Page 6 - FINAL Holy Spirit SP 2016

History of CHS

North America Foundation, Inc.
(CHSNAF)

How It Started

In 1990, when her high school class celebrated its silver jubilee in Manila, Ma. Luisa “Ilo” Echevarria-Wallenstein, HS
’65, AB/BS ’70, spearheaded the effort to replicate the joyful celebration in New York for those who missed the
homecoming. Thirteen members of HS ’65 class joined her to form the nucleus of the nascent association of alumnae in
the tri-state area of New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut. With the help of the Alumnae Office in Mendiola and the
efforts of Digna de Borja-Anonas, HS ’65 from Los Angeles, California, the first directory of US-based alumnae was started.

1991 - 1998 Building the Network
Ma. Luisa “Ilo” Echevarria-Wallenstein, HS ’65, AB/BSC ’70
Ilo Echevarria-Wallenstein, HS ’65, AB/BSC ’70, networking through the various classes, gathered enough members to
hold its first reunion in the Fall of 1991 in the backyard of Fe Jusay-Abellanosa, HS ’62. The event, attended by 80 alumnae
ranging from classes 1949 through 1982, was so successful it became an anticipated biennial moving feast — Daly City,
CA in 1993; New York City in 1995; Arlington, VA in 1997; Pasadena City, CA in 1999; Las Vegas, NV in 2001, and
Vancouver, Canada in 2003. Ilo Echevarria-Wallenstein was the President during these eight formative years of the
association. It was during these years that a U.S. version of “We, the Alumnae” was published. Volunteer editors and
contributors such as Myrna Mariano, HS ’67 and Celeste LaTorre-Atienza, BSFN ’65, took turns to reach the alumnae with
this newsletter service.
1999 - 2002 Structuring the Organization
Lenore Raquel Santos-Lim, HS ’63
Under the leadership years of Lenore Raquel Santos-Lim, HS '63, the association was established as a corporation.
Her team worked on three areas --- directory by Francis M. Tayag, HS ‘65 BSC ‘69 and Barbara Carmelo, HS ‘67, a
website by Grace Rebullida-Gallego, HS ‘65 and a Newsletter published quarterly by Remedios “Tita” Dizon, HS ‘63
and Concepcion Abeleda-Beltran, HS ‘66.
In 2002, Rose Fabre-Lapena, HS ‘51 and Maria Paz “Chickie” Alvir, HS ‘58, BSChem ‘63, registered the association as an
educational foundation under the name of CHS-HGC USA Canada Foundation, Inc. The plan was to create nine chapters
covering the continental US, Hawaii and Canada.

2003 - 2005 Becoming CHSNAF
Francisca M. Tayag, HS ’65, BSC ’69

Francis M. Tayag, HS ‘65 BSC ‘69, president for these two years, applied for tax-exempt status and the foundation
was reclassified as a “not-for-profit public charitable foundation”. CHSNAF was incorporated as CHS North America
Foundation, Inc. (CHSNAF), in New York City and in 2005; the organization’s tax-exempt status was approved under
the 501(C)3 section of the IRS tax code.
In October 2005, CHSNAF held its first Grand Reunion/Conference in New York City, a two-day event with Carmen
Dayrit-Padilla, HS ‘60, Teresita Nitorreda, HS ‘48 AB/BSE ‘52 and Elizabeth King, HS ’70 from the World Bank in
Washington, DC as special guests. Gawad Kalinga was ratified as the foundation’s project-of-choice for which
approximately $90,000 was raised together with CHSAF at the initiative of HS ‘65, HS ‘68 and HS ‘73 for two
villages in Metro Manila.