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Sign up for the Annual Dinner on June 3
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Check out what's happening in 2024
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Thad Olchowski ’08 - Our New DED
Thad Olchowski ’08 has agreed to be our new DED, replacing Emily Britton ’88, who is stepping down after serving her alma mater well for over 5 years in that position. Please make Thad’s life a bit easier by signing up to interview - even just two interviews can make a difference. And since the College acknowledges that there aren't enough spots for all the rock star candidates, they are asking us to shift our mindset to being Ambassadors for the College - extolling Dartmouth's strengths and helping with the yield (getting the students who are admitted to choose Dartmouth). I found this 5-minute video to be worth watching. You can sign up here.
Ken Swinski Memorial Fund
The Dartmouth of Pioneer Valley has established a current use fund in Ken’s memory to provide financial aid to students who otherwise would not be able to afford Ledyard trips. This fund will target Trip to the Sea paddlers, with surplus funds available to participants of other Ledyard adventures. For more information and to make a donation, click here.
We've done it again!
The Dartmouth Communities Executive Council and Alumni Relations recognized the Dartmouth Club of Pioneer Valley for our innovative programming.
Recent Club Events
2024 Events
DCPV Works for Hitchcock Center on Their Annual Day of Service
On Saturday, April 27, five of us had a great time for the Dartmouth Day of Service at the Hitchcock Center for the Environment. We sanded and stained the trail kiosk, painted the kiddy picnic tables, and put the dog to work sniffing out groundhogs. Our work very helpful to the Hitchcock Center, as they rely on volunteers to help with the myriad of projects that need to be done to keep the building and grounds in good shape. They are very grateful!
In attendance were: Ellen Lindsey ‘81, Ken Wagner ‘77, Alexis Brooks DMS ‘90, Peggy and Mark Freise ‘76, and Mia the Vizsla
Mt Greylock Hike
“Come hike in the Berkshires and enjoy the spring weather” he said… The DCPV string of bad weather for outdoor events continued, but on Saturday April 13, three dauntless alumni were not to be denied! Ken Wagner ‘77, Lea Finck ‘77, and Bill Wright ‘86 hiked over 6.5 miles, conquering Massachusetts’ highest peak, the 3491’ Mt Greylock in Adams. They endured a persistent stream of runoff on the trail, intermittent rain on the climb, ice/clouds/wind at the summit, and some snow and hail on the descent. Nonetheless, spending a “spring” day in the Berkshires with old friends and new is hard to beat!
Valley Voices Story Slam
On Thursday, March 22 a group of 13 Dartmouth alums, spouses, and students gathered in Springfield for the Valley Voices Story Slam. We met up for a pre-show dinner at the Student Prince restaurant, where the iconic giant pretzels and extensive beer list did not disappoint, but the Easter Bunny display still terrifies.
Jim Staros ‘69, Alice Harris, Ellen
Lindsey ‘81, Michele and
Bob Sherlock T’82, Elise and Bill Wright ‘86,
Victor Moreno ‘25,
Daphne Muhammad ‘25, Courtney Andree ‘07, Catroina
Moreno
‘27 (missing - Mary and Lou Adler ‘82)
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The Student Prince iconic giant Pretzel
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At the show we heard ten presenters tell five-minute true stories, then picked our three favorites to go on to the finals in April. Over the course of the evening, we spent time with a chimera, followed Biden's motorcade, went gonzo with Hunter S. Thompson, and explored a past Hells Angels romance! An entertaining evening for sure!
2023 Events
DCPV Visits Mead Art Museum at Amherst College
On December 7, twenty members and friends of the DCPV visited Amherst College’s Mead Art Museum for a guided tour of Boundless, an exhibit focused on Native American arts, crafts, and literature spanning the seventeenth century through today. Heid Erdrich ’86 curated the exhibit, which features works from a few other Dartmouth luminaries—including Samson Occom and National Book Award winner (and Heid’s sister) Louise Erdrich ’76.
