REUNION 2015, our 55th

Minutes of the Class Meeting

May 24, 2015

Class President Pat Kennedy Ascher called the meeting to order at 8:20am.

Mary Ann Sparklin Woodruff moved, and Heidi Keller Moon seconded, a motion to dispense with the reading of the minutes from the last meeting in May 2010. The motion passed without objection. Scribe Judy Sayler Olmer was asked to check with the alumnae association about requirements for placing a hard copy and/or electronic version of those minutes in the Class Archives.

Nominating Committee Report. President Ascher called for New Business, and the first topic addressed was the presentation of the slate of nominees for class office in the next five years by Nominating Committee Chair Sheila Porter Lirtzman. The proposed slate of officers for 2015-20 consists of:

The slate was accepted as presented, and Pat said that the new officers would take office at the end of the current meeting. The new president, Jean Mahoney, will appoint additional members of the board, such as the Keeper of the Memorial Book, for the past 20 years Susan Kovacs Buxbaum; the Class Ombudsman, currently Nancy Floyd Bireley; and Awards Chair, currently Sandy Germond Pritz. Nancy has agreed to continue as ombudsman, and Sandy will continue as a member of the awards committee, though not as chair.

Thanks from the President. Pat thanked all her officers with gifts. She said that the web coordinator, scribe, and ombudsman have done a great job of building communications among class members. Serving web master JJ Johnson Spencer said that she would be linking photos from the 55th reunion to the current class web site (http://mhcclassof1960.net/). Ann Williams will be taking over as web coordinator, and she may be working on a different web site, as the College changes the way it handles the class sites.

Pat thanked all those who have been faithfully practicing to sing the music written by Linda Conway Correll George to accompany the poem written by Helen Brill Broxmeyer, “Prayer for a Well Loved Person,” at the Interfaith Service at the College Chapel later this morning. Tye Wilson, an undergraduate student of Linda’s who has collaborated with her on a number of internationally acclaimed video projects, will be videographing the premiere of the composition, which can then be uploaded to youtube.com and, hopefully, our web site.

Pat then gave special thanks to Nancy Zone Bloom and Dana Feldshuh Whyte, for all they have done to build and maintain the special relationship between the class of 1960 and the class of 2010. Last night’s party for 2010 was a huge success, with wonderful conversations and 2010 class members who lack “grandmothers” seeking willing “women of a certain age.” Nancy declared herself overwhelmed and filled with love at the outpouring of appreciation and the Alumnae Medal of Honor and class award she received for her work.

Dana also received the Alumnae Medal of Honor and a class award for her work with the class of 2010 and all the other services she has provided the College and the class over the years, and Catherine McArdle Kelleher was honored by the Alumnae Association with the Alumnae Achievement Award. Pat again thanked Awards Chair Sandy Pritz for all she and her committee did to support these medals. In addition, on Friday night, Sandy presented a letter to classmate Gail Moffat Hudson expressing our joy that she could be with us at this reunion despite the distance from which she came and her difficulties.

Treasurer’s report. Pat especially thanked Beverly Rowlings Smith, who is retiring after 20 years as class treasurer. Bev reported that, on May 13, 2010, the balance in the treasury was $24,127.31, while on May 13, 2015, the balance was $16,267.18. Both figures reflect the payment from the Alumnae Association to the class from reunion registrations, and some expenses of the reunion remained to be reimbursed as of that date.

75 classmates paid dues of $50 during this period. With some additional income, the class took in $4,466.84, and spent $5,957.62, $1,490.78 more than it took in. Expenses include payments for class letters, yearly board conference calls, websites renewals, donations and gifts, expenses for 1960/2010 connection events, and $2,542.39 to support the 50th reunion in 2010. After some discussion, it was agreed that the new class officers will consider reducing dues after they have determined what expenses may be for the next five years.

Reunion Gift Chair. Lucy Tripp Eubanks and Julie Gibson Biehn reported that the class gift, as of the deadline for reunion, was $232,000 plus some additional gifts of different types that were not counted (annuities, gifts to scholarship funds, etc.) The class had given some $3.5 million over the last five years.

Classmate Barbara Blanco Gaab set a challenge a few weeks before reunion that would match gifts of $55 up to a total of $5,020. (She also matched gifts of $110 under the program, but not other amounts.) So far, the challenge has raised $3,713, and the challenge is available until June 30, the end of the fiscal year. Barbara’s generosity may offer an example of novel programs we’ll be using before our next reunion.

The meeting was brought to a close with a rousing cheer for Jan Keffer and Joy Montgomery for all their efforts and those of their committees in putting on a fabulous reunion. Jan offered scarves and pashmina shawls to those who may not have received them, and water bottles to all who would like to take water home. After a round of applause for President Pat Ascher for all she has done to lead the class and foster ties between us, Pat brought the 2015 meeting to a close.