1973

“Easy Being Green….” Thus read the headline on the front page of the local newspaper as I began to focus on writing this column. The article was about Earth Day 2009, but it put me in the right frame of mind to once again pull together disparate tidbits on classmates.

Middlebury College President Ronald D. Liebowitz presented Citizen’s Medals for distinguished service to the community to three individuals, including Ken Perine, at an awards ceremony on March 4. Since Middlebury’s bicentennial year in 2000 it has been customary for it to confer Citizen’s Medals to area residents for their sustained service. The recipients are nominated by members of the community and are selected by a committee of faculty and staff. Ken was nominated for his deep commitment to local nonprofit organizations, including the Addison County Chamber of Commerce, Porter Medical Center, Middlebury #4 School District, Vermont Catholic Charities, Town Hall Theater, United Way of Addison County, Addison County Community Trust, Hospice Volunteer Services, the Vermont Housing and Conservation Board and others. He has been president of the National Bank of Middlebury since 1992 and is active in state and regional banking, including a term on the board of the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston. “People may not always be able to define civic responsibility,” Middlebury President Liebowitz explained, “but they know it when they see it. And in Ken Perine, we see it in overwhelming measure.” Kudos, Ken.

Scott Sherman is currently serving as chair of the Citizens for Educational Excellence, a nonprofit local education fund in Corpus Christi, Texas. Founded in 2003 as a project of the Corpus Christi Chamber of Commerce Foundation, Citizens for Educational Excellence is a catalyst to bring people, information and resources together to promote public education for the community and works with six public school districts in Corpus Christi. The nonprofit is a member of the Public Education Network, a national organization supporting quality public schools around the country. Scott is an attorney at Branscomb, PC, specializing in estate planning and probate.

Anyone in the Upper Montclair area of New Jersey should make an effort to stop by Tallmadge Cheese Market, owned and operated by Allin Tallmadge. Allin discovered “the amazing flavors of local Italian cheeses” on a trip to Tuscany a few years ago. Once back in the United States he dedicated himself to learning the ins-and-outs of cheese retail, studying with the area’s foremost cheesemongers. A member of Slow Food USA and the American Cheese Society, Allin is passionate about cheese. He’ll keep 125 to 200 cheeses on hand from Italy and France as well as small production runs from operations in the Northeast, Wisconsin and California. He also intends to offer shoppers a full Mediterranean pantry. “I am a strong supporter of sustainable food production and desire to back the efforts of small producers and farmers making natural and healthy foods. I want to know where my food comes from and who makes it.”

Hope you are all having a great summer!

227 Sylvan Ave., San Mateo, CA 94403; val.armento@alum.dartmouth.org