1965

1965

Classmates are doing lots of different, interesting things. Shortly after moving to Vero Beach, Florida, in early 2016, Stu Keiller became the first executive director of a small nonprofit teaching sailing to children. Today Youth Sailing Foundation (YSF) registers more than 300 children annually for free sailing instruction. Stu explains: “With a fleet of 80 small sailboats, YSF uses sailing as an experiential learning platform that instills the basic building blocks for a successful life. Learning to sail requires resilience and perseverance. Sailing is challenging. It requires focus and quick decision-making. Sailing takes kids out of the digital world into the world of wind, waves, and sunshine. It helps them achieve their potential. YSF’s roster reflects the demographics of Indian River County. About 50 percent are from underserved homes. There are 12 children from the homeless community. Twenty-seven and 10 percent represent the minority and special needs communities, respectively. Sailors come from 35 schools and academies. Diversity is a strength in itself. A Harvard study has found that the highest correlation for a child getting out of poverty is knowing and interacting with children not in poverty. Narrow horizons are lifted, and a world of possibilities is opened. The annual $750,000 budget is funded entirely through the generosity of a loyal donor base that includes Allen Zern and David Wagner. This same donor base has generously gifted $3.8 million to build a community sailing center on a beautiful 4-acre waterfront site leased from the city.” Stu shifted colors on January 1 to focus on completing the project by the end of 2025. Visit www.ysfirc.org or call Stu at (410) 703-8660 to learn more.

Rick Leach (a summer ’65 lunch attendee) wrote that he was sorry to miss last fall’s minireunion. He was busy “hosting an asylum seeker from Congo-Brazzaville for three months and am moving a lovely family of asylum seekers from a Lake George motel to an apartment in Glens Falls [New York].”

We have lost classmates Bill Herold and Norm Christianson. Condolences also to Roger Hansen, who lost wife Nancy in December 2023. For further information, visit our class website www. biggreen65.com.

—Bob Murphy, 7 Willow Spring Lane, Hanover, NH 03755; (603) 643-5589; murph65nh@comcast.net