Class Note 1985. As I draft the May/June class column on this winter weekend morning in February, a nor’easter is barreling toward our corner of New England and will dump another foot and a half of snow on top of what has already accumulated. Is anyone longing for warmer months like me? I am blessed that my dear friend Donna Fraser Gourdeau lives close enough to grab an impromptu coffee, as we are about to do before the North Shore gets buried. This summer will mark 41 years since Donna and I shared adventures exploring England, Italy, and Greece after graduation. We may go months in between visits; nevertheless, the Dartmouth memories and shared experiences that bind us are unbreakable and deep. It is in this spirit of shared memories and community that our reunion committee, led by Beth Parish, looks forward to welcoming us all back to Hanover for our 40th reunion (Thursday, June 18, to Sunday, June 21). Whether you have attended previous reunions or are coming back to Hanover for the first time, you will feel a strong sense of congeniality and connection. Although there will be an agenda of scheduled activities throughout the weekend, the overarching goal of this gathering is to simply hang out together and enjoy being with people for whom “coming home” will be a warm and welcoming occasion. Picture our class tent beckoning you, appointed with plenty of Adirondack chairs and tables for gathering and catching up over the beverage of your choice. Perhaps you’ll wander up to the Green, soak in the Hanover air while people watching, and tour the Roth Wing of the newly reopened Hopkins Center for the Arts. Venture to the new Irving Institute building for a self-guided tour of this LEED Platinum-certified structure located in between Tuck and Thayer. After dark, twinkling lights and music from the 1980s will call you to the tent for more visiting, dancing, and laughter with friends old and new. Commune with classmates at our private taco truck for a festive Friday night dinner. On Saturday, join us for bagels followed by the class meeting led by co-presidents Valerie Hartman and Beth Gilman Hobbs.Join in the excitement of a scavenger hunt, where you can connect with the town, the College, and your classmates (and of course there will be prizes!). Celebrate friendships as Bill Tyree hosts us for cocktails at his home on Occom Pond. Relax over a traditional lobster bake at the Bema, just like we had for our graduation weekend in 1985. Flex your vocal cords as part of an a cappella performance by our musically inclined classmates led by Rick Joyce (rickjoyce999@gmail.com) or simply listen and soak in the nostalgia. If you have not yet registered, it is not too late! You can find a direct link from our class website at www.dartmouth85.com/reunion or from email communication from the College alumni relations team. We hope you will be with us for this weekend of community and connection on June 18-21.
—Rebecca Blake Osborne, 42 Olive St., Newburyport, MA 01950; (603) 381-4164; rosborne29@comcast.net; John MacManus, 118 Ringwood Road, Rosemont, PA 19010; (610) 331-6417; slampong@aol.com