Regina C. McCombs
229 Enfield Road
Lincoln, ME 04457
(207) 794-2897
regm35@gmail.com
facebook.com/groups/UMaineClass1979/
Hopefully spring has sprung in your neck of the woods! The older I get the longer winter seems!
Just a reminder — These are your class officers: president, James R. Lafond; vice president, Michael Booth; secretary, Wendy Emerson; treasurer, Rick Dodge; executive committee, Steve Sylvestre, Sue Leonard, Larry Gering; and Reunion committee, Steve Sylvestre, Sue Leonard, and Karen Senne Hill.
Our 40th Reunion is closer than you think. If you have any ideas for how we should celebrate this milestone please contact one of these folks or drop me a line.
On to the news:
Greg Deblois reports: “I retired from the Army Air Force Exchange Service in January after 26+ years. This plus my military service totals 37 + years of U.S. Federal service since graduating from UMO. I am now enjoying relaxing, doing ‘honey-dos’ around the house, and spending time with my grandson.”
Tim and Debbie Bishop’s inspirational book, Wheels of Wisdom: Life Lessons for the Restless Spirit, has won its second award. It earned the gold medal in the Christian-Devotion/Study genre in the Readers’ Favorite 2017 International Book Awards contest. The Bishops picked up their award in November in Miami.
Artist David Nelson was selected to exhibit his paintings at the 10th annual Governor’s Island Art Fair in NYC in September. Over 100 artists from around the world exhibited their work in the island’s former military base. David showed his new series “Incarnations,” a group of ten 4 x 8′ full-length portraits that reinterpret coarse color separation dots into puddles of clear acrylic paint. He said, “Even after abstracting the image so much through these processes, they still retain a strange sense of ‘realness.’” David said he was “excited and honored to participate in such a fun, creative endeavor in a beautiful place right in the heart of NYC.”
The Carl Alwin Schenck Award was earned by Lawrence “Larry” Gering, an associate professor in the forestry and environmental conservation department of Clemson University. This award, given by The Society of American Foresters, is the nation’s highest teaching award in forestry education. Larry teaches forest measurement, forest statistical analysis, remote-sensing, the use of global positioning systems, and introductory forestry courses. Among the other faculty members that he says influenced him he mentioned two who are legendary among UMaine forestry graduates, Fred Knight ’49 and Ralph Griffin.
Gov. Paul LePage ’75G has selected Steven McGrath G to head the Governor’s Energy Office. The Energy Office’s mission is to create effective public and private partnerships that advance Maine’s energy security and economic development in an environmentally responsible manner. Steven is the past chief financial officer of Downeast Energy Corp. He has also served as the CEO of Greystone Advisors, a financial and management advisory company.
The Copper Bar in Jackson Hole, WY, has a Maine connection in its general manager, Wayne DeWall. This Austrian themed restaurant, the former Stiegler’s, has had Wayne behind the bar for most of its 33-year history. According to the Jackson Hole News and Guide, Wayne “knows more about Austrian grapes and wines than anyone I know.” Sounds like a great place to spend an evening!
We would love to report on your happy news so please send it along. Have a great summer!