As I write this column, I’m thinking about my daughter’s wedding this weekend and the toast I’ve prepared. It got me wondering about the most important words I’ve ever written. Before anyone exclaims, “It’s your columns in the alumni magazine,” let me disavow that notion, though thank you if you thought that. Maybe it is this wedding toast, maybe the eulogy at my dad’s funeral. Perhaps it was my Dartmouth application, as that path has certainly had a major influence on my life, or it was learning to write in the first place. Maybe it was signing the marriage license for me and Cindy or the hospital discharge papers for our kids. What were the most important words you’ve written?

While you ponder that, let me offer my thanks to co-secretary Rebecca Osborne for constantly mining for and sharing nuggets of classmate news, such as the note she received from Scott Borek, who wrote: “I recently attended the 20th annual ‘Big Chill,’ a Heorot group that’s reunited on the Cape [Massachusetts] each June for a long weekend. This year saw Michael Oesterlin, Harry Bourque, John Early, Rick Massey, Troy Miksen, Chip Kuzborski, Mike Reilly, Bob Jangro, Tom Norton, Andy Daniels, Mark Goggin, Bo Beatty, Tim Coughlin, and me make the trek. Conversations have changed through the years, as have the sleeping patterns, but the one thing that has never changed is the tremendous bond between us, which Dartmouth gave to all of us.” For your reading pleasure, check out the Merrimack College athletic staff website chronicling Scott’s hockey journey.

Also shared was the news that Doug Fulton is running for the Minnesota Senate. Though I’m not certain of Doug’s platform, let’s hope it includes respectful and open dialog, kindness toward others, and lots of common sense. More details available on Facebook and elsewhere.

I also caught up recently with Ron denBroeder, who is the one individual where our living proximity has the greatest inverse relationship to the number of times we’ve connected in person—Detroit natives, Dartmouth classmates, and now Philly residents for 20-plus years. I told Ron that I hope it’s not another 37 years before I see him again, although that would speak to a healthy life, I guess. Thanks to Ron for sharing this update: “I am still with Land Rover, pursuing an interesting side hustle in financial services (top secret), riding my motorcycle—photos and videos on request—and watching my third kid, Mackie (15), grow up fast. My daughters moved to Brooklyn after Barnard so we’re up there all the time visiting. Any ’85s in Bushwick or Park Slope? Let’s do Sunday brunch.”

Ron shared some awesome updates about other classmates, but, alas, word count limits mean I must share those details with Rebecca for the next column. After all, sharing is what being a co-secretary is all about. As a teaser, though, be prepared to hear about Mark, Noel, Anne, Sarah, and Sally.

Keep writing and reading!

—John MacManus, 188 Ringwood Road, Rosemont, PA 19010; (610) 525-4541; slampong@aol.com; Rebecca Blake Osborne, 42 Olive St., Newburyport, MA 01950; (603) 381-4164; rosborne29@comcast.net