|
Fellow Members of the Great Class of 1971:
I hope you and your families enjoyed a great summer.
As fall approaches, I wanted to bring you up to date on my second year as Class President, review our 37th Reunion last May and alert you to various events we have lined up for the coming year.
Review of the Past Year
Our system of using regular conference calls to discuss the full range of class activities among the class officer group continues to work very well. The various officers have settled into their duties, and with input from former class officers like Jack Hittson and Stu Rickerson, I believe we have a great combination of energy and experience. Bill Zwecker also signed on last year to run Planned Giving for the class – when he can get away from his TV duties in Chicago!
The reception at Tiger Inn following the Yale game last fall was, once again, well-attended and well-run — in fact, the bounty of the buffet spread was a source of amazement to most of the classmates and the others there. A capella group Shere Khan once again entertained with a great display of rhythm and harmony.
While winter is ordinarily a quiet period for get-togethers, a number of classmates reported seeing and greeting each other during the ECAC Hockey tournament during one of the best years for Princeton hockey in memory.
Rich Hollingsworth, our Treasurer and de facto Chief Financial Officer notes that the second year of our tiered dues initiative, once again, was highly successful. (Coincidentally, heh, there is a dues appeal in this envelope that we hope you’ll act on. There is more information on dues later in this letter as well.)
Our 37th Reunion was a well-attended event that drew more than 40 classmates, as well as assorted spouses, significant others and children. Just as the year before, it was a strong turnout for an off-year reunion. A fuller report on the Reunion can be found on the Class Website, www.princeton1971.org. Much of the credit for the festivities, which included a lunch and dinner at Prospect – the latter in the beautiful glass-enclosed dining room known as “the fishbowl” – goes to Reunion Chair Gary Walsh and Vice Chair Jack Hittson.
Our Annual Giving effort, headed by Podie Lynch and Jon Cieslak, once again was strong in terms of dollars raised, at $218,000 a gain from last year’s $211,000. But, once again, our participation levels were weak – in fact, the lowest of all active classes. This reflects poorly on 1971, and I am deeply concerned about it. We simply should not be lagging everyone else.
Podie and Jon worked very hard this past year, and deserve a lot of credit for reaching the monetary goal, but it’s clear that a lot of classmates either are reluctant givers or feel that Princeton doesn’t need their help. We plan to study our annual giving techniques and try to find a way to build participation; a Princeton education is a shared legacy, and we want as many of us as possible to take part in keeping it as strong as it can be. We need to get more people involved in the actual fund-raising. Princeton gets a significant portion of its foundation money based on its alumni participation, so annual giving produces added dividends.
The Class of 1971 Foundation is ‘71’s longest-serving charitable entity. We are looking for renewed participation this year to continue funding of one-half undergraduate tuition scholarships (many to children of the class) Please send donations to Henry Barkhorn, Treasurer, 1095 Park Ave., New York, NY 10128 or give online at www.Princeton1971.org.
In July, President Tilghman wrote to foundation President Peter Charapko: “With the kind of support your Class has provided, I am confident we will continue [Princeton’s leadership role in financial aid.] … I send my warmest thanks. Please convey my gratitude to your ’71 classmates.”
The Save the Wildlife Fund (STWLF), chaired by Stu Rickerson, continues to help finance key class-wide activities – including our 1971 Reunions Luncheons and 1971 Receptions after the P-Rade, and the home Big Three game. A contribution here helps all of us participate in Princeton-related activities. You’ll see information about giving the STWLF on the Class Website.
Finally, I’d like to bring you up to date on our efforts to create the 71 Class Legacy Initiative (71CLI). We got a good start last fall, and then some of the momentum was lost when I suffered some cancer-related issues. As we have reported on in depth, we are trying to piggyback on the strong programs created by the classes of 1955 (Princeton Project 55) and 1969, which are providing one-year fellowships and summer internships, respectively, for graduating Princeton seniors in the not-for-profit world.
The 71CLI has been incorporated, with a slate of officers that includes myself, David Williams, an attorney who drafted the articles of incorporation, Art Lowenstein, and Jim Ungerleider. The officers of the 71CLI as well as active Classmates such as Lex Kelso, Judy and Jeff Marshall, Greg Conderacci, and I are personally very interested in developing a full-blown program that will involve the placing of ‘older’ Princeton graduates who are interested in taking full-time jobs as second careers with nonprofits. This is a way for us all to ‘give back’ … trying to improve the world we live in. Consider this to be Princeton Project 55 … for adults! I strongly urge interested classmates to review the ‘71 Class Legacy Initiative materials on the Class Website and please feel free to contact me with your comments and / or suggestions. (BillLewis@prospect-tech.com).
I very much need your support on this important endeavor. The 71CLI needs all sorts of help: coordinating our efforts with Project 55; recruiting candidates who wish to make this second career transition; interviewing and coaching candidates through this process; working with the not-for-profits; helping us find positions at worthy organizations; and … lots more!
Once again, this class leadership group can point to a strong year. After returning the Class to a sound financial footing in the prior year, we made our annual giving goal for the second year in a row and put on a fine fall reception and terrific Reunion events.
What Lies Ahead for 2008-9
We hope to see you this fall at our annual class reception at Tiger Inn library immediately following the Princeton-Harvard football game on Saturday, Oct. 25. This event traditionally attracts the largest number of classmates outside of Reunions, and this year’s reception, like others that have preceded it, will include entertainment by one of Princeton’s outstanding a capella singing groups. We also hope to see as many classmates as possible at the Princeton-Yale game, this year in New Haven on Nov. 15. For more information about what might be organized for classmates planning to attend that game, please contact our Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, Kathy Molony, at Kathy@pu71.org.
As I’ve noted, Kathy has been spearheading an effort to update our Class Constitution, which was written and implemented way back in 1976. With the help of several classmates – especially Gary Walsh, who is an attorney – the revamped constitution is very close to being completed.
Make a point of periodically checking out the ’71 Web site, which was updated last year with input from the class officers and dressed up with some photos from different parts of campus. While I’m modest about my role as class Webmaster, I think you’ll find it’s handsome, easy to navigate and informative. Please check it out at www.princeton1971.org.
And, keep in mind that for next year’s 38th Reunion, Gary is thinking through a plan of creating a special celebration to mark a year when most of us turn 60. Please stay tuned for details as they develop during the year.
Class Dues
Among other things, dues payments defray the costs of producing and mailing the Princeton Alumni Weekly. A special insert can be found in this letter describing our four (4)-tiered dues structure. The best way to avoid those annoying springtime notices and appeals, frankly, is to fill out the enclosed form and mail in your check! Please note that our base dues rate is $71. I’d ask you to consider writing a check or go to the Class Website and click on the orange-striped square and pay online – today!
And one last item…
Are you retiring, running for office or just trekked through the Himalayas? Please consider sending news about yourself and your family to Class Secretary Jeff Marshall at Secretary@pu71.org. And, if you have any questions or concerns that we in the class leadership group can help you with, please feel free to contact myself or other members of the team.
Warmest regards to you and your families!
Bill Lewis ‘71
President – Princeton Class of 1971
|