This column deadline unfortunately occurred before Homecoming weekend so we have few updates. Luckily you have already connected with the November class newsletter and saw many photos of classmates who dropped in on our reunion cluster pre-game tailgate (organized by class mini-reunion chair Valerie Hartman). Many raised a glass and caught up with fellow classmates. One thing is for certain—despite a dearth of classmate news, at least by the time you are reading this column, the 2016 election will be over. Now that’s something to which we can all raise a glass. Regardless of the outcome, everyone would agree that our very own, Lenny Gayle and Mark Koulegeorge (a.k.a., “the best debate team of all time”), should have been called upon to tutor the candidates in the art of debate.

Give a rouse to Lisa Herrington and Margaret Marder for their awesome class newsletters. Along with the aforementioned Homecoming photos and tidbit on Lenny and Mark, the October newsletter featured fascinating autobiographical submissions from several of our classmates reflecting upon their paths and careers in the arts. In case you missed any of these, check it out on our class website: www.dartmouth85.com. Margaret mistakenly thinks we hear from her enough through our class newsletter. But the truth is Margaret is typically sharing stories on others. So we asked for an update from her and fellow classmate and husband David Marder: “Kids are all out of the house, our youngest heading into her final year at UCLA. David and I miss the full house but are enjoying the freedoms of an empty house! David’s still being a lawyer in Boston and I’m working for a successful real estate firm in downtown Boston. My job has the perks of getting to see some beautiful million-dollar-and-higher luxury condos with views of the city and meeting lots of people. Anyone looking for downtown Boston living, feel free to reach out to me!” Word is Margaret provides one of the more pleasant real estate transactions for both sides of the deal, and that comes as no surprise.

Our fearless class president, Joe Riley, continues to heal after a dreadful mountain biking accident this past August at Killington, Vermont, while on vacation with a couple of his sons. Joe managed to get quite banged up but, thankfully, neither of Joe’s sons crashed. While one stayed with Joe on the hillside, the other one biked for help. Joe spent more than a month in the hospital recuperating from (among other injuries) a punctured lung and fractured vertebrae. He is back to work and slowly getting back on his feet. Perhaps someone needs to remind Joe that 50-plus is definitely not the new 20. We recommend that he forgo mountain biking and transition to stationary training of some sort. Meanwhile, we are all sending healing vibes in Joe’s direction.

Wishing each of you a happy and healthy new year. Please send news.

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