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Dear Fellow Members of the Princeton Class of 1971:
Re: The Fall 2009 President’s Letter to the Princeton Class of 1971
Once again, I hope you and your families enjoyed a great summer. As fall approaches, I want to bring you up to date on developments last year, review our 38th Reunion this past spring and alert you to various events we have lined up for the coming year.
Review of the Past Year
The past 12 months were tumultuous in the economy and on the political landscape, but the running of the Class went smoothly once again. Our system of using regular conference calls to discuss the full range of class activities among the class officer group continues to work well, and has been boosted by input from several former class officers. Our class hasn’t had the reputation for cohesion and annual giving that some have had – and that’s regrettable – but our officer group is dedicated, hard-working and has been very effective in coordinating events and communication.
Rich Hollingsworth, our Treasurer and de facto Chief Financial Officer, notes that our tiered dues initiative, which gives classmates a choice of giving levels, was once again successful in eliciting a range of donations. (Coincidentally, yes, 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.)
However, Reunions Vice Chair (and former class officer) Jack Hittson has done considerable research on our dues and annual giving trends, and they paint a somewhat unhappy picture. Our dues participation rate last year was just 21.9%, down from 27.3% four years ago. Each classmate has an obligation to help support the general class activities, and that is clearly not happening. I’m asking those who have not been giving to reconsider; dues, in particular, are a vital funding source for class functions, whether or not you attend them. Without fuller support, our 40th Reunion yearbook and other prospective benefits may not materialize. The University does NOT pay for these activities – we do!
Rich adds that in the last fiscal year, 173 classmates (of 789) contributed $18,200. Meanwhile, the class spent $11,400 on the Princeton Alumni Weekly, $3,500 on communications (mailing, website, etc.), and $6,200 on class get-togethers (like reunions cocktail party open to all classmates). Thus, we overspent by $2,900, leaving the class account at $5,000 at the end of the year. Rich argues that a lot of classmates don’t understand the essence of our finances – and I think he’s right.
Our receptions after the fall football games last year were perhaps not as well-attended as in years past – a sign of the economic hard times, maybe – but provided ample opportunity for those attending to see old friends. So, incidentally, has our individual 60th birthdays, which have been the occasion for a number of get-togethers among classmates. You’ll see evidence of that in a number of columns in the PAW this year.
Speaking of 60 – our 38th Reunion had a popular twist, doubling as a collective 60th birthday celebration. Reunion Chair Gary Walsh and co-chair Jack Hittson pulled off a terrific lunch, cocktail reception and dinner that offered a few mementos of the milestone most of all have passed (or will soon). A fuller report on the Reunion can be found on the Class Website, www.princeton1971.org.
Our Annual Giving effort, headed by Podie Lunch and Jon Cieslak, benefitted from a strong group of volunteer classmates but fell short of its monetary and participation goals in a very difficult fund-raising year. Podie notes that the Class raised $200,150 against a goal of $230,000, or 13% below our goal, and garnered 342 donors, for a participation Rate of 43.3%, well short of the goal of 50%. Moreover, we remain among the bottom five of ALL classes in terms of participation. Giving is a vote of confidence in Princeton, and a way of giving back for a priceless education. Unfortunately, too few of us have been willing to acknowledge the importance of such giving.
Podie adds that “we have struggled with our participation rate for some years and, despite early and strong efforts by the largest group of energetic volunteers we have had since the 30th, we needed more support from those Classmates who gave last year but not this."
Podie and Jon want to thank the following classmates for their help in trying to meet this past year’s goals: Henry Barkhorn, Oz Bengur, David Chamberlain, Skip Collins, Tom Crocker, Paul Flowerman, Jim Hart, Ellen Higgins, Jack Hittson, Joel Hoxie, Larry Joachim, Bill Lewis, Kathy Molony, Jamie Pitney, Michael Potter, Scott Rogers, Ned Scudder, Rob Slocum, Randy Snow, Bruce Sokler, Bill Stewart, Tina Sung, Steve Thompson and Bill Zwecker.
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 have gone to children of the class.) Please send donations to Henry C. Barkhorn, Treasurer, 1095 Park Ave., New York NY 10128 or give online at www.Princeton1971.org.
Think about a contribution to The Save the Wildlife Fund (STWLF). Chaired by Stu Rickerson, the STWLF 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. You’ll see information about giving the STWLF on the Class Website.
The separate letter enclosed in this mailing will update you on our efforts to create the 71 Legacy Initiative (71LI). In this effort, we are working closely with Project 55, the highly successful and widely recognized non-profit that has been funding fellowships and internships for young Princetonians for many years. Please look through the letter and let me or David Williams know if you have any ideas, recommendations or would be interested in getting involved. We are in the process of organizing the program now. This really could be the biggest and most meaningful program our class may ever be involved with.
What Lies Ahead for 2009-10
Those old reliables, the fall football games, are once again an opportunity for classmates to get together – and root for the Tigers, of course. We hope to see as many classmates as possