By Florida Catholic staff - Florida Catholic
Photographer: COURTESY PHOTO | Prestige Portraits
Chaminade-Madonna Founders Award recipients Greg Vitale, Paulette D�Angelo Vitale, Ron Belanger and Rachel Koebel pose for a photo Marianist Father Larry Doersching, Chaminade-Madonna's president.
HOLLYWOOD � Chaminade-Madonna College Preparatory honored veteran staff members Ron Belanger and Rachel Koebel, alumna Paulette D�Angelo Vitale, and former Board of Trustees member Greg Vitale as modern day founders of the school at the 36th annual Founders Dinner Dance held Jan. 21 at the Signature Grand in Davie.
Over 150 guests joined the celebration in recognition of the honorees� commitment to developing the Catholic and Marianist foundation of the high school. The guests included past Founders Award recipients, members of the Society of Mary (the Marianists), current and former members of the school�s Board of Trustees, former City of Hollywood officials and members of St. David Church, where all four honorees are parishioners.
Ron Belanger has worked at Chaminade-Madonna for nearly 50 years as head librarian, media specialist, and faculty member. He received the Founders Award for his instrumental role in building the technological foundation of the school. He personally expanded the school library�s print collection to 30,000 items throughout the �70s and �80s, and oversaw the conversion from a card catalog to a digital catalog of library holdings. As computers began to grow in popularity in the late 1980s, Belanger became one of the school�s first technology coordinators and computer programmers. He continues to supervise the Chaminade-Madonna library and media center, and has touched the lives of literally thousands of graduates.
Rachel Koebel has been a member of the Chaminade-Madonna staff for over 25 years in the area of development and alumni relations, and received the school�s Alumni Appreciation Award in 1997. She was honored as a Chaminade-Madonna Founder for her dedication to the school�s alumni community. Her two sons Jim Koebel (class of 1982) and Jeff Koebel (class of 1985), daughter-in-law Debra Montgomery Koebel (class of 1985), and grandson Cavan Koebel (class of 2011) all attended Chaminade-Madonna. Her granddaughter, Jacqui Koebel, is currently a freshman at the high school. In addition to her years of service at Chaminade-Madonna, Koebel has volunteered at St. Stephen School in Miramar, and at the Archdiocese of Miami Family Enrichment Center.
Paulette D�Angelo Vitale is a graduate of the Madonna Academy class of 1971 (Madonna Academy merged with Chaminade High School in 1988 to form Chaminade-Madonna). She and her husband, Greg Vitale, were recognized for their long time support of the school�s mission and their instrumental role on development committees and the Board of Trustees. D�Angelo Vitale was inducted into the Chaminade-Madonna Alumni Hall of Fame in 1991, joined the prestigious awards committee the following year, and continues to serve as a committee member. In 2009, she was voted secretary of the Chaminade-Madonna Home and School Association, and went on to become vice president in 2010. Also in 2009 and 2010, she chaired the Chaminade-Madonna Educator of the Year Committee. She continues to serve the Chaminade-Madonna community as a Parent Ambassador, coordinator of her class reunions, and volunteer. In addition to her work with the high school, she founded and directed the Archdiocese of Miami Office of Young Adult Ministry, is a local area coordinator for the Virtus Awareness Program, and works at St. David Church.
Greg Vitale is a certified public accountant and co-owner of Vitale & Miller, P.A. located in Hollywood. As a former member of the Chaminade-Madonna Board of Trustees, and current member of the high school�s Finance Committee, his accounting experience and financial guidance have been instrumental to Chaminade-Madonna�s continued success within the Hollywood community. His brother and sister, Louis Vitale (class of 1970) and Maria Vitale (class of 1975), are both graduates of Chaminade-Madonna. In addition, Paulette and Greg�s two children, Daniella (class of 2008) and Gregory John (class of 2010) attended Chaminade-Madonna.
The Founders Award was established in 1975 to acknowledge those who have been influential in the history of Chaminade-Madonna. Since its inception, 84 men and women have been honored, including religious members of the Marianists, the School Sisters of Notre Dame, and the Archdiocese of Miami, as well as South Florida community leaders and former City of Hollywood officials.
Over 150 guests joined the celebration in recognition of the honorees� commitment to developing the Catholic and Marianist foundation of the high school. The guests included past Founders Award recipients, members of the Society of Mary (the Marianists), current and former members of the school�s Board of Trustees, former City of Hollywood officials and members of St. David Church, where all four honorees are parishioners.
Ron Belanger has worked at Chaminade-Madonna for nearly 50 years as head librarian, media specialist, and faculty member. He received the Founders Award for his instrumental role in building the technological foundation of the school. He personally expanded the school library�s print collection to 30,000 items throughout the �70s and �80s, and oversaw the conversion from a card catalog to a digital catalog of library holdings. As computers began to grow in popularity in the late 1980s, Belanger became one of the school�s first technology coordinators and computer programmers. He continues to supervise the Chaminade-Madonna library and media center, and has touched the lives of literally thousands of graduates.
Paulette D�Angelo Vitale is a graduate of the Madonna Academy class of 1971 (Madonna Academy merged with Chaminade High School in 1988 to form Chaminade-Madonna). She and her husband, Greg Vitale, were recognized for their long time support of the school�s mission and their instrumental role on development committees and the Board of Trustees. D�Angelo Vitale was inducted into the Chaminade-Madonna Alumni Hall of Fame in 1991, joined the prestigious awards committee the following year, and continues to serve as a committee member. In 2009, she was voted secretary of the Chaminade-Madonna Home and School Association, and went on to become vice president in 2010. Also in 2009 and 2010, she chaired the Chaminade-Madonna Educator of the Year Committee. She continues to serve the Chaminade-Madonna community as a Parent Ambassador, coordinator of her class reunions, and volunteer. In addition to her work with the high school, she founded and directed the Archdiocese of Miami Office of Young Adult Ministry, is a local area coordinator for the Virtus Awareness Program, and works at St. David Church.
Greg Vitale is a certified public accountant and co-owner of Vitale & Miller, P.A. located in Hollywood. As a former member of the Chaminade-Madonna Board of Trustees, and current member of the high school�s Finance Committee, his accounting experience and financial guidance have been instrumental to Chaminade-Madonna�s continued success within the Hollywood community. His brother and sister, Louis Vitale (class of 1970) and Maria Vitale (class of 1975), are both graduates of Chaminade-Madonna. In addition, Paulette and Greg�s two children, Daniella (class of 2008) and Gregory John (class of 2010) attended Chaminade-Madonna.
The Founders Award was established in 1975 to acknowledge those who have been influential in the history of Chaminade-Madonna. Since its inception, 84 men and women have been honored, including religious members of the Marianists, the School Sisters of Notre Dame, and the Archdiocese of Miami, as well as South Florida community leaders and former City of Hollywood officials.
