Dear Mount Holyoke College Class of 1974,
This letter is overflowing with invitations for opportunities to connect with each other, with current MHC students including the Vespers Chorus and our Connections Classmates and with the college campus.
I. Mini-Reunion Committee, in order of event date:
A. Boston Vespers Mini-Reunion December 1-2
This mini-reunion is coming together and we’re getting excited! Among the hundreds of Mount Holyoke Alums who will attend the Vespers concert at the Old South Church on Friday evening, December 1st at 8pm, will be a dozen of our classmates. The full list of attending classmates can be found on our Class of 1974 website. Those who can arrive before the concert (doors open at 7pm) will either attend a reception given by our new College President, Danielle R. Holley, at The Lenox Hotel, or are gathering in smaller groups for dinner nearby. We hope that all who are interested will gather again after the concert for drinks in the area. Location TBD.
Several classmates are staying at the Copley Square Hotel, the Westin Copley and the Back Bay Hilton.
Plans are coalescing for breakfast Saturday morning at around 9am, followed by a wander through the Museum of Fine Arts and particularly the John Singer Sargent exhibit. Lunch may follow…all is evolving as I write this note. We would still benefit from a ‘point-person’ coming forward to oversee this event…someone who is familiar with Boston and the attractions in the area near the Old South Church particularly. In the meantime, please reach out to me for more information: boldcolorlife@gmail.com.
Participant list, to date:
Nancy Arcieri NY Rhonda Bennon ‘73
Pam Broadley NH
LaVida Dowdell NY
Suzi Farrell Peck
Barbara Lemperly Grant MA
Debby Hall NH
Debbie Hinchey-Vernon CT
Judith Johnson MA
Jamie Kotch
Ann Molloy
“Cynthia Polk-Allen NY
Deb Steele NY
Melissa Thornton ME
Nancy Wood NY
Jane Zimmy NY
B. Wilmington, N.C. New Year’s Mini-Reunion
December 29, 2023-January 1, 2024
Denise McLeod Thomas and Cynthia Polk-Allen are putting the finishing touches on the Wilmington mini-reunion. Eight classmates, several significant others, a member each of the Class of 1972 and 1977 will be in attendance. The full list can be found on our Class of 1974 website.Reservations are still open as the excitement builds. Please contact Denise at (678) 570-1878 if you’d like to attend.
Planned activities include an historic tour of Wilmington on Saturday, the free Gullah-Geechee Freedom’s Eve performance at noon on Sunday (Warner Temple AME Zion Church, 620 Nixon St) and a chef-prepared meal on New Year’s Eve at a friend’s residence. Suggested accommodations include the Embassy Suites Riverfront, the Marriott Downtown, Springhill Suites Mayfaire and Cindy has reserved a B&B in the historic district which has 5 rooms. More details about getting to and around Wilmington, as well as restaurant and entertainment suggestions can also be found on our Class of 1974 website and from Denise or Cindy.
A non-refundable payment of $100 is due now, with your reservation, to secure your place on the tour and at the chef-prepared meal. Please make check payable to Denise and send to 968 Millard Road, Stone Mountain, GA 30088–2415. For electronic payments, please reach out to Cindy at cynthia.polk.allen@gmail.com or (917) 549-3672.
Participant list, to date:
Nancy Arcieri +1 Stephanie McGregor ’72 +2
Faith Johnson Bonecutter +1 Lynn R. Holmes ’77 +1
Barbara Bull
Joyce Bohannon Lott +1
Florence Chichester
Cynthia Polk Allen
Lynette Pickett +3
Lorraine Milio Marshall +1
Denise McLeod Thomas +1
C. ‘Berries and Bubbly’ at MHC on December 12.
The Connections Class Committee and the 2024 Class Board invite us to attend their “Berries and Bubbly” (formerly Strawberries and Champagne) ceremony on campus in Willits on December 12, 2023 from 7-8:30pm. An annual tradition, the Alumnae Association and the Development Office host graduates from the senior class for an event where we all toast their accomplishments and welcome them into the worldwide alum community. The AA President will speak and President Holley is expected as well. Please put this on your calendar if possible! We hope to have 6-8 local 1974 classmates witness this momentous event as our Connections Class prepares to depart Mount Holyoke in May, 2024 and make their marks on the world!
The Mini-Reunion Committee is not planning any other minis between January and May, 2024, preferring to put all our energy into the magnificent 50th. If, however, you are planning a mini-mini, please let us know and share photos! Thanks!
II. Development Committee:
Pam Broadley has accepted the position of Mary Lyon Society chair for our class. The Mary Lyon Society—founded in 1974—honors those who have named the College as the beneficiary of a will, trust, retirement plan, or life insurance policy, or have established a life income gift with the College. Please note that all documented bequests are included in our comprehensive fundraising total at Reunion…and consider this an invitation to become a member of the Mary Lyon Society!
III. Slide Show at Reunion:
As momentum builds, a new project is underway for our 50th, with Doris O’Keefe and Barbara Lemperly at the helm.
“Wanted: photos of you and your friends in the Class of 1974 from 1970-2023 for a slide show to be shown in the dorm at our 50th reunion. I’m looking for photos that show our lasting friendships and connections. Ideas: do you have photos from Mountain Day, hanging around the dorm, graduation, reunions, mini-reunions and/or small unofficial get-togethers with your besties.
You will need to scan film era photos. Please aim for larger rather than smaller files. The same is true for digital images. I’m looking for images with 2MB or more. Anything measured in KB will not fill the TV screen. If you’re sending images directly from your phone, please click on ‘actual size’when prompted before sending, so that your phone does not compress the file. A resolution of 200 should be fine. If it’s a very special image that we might want to print, a resolution of 600 is required.
Please send all images to Doris at the following email address: 50thReunionSlideShow@gmail.com.”
You’ll be hearing from our other active committees soon.
I hope to see you at one of these gatherings.
Wishing you all a most memorable holiday season,
Melissa Thornton
President, MHC Class of 1974
PS Don’t miss our very important November 14th Zoomtails at 7pm EST: “Seven Essentials for Self-Care While Supporting Others in Need”
