the leadership and support.

Restore the Glory Campaign Co-Chairs

Tom Pogge H66
Curt Simon H71

Restore the Glory Committee

Rev. Carl J. Zoucha, Pastor, Holy Name Parish
Fred Bender H71, Parishioner
Cheryll Brachle, HN Ladies Confraternity Liaison, Parishioner
Teresa Burks H72, HN Parish Council Liaison, Parishioner
Downey Fitzgerald, Parishioner
James Goodman, Parishioner
Kenneth Hahn, Project Architect, Parishioner
Tom LaHood H55, Parishioner
James (Art) Mullin H54
Colleen Peterson H77, Campaign Coordinator, Parishioner
Shawn Peterson H70, Parishioner
Ms. Tanya Santos, Principal, Holy Name School, Ex-Officio

Restore the Glory Board (Adhoc)

Michael Davlin G69
Timothy Davlin G71
Gene Dunn
Dr. Christopher Huerter
Bill & Mary Moeschler
Dr. Bob Muelleman H75
Arthur L. Peter
Christopher Rodgers
John G74 & Teresa Ryan
Dr. John Wingender H68

Restore the Glory Campaign Partners

Alvine Engineering
Giles & Associates LLC
Kenneth Hahn Architects
Hope Center for Kids
MCL Construction
Paradigm Creative Media
Project Advocates LLC
Security National Bank

Today and the Dream for the Twenty-First Century

Since 1950, thousands of children have spent time learning, playing and competing within the walls of the Holy Name Alumni field house. Just as important is the use of the building by the larger community for events and other community activities. The building stands today as a testament to those who came before and their dedication to the neighborhood, the community and most importantly to the children. The Restore the Glory campaign will restore the condition of the field house as a source of pride for generations to come, matching the spirit and resolve of those who came before and reconfigure spaces to better meet the current and future needs of the neighborhood and greater community today.

Phase I Renovation & Construction

Renovation of the Field House/Sports complex with enhanced Community Space: $ 2,794,000
Site Preparation & Contingency: $ 576,000

The total budget to complete Phase I is: $ 3,370,000

The plans include a catering kitchen for concessions and special events, new restroom facilities, a multi-purpose meeting room and an internal lift providing access to those with alternative entry needs. Upgraded heating and new air conditioning will be added allowing the building to be used year-round. A new multipurpose flooring product will be installed that will accommodate all sports activities and events. Existing single pane windows will be replaced with translucent insulated windows. An entrance will be added on the east side of the building to accommodate carts and equipment to be brought into the building. Renovation activities began in 2019 when a new roof was installed with proper insulation keeping the building structurally sound.

Plans and Renderings

Phase II Implement Management and Programming

Extended Learning and Athletic Programming: $ 630,000.00
Invested Reserve Fund: $ 1,000,000.00

The total budget to complete Phase II is $ 1,630,000.00

In order to sustain maintenance of the newly renovated building for years to come, the Restore the Glory Campaign will create an Invested Reserve Fund holding one million dollars to ensure future sustainability for the building as well as continued funding for staffing and program needs. In addition to working on what the building will look like, the campaign has taken into account the current and future needs of the surrounding neighborhood, the parish, and the school children. Holy Name continues a tradition of compassionate service.

Extended Learning (After School) Program

One of the greatest needs for the children of the surrounding area and the parish is for a safe and nurturing space to spend their after-school hours. The Restore the Glory Campaign goal is to provide a safe space and programming during after school hours for as many as 100-350 children and youth.

The Hope Center for Kids at Holy Name School

Mission Statement
Faithfully inspiring hope in the lives of youth and children through education, employability, collaboration and faith.

Since 2018, a pilot After School Program at Holy Name led by the Hope Center for Kids has seen tremendous results for up to 50 students annually. The goal is to expand the program to serve 100-350 students in this community using the renovated spaces. Parents and teachers have all expressed positive comments about the extended learning program and the positive impact it has on the students. We are excited to continue growing this partnership, further increasing these much-needed services to the surrounding community and the Holy Name family.

Hope at Holy Name Statistics 2019-2020

33 students attended the After School Hope Program at Holy Name School. At the beginning of the 2019-2020 school year, nineteen students were below grade level by at least one grade. 32/33 students are now at or above grade level. As of March 2020, the thirty third student has advanced to one grade level below age, versus three grade levels below age. The after-school work equates to a 1.27 grade level increase per student.

Our children are the world's greatest asset. We owe it to them to pass along the traditions that we learned and provide nurturing space for continued educational activities and athletics. This campaign for the second rising of the Holy Name Alumni Field House will accomplish carrying on these great traditions.

The Beginning

The Holy Name field house was constructed in 1949. On December 9, 1950, before a capacity crowd that included Archbishop of Omaha, Rev. Gerald T. Bergan as the principal speaker and Fr. Bernard Guenther, C.Ss.R., Pastor of Holy Name Parish and School, as Master of Ceremonies, a dream was finally realized. Holy Name High School, under legendary coach Emil “Box” Engelbretsen gave the new field house the proper dedication defeating Sioux City Heelan High 44-40. What most people don't realize is that this structure was considered a state-of-the-art building unlike any other gymnasium in the State of Nebraska at the time. It stood as a beacon of modern engineering and the students and coaches from around the state were thrilled to compete within these walls. Over many years Holy Name High School gained a reputation as one of the premier high schools in Omaha and, indeed, throughout the state. The winning streaks began with Coach Englebretsen and continued with Bob Gates, Bob Harden, Frank Spenceri, Frank Solich, Don Roddy, George Blankenship and many other great coaches. Not only did the high school draw the finest in coaching staff, the school was also producing student athletes that were unstoppable. There are many athletes that could be mentioned; those that stand out are the Nebraska Sports Hall of Famers, Bob Eickholt, Bob Gates, Bob Decker and Jim Decker. The teams that played together from the late 1940's formed the tradition of excellence that has carried through to today. Throughout the seventy-one years that Holy Name High School existed the student athletes earned a list of accolades that were the envy of many other high schools. The 1988-89 school year, the last year the high school was open, the football team beat the school arch-rival, Cathedral High School and regained the coveted "Bucket" that resides today in the Holy Name School Archive Room.

The High School Years 1918-1989

During the years after the field house was completed the high school athletic programs continued to flourish. It is also important to remember that Holy Name was a Kindergarten through Twelfth grade institution. The young men and women of the high school were setting the bar for the students in the grade school. The young children also reaped the benefits of the field house as it was used for daily physical education classes. The field house is a classroom! The grade school students watched the high school games, saw the intensity with which the older students committed themselves to the tradition of excellence that embodies the Holy Name community. Although this culture of excellence remained, the neighborhood surrounding the Holy Name Campus and indeed the entire northeast area of Omaha was changing rapidly. Talk of closing the high school began in the early 1970's. With much resolve, the parish and alumni developed strategies to raise funds to keep the high school open. The Parish determined that the field house could be a source of income from rentals. For many years adult basketball and volleyball teams rented the field house despite the fact that it was beginning to show its age. These valiant efforts allowed the high school to carry on for another twelve years; with the commencement of the seniors in 1989 the high school closed. Today, the school boasts educational excellence for over 230 children from Kindergarten through Eighth grade. Today, the graduates remain committed to this tradition of excellence, and it shows in the number of high school scholarship awards received by so many of the students.