After taking in the exhibit, the group moved on to Protocol in downtown Amherst for dinner, drinks, and lively conversation about local wildlife sightings, John Ledyard, the COVID years in Hanover, resident cats, and much, much more. Many thanks to Courtney Andree ‘07 for organizing this fun and educational evening!
Entertaining Undergraduates in Hanover
Johann Cruz Hernandez '24, Mac Mahoney '25, and Peter's buddy Camille Richmond '26
In late October while they were attending the Alumni Council, Ellen Lindsey and Ed and Charlene Mazer took three Dartmouth students from the area out to lunch at Murphys in Hanover.
Annual Golf Outing
On September 13th, we held the Annual Fall Golf Outing at the Longmeadow Country Club. The Rain Gods had other plans for us, and unfortunately we had to call the golf. Undaunted, we gathered in early evening for cocktails
outside on the covered patio and spend some time socializing and have a light dinner.
Big Green Affair
On Thursday, August 24, the Dartmouth banner was flying high at Tree House Brewing in South Deerfield as the Dartmouth Club of Pioneer Valley held a Big Green Affair gathering for local young alums. Over 25 current students, young alums, and young-at-heart alums of all ages (including their children) enjoyed a beautiful outdoor evening feasting on appetizers and Tree House’s iconic pizzas while quenching their thirst with Tree House’s fine selection of craft beers and non-alcoholic beverages.
The gathering was co-hosted by DCPV and Dartmouth Alumni Relations and it was our Club's first young alumni event - for several of the young alums it was their first event with our Club! If you have suggestions for fun future events, please send them to DCPV Club President Ellen Brout Lindsey '81 at dartclubpv@gmail.com.
DCPV Attacks Disc Golf Course
On Saturday, August 26, disc-flinging members of the DCPV mounted an assault on the Crane Hill Disc Golf Course in Wilbraham. After some basic instruction and practice, the competitors played a spirited game of Wolf, in which two groups compete to win each hole, with the partnerships changing on each hole and each person accumulating their own score. Ben Snyder DMS ‘09 emerged victorious despite a few laser putts that missed by enough to threaten anyone foolish enough to be in the line of fire. Marianne Wagner sunk a key putt to keep her husband Ken ‘77 from winning, while Ellen Lindsey ‘81 put in a fine performance as a total beginner. Bill Wright ‘86 went “lone wolf” a couple of times, taking on the rest of the crew, but could not sink any 100 ft putts.
The weather was great, the course was fun, and everyone cleared the “pit of despair” on the treacherous hole 14. A very fun Saturday morning was had by all!
DCPV Mt. Toby Hike and Spelunking
Great time today! It was a small group hike and yet there are those who loved it! On Saturday, August 12th, the DCPV ventured to Sunderland for a delightful Mt Toby hike. Not only was the weather perfect, but the hearty group bagged Mt Toby on a 6.5 mile loop trail, enjoyed climbing the fire tower and breaking for lunch at the summit, and wandered through the caves on the way up. This hidden Pioneer Valley gem did not disappoint! Attending were Suzan Edwards ‘73, Ken Wagner ‘77, Dave Hewlings G’84, and Bill Wright ‘86.
Afternoon at MASS MoCA with the Dartmouth Club
Cathy Impastato Keating '96 and Julia Bowen '95, two of our Club's Berkshire County members, arranged a fun afternoon at MASS MoCA in North Adams on June 11th. 27 Dartmouth alums, family, and friends from across Western Mass and the Albany area gathered for a wonderful afternoon of food, conversation and art. The weather was perfect for our pre-tour lunch in the outdoor pavilion. After lunch, our magnificent guides took us on an insider's tour of this unique space and gave us the background to understand what the heck we were looking at.
The day ended with our fearless leader Ellen Brout Lindsey '81 participating in experiential art by taking a ride on EJ Hill's Bubblegum Pink Roller Coaster!
Trip to the Sea BBQ
While the weather on May 24 was less than cooperative, the 2023 rendition of the TTTS BBQ was a resounding success. Once the event organizers reluctantly acknowledged the forecast for rain wasn't changing, the Club splurged on a 20' X 40' tent. A downpour did indeed make that investment worthwhile, though quite a bit of horizontal rain managed to sneak its way into the tent.
