Hello 99s!
Another summer has almost passed and we as a class have crossed another milestone. On the weekend of June 13-15 nearly 300 of our classmates plus their guests came home to celebrate our 10th reunion and catch-up with long-lost friends, along with the classes of 1997 and 1998. The weekend was packed with events ranging from a day trip to Moosilauke, tours of campus, an Italian feast and, in true Dartmouth fashion, dancing the night away with DJ Lou.
As you might expect, there was lots of news to report. First, Nancy Bloomfield was awarded the inaugural Spirit of '99 Service Award for her years of service to the Upper Valley community. Nancy is currently a teen lifeskills coordinator at The Junction, which is a pilot programme established by Listen Community Services to learn more about youth and how to help them achieve a promising future. Michelle Sweetser was also recognised at reunion with the Young Alumni Distinguished Service Award for her tireless work for Dartmouth and the class. Jordan (Kritzer) Fiorentini tempted the class with her winemaking skills at a wine-tasting event, which was well received. Jordan received a master's degree in winemaking from UC-Davis and has since worked at vineyards in Georgia (the state), Napa Valley and Italy. The class were given wines from the Chalk Hill Estate Vineyard and Winery, where Jordan has been a winemaker since 2007.
Reunion also marked a time for change within the class leadership. Rex Morey will now serve as president, Catherine (Maxson) Pieroni will be vice president and Michelle Sweetser will serve as treasurer. Dave Dookeeram and Willy Wong will remain in their positions as class project chair and newsletter editor and I have been given the wonderful opportunity to continue on as secretary and write the Class Notes. The leadership will serve in their posts until the next election at our 15th reunion in 2013.
In other news, I had the privilege to see Wayne DeBeatham graduate from the University of Connecticut School of Medicine on May 18 and realise his lifelong dream of becoming a doctor. Many friends and family gathered to celebrate the end of a long, hard fight and the City of Hartford designated May 24 as Dr. Wayne Lloyd DeBeatham day to recognise his achievement. Wayne is now a surgical resident at Howard University Hospital in Washington, D.C. Congratulations, Wayne! Christopher Rea also had lots of news to report. He and his wife, Julie Wang, became the proud parents of a baby boy, Peregrin Wang Tuoyu Rea, on March 25. Christopher writes: "Thoughtful boy that he is, he delayed his arrival until three days after daddy finished writing his dissertation. Now a tubby 2-month-old, Peregrin's favorite activities include sleeping on tummies and going for bumpy stroller rides." After receiving his Ph.D. in Chinese literature from Columbia in May, Christopher and his family moved to Vancouver, where he will start as an assistant professor in the University of British Columbia's department of Asian studies.
Sean Taylor notes that he has taken his love of showbiz to a new level. In addition to his day job, Sean performs with other Dartmouth alums in the group Hop Fries, blogs about pizza and hosts a unique talk show and improv comedy called The Spotlight. Each episode includes an interview with someone who, at one time or another, has been on television. The audience then participates, presenting adverts or skits as they come to mind. If you're in New York (or visiting), Sean would love to invite you to be a part of the show. You can find more information on www.thespotlightwithseantaylor.com.
Tony Perry
tony.perry.99@alum.dartmouth.org