1965

A busy two months since last submission was highlighted by our 60th birthday party in Hanover August 1-3. Attendees besides "usual suspects" such as the Amons, Atkinsons, Gonnermans, Griffiths and Hansons included Stu Russell, Bill Webster, Bob Blake, Ron Knapp and Bob Ernst, the latter two in from the Pacific Northwest.

Ron and Bob brought along some of that famous Washington-Oregon rainfall, because the weekend started in a steady downpour. But Jim and Debbie Griffiths shifted gears to an "indoor cookout" at their home and served a feast of roast lamb with all the trimmings. It was a great kickoff to a fine weekend.

Next morning started overcast but cleared to a beautiful if muggy day, on which we worked on the housing project for COVER (Corps of Volunteers Effecting Reuse/Repair) a Hanover-area based function associated with Habitat for Humanity. The project was an old house that had been moved in three pieces to a location in White River Junction. We worked like beavers in the heat, laying flooring, putting up drywall, sanding down paint, painting the porch railing and many other tasks. The class children (next generation, not us), pitched in and were a big help. It turned out to be not only worthwhile but really satisfying.

We were joined at dinner at Pierces by Chip and Connie Hayes from southern California, Steve and Donna Farrow from Maryland's eastern shore, Jim and Barb Cooper up from Florida and Hanover denizens Sven and Laurie Karlen, among others. Simon, our "Straw Boss," joined us for dinner and explained more about the goals and directions of COVER, as well as more about the family that will move into the house (maybe before this goes to print). Before the weekend closed we raised around $1,000 for COVER. The evening was topped off by a 60th birthday cake with what seemed like 6,000 lighted candles.

A class meeting was held on the lawn at Pierces Sunday morning. This was mostly an interim meeting of the executive committee so most of the attention was focused on shaping issues for. the October mini-reunion meeting. Since we are making progress on reducing reserves in our class treasury, a minimum floor was set. The standard set of donations we make to various Dartmouthassociated projects and activities was continued, and dues-paying, Class Officers Weekend, next springs out-of-Hanover offsite locale, and forthcoming mini-reunion were all topics of discussion. For more, including the verbatim minutes (for you insomniacs), visit the class Web site.

One downside for the birthday weekend was that late Saturday night, Reg Pierce 46 had to go back into the hospital. He died peacefully two days later. Reg was beloved by many, and was very special to our class, and we are sony to see him go, but thankful he gave so much of himself to our class activities over the course of 25 years.

When you read this the class mini-reunion will be right ahead—the weekend of October 24- 26. Be there. Hope to see you then.

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