On Saturday, May 3, DeLaSalle High School celebrated its 125th anniversary with a gala that attracted hundreds of students, alumni and their families to the Nicollet Island institution.
But it was more than a big class reunion; it was the setting for the announcement of what DeLaSalle’s president Patrick Felicetta called “a transformational gift” of $10 million from 1955 alumnus Dave Thies and his wife Marlys. The gift contribution launches what the school calls “a new $30 million comprehensive fundraising initiative focused on student access, improved learning environments, and long-term sustainability.”
Felicetta said, “This gift is more than generous — it is a declaration of faith in our mission. Dave and Marlys are helping to ensure that generations of students will continue to be challenged, supported and formed into young people of faith, intellect and service. Their investment will echo in every classroom, every scholarship and every graduate who walks out our doors ready to make a difference.”
After graduating from St. Mary’s University in Winona, Thies played professional baseball for five years, including one season as a pitcher for the Kansas City Athletics. After retiring from baseball, he co-founded Thies and Talle Enterprises, a property development firm. This March, the Thieses committed $5.5 million to St. Mary’s; $2.6 million of the gift will go towards remodeling the Winona Campus gymnasium, which will be renamed the David R. Thies B’59 Arena.
Thies credits DeLaSalle for laying the foundation for his success. The event press release said: “Over the decades, he has remained deeply committed to the school, generously offering his time, talent, and funding to ensure that DeLaSalle would remain viable, even amidst the most trying times. Through this gift, he and his wife Marlys are investing in future generations of students who will benefit from the same values-based, college-preparatory education.”
If successful, the $30 million would be allocated three ways: $10 million to the school’s endowment; $10 million to facilities enhancements; and $10 million to increase tuition assistance and academic support.
The nearly 700 attendees took tours of the school’s three buildings, dined in the school’s main gym and watched student performers and a 125th anniversary video. Later, many gathered at Founder’s Park, the former site of the C Building — the school’s first structure. The school’s hallways had framed class photos on their walls for all the school years, and lots of alumni met classmates they hadn’t seen since graduation, ranging from a few years back to more than seven decades ago.
