Class of 1953 reunion 2008

Class Secretary: Ronald Clayton, 5 Augusta Way, North Chelmsford MA 01863, rondot@comcast.net

Class President: Alice Vannerson, 93 Pokonoket Ave., Sudbury MA 01776-2320, albovan@channel1.com

Selections from the recent Class Letter: John Ames and Susan Martin Ames ’52 continue to enjoy life at Plymouth Harbor in Sarasota, Fla., where John is active in the 125-member Key Chorale…. Jay Chapman Neely received a “Spirit of the Panhandle” award from the Eastern West Virginia Community Foundation. She is a founding member of the Potomac Valley Audubon Society, co-founder of the League of Women Voters of Jefferson County, helped found the Friends of the National Conservation Training Center, and was on the steering committee to help found the Land Trust of the Eastern Panhandle. She was the Jefferson County Commission’s representative to the Resource Conservation and Development Council for eight years. While there, she found funding for the first Jefferson County Ground Water Study, the foundation for all subsequent water studies in the Eastern Panhandle. She also found funding to develop a groundbreaking stream-bank erosion control technique that was adopted region-wide…. George Conklin attended the 75th annual meeting of the Religion Communications Council in Birmingham, Ala., in March…. Alan Goddard stays busy with ACG PENSIONS, INC., his start-up business to benefit Medicaid…. Dave Harkins was inducted into the Auburn-Lewiston Hall of Fame in April, one of four athletes honored. Dave earned seven letters in high school baseball and football in Lewiston, and led the football team to the state title in his senior year. At Bates, he played both sports all four years…. Bob Hildreth has been appointed chairman of the board at Distribution Management Services. He will oversee all international operations, including the company’s latest acquisition, Albero Granite in Argentina, with which he has a long association…. Bill Thomson recently had his book about Portland Head Light published, and just finished a segment of “America’s Haunted Lighthouses” for the Travel Channel. Jackie Loveland Thomson continues to do well following two hip replacements…. Milt Van Vlack and Jan had more than 600 visitors when they opened their 1785 farmhouse and perennial garden to the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens Annual House & Garden Tour Benefit in Boothbay Harbor…. Lou Winter Hamilton attended her son’s Change of Command Ceremony at the Norfolk Navy Yard in July…. Tom Woodman joined Alan Goddard, Bud Terrile, Bob ’52 and Cil MacCharles Rice ’54, the Mutters and a group of other Bates people for a ski week in March at Sunday River. Tom said it was gratifying to see a bunch of old people still able to turn them both ways.