Clubs
On February 8-10 Dartmouth hosted its annual Club and Affiliated Group Officers Weekend (CAGOW). Howard Hodel '75, president of the Dartmouth Club of Hawaii, won for most enviable hometown, and Howard and Allison Woolston '81 won for greatest effort to attend the weekend for their voyage representing the Dartmouth Club of France, where Allison serves as district enrollment director. Las Vegas was represented by Jeffrey Solomon '91, who serves as both the club president and the district enrollment director. If anybody is looking for Californians Janine Avner 'BO or Anton Anderson '89, you might check the friendly skies, as the two of them added this year's CAGOW attendance to the many trips they make to Hanover on an annual basis due to their various leadership positions within the Club Officers Association and Alumni Council.
Several awards were presented through the weekend, including one to the Dartmouth Club of Cape Cod for outstanding efforts to increase dues by a club. During a one-year period the club increased its dues-paying members from 22.6 to 33.5 percent of the alumni in its territory, the largest percentage of any club during the 2006- 2007 fiscal year. Cape Cod, led by president John Otis '58, P'90, was highlighted for its creative introductions of alumni to local resources and attractions. Sharing this particular salute was the Dartmouth Club of Chicago.
The Dartmouth Club of Long Island was honored for longstanding efforts to provide events specifically geared toward attracting and welcoming prospective students to Dartmouth. In addition to a very active interviewing schedule this past year, the club held multiple events to welcome and connect incoming students, their parents and local alums. Mark Smoller '53, P '79, P'81 GP'07, serves as the district enrollment director for Long Island and is well known and beloved for his efforts.
We now have a strong club presence in the Charleston/Hilton Head/Savannah area with the Dartmouth Club of the Low Country, the Outstanding New Club of the Year winner. Its initial meeting was held in February 2007, with Coach Buddy Teevens '79 as a featured guest, which 70 people attended. The year continued with 55 dues-paying members, 100 percent of the territory's applicants to the College interviewed, three book awards distributed and visits by the Glee Club and the Big Green Bus, among other things. This is a wonderful club and we are proud to have another strong presence in the Southeast.
Speaking of awards to come, the Daniel Webster Distinguished Public Service Award, a.k.a. the "Webby," is presented annually by the Dartmouth Club of Washington, D.C., to an alum whose significant public service contributions have been based at least in part in D.C.-area employment. This years award dinner is the 21st annual event. It was begun in 1987 by area alums to raise funds for the clubs scholarship fund. Some award recipients have been little known but well-deserving, others have been more well-known.
Former awardees include U.S. Surgeon General C. Everett Koop '37, former Secretary of Labor Robert Reich '68, former special assistant to the president Rand Beers '64, U.S. Senator Paul Tsongas '62, former U.S. Ambassador Steven Bosworth '61 and numerous judges and members of Congress. Last years awardee was former member of Congress and U.S. Office of Management and Budget director Rob Portman '78. This year's Webster dinner May 5 in honor of U.S. Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson '68 is likely to be attended by representatives of Dartmouth trustee chair Ed Haldeman '70. Dartmouth's congressional delegation will be invited. We hope to have strong representation from Rockefeller Center fellows and other undergraduates who are in Washington, D.C., during spring term.
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