{"id":269,"date":"2015-05-13T18:55:31","date_gmt":"2015-05-13T18:55:31","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.sths.org\/4500Forever\/?p=269"},"modified":"2020-01-23T09:52:02","modified_gmt":"2020-01-23T09:52:02","slug":"st-thomas-celebrates-supreme-philanthropy-of-dona-and-al-clay-61","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sths.org\/4500Forever\/2015\/05\/13\/st-thomas-celebrates-supreme-philanthropy-of-dona-and-al-clay-61\/","title":{"rendered":"St. Thomas Celebrates Supreme Philanthropy of Dona and Al Clay ’61"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u201cWithout being overly dramatic, Dona and Al Clay have assured the future of St. Thomas. \u00a0In 50 years, in 100 years, in 150 years, it\u2019s appropriate that their names will be known<\/span>.<\/span><\/i>\u201d<\/span> — Fr. Kevin Storey, CSB, St. Thomas President<\/span><\/p>\n

—<\/span><\/p>\n

Al Clay \u201861 relished the time which allowed for a deeper appreciation of the phenomenal series of events which marked the next monumental moment in the history of St. Thomas.<\/span><\/p>\n

Weeks before when he part of the official closing on a land acquisition once thought to be well beyond reason and the realm of rational thinking, Clay was struck with a wave of emotion, not unlike the rush which follows the moment a baby takes a first breath or when an against-all-odds championship is suddenly won.<\/span><\/p>\n

But now back on campus, walking the very same hallways he occupied as an Eagle student more than a half century ago, Clay was given some distance to reflect as he was surrounded by an inner circle family, friends and cohorts to commemorate the blessing of Clay-Storey Hall, the \u00a0naming honored two visionary leaders who boldly stepped out to help give rise to an extraordinary period in St. Thomas annals … Clay and president Fr. Kevin Storey, CSB.<\/span><\/p>\n

At the conclusion of the Sunday celebration, Clay calmly but emphatically declared that \u201ctoday made the dream a reality.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The reality that St. Thomas will expand its physical footprint and remain an urban educational beacon in the Basilian tradition, continuing to meet the needs of diverse students and families well into the school\u2019s second century.<\/span><\/p>\n

The dream made possible in large part because of Clay\u2019s $10 million leadership gift which pushed the most ambitious capital campaign in the school\u2019s 114 years within close proximity of the $60 million needed to close on the adjacent 11-acre HISD property renamed the Jane and Bill Joplin Campus.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhen you\u2019re in the trenches, you\u2019re fighting for your life, another kind of life, with a fixed focus. \u00a0But this day brings a finality of the larger picture, that we did what we set out to do. \u00a0Not so much the naming aspect but a community celebrating what we all accomplished … all of us. \u00a0This is about reaching the goal, not taking \u2018no\u2019 for an answer, keep pushing and shoving. \u00a0I know that making that bid and raising these millions was the right thing to do because it happened. \u00a0If God didn\u2019t want this to happen, there would have been an obstacle we couldn\u2019t have cleared,\u201d Clay said. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

On Wednesday the St. Thomas faculty, staff and student body recognized the institution’s largest single donation with \u201cAl Clay Day,\u201d including a mid-day Mass in Cemo Auditorium on the feast day of St.Thomas Aquinas.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"4500Forever-Al-Clay-Day-3\"<\/p>\n

Students wore Al Clay t-shirts detailed with the Nine Points of Life central to his significant personal and professional success which he delivered as the commencement speaker at the 2014 St. Thomas Commencement ceremony.<\/span><\/p>\n

When Fr. Storey proclaimed \u201cAl Clay Day\u201d at the conclusion of Mass, Clay received a 1:15 standing ovation from the student body and then posed with the Class of 2015 in front of the main building which is now Clay-Storey Hall.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBeing around these students just reaffirms what we did. \u00a0I don\u2019t know the guy who enabled me in 1961 to have my experience. \u00a0What we\u2019re doing is for future students I won\u2019t know. \u00a0You can\u2019t make a better investment,\u201d Clay said. \u00a0\u201cIt\u2019s the best money I\u2019ve ever spent.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Max Machiorlette \u201815 admittedly didn\u2019t know Al Clay before his designated day on campus and was only vaguely familiar with the groundbreaking lead gift.<\/span><\/p>\n

But Machiorlette wasn\u2019t the least bit surprised a benefactor would contribute to St. Thomas in such a way.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI think that\u2019s the kind of impact St. Thomas has on so many students, instills that wanting to give back. \u00a0It\u2019s part of the culture. \u00a0When you\u2019re a student it\u2019s easy to take for granted all that\u2019s available here. \u00a0It\u2019s more than buildings with classrooms and teachers who give lectures and grade tests. \u00a0Down the road so many alums have a greater appreciation of the time here and that\u2019s why I think they give back the way they do.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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