1974

1974

Thanks and kudos go out to all classmates who contributed to the 2017-18 Dartmouth College Fund. Our class registered 12-percent growth in contributions and a 58-percent participation rate. Our performance earned us three major giving awards, including the Fred A. Howland 1887 Award that recognizes the greatest increase in the number of donors in a non-reunion year class. We had 68 more donors than the previous year. Peter DeNatale, our head agent, led the charge with his inspired leadership.

After eight years of successful ownership and operation of Via VantU, the top Zagatrated eating establishment in Mount Kisco, New York, Scott Mason and his wife, Carla, moved on in 2016 from the all-consuming restaurant business. Their first official post-restaurant act was to fly to England and complete the 192-mile, coast-to-coast walk from the Irish Sea to the North Sea in two and a half weeks. Of all their hiking and cycling outings around the world through the years, this was their favorite trip. Upon their return home to Chappaqua, New York, Scott and Carla became first-time authors, each writing about a subject of personal passion. Carla’s book, titled La Dolce Vita University: An Unconventional Guide to Italian Culture from A toZ, is a wonderfully informative read, recommended for anyone planning to travel to Italy or just wanting to get in the mood. Carla is currently promoting the book through speaking engagements (ladolcevitau.com), most recently in Colorado. Scott’s book is titled The Wonder Code: Discover the Way of Haiku and See the World with New Eyes (thewondercode.com). Scott has been interested and active in Englishlanguage haiku poetry for more than 15 years, receiving more than 150 awards in international blind-judged haiku competitions, including the top prize in more than 20 ofthem. He has served as artist-in-residence at the Studios of Key West, Florida, traveled to Japan, and edits the online haiku journal The Heron’s Nest. Scott believes that through his haiku practice he relates to the world with greater attentiveness and appreciation. The Wonder Code has been extremely well received within the haiku community and has won the top book awards from both the Haiku Foundation and the Haiku Society of America.

Please remember to mark your calendars for our upcoming 45th reunion from Thursday, June 13, through Sunday, June 16,2019.

Be safe and send news.

—Rick Sample. Retreat Farm, 1137 Manakin Road, Manakin Sabot, VA 23103; samplejr@msn.com