It is with great joy and appreciation that we acknowledge the success of Viking Fest 2024! Viking Spirit radiated throughout the University Center of DeSales University — as alumni, parents, and friends came together to celebrate our 2024 Semper Fidelis Award Honorees. The nearly $160,000 that was raised by our generous Viking Fest sponsors, bidders and attendees will not only fund a new video board in Rockne Hall, but will also greatly benefit our student scholarship and faculty funds. These funds will continue to have a pivotal impact on our Viking and Vikettes’ education and experience at ACCHS. We extend a heartfelt thank you to those who are always faithful to Allentown Central Catholic. The generosity of our sponsors and donors, everyone who contributed to the silent and live auctions, and our student and adult volunteers has made this year’s annual gala a huge success!
We once again congratulate our 2024 Semper Fidelis Award Honorees and thank them for being Always Faithful to our Viking Nation!
Dennis ’60 and Lucille Eddinger
Dennis is a 2001 inductee of the Allentown Central Catholic Wall of Fame and served as a member of both the ACCHS Booster Club and the Alumni Association. In addition to his full-time career, he was also employed part-time in the school’s Finance Department for several years. Dennis volunteered over many decades as our basketball timekeeper. Lucy was hired by Principal Jim Hodrick in the 1990s and worked in both the Development and the Principal’s office until her retirement in 2011. She began volunteering in the Athletic Department in the 1980s and continues to serve as a ticket taker to this day! Dennis and Lucy are members of Assumption BVM Parish in Bethlehem where Lucy serves as an Extraordinary Minister, is on the Hospitality Committee, and assists on the Funeral Ministry Team. Dennis has also served on the Funeral Ministry Team at their parish. They have five children, Debra ’85, David ’87, Donna ’88, Diane ’88, and Daniel ’95 — who all graduated from Allentown Central Catholic — as well as ten grandchildren. Their grandchildren attend Catholic schools both in the Lehigh Valley and in Chicago. Their grandson, Cael, graduated as a Viking in 2021, and their granddaughter, Chelsea will graduate in 2024. Dennis is the son of Ernestine (Pierson) Eddinger, Class of 1936, creating a Viking Family tree of FOUR generations!
Hugh ’61 and Jean (Stalsitz) ’62 Gallagher
Hugh served as the first Development Director at Allentown Central Catholic, paving the way for our school to enter a new phase of Catholic education and leading the way in both advancement and enrollment. He served on the Viking Booster Club including terms as both President and Vice-President, is a 2005 inductee of the Wall of Fame, and as the football statistician. He was instrumental in the founding of Viking Fest. Additionally, he was heavily involved in both the Allentown Recreation Committee and the CYO organization at St. Francis of Assisi as a coach and board member. Jean was very involved both in youth sports as a coach and supporting the Vikings and Vikettes. Hugh and Jean dedicated many years to the Allentown St. Patrick’s Day Parade and were honored as the King & Queen of the Parade in 1995. They have six children who all graduated from Allentown Central Catholic — Hugh ’85, Ed ’86, Sean ’88, Erin ’94, and Megan ’99; fourteen grandchildren, including five – Patrick ’05, Alyssa ’11, Connor ’12, Hugh ’15, and Keelin ’20 — who also graduated from ACCHS…with more to come! They also have three great-grandchildren. The Gallaghers are a FOURTH generation Viking family as Jean’s mother, Mrs. Valeria (Sweeney) Stalsitz, was a member of the Class of 1933.
THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS!
PREMIER SPONSOR
Access Point Consulting
William and Patricia Straccia Trust
LOYALTY SPONSORS
Peter & Kathleen Matt
Tim & Suzie Spinosa
The Topper Foundation
VICTORY SPONSOR
American Bank
MD Lieberman Foundation
Service Electric Cable TV
The Sollott Family
VICTORY IN-KIND SPONSOR
AmericaVen
Redd & Co. Fine Jewelers
NOBLE SPONSORS
Hugh & Rochelle Friel
The Gallagher Wealth Management Group/Wells Fargo Advisors
Elizabeth Sullivan Lawrence
Patrick & Rosemary McFadden Family
Jeff & MaryBeth Straccia
St. Thomas More Parish and School
The Walter Family
FAITH SPONSORS
ATAS International, Inc.
Tom, Kimberly, Harrison ’18 & and Davis ’21 Ike
Bill Kanehann
Sarah Lieberman & James Luchansky and Maria Lieberman Smalley & Aaron Smalley
The Meagher Family
Brian A. Sullivan
SPIRIT SPONSORS
Comprehensive Chiropractic
The Dilg Family
Mike & Maggi Fink
Hugh & Christine Gallagher
Kevin & Tracy Hodrick
Hoffman & Hlavac Attorneys at Law
Immaculate Conception Church
Mike & Debbie Kopp
The Lees Family
Eric Groller ’96 owner Lehigh Valley Sight and Sound
Honorable James Martin ’63
Craig & Patricia Peoples
John & Mary Jo Rosenberger
The Roth Law Firm
The Trigiani Family
Peter & Terese Waldron
Mrs. Adrienne (Reichenbach) Motley '97, Director of Alumni Relations
and Assistant Director of Development: amotley@acchs.info