As I write this column, 2020 is rapidly drawing to a close. This time last year, none of us could have imagined the year that was 2020. Each of us faced struggles as we adapted to an emerging health risk, changing economic realities, expanding family roles, increased isolation, and heightened stress. It was a year of transformation for us all, individually and collectively. But every challenge offers an opportunity.

Accordingly, we are pleased to launch the…drumroll, please…’07 Uplifters! (Credit to Danielle Strollo, whose submission won the recent initiative naming contest. Thank you to all who participated!) This enduring initiative seeks to acknowledge and support our classmates experiencing difficult times or struggles by offering sentiments of compassion and support. The ’07 Uplifters will also include an in-memoriam component, where we dedicate a page on our class website to honor our deceased classmates and their legacies and to provide information about how to make a donation to the charity of the family’s choice.

We encourage you to learn more, including how to get involved, assist with the seed funding, or share a need, by visiting 2007.dartmouth.org/uplifters. Yours in green.

—Jaime Padgett, 1837 W. Patterson Ave, #109, Chicago, IL 60613; (574) 303-6944; dartmouth2007s@gmail.com