28 paddlers arrived drenched but changes of clothes, a few stints in heated vehicles, a warm dinner, and cheery company improved things considerably (hot showers courtesy of Brunelle’s didn't hurt either). They were greeted by about 35 alumni, one '27, and several POPs (parents of paddlers) - for a total of 70 people! The alumni contingent included several officers of the Southeast CT Club, and they promised the paddlers better weather for their Club's traditional end-of-trip celebration in Old Saybrook.
This BBQ has become a signature event for DCPV, a welcoming evening, and a great gathering that new and current students, as well as alums, greatly appreciate.
Dartmouth Day of Service
On Saturday, May 6, seven Dartmouth alums participated in the DCPV’s Day of Service at the Hitchcock Center for the Environment in Amherst. We kicked off the afternoon with an informative tour of the Certified Living Building - one of only 24 in the world - then headed outside to help get the Hitchcock Center ready for its summer kids’ programming by painting picnic tables and spreading wood chips in the outdoor classrooms.
We had a great time chatting and enjoying the beautiful setting of the Hitchcock Center on the first perfectly warm sunny day in ages. Our volunteers were: Ash Hartwell '63, Peter Dupret '65, Ellen Brout Lindsey '81, Mary Adler '82, Bill Wright '86, Pat Wadsworth GR '84, and Alexis Brooks DMS '90.
Annual Dinner
On April 24, over 30 alums and spouses gathered at the Willits Hallowell Center to dine together and learn about Dartmouth’s Center for Social Impact. Director Tracy Dustin-Eichler H’79, gave a short overview of the Center’s mission, and then introduced and interviewed a current and former student, who had recently participated in an immersion trip to explore conditions at the Texas/Mexican border.
Katelyn Zeser’22 and Pierce Wilson’23, shared their experiences and highlights from the trip, and then took questions from the audience. It was an excellently opportunity to get an in person example of what today’s Dartmouth student is passionate about, and understand how the CSI helps them to be better leaders and address today's complex issues.
We also had a chance to enjoy the company of old and new friends, including one member of the class of ‘27.
DCPV Full Moon Hike
On Saturday, March 4, DCPV members, family, friends, and Meru the black lab enjoyed a full moon trek at Mt. Warner in Hadley. Although a partly cloudy sky obscured clear views of the Worm Moon, our headlamps guided us around the 2.5 mile loop of this Trustees of the Reservation property, allowing us to negotiate a recent snowfall with little difficulty. It was another wonderful adventure with friends old and new!
Attending were: Suzan Edwards ‘73, Deb Levin Daniell ‘78, Mary ‘82 and
Lou Adler, Dave Hewlings G’84, Scott Schwenk ‘86, and Bill Wright ‘86
Fireside Chat with Dean Scott Brown
We are thrilled that Scott Brown, the new Dean of the College, visited us for a casual fireside chat on the afternoon of Saturday, January 21. Christine McKiernan ’88 hosted the event at her home in South Hadley. Jim Staros ’69 was our event facilitator.
Congratulations to us - we were once again chosen as the medium-sized club of the year. Champagne and cupcakes for all! Ellen Lindsey, Club President, Ken
Swinski, Club Vice President and Jim Staros, Executive Committee, were
at the VOX conference to receive our huuuuge silver bowl (which we had
to give back) and our framed proclamation (which we can hang in our, uh,
clubhouse?).
Here is the proclamation from the Communities Executive Council:
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Dartmouth Club of the Pioneer Valley
A past honoree, the Dartmouth Club of the Pioneer Valley (DCPV) proves
that dedicated and engaged volunteers can take a strong organization’s
work to new heights.
The club has focused on maintaining a dedicated leadership team and
lightening volunteer workload while continuing to organize dynamic and
engaging events. One of its goals was to host more informal gatherings,
making it easier for volunteers as well as club members to participate.
As the club leaders put it at the beginning of the year, their goal was
to emphasize the “fun” this year and ensure that each activity would be
enjoyable for anyone who attended or helped with planning.
