Class History - 09/15/2009
2009 Class of the Year
“Oh, the places you’ll go!”—Dr. Seuss
And oh, the places you went!
The Class of 1979 sets lofty goals and puts in an “all hands on deck” effort to meet and exceed them. Its overall aim is nothing less than “to distinguish [itself] and to be an outstanding class in all respects . . . to have a positive impact on class activities and alumni relations in general, and to serve as a role model for younger classes.”
And what an inspiration it is! This year, the class strove to create a 30th Reunion that would be outstanding and achieve high participation in terms of both attendance and contributions to the Dartmouth College Fund. And not only did the class set a new 30th Reunion attendance record, it also broke the record for DCF participation (71 percent) and donations, at $3.5 million!
How did they do it? For starters, the foundation for all Class of 1979 activities is a strong and commonly felt set of values: community, engagement, and excellence. This class bond, already powerful, was enhanced by an excellent and integrated communications plan focused on Reunion and participation: three 12-page newsletters, emailed in color to over 700 classmates and posted on the class Web site; six columns in the Dartmouth Alumni Magazine celebrating individual accomplishments and beating the Reunion drum; 26 letters—some sent by mail but most by email; a phone tree; and, last but not least, a redesign of the class Web site to give it a fresh look, new features, and easy online Reunion registration. The DCF drive was especially innovative and effective, with personalized notes, catchy cartoon emails, tireless phone calls, and a short video with Reunion photos and music as part of a last-minute appeal.
Special outreach efforts were created to increase class engagement opportunities. The class vice president held a series of supper clubs at his home for legacy students; a class steward was appointed to send classmates both congratulatory notes and condolence cards, increasing class connections; and the ’79s hosted a singles event at Reunion—the first ever and a model for future classes.
Leading up to their 30th Reunion, the ‘79s organized eight mini-reunions, one of which, held in conjunction with the celebration of the 1978 Dartmouth Ivy League Championship football team, raised $100,000 for FRIENDS OF FOOTBALL??? Stealing a page from another successful class, the ‘79s hosted “79th Day of the Year” mini-reunions in nine cities. A strong class dues program, in which 46 percent of the class participated, enabled the ’79s to contribute $9,000 to its number one project, Dartmouth Partners in Community Service.
Undergirding all of these efforts were a strong and active president and a team of hard-working officers. The executive committee held meetings by phone seven times over ten months, keeping each member on task and focused on the Reunion.
And boy, did it pay off. With record attendance and within budget, the Class of 1979 Reunion featured a classmate panel titled “Reinvention,” with open discussion about personal and professional transformations, and an emotional memorial service on Biondi Field at Red Rolfe Park. “It was wonderful to catch up with old friends, and magical to get to know people who we didn’t know then and will now be lifelong friends,” say members of the class.
Community, engagement, and excellence. This says it all about this distinguished class, and is much more than reason enough to bestow the 2009 Class of the Year Award on the great Class of 1979.
30th Reunion - 06/18/2009
REUNION REGISTRATION IS STILL AVAILABLE ONLINE!
Click Here
Remember to register separately for housing, and sign up now for kid programs and DOC activities.
This is it! We’re trapped in cyberspace and registration is available only online, not through snail mail.
But if you have any trouble or you are located on a remote planet with no Internet access,
you can contact our Registration Jedi Kim Donovan Henley at 413.567.6360.
The reunion committee is excited that so many classmates plan to be in Hanover for June 18th-21st.
Our biggest challenge will be time management, as we have a truly amazing program schedule for our 30th.
HOW MUCH FUN IS TOO MUCH FUN?
Click here to View the Official Reunion schedule
Here are some key highlights:
- Our class reunion tent will be pitched at the new McLaughlin Center, which is located behind Baker/Berry Library. McLaughlin has great indoor gathering spaces and the rooms are air conditioned, so dorm life for the weekend may bear little resemblance to your undergraduate experience. We hope this will not be too disorienting.
- It’s the 100th Anniversary of the Dartmouth Outing Club! (The DOC is even older than we are.) Sign up to spend Wednesday night at the Moosilauke Ravine Lodge and revisit your freshmen trip. Other DOC activities include day hikes, white water rafting, canoeing, a high ropes course, an Organic farm tour, and a bus ride to DOC’s spiffy new Harris ‘66 lodge on Moose Mountain.
- Naturally enough, the college is planning activities, including a College Admissions Workshop, a garden walk at the President’s home, academic open houses, Professional School receptions, AA meetings, stargazing, etc.
