Planning Ahead Dickinsonians

The year was 1979, Carter was in the White House, Three Mile Island was on everyone’s mind, no one was quite sure what was in a hotchee dog, and we didn’t know who Sharona was so instead we danced to Rosilita. If any of this is painting a very specific picture, you might have gone to Dickinson College with me. If you did, I liked you and probably still like you.

The years 1979-1983 were our years in Carlisle. As freshmen we knew it was Friday if it was raining when we woke up because it rained every Friday of the fall of 1979. We didn’t let the rain get us down. We gathered at the Morgan rocks and got to know each other.

Don’t blink, that was 44 years go. And no, you don’t look a year over 44 now, I just don’t remember going to college with any new borns. What this all means is that come June we are going to be having our 40th reunion. It is time to make plans to come back to Carlisle and see each other.

Here is the good news about our 40th reunion, all of us have gotten older at exactly the same rate, so no one cares if you look older. Reunions are not about comparing but instead about sharing. I want to share stories with you. I want to tell you what an impact you made on me while we were in school. I want to thank you for a kindness you might have paid to me that made a difference in my day, year, or life, that you didn’t even know you might have done. I want to laugh about all the fun we had.

Today a small group of wonderful friends joined a church Zoom to start planning our reunion. We all could not make the zoom, so be assured there are more people than just these faces who are working on the plans. The most important thing you can do now is put the date on your calendar, June 9 & 10, and find a place to stay. Remember, it’s Carlisle and there are only so many hotels you want to stay in.

I promise you will hear a lot more about this reunion in the coming months. It’s time to reconnect and get to know each other all over again.