March 10, 2006

Our schedule for the weekend is coming together nicely, with our first class dinner scheduled to take place on campus Thursday evening. Since so many of us will be driving and flying from afar, we’ll gather for an informal reception and buffet dinner where we’ll be able to reconnect with each other and rekindle some friendships.

On Friday, we’ll be able to take a walking tour of the old campus led by Professor Emeritus James Kettlewell, author of Saratoga Springs: An Architectural History. In addition to the tour, Skidmore has planned a number of mini-college classes that will be offered by members of the faculty, and on Friday night, it is off to the Gideon Putnam Hotel for cocktails and dinner, where we will be joined by President Philip A. Glotzbach and Marie Glotzbach.

On Saturday evening, we’ll gather for our class photograph and then enjoy each other’s company over dinner and cocktails at the Frances Young Tang Teaching Museum and Art Gallery . The festivities will conclude with fireworks that we’ll be able to view from high atop the roof deck of the Tang! What an evening this will be!

Now that I’ve given you a sense of what our weekend together on campus will be like, I’m hopeful that you’ll be willing to join me in support of our class fundraising goals. We are shooting for 85% participation and an overall goal of $1,000,000. These goals can be reached in several different ways.

An outright gift, a pledge at the leadership gift level over 5 years, a planned gift in your will, and other ways the College would be pleased to talk to you about. Please give this a great deal of thought and be as generous as you can. Skidmore gave us a firm foundation upon which to build our lives. We should be grateful for that experience and provide future generations with the same opportunities.

A personal contact is vital to get classmates excited about attending our Reunion. Those of you who have “jolly-up” calls to make are encouraged to get these done as soon as possible. Also, don’t forget your personal history together with a picture. Send these to Averill Geus at 2 Old Orchard Lane, East Hampton, NY , 11937 or egeus@optonline.net.

Sue Leach Ryan and Ann Gardiner Drake are organizing the decoration of the hospitality suite. Please bring with you any pictures, “bibs,” blazers, or any other Skidmore memorabilia that would be of interest to others. Anything from our college days, past reunions, and life experiences would be wonderful to share.

I really look forward to seeing all of you. It will be a wonderful Reunion.