MINUTES OF CLASS MEETING -- NOVEMBER 18, 2022
PRINCETON CLASS OF 1969
Call to Order
A virtual meeting of the Class of 1969 was held on Zoom at 4 p.m. EST on Friday, November 18. The meeting was presided over by President Chris Milton.
Classmates in attendance: Axelrod, Benjamin, Boenning, Boomer, Bott, Bob Brown, Thacher Brown, Charrier, Bill Earle, Eckman, Randy Evans, Fleming, Jim Floyd, Foot, Fox, Frank, Freeman, Freyer, Gehret, Goodman,Gregoire, Haynes Griffin, Hanks, Harman, Charlie Harris, Herbst, Horton, Janis, Kaplan, Kuzmick, Mertz, Mills,Milton, Murdock, Railsback, Ramsay, Rea, Rein, Steele, Thomforde, and two unidentified classmates.
President’s Report
Chris reported in detail on the Canyonlands Mini-Reunion, which began and ended in Las Vegas and included visits to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon, Bryce Canyon, and Zion National Park. The trip was under the auspices of the National Parks Conservation Association and was organized by the Off the Beaten Path travelcompany. Chris thanked Lloyd and Thacher Brown, Debbie Solomon and Bruce Rosenberg, Cathy Milton, Ken Mertz, and Jeff Kaplan for their efforts in helping to plan the trip and making it such a success.
There was a ’69 table in the Princeton tent at the Harvard game on October 21st, but attendance was poor, probably due to the Friday night scheduling.
Homecoming was on Saturday, October 29, with a tailgate, the football game against Cornell, and a classdinner after the game at Springdale Golf Club with the Class of 1965, organized by Rick Kitto, whom Chris thanked for his efforts.
Co-Secretaries’ Report
Bob Axelrod commented that he has enjoyed writing Class Notes for the Alumni Weekly, an assignment that has helped him to reconnect with many classmates. He thanked those online for sending in news items and photographs for the Class Notes, and asked everyone to encourage other classmates to send material,especially those who have not been heard from for some time.
Mike Gehret noted the deaths of classmates who had passed away since the last class meeting on May 21, 2022: Bill Sydnor, who died on July 19; Dave Pensak, on August 28; and Doug Brown on October 2. Mike noted that Doug Brown did not graduate with our class and finished college at the University of Washington. He requested that anyone who knew Doug at Princeton get intouch to share information, and he asked for a moment of silence in memory of these three classmates.
Chris thanked both Bob and Mike for their efforts since their appointment as Co-Secretaries.
Treasurer’s Report
Chuck Freyer reported that class finances are in good shape with about 130 dues paying members as of mid-November. A second dues request will go out soon. We have about $100,000 in the general account and$50,000 in the Reunions account; and about $5500 has been contributed for the Class of 1969 Paul George Sittenfeld Scholarship Fund so far this year.
PICS Report
Chuck also reported on PICS. There were more than 200 internships this past summer sponsored by PICS, and Chuck expects that there will be about 270 internships in the summer of 2023. Chuck expects the number of internships to grow fairly quickly to 300 or more with the financial and logistical support of the University, which iscommitted to adding at least another 100 internships. Also, in October the University announced the LENS program, Learning and Education through Service. This new program will guarantee every undergraduate an opportunity to have a paid summer internship with a not-for-profit organization. Chuck remarked that this is the“holy grail” that the Class had been aiming towards for years. Chuck also solicited further donations to PICS, mentioning that donations through the Class website would be eligible for a 2x match.
Chris added that he had heard that Chuck was now going to be serving as PICS treasurer, along with continuing a treasurer of the Class of 1969. Chuck said that he had stepped down as PICS Chairman in order to bring inleadership from younger classes. The new PICS chair will be Jennifer Daniels ’93, former Chair of the Alumni Council.
Finally, Chris remarked that the Class should be putting effort into fundraising for the Sittenfeld/’69 ScholarshipFund as a tribute to Paul and everything he did for the Class.
Annual Giving/Special Giving Reports
Reporting on Annual Giving, Andy Steele noted that the class raised about $268,000 last year with 51 % participation. While the Annual Giving team has 10-15 classmates who will be working on 2022-23 Annual Giving, planning is also underway for fundraising for our 55th Reunion. There will be an advance fund, so classmates can contribute at any point during the current fiscal year and designate their gift for the 55th. Andy noted that Annual Giving’s fiscal year runs from July 1 to June 30 of the following year.
Special mention was made of the Annual Giving Legacy program which allows planned gifts of $100,000 or more count towards the 55th. Chris noted that the Class’s planned giving Chair, Mike Kiesel, will be working with Andyand the Annual Giving team to encourage such gifts. Our contacts in the planned giving office are Jane Danekand Ivy Shinn, who provided excellent assistance during our 50th.
Future Events Report
Chris encourage attendance at Alumni Day on Saturday, February 25, which will have a format similar to pre-pandemic years. Wilson Award winner General Christopher Cavoli, Supreme Allied Commander Europe and Madison Medal winner Robert Kahn, co-inventor of the communication protocols at the heart of the internet, will speak in the morning. They will be honored at the annual luncheon, along with the Pyne Prize and Jacobus Fellowship winners. There will be a Service of Remembrance in the afternoon, and there will be a reception afterwards for ’69. If there is enough demand, a class dinner will also be planned.
On behalf of Reunions Chair Clay McEldowney (and his co-chairs Andy Brown and Jeff Marston), Chris invited classmates to attend our 54th Reunion which runs from Thursday, May 25th through Sunday, May 28th.
Chris reported briefly on organizing activities for our 55th Reunion on May, 2024. Clay was not pleased with the location of the 55th last year and is exploring whether there is an alternative site for our 55th. The objective forthe 55th remains the same: providing good times for the Class at a reasonable cost.
Chris noted that the Class is willing to arrange a second Canyonlands trip, but he doubted whether there is sufficient interest given that everybody who wanted to go was accommodated on the October trip. Next week he hopes to begin to work with a planning group for a mini-reunion in San Francisco and nearby wine country both north and south of the City.
Chris mentioned that Jim Shuey, who took part in the Canyonlands mini-reunion, was recovering from a strokeand would be going into physical therapy, He encouraged folks who had been on the trip to send Jim a note. It was also mentioned that Bruce Hillman is in the advanced stages of Parkinson’s.
Chris thanked Jeff Kaplan for his efforts as web master, and for the many ways in which he helps facilitate communications among our classmates.
Adjournment
Chris led attendees in the singing of Old Nassau, and the meeting was adjourned.
