2 weeks into 2012

The New Year is off to a great start:

On Saturday of weekend one, we enjoyed a rollicking Wabun Reunion at the home of Paul and Rhonda Sipp in Columbus, Ohio.  Alumni/ae representation went back to the 1950s, and the years rolled away in a flurry of recollections and tripping anecdotes.

A wonderful throng of Wabun loyals at the Sipps'

Truth be told, the frivolity began the preceding Friday night at Alex's Bistro when a group of Wabun stalwarts gathered for several rounds of reminiscences and celebratory libations.

Stalwarts at Alex's

While the general reunions have been going on, there have been pocket get-togethers happening around the country:

-The Boston crowd did a kind of progressive New Year's Celebration at the combination of Jesse/Aaron Coleman residences.
-Katherine Finnegan, and Laura and Heidi Nocka trekked north for a reunification with Jess Lewis in New Hampshire

left to right - Laura, Jess, KFinn and Heidi

 Heidi Nocka then inspired yet another, this time a tri-state gathering, attracting Sarah Langfitt and Annie Reagan - all members of 2011's Cayuga A section.

left to right - Sarah (NY), Heidi (MA), and Annie (OH)

Marg and I are hunkered down in NH, but I did manage to get back to my Alma Mater this past weekend for a combination of touching base for coffee with Katherine Finnegan, a junior at UMass, and attending an Amherst/Williams hockey game in which three of my former students at Breck were competing, two on the Amherst team and one for Middlebury - best of all worlds - they each won in 3 - 2 games.  What a treat to walk the paths I trod so purposefully 43 years ago!

Here's a little blast form the past - Marg and I enjoyed a visit with Doug Dyer (1940's Wabun doctor)  in North Bay, where he now lives with his wife, Dilys.  They are neighbors with Dinty Johnston Elliott and Shirley Elliott.  Dinty was the postmaster in Temagami for decades and was responsible for getting mail bags onto the Aubry Cosens for much-anticipated daily deliveries up the lake.

North Bay visit with Doug and Dinty, third and fourth on right

Also in the Marg and Dick travels folder was a trip to Las Vegas - a trip we were told had to be on our Bucket List.  One of the highlights was attending a Jimmy Buffet concert - so many of his songs, sung from bows and sterns for so many years - we waved our arms with the best of them.

If you have not already done so, I encourage you to visit www.wabun.com and view our Newsletter - there, you will find reflections on the 2011 season, as well as articles by several illustrious Wabun alums who have been able to return to Temagami and staff our current sections as well as take a series of post-season trips.  I also suggest that you visit our Facebook - link provided on the website.

I am looking forward to upcoming gatherings/reunions and look forward to continued assemblies of the Wabun choir.  I report with some excitement that a number of alums have already expressed an interest in joining Marg and me in Temagami for the March 24th get-together - March is a glorious month in the Northland - should be a lot of fun.  Please know how welcomed you would be at any meeting you might be able to attend.  Come and enjoy the camaraderie!

**Saturday, January 21, 2012            Jeff, Kim, Stewart &

3:00 PM                                              Sarah Grace Longsworth                   5609 Ogden Road                            Bethesda,

                                                            301-320-3684                                    klongsworth3@verizon.net             Maryland

**Sunday, January 22, 2012             Andy, Theresa, Tara &

1:00 PM                                            Colin Hartzell                                    736 Harper Avenue                           Drexel Hill,

                                                          610-623-5327                                    ahartzell@state.pa.us                        Pennsylvania  

**Thursday, January 26, 2012            Sarah Flotten                                    4825 Bryant Avenue, South            Minneapolis,

5:30 PM                                              612-823-1960                                   sarah.flotten@breckschool.org            Minnesota 

**Sunday, January 29, 2012              Bill Green & Diane Whitney            3441 Cascadia Avenue, South          Seattle,

1:00 PM                                             206-725-6615                                    wgreen@perkinscoie.com                Washington  

**Saturday, February 4, 2012            Hope Kuniholm, Peter &

5:00 PM                                             Sofia Verheyen                                  8 Pebble Hill Road                            DeWitt,

                                                           315-446-4336                                    kuniholm@dreamscape.com            New York  

**Saturday, February 11, 2012            Dick & Marg Lewis                        460 Jewett Road                                Hopkinton,

1:00 PM                                                603-369-3677                                 rpl@wabun.com                           New Hampshire

**Sunday, February 12, 2012            Sean Dundon, Victoria Dalzell &

4:00 PM                                             Eamonn Dundon                               80 Best Street                                    Portland,

                                                           207-771-9999                                  sdundon@blackstoneconsulting.com  Maine

**Saturday, March 10, 2012            Peg & Stephanie Clement &

3:00 PM                                            Jessica Scriver                                    161 Austin Drive, #130                        Burlington,

                                                          802-399-2444                                      clementpeg@gmail.com                        Vermont  

**Saturday, March 24, 2012            Dick & Marg Lewis                              At WABUN                                    Temagami,

2:00 PM                                            705-237-8910                                    rpl@wabun.com                                    Ontario