By HOLLY WAGNER

Herald-Whig Staff Writer

Families with students in Quincy's Catholic schools can get a break on tuition next year through participation in the Gene Grawe Fund.

The fund sells gift cards for gas, groceries and other items families are already spending money on locally. The sale of each $100 gift card nets the fund between $2 and $20.

The proceeds will be divided among the families that participate and applied to their students' tuition costs at Quincy's Catholic schools.

"The sky's the limit" on how much can be raised, said JoAnn Witte. "The more people you have buying gift cards, the more money you are going to generate."

Witte spearheads the Gene Grawe Fund established in memory of her father. Ephesians 2:10 says "we're supposed to help each other," Witte said. "That's the theme we've taken on ... That's the type of person he was."

The fund originally was intended for students at St. Anthony Catholic School and members of the St. Anthony Branch of the Western Catholic Union. Since the recent consolidation of the Catholic parishes, schools and the WCU branches, the program is being made available to all Quincy Catholic school students through Quincy Notre Dame High School.

"We are asking that each family ... average $100 a week on buying the gift cards," Witte said. "If you're just buying gas and groceries, that's not hard to do."

The cards will cover purchases at Hy-Vee, County Market and Wal-Mart, as well as Home Depot, Lowe's, Bergman Nurseries and several hundred other merchants both local and nationwide.

Since the cards are sold at face value, it costs nothing extra to participate, Witte said. Anyone who wants to benefit Catholic students can purchase the cards.

"We would love for that to happen," Witte said. "There's a lot of money to be made here."

Tuition at Quincy's Catholic schools has gone up this year between $100 and $200. Grade school tuition for registered parishioners is $1,850 for one child and $2,500 for a family. QND's tuition is $4,595 this year.

The gift cards are available at all Catholic parishes and schools as well as at the WCU and Catholic Charities. Families are being asked to enroll in the program on forms that were mailed to their homes.

"We'll try to do everything we can to help them meet the goal," Witte said. "Anything above and beyond that will be better for everyone."

So far, the program has garnered "wonderful interest," she said. In three years, it raised $28,300.

In addition to the gift cards, families can register their credit cards at onecause.com so every credit card purchase earns the fund a rebate.

An informational meeting for anyone interested in getting involved in the fund is being held at 7 p.m. Tuesday in the QND Cafeteria.

-- hwagner@whig.com/221-3374