Greetings, Classmates!

While those of us in southern climes are soaking up the sun, classmates further north are eagerly awaiting spring.  The grass may not be green in South Hadley yet, but the MHC Botanic Garden’s annual Spring Flower Show is in full swing!  This show has had a HUGE turnout of students this year, and if you’d like to see how pretty the flowers look, you may follow @mhcbotanicgarden on Instagram.

 By popular demand, Holly Hughes is hosting another Class of ’75 Trivia Contest Saturday, April 2 at 2p.m. EDT.Participants will be divided into teams for the fun, so you will have the help of your classmates to answer Holly’s questions.  Please register in advance using this link, and you will receive an email confirmation with login instructions for April 2:

https://mtholyoke.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJApf-2qrTosHNbHB9TDhK5LBFvq5RZ4W8Sw

Thankfully, Covid cases are on the wane nationally.  This means that your Reunion Co-Chairs, Judy Stein and Linnea Grealish, will be scheduling the first of our class mini-reunions…in the Berkshires of western Massachusetts!  Be on the lookout for an invitation.

Head Class Agents Sandy Fotiades and Ruth Dillingham report both some very good news and a challenge.  During the MARCH4MHC, Mount Holyoke’s two day fundraiser held March 3-4, 76 donors from the Class of 1975 contributed $19,488.  Our class earned an additional  $2000 matching gift based on participation of >75  classmates for the two days,  So far this fiscal year, ’75 has donated $171,317 to Mount Holyoke.  We need >=32 additional classmates to donate between now and July 30 to reach Sandy and Ruth’s goal of $175,000 for the year, so please consider a gift to MHC.  Anything you donate between now and May 2025 counts towards your 50th reunion gift!  

Additionally, Co-Treasurer Alice Maroni welcomes class dues of $50, payable every 5 years, which will be used for our 50th Reunion celebration.  If you’re not sure if you’ve paid class dues, contact Alice at acmaroni108@gmail.com.  Denise Terrazas, a member of the ’75 Nominating Committee still has a few 2020 Reunion Books available.  If you’d like one, contact Denise at deniseol@aol.com

Your Class Board has had two special Zoom meetings over the winter.  In January, we met with Ellen Hyde Pace ‘81, the President of the Alumnae Association, and Nancy Bellows Perez ’76, interim Executive Director of the Alumnae Association, to discuss the workings of the association, especially as it concerns our class.  We also had a “meet and greet”  with the officers of our Connections Class, the Class of 2025.  We were delighted to meet these committed students, who hail from as far as Uganda and Vietnam, as well as regions of the United States. Because the meeting was virtual, the students logged in from all over campus.  Those who signed in from public spaces in Kendall, Blanchard and the Library wore masks, while those participating from student rooms were maskless.  Because our class has been unable to welcome the ’25’s in person this year, Judy Stein and Linnea Grealish will deliver a special chocolate treat to each ‘25 this spring as a token of our support.

If you know any ’75’s who have not provided the Alumnae Association with their emails, yet who would like updates on class activities as we approach our 50th Reunion, urge them to create an Alumnae Directory profile at alumnae.mtholyoke.edu  Class website manager Rhonda Berney posts all class newsletters on the ’75  page of the Alumnae Association website.  Ninety-one classmates belong to the closed Mount Holyoke ’75 Facebook group, which you are invited to join.  And, if you’re on Instagram, consider following @mhcarchives for fascinating tidbits of college history, or @mhc_outing_club to see how today’s students have fun in the New England outdoors.

Sincerely, Elizabeth Stone, Co-president  

elizabethmstone2712@gmail.com