A major mini-reunion of classmates finally (one year later) celebrated our 75th birthdays at the grand Greenbrier Resort in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia, from September 18 through 20. Along with organizer Ed Heald—who had able, off-site assistance from Gerry Bell—attendees included Dan Bort, Warren Connelly and Carolyn Rand, Warren Cooke and Catherine, Larry Griffith and Julia, Gary Horlick and Kathryn, Ted Kuss and Pat, Toby Mathias and Laurie, Bill Rich and Sylvia, Norm Silverman and Deborah, Jerry Smith and Janice Braddy, Larry Smith and Mary Pritchard, Mark Waterhouse and Leslie Cosgrove, Peter Weston, and Roger Witten and Jill. Wick Walker joined for Monday dinner and a bunker tour. That tour was one of many unique events, including falconry, that were interspersed with social hours and dinners. Dartmouth history professor Bob Bonner gave a presentation based on the book Lincoln at Gettysburg, which was joined via Zoom by a number of non-attendees. Later Professor Bonner accompanied classmates at dinner on Tuesday. Planner Heald was profusely thanked by all for sparking warm camaraderie. One highlight mentioned by many was Warren Cooke’s ragtime piano playing; another was the Jill Witten-led rousing round of Dartmouth songs.

The Greenbrier event served as a tantalizing prelude to our 55th reunion, coming up in just six months in June. Presiding organizer John Engelman invites your planning participation and content suggestions and head agent Parker Beverage finds it a special opportunity to amplify or perhaps even initiate your gift to the Dartmouth College Fund. See their recent correspondences, along with that of class president David Peck, and find details on the class website, dartmouth68.org, where you’ll also be able to view all our recent webinars.

Here’s another opportunity to be an active part of this generous and busy class. The class community service project has just celebrated its third anniversary, and coordinators Jim Lawrie, Peter Hofman, and Peter Wonson believe that recent events may have motivated you to start or increase your involvement with public assistance. They ask, “What is one unique, first-time tactic or initiative your nonprofit or volunteer activity tried in response to the pandemic that worked well and will be continued for the foreseeable future?” Jim’s address for your answer or project enrollment is on the class website.

Many of our classmates, as you may have noted in The Transmission, served in the military during and after the Vietnam conflict years. Please feel free to write to me with details of your own participation. Larry Eisenhauer, for one, sent word about his Air Force tenure, which began after his internship and residency at Yale. He served for two years at Luke Air Force Base in Phoenix (which eventually led to retirement from the service with the rank of major) and then entered private practice in La Jolla, California, where he spent 43 years. He is proud to have several Dartmouth graduates in his family. Larry has instrument and commercial pilot licenses and spends time with gardening, photography, and husbandry.

—Jack Hopke, 157 Joy St., River Ridge, LA 70123; (504) 388-2645; jackhopke@yahoo.com