They say a picture is worth a thousand words for a very good reason—through a single still image, one can convey so very much. Unfortunately, photo images are not permitted in our magazine columns so I will attempt to describe within the confines of our 600-word limit, some of the photo ops from sightings and gatherings by our classmates of late. 


Several classmates were sighted returning to the Hanover Plain this past September as freshmen move-in day brought both Bill Tyree and Darren Alcus to town as parents of ’18s. Did anyone catch that photo of Bill, glasses perched at the tip of his nose as he wielded a hammer (or was it a screwdriver?) to assemble a futon on the second floor of McLane for his newly matriculated son, Brophy? Bill was clearly envious of the fact that his son is in a dorm room spacious enough for a futon (in addition to his College-issued bed) and within sight of his dad’s freshman digs on the Gold Coast. Meanwhile, Darren enthusiastically settled oldest daughter Claire into her cinder block home-away-from-home (ah, yes, there is a great vibe in the Choates, but there is no way to shake that 1960s look). Darren did not assemble anything other than the list of Claire’s immediate neighbors, including taking cautious note of the proximity of the brothers on adjacent frat row. 


Turning to Homecoming weekend, Joe Riley was all smiles while holding our class of 1985 banner in the torchlight parade with Mimi Eldridge at his side. Joining them along the parade route and stopping for a group photo-op were Eamonn Brady (in town from N.Y.C.), Larry Weidner, Katie Harris Robbins (along with husband and classmate Kris Robbins is among our Upper Valley natives), Laura Hicks (in from Florida with youngest daughter taking a closer look at the Big Green), Sue Finegan (on a break from her committee work to improve campus life by enjoying some of it herself), Brian Bandler (up from Connecticut), and Tim Woodward (in from Rochester, New York). Those trendy glow-in-the-dark green necklaces sported by all really added quite a luster to everyone’s evening faces. Later in the weekend many of these ’85s, along with Mark Koulogeorge and Ann Greenleaf, gathered at the mini-reunion tent catered by EBAs before cheering the football squad to victory. 


Valerie Hartman took a break from Atlanta to enjoy an October week in Paris and sent an enviable selfie with Notre Dame looming in the background. She then returned to get her cowgirl on in Austin, Texas, and caught up with Steve Mines. Steve continues to call Austin home and in addition to two-stepping the night away at the White Horse Palace with Valerie (no photos shared), he manages his own translation company servicing businesses and lawyers traveling the globe. Last count his own linguistic mastery covers Spanish, Portuguese, French, Italian, English and several more too numerous to list. Valerie’s visit also provided her with an entertaining phone reconnection with Austin newcomer Carolina Kuczynski, who recently relocated there with her husband and kids from Connecticut. Like Austin veteran Steve, Carolina loves her new city.


Since our last column teaser you have no doubt been wondering about Mark Halliday. Take a look on www.ted.com (search his name on the site). You are in for some inspiration on how to bring out your inner filmmaker. 


Please keep your news (and photos) coming, as we promise to share all of it here. And mark your calendar as we count down to our upcoming 30th reunion gathering in Hanover June 18-20. All the best to all of you!


—Leslie A. Davis Dahl, 83 Pecksland Road, Greenwich, CT 06831; (203) 552-0070; dahlleslie@yahoo.com; John MacManus, 188 Ringwood Road, Rosemont, PA 19010; (610) 525-4541; slampong@aol.com