1956

Mini-reunions have provided a number of great opportunities for the class to reconnect during the winter and early spring. It all got started with the January Fun Fantastic Weekend in the Big Apple that drew about 38 of us out under the fine management of Buddy Schattman and Roger Schumacher. Elliott Weinstein reported it fully in the February class newsletter. On March 14 Tony Bruscino, Ted Bremble and Gordie Lenci hosted a dinner party in Sarasota, Florida, for the west Florida contingent of '56; and out in Tucson, Arizona, a three-day affair was staged around St. Patricks Day with Jack Crowley at the helm. The first weekend in April saw Tom Rosenthwald and Poon Harper escort Ed Abt, Bruce Baekey, Derry Evans, Hal Gordon, Em Houck, Mike Levy, Leo McKenna, Ab Oaks, Wally Pugh, Chuck Ray, Les Reid, Hint Raney, Pete Rosenwald, Fritz Simms, Bill Tell, Dick Whitney, Stew Wood, their better halves and Dave Stackpole around Washington, D.C.'s many museums and historical monuments for a mini-reunion with a significant cultural emphasis. Just about the time this column reaches your home Bill Balliette, Pren Carnell, Dave Dolben, Todd Driscoll, Dave Duane, Buzz George, John Gorman, Bill Hamilton, Nate Metzger, Steve Newnham, Ron Post, Bill Skiff and Don Spitzli, some of the Chi Phis of '56 will have completed a May 3-6 gathering with their spouses at Kiawah Island for three days of golf and reconnecting, thanks to the efforts of Janny and George Fenner.

Glen French, our president, has forecast similar events planned for 2003, one of them in the New Orleans, a great spot for a mini-reunion. If you've got ideas that might help some of us reconnect in anticipation of our 50th, drop a line via e-mail to Glen at glenfrench@aol.com.

A downer in the midst of these celebrations was the news of Lou Metzger's death on January 2. His Phi Delta Theta brothers and those who knew him from athletics, Paleopitous, Green Key, Casque & Gauntlet or class all lament the loss of this fine human being.

Three cheers are due Richard Leaman recently named to the Stonebridge Financial Corps board of directors. He serves as well on the board of directors of Church and Dwight Co. Inc., Pep Boys and Elwyn Inc. Bob McCausland, president and CEO of Physicians Medical Services Inc., has joined Advanced Plant Pharmaceuticals Inc., where his marketing skills have put a new line called 'Advanced Nutrition International" before the public. Posthumously John DiOrio, alias "the Snake," was honored recently as a Hall of Fame inductee at his Winchester, Massachusetts's high school alma mater for his basketball prowess and leadership.

Alan Friedman, reporting for our Med School classmates, announced that Gerry Finkel has become director of surgical and autopsy pathology at Jefferson Medical School in Philadelphia and Joe Gonnella, in retirement, has become a clinical and teaching pathologist at the University of Washington Medical School in Seattle. It's clearly hard to stop when you have so much to give.

P.O. Box 968, Quechee, VT05059-0968; (802) 295-8912; stewwod@aol.com