Dear Classmates,
Doesn’t it seem like just yesterday when we were lamenting the fact that our 65th Reunion had been cancelled? This was grim news for a class such as ours who were champion mini-reunioners. And here it is a short five years later, and we are about to make up for lost time and really enjoy our 70th!
True, we didn’t have our day in the sun at our anticipated 65th reunion, but we have managed to find new areas of connectivity and comradery which have kept us together through these turbulent times.
It might actually be true that " necessity is the mother of invention”. Having a great crew of ‘55ers Zooming each month and enjoying each other wasn’t in our wildest dreams just a few years ago. But here we are, closer than ever, which is really quite amazing.
Our monthly Zooms are recorded, so even if you miss the live event, you can still view the Zoom by clicking the link on the website. And, another thing, even if you don’t have a computer or iPad or iPhone you can just dial in on your landline or cell and listen in to our monthly Zooms. We Zoom every third Tuesday of the month, except in December and during the summer, at 3:30 eastern time. Just give Wink a call (914) 393-5669 or email her joanripley@me.com and she’ll tell you the number to dial and the meeting number and password or set up a time to help you get started Zooming. There is nothing like Zooming to ensure that we are “Staying Together.”
And speaking of staying together this is our preliminary and non-binding schedule for our 70th Reunion.
Our May 23rd-25th, 2025 70th Reunion begins Friday the morning of the 23rd with arrival at our headquarters Willits. The first gathering will be Friday lunch at Willits followed by a campus bus tour with student guides including The Maker’s Lab.
We will then attend “The State of the College" by our new President Danielle Holley, followed by a Book Program by Chris Benfrey, before the Social Hour and Dinner with our class honoraries Vinnie Ferraro, Eleanor Townsley, and Edwina Cruise. The end of the Friday evening will be a showing of our Class CD 2020 with photos of all of our classmates.
Saturday commences with breakfast at Willits and transportation to the Parade before the annual AA Meeting in Skinner. After lunch back at Willits we hope to have a Program with The Class of 2005 and Eleanor Townsley twenty years after our famous “Uncommon Women – Generations Apart Program” from our 50th Reunion. Later Saturday there will be another Social Hour at which we expect Danielle Holley to join us, followed by dinner and Vinnie Ferraro with a Current Events discussion.
On Sunday after breakfast, we will have a short class meeting followed by a Memorial Service. Then it will be time to depart, sign out and return with many new happy memories.
Let us tell you something else amazing. This is how terrific ’55 is in supporting our Alma Mater!
Every active member of our class is a member of the Laurel Chain Society, which honors the loyalty of donors who consistently make gifts to the college. Remember, we had seven years of 100% participation!
This year we topped all other classes by a whopping 16% which is quite remarkable! One class achieved 75% and all the others were in the 60% and below. Our final numbers were $97,105.00 with 91% participation. Thank you, thank you once again for being number one! That’s how ’55 is really “Making A Difference!”
We are always looking for classmates to help lead our class. Consider this a permanent invitation…we’d love to have you help keep ’55 as engaged and energetic as possible. Just let me know and there will always be a place for you. Yes, we mean you.
Our wonderful Scribe, Sue Nutting Keller, came up with the brilliant idea of creating Class Newshounds to help gather news for our Website and The Quarterly. As you can now see 1955 has had lots of Class Notes thanks to the helpful Newshounds. If you would like to become one and would enjoy reaching out to classmates and chatting about old and new times here’s your chance. Just let Sue know at hen19sue33@gmail.com. All are welcome.
Don’t forget too that our website is updated every single month with lots of information and news for your reading pleasure. Most importantly there is a new 70th Reunion Page which has all the latest on everything about our upcoming 70th. There are also pages for Campus News, Book Recommendations, Timely Articles about current events, Updated Class Notes, Funnies, Past Zooms, Pictures, Videos and many other pages you will enjoy. Thanks to Dee Lamb Barstow for proofreading, it every month. (www.mhc1955.homestead.com)
Birthdays are very, very special at our age. and we try to contact everyone near their birthday. Those with an email get to see our current official MHC 1955 birthday card (which changes every year) and the others are called individually by our official birthday chair Joan Willenbrok Leonard who loves her job and does it so well. She tells us she has such fun talking to ‘55ers, and as Sue Nutter Keller told us Willie said, “while thinking about college friends it struck me that over the years whenever I came in contact with a classmate, whether I remembered her well or not, there was always a certain bond.” Birthdays wishes certainly contribute to our mission of “Having Fun!”
Many of us are moving from our larger houses into CCRC’s or smaller places. When you are downsizing, please keep in mind that The Archives would love to have many of those memories you were about to toss out. Bringing them along to our 70th would be an easy solution. Just remember to label everything you can remember. If you aren't coming back in May, contact Wink and she will insure it all gets to the right place.
Sadly, several of us are having health problems. It has been especially evident as we move further on in our 90’s. If any of you know of any classmates who are not doing well, we would encourage you to let us know. If you know of any classmates who have moved to nursing care because of health issues, we would also like to know, so that they are not bothered by calls from class agents etc.
As you can see from this letter we are still committed to
‘55’s Mission Statement
Staying Together, Having Fun and Making a Difference.
So, we encourage you all to stay connected to your old friends from the class of 1955. They are the best, and our history together makes those friendships very, very special.
And now we have the added incentive to continue our mission,
so mark your calendars for Friday May 23 – Sunday May 25, 2025 and get ready to
PARTY, PARTY, PARTY at our 70th REUNION!
