Clubs

Welcome to the inaugural Dartmouth club news column. We intend to fill this space each issue with news from the 95 Dartmouth clubs scattered around the world from Boston to Bangkok. You are probably a club member even if you don't know it—with 85 of those clubs located within the United States, there are few parts of the country not served by a club. The only criteria for membership is to be an alumni, student, parent or friend of Dartmouth-hey, that's everyone! This column will be your opportunity to learn more about the clubs, both where you live and where you travel. Information for this issue comes from the annual club reports sent to Steve Donovan, associate director of alumni relations, and conversations with club officers at the annual Club Officers Weekend held in Hanover last March. Please share your news and events with Steve Donovan or me for future columns.

This column may be new, but Dartmouth clubs are a venerable tradition. "Alumni clubs have played a long and important role in the history of Dartmouth," President James Wright told those of us gathered for a breakfast meeting during the Club Officers Weekend. "Our alumni began to formalize and reinforce their relationship with the College as early as 1864, when they established the first Dartmouth Club in the Greater Boston area. Alumni in other areas quickly followed suit, founding clubs in New York (in 1866), in Cincinnati (in 1875) and in Washington, D.C., Chicago and St. Louis (in 1876).

"These early clubs created the foundation for a network that continues to strengthen the College to this day," Wright added. "They gathered for social events, followed developments at Dartmouth and shared their resources and expertise as the College grew and changed."

According to Jim Donnelly '68, president of the Club Officers Association, the clubs are constantly challenged to communicate with their members, provide interesting programs and promote Dartmouth fellowship.

The Dartmouth Club of Los Angeles has the communications issue "wired." Anton Anderson '89, "Webmaster to the Stars," has created a truly awesome and informative club Web site, which is hosted through the Alumni Relations Office. Checkout www.alum.dartmouth.org/clubs/dcla if you ever are (or want to be!) in LA. The Los Angeles club site is a great example of what any club can do, with the Alumni Relations Office providing technical support.

Clubs need good communication to get the word out on the many fun events they sponsor, such as the Dartmouth Club of Washington, D.C.'s annual Moonlight Golf and Barbecue. Yes, they gather for a barbecue each spring at Ft. McNair by the Potomac River and, after the sun sets, play nine holes with glow-in-the-dark balls and necklaces! According to organizer Brad Mont' 83, having some golf skills helps but is not necessary to enjoy the evening.

Clubs cannot function without resources, and that means collecting dues. President of the Dartmouth Club of the Midwest, Jim Mc Farland '86, instituted an invoicing system which took the club from near bankruptcy to a balance of more than $9,000. Jim put some of that money to good use buying Dartmouth T-shirts that club members deliver to local admissions candidates accepted by the College. This may account for the fact that 25 0f 29 admitted candidates matriculated the year Jim started the program. "It's amazing, but you can buy a kid for just a T-shirt!" he says.

For his efforts and creativity, Jim received the Club President of the Year award during the Club Officers Weekend. Other clubs and one individual honored for their efforts included: Sarasota (Florida), Small Club of the Year; Cape Cod, Medium Club of the Year; Long Island, Large Club of the Year; Washington, D.C., Metro Club of the Year; and Andrea Lordan '86, District Enrollment Director of the Year (Dartmouth Club of Greater Boston).

2200 Wells Fargo Center, 90South Seventh St., Minneapolis, MN 55402; (612)336-3314; (612) 336-3026 (fax);dryan@faegre.com