1936

Fred Babcock has made the news once again. The Charlotte (Fla.) Wildlife Preserve has been renamed and is now the Fred C. Babcock-Cecil M. Webb Wildlife Management Area. According to an article in the May 28 edition of the Sarasota Herald-Tribune, "the new name carries recognition for help in establishing Charlotte County's largest single tract of publicly owned land. Wildlife officials lauded Babcock, 82, for being instrumental in setting up the management area. In 1943 his company, Florida Babcock Co., sold the state a large portion of the preserve for three dollars an acre. Babcock also donated more than 20,000 acres of property for the site. Governor Lawton Chiles attended a ceremony to honor Babcock in Tallahassee. It was attended by Babcock's family, friends, and officials of the Florida Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission, which manages the preserve. Cecil M. Webb was a prominent businessman and wildlife advocate from Tampa who served as the game commission's chairman." The commission expressed its appreciation to Fred "for his unselfish generosity in providing this magnificent tract of land." Congratulations, Babo!

It's really not too early to start thinking about our 60th Reunion next June 10,11, and 12. Milt Johnston has supplied us with the following information: this time we will not be gathering under a tent; our headquarters will be in the Hayward Lounge in the Inn, reserved for our use only. Our main lodging will be in the Motor Lodge, which was refurbished last year. It has 36 rooms, each with full bath, and parking is available. The Inn itself will be used for some overflow, and beyond that we will use Buchanan Hall, a newer dorm. We will have two vans with drivers to move us around. It sounds like a really good set-up, so let's take advantage of the situation and get the largest possible group together for our last formal reunion.

In the meantime, don't forget the tall minireunion September 29-October 1.

15 Bluff Road, Yarmouth, ME 04096