DCPV continued to bring about interesting and challenging programs. It
hosted a rebranded 250th-anniversary edition of its annual spring
dinner, featuring a discussion with Professor Charlie Wheelan on
“Thinking about Democracy: What’s Gone Wrong and How Can We Fix It?” The
club also sought partnerships with other Dartmouth organizations. A
successful collaboration with the Dartmouth Club of Hartford and the
Class of 1981 last winter resulted in a record-setting mini-reunion,
with more than 70 alumni and guests attending Feeding the Dragon by
playwright Sharon Washington ’81. Never shy of new ideas and always
seeking to engage the community, partner with other Dartmouth groups,
and have fun, the club is already planning ways to build on these
successes!
For collaborating across organizations and bringing both fun and
excellence to alumni engagement efforts, the Communities Executive
Council (CEC) is honored to recognize the Dartmouth Club of the Pioneer
Valley as the 2019 Medium Club of the Year.
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2016 Medium Club President of the Year
Ellen Lindsey, our Club President, was honored at 2017 CAGOW meeting in Hanover by being named Medium Club President of the Year for 2016. All who have worked with Ellen over the years know how tirelessly she has worked and how her creativity and vitality have added so much to the Club. Congratulations to Ellen for being recognized for her outstanding achievement. No one deserves it more.
We've Done it Again - Dartmouth Club of the Year 2015!
For the second time in five years, the Dartmouth Club of Pioneer Valley has been named Medium Club of the Year. We were honored at a lively awards dinner at the 2016 Club and Group Officers Weekend (CAGOW) in Hanover on January 23rd. Accepting the award for the Club were Steve Schreiber '79, VP and Book Awards Co-Chair; Jim Rooks '67, Book Awards Co-Chair; Ellen Lindsey '81, President; Ed Mazer '63, Secretary and Webmaster; and Ken Swinski '73, Book Awards Co-Chair. Thanks to our Executive Committee and all of our Club members for their ideas, energy, and enthusiasm.
Focus on Humanitarian Activities in the Local Dartmouth Community
No area in the world has suffered more than Haiti. Earlier this year, we held two gatherings, one in Longmeadow and one in Amherst, to learn about the work being done by Ken Mundt D’81 of Amherst in support of a unique school in Les Cayes, Haiti that is committed to educating the poorest of the poor.
At our DCPV gatherings, we learned that Ken's organization, Opportunities for Communities, has helped change the lives of hundreds of “Restavek” children in Haiti. Restaveks are children given up by impoverished and desperate mothers hoping for a better life for their children, who become indentured servants in “host” homes far from where they were born. Sadly, many Restavek children are abused and some treated as slaves. The estimated 300,000 to 500,000 Restavek children are far less likely to attend school, obligated instead to work. This school provides an opportunity for Restavek children in Les Cayes to attend school and break the chain of poverty.
John Sloan Dickey taught us, “The world’s problems are our problems.” He would have approved of this school that significantly impacts the lives of so many young people. For more info on this past event, or to read about other past Club events, click here. To learn more about Ken's organization and the valuable work they're doing in Haiti, go to www.opportunitiesforcommunities.org.
Great New Video on the Development of BASIC narrated by Tom Kurtz
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On the 50th anniversary of the development of BASIC, Dartmouth has
produced an amazing 38 minute video on the development of BASIC and the
Dartmouth Time Sharing System narrated by Tom Kurtz, co-developer of
BASIC with John Kemeny. This historical video document includes
interviews from the then students who were involved in the project. To
view the video, click here. |
Your Website for the Dartmouth Club of Pioneer Valley
You might want to save the Club Website to your favorites in your browser for ease of revisiting.
https://pioneervalley.dartmouth.org (http://www.dcpv.org for short). Our Website has a crisp look and feel, and I have taken the opportunity to add a few new "cool" features. Please try out the options listed with the All things Dartmouth tab on the upper right of the page and I think you will enjoy them.
If you have any suggestions or corrections, please feel free to contact me at ed<remove>@themazers.com.