Class Note 1987
Christine Wichers turns 50 in May but celebrated early with a weeklong vacation in Akumal, Mexico, with three girlfriends who also turn 50 this year. “We are at a resort and have seen two other groups of people celebrating their 50th. I am happy to report that no one in those groups or my group looks old to me, but that may just mean I need bifocals or have glaucoma.” I’ve enjoyed sharing 50th birthday news about our classmates and there are still a handful of ’87s who have yet to reach this milestone. We would love to keep hearing news about birthdays and celebrations of all types!
John Youle wrote that he and his family—Katie, Máximo (10), Victoria (8) and Alexandra (4)—recently moved to Bainbridge Island, Washington: “This is a beautiful place with tons to do and the weather thus far has not lived up to its bad reputation. Our new home is not off the beaten path, but our previous one certainly was. We lived in Lima, Peru, for 13 years. Peru is a beautiful country with a great variety of attractions that make it absolutely worth the trip. In addition to Machu Picchu, which totally lives up to the hype, there is world-class surf, mountain treks that rival the Himalayas and endless rainforest and jungle options teeming with wildlife. While we lived there Lima became an attractive tourist destination in its own right, largely due to its world-class restaurants and colonial downtown. My folks live in Lima (my father is a ’60) and I get back every few months for work. I am happy to advise anyone heading down there on things to do, as well as places to visit, stay and eat.”
Holly Silvestri lives in Arizona, pretty far removed from the normal Dartmouth radar. She recently opened a translation and interpretation business. “I love the weather here and while I am still more of a ski-rack-on-the car rather than a gun-rack-on-the-car gal, I have learned how to shoot and gotten pretty good at it.” Holly shared some favorite reasons to visit Arizona: “The weather can’t be beat nine months of 12, the food is pretty good if you like Mexican, we have a burgeoning wine country up north and many craft breweries—almost as many as Portland, Oregon. Sedona is lovely in almost all seasons and the hiking is great. Scottsdale is home of the arts and I have yet to see a Christmas show that rivals the Native American Hoop dances at the Heard. To attend the championship, visit in March and you can also stop at the arts fair and see beautiful Navajo jewelry and pottery. A Northeasterner at heart can manage to be quite content here west of the Mississippi since we still have great pizza (okay, it’s the Grimaldi’s chain imported from New York) and bagels (ditto from Einstein Bagels). If I hanker for snow, Flagstaff is two hours away! Come visit! I am the consummate tour guide.”
Tracey Kloeckl-Jimenez, a Spanish instructor at Central Lakes College in Brainerd, Minnesota, has been traveling this spring. She co-led a cross-disciplinary travel and study group of 25 travelers from central Minnesota to Cuba in March. The participants studied Spanish, economics and sociology in preparation for their trip. They traveled first to Miami and then Havana, the Viñales Valley region, Trinidad and Santa Clara during their time in Cuba.
Class of 1987 30th reunion is Thursday-Sunday, June 15-18, 2017.
—Lisa Pabich Damon, 2124 Ashwood Ave., Nashville, TN 37212; lisa.damon.87@alum.dartmouth.org; Allison Bleyler McDonald, 43 Hop Brook Road, Amherst, MA 01002; allisonmcd@gmail.com
