“At my age now, I can’t imagine not having the means to take care of my failing health and in the past the Brothers have taken care of each other, which is a burden they shouldn’t have to bear!”
-Betty Kabara
The History of the KabarA Challenge
When Betty met her future husband, Dr. Jon Kabara, one of their first trips together was to Winona, Minnesota to visit Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota. Jon wanted to share his love for the Christian Brothers and show Betty how his Lasallian education at St. George High School and Saint Mary’s University had shaped him.
Jon and Betty spent their marriage enjoying their family, traveling the world to share Jon’s research with other scientists, and transforming the medical field through research-based advancements. Jon’s accolades included 16 patents, over 200 published works, and establishing Med-Chem Labs, Inc., with the goal of “making a positive impact on the world through improving the health of all those we serve.”
After Jon’s passing in 2011, Betty continued to support organizations that impacted the health and well-being of those around them, including the Christian Brothers. Betty remained close to the Brothers; her own love for the Brothers growing from Jon’s passion and seeing firsthand the beauty of the Lasallian mission and the great men who dedicated their lives to the Founder’s work by becoming Brothers.
When a major change occurred to the Midwest District’s fundraising efforts, which resulted in losing $50,000 in funding, Betty saw an opportunity for more transformative philanthropy through a matching gift of $25,000. If a donor offered to match gifts directed to the Senior Brothers, could the $50,000 be raised in a new way? As a result, in 2015, the KabarA Challenge was born as a way to provide for Senior Brothers continued “Golden Year” needs.
With a generous gift of $25,000 from Betty, the Midwest District now had the funds to encourage other donors to support the Brothers by having their gifts to the Senior Brothers matched, doubling the impact of their giving.
The excitement for the KabarA Challenge quickly grew with other donors following Betty’s example, and Jon’s legacy, by using their gifts to increase the matching gift opportunity. To honor these other donors, the final “A” in KabarA was capitalized to represent the communal effort of the KabarA Challenge. All of our matching donors provide an astounding $250,000 towards our dollar-for-dollar match and overall KabarA campaign goal of $500,000 this year. Thank you to Dr. Jon and Betty Kabara for their commitment to the Brothers and their foresight in creating this opportunity for others to follow.
History in the Making
It’s hard to believe that ten years have passed since we began the KabarA Challenge. I remember getting to know Betty Kabara while on a Lasallian Pilgrimage for SMU Trustees in 2013. I was struck by Betty’s warmth and grace, as well as her dedication to the Christian Brothers and to Saint Mary’s University, her recently departed husband’s alma mater. Her kindness and generosity in wanting to honor her husband’s priorities have led to such a blessing for the Midwest District and especially our dear senior Brothers, the beneficiaries of the fund. Please join Betty and me with a gift in this 10th anniversary year.
-Brother Larry Schatz, FSC
Director of Vocation Ministry
Help the KabarA Challenge grow and inspire others to support the Senior Brothers! Matching donors pledge a minimum of $5,000 annually to be used for the dollar-for-dollar match, currently at $250,000. To join the KabarA Challenge as a matching gift donor or for giving opportunities information, contact Anthony C. Chimera, M.B.A. at (630) 323-3725 ext. 211 or achimera@cbmidwest.org.