Class Note 1981
Issue
May - Jun 2017
The winter season finally resembled the “back in the day” 1980s style. Heavy drifts were the norm and there were plenty of school “snow days.” Now we rise. Spring sparks the interest of all of us.
Tickets to the new National Museum of African American History and Culture in D.C. are sold out for three months, but our own Elizabeth Wang wrangled enough for 12 classmates and their family members for a rousing mini-reunion tour. By all accounts the information was edifying and thought provoking, “sobering, yet hopeful.” She retired recently from the World Bank and promises to continue her mini-reunion activities in the D.C. to N.Y.C. corridor, so stay tuned.
Doug Harrison traveled up by train from eastern North Carolina with his wife to take in a Shakespeare play and dovetailed in the mini-reunion. Each semester he writes checks to Northwestern University, where his daughter studies. Through her he relives his own college experience and recognizes the importance of mind-opening discussions late into the night with fellow New Hampshire dorm mates. And so it was also with his visit to the museum. He is a practicing general surgeon and recently completed a Dartmouth Institute health policy program. Frank Broner, proudly sporting a Big Green ski team jacket, brought his 86-year-old mother and his family to the event. His high school senior son, who kicks 65-yard field goals, raved about the quality of the food on the top floor. Frank’s two other children are Middlebury graduates, and so was his father, which Frank says makes him the “green sheep” of the family. Others who made the trip are Thomas Duke, Gregg Ramm, Judy Stagg, Jill Martin, Juliette Rossant, Jeff Meer, Beth Shapiro Lewyckyi, Pat Berry and Jim T. Pearson.
Anne and Tom McGonagle chaired the first fundraiser outside New England for the Kelly Brush Foundation, devoted to supporting ski race safety and specialized sports equipment for disabled athletes. In a spectacular site in downtown Denver, the event was an instant mini-reunion. Many ’81s were on the organizational committee and many of their children helped out before, during and after the event. Grace Macomber Bird traveled from Boston, where she and her family are involved with the same organization and other programs benefitting ski racing programs. Tim Itin and Bob Van Wetter represented the financial services sector and Betsy Brew gave the general surgery perspective. Others supporting the cause included John Haroldson, who traveled from his home in eastern North Carolina and can still ski the back bowls at Vail, Colorado. Local Coloradans showed up with broad smiles, including Amy Beringer, who lives in Boulder, and Kevin Lewis. There was much dancing and appreciation of music. We have much to be thankful for. Please keep the mini-reunions rolling! Veronica and I would love to hear from you.
—Emil Miskovsky, 77 Bates St., Suite 202, Lewiston, ME 04240; (802) 345-9861; emilmiskovsky@gmail.com; Veronica Wessels, 224 Buena Vista Road, Rockcliffe, ON K1M0V7, Canada; (613) 748-6248; vcwessels@rogers.com
Tickets to the new National Museum of African American History and Culture in D.C. are sold out for three months, but our own Elizabeth Wang wrangled enough for 12 classmates and their family members for a rousing mini-reunion tour. By all accounts the information was edifying and thought provoking, “sobering, yet hopeful.” She retired recently from the World Bank and promises to continue her mini-reunion activities in the D.C. to N.Y.C. corridor, so stay tuned.
Doug Harrison traveled up by train from eastern North Carolina with his wife to take in a Shakespeare play and dovetailed in the mini-reunion. Each semester he writes checks to Northwestern University, where his daughter studies. Through her he relives his own college experience and recognizes the importance of mind-opening discussions late into the night with fellow New Hampshire dorm mates. And so it was also with his visit to the museum. He is a practicing general surgeon and recently completed a Dartmouth Institute health policy program. Frank Broner, proudly sporting a Big Green ski team jacket, brought his 86-year-old mother and his family to the event. His high school senior son, who kicks 65-yard field goals, raved about the quality of the food on the top floor. Frank’s two other children are Middlebury graduates, and so was his father, which Frank says makes him the “green sheep” of the family. Others who made the trip are Thomas Duke, Gregg Ramm, Judy Stagg, Jill Martin, Juliette Rossant, Jeff Meer, Beth Shapiro Lewyckyi, Pat Berry and Jim T. Pearson.
Anne and Tom McGonagle chaired the first fundraiser outside New England for the Kelly Brush Foundation, devoted to supporting ski race safety and specialized sports equipment for disabled athletes. In a spectacular site in downtown Denver, the event was an instant mini-reunion. Many ’81s were on the organizational committee and many of their children helped out before, during and after the event. Grace Macomber Bird traveled from Boston, where she and her family are involved with the same organization and other programs benefitting ski racing programs. Tim Itin and Bob Van Wetter represented the financial services sector and Betsy Brew gave the general surgery perspective. Others supporting the cause included John Haroldson, who traveled from his home in eastern North Carolina and can still ski the back bowls at Vail, Colorado. Local Coloradans showed up with broad smiles, including Amy Beringer, who lives in Boulder, and Kevin Lewis. There was much dancing and appreciation of music. We have much to be thankful for. Please keep the mini-reunions rolling! Veronica and I would love to hear from you.
—Emil Miskovsky, 77 Bates St., Suite 202, Lewiston, ME 04240; (802) 345-9861; emilmiskovsky@gmail.com; Veronica Wessels, 224 Buena Vista Road, Rockcliffe, ON K1M0V7, Canada; (613) 748-6248; vcwessels@rogers.com