Nancy Roberts Munson
Hi all — as you can see I have a new address. In September I moved to an independent senior residence. It is a wonderful place with lots of activities, friendly people, and it will make life easier for me. I wasn’t able to get to our 60th Reunion but it sounded like it was very successful. Can you even imagine that it was 60 years since graduation? When we started, the class counted 1,109 students, and gained more during the next few years. Now we have 594 active members and 601 deceased. An additional 74 are “lost” — classmates for whom we have no known address. How different the world is now than it was then.
The class business meeting at our 60th included several important issues. The results of goals outlined in the class Five Year Report were reviewed. A major highlight: The president reported that our number one goal — building our Student Scholarship Fund — had resulted in an increase from $32,000 in 2014 to $96,000. As soon as this announcement was made, attendees Dave ’58 and Anne Christiansen Sleeper announced, right from their table, a generous donation that put the total over $100,000. A W-O-W moment!
Another important business item was a presentation by former class president Evie Stevens Smith. She explained the Senior Alumni organization and its principal purpose, which is awarding scholarships to non-traditional students. She asked for an opinion about our class designating its scholarship awards to these students beginning in 2030 or 2040. Our name would still be attached to these awards. There was unanimous consent that this idea should be considered.
A motion to transfer up to $10,000 from our Alumni Reunion Fund to our Scholarship Fund was approved unanimously. This transfer will become $20,000 thanks to the Blaine Moores Matching Grant challenge.
The adoption of the Class of 2019 was one of the major programs of the past five years. Class members graduated in May, and are on their way to their new careers, master’s degrees, and more. The president reported that he felt the program was mutually beneficial for them and us.
Molly ’20 and Jake Davee ’19, our 2018-2019 scholarship award recipients, were guests at the meeting. They expressed their thanks and talked about their family’s four generations of Davees.
Recognition was given to the 131 class members who passed on during the last five years.
In other news, in April, classmate Chuck Peddle received the Alumni Association’s highest award, the Career Achievement Award. He is internationally recognized as the “Father of the Personal Computer.” Also, Bob Davee joined family members as they received the Fogler Legacy Award at the April Achievement Award dinner. This award honors University of Maine alumni family legacies.
Personal notes: On Friday evening of the Reunion, Chubby Checker entertained at the Collins Center. Ken Perrone‘s wife, Cindi, and a friend attended and were invited on stage to do the Twist with Chubby! Ken reports that they were a smash hit. Paul Odegard and his wife, “snow birds” for 20 years, have sold their Jupiter, FL, condo and moved back to their home on Leete’s Island, Guilford, CT. Paul is still active in Sunfish sailing regattas.
Your class officers were all re-elected. Don Cookson will continue as president. He says staying in touch will be a central theme during the coming months and years. He encourages you to fill out and send back bio sheets that you received prior to the 60th celebration. Fifty classmates did so for our Class Memory Book, which will be kept on file at the Buchanan Alumni House. If you no longer have the form, just sent a note to me and let me know where you are, what you are doing these days, and what your favorite memories of your days on campus are. Thank you for that.
‘Til next time — send me your news.