- Thursday evening: We launch our class festivities with a bash at 17 Rope Ferry Road, the gracious home of diehard Class VP Bill (Bags) Mitchell and his wife Bray.
- Friday morning Phil Odence plans to make everyone get up and run before breakfast at the tent. In keeping with tradition, Joe Henley and David Dowd III will oversee a round of golf.
- Friday box lunch and canoe outing to Gilman Island.
- Friday night dinner on the nostalgia-soaked lawn of Baker library, as scripted by Ken Beer, Nancy Schwartzman Malmquist, Libby Roberts and Nancy Wilder.
- Saturday morning our fabulous Class President Laurie Laidlaw Roulston will preside over our Class Meeting and New Officer Elections at the tent over breakfast. Later in the day you might try hiking, biking, tennis, canoeing, kayaking, or Singles Twister. Less strenuous activities might include floating in an innertube, alumni shopping, or napping in a rocking chair on the porch of the Hanover Inn.
- Saturday lunch will be a family cook-out at the new baseball field named in honor of classmate Mike Biondi, who passed away too young. Prior to lunch, we will have a memorial service for all those classmates who are no longer with us.
- Saturday dinner (we must keep eating in order to keep up our strength) will be held at the Haldeman Patio, which is apparently some new hot-spot on campus.
- Sunday morning breakfast at-- you guessed it-- the tent. No long goodbyes… ok, maybe a few tears....
- Classmate Laurie Rosenfeld will moderate a panel discussion on Reinventing Yourself.
- Whoever they are, this year’s speakers will have tough acts to follow given the irreverent lol performances of Gina Barreca, Louisa Guthrie and Buddy Teevens at past reunions. We may also have some fascinating words from a speaker or two who are not Dartmouth 79s.
Class Fundraising - 09/23/2008
Dear Classmates,
Last year many of you (71%) supported the Dartmouth College Fund and helped our Class reach new heights. We hope that you will continue to support our class and the college in its efforts again this year as we attempt to reach Class goals of 70% participation and $700K in donations.
To put a gift on a credit card, please call the Dartmouth College Fund (1-800-228-1769), or go to Dartmouth’s website, https://www.dartmouthcollegefund.org/ALUM_give.htm . Payment by check should be made payable to Dartmouth College Fund and mailed to:
Dartmouth College Fund
c/o Gift Recording Office
6066 Development Office
Hanover, NH 03755-3555
For a stock transfer, call the College Investment Office toll-free at 877-650-6956.
Thanks,
Jim Feuille (Head Agent)
Peggy Epstein Tanner (Participation Co-Chair & Major Gifts)
Dave Philhower (Participation Chair)
79th Day Party Hanover - 05/01/2010
May 1, 4pm
First Year Weekend and Derby Day
79 Club North, 17 Rope Ferry Rd, Hanover
79th Day Party NYC - 04/15/2010
April 15, 6pm
The Tanners 1120 Park Avenue 17A, 90th between Madison and Park
79th Day Party Chicago - 03/25/2010
March 25, 5pm
Jak’s Tap, 901 W. Jackson Blvd. (312) 666-1700
79th Day Party NorCal - 03/19/2010
March 19, 7pm
Jim Feuille’s 2503 Gough Street (between Vallejo and Green) SF
79th Day Party Boston - 03/19/2010
March 19, 6:58pm
Chez Libby Roberts Encore
Rendezvous, drinks, snacks
6A Still St, Brookline, MA
79th Day Party Maine - 03/19/2010
March 19, 6:30pm
Gritty McDuff’s brew pub in Freeport; Route 1 south of LL Bean
79th Day Party Seattle - 03/19/2010
March 19, 6pm
Tim and Nancy Higgins’ 1722 Nob Hill Ave N., Seattle 206.283.0866.
79th Day Party Atlanta - 03/18/2010
March 18, 6pm
Wildfire Restaurant
94 Perimeter Center West
(770) 730-9080
79th Day Party SoCal - 03/18/2010
March 18, 5:30pm
Salute Wine Bar, 2435 Main Street, Santa Monica
Third Thursday Lunch - 03/18/2010
79th Day Party DC - 03/11/2010
79th Day Party Cleve (yawn) land - 03/11/2010
Meet at 6:00PM CST at Great Lakes Brewery.
Get Directions
RSVP: Lulu Guthrie 847-902-6672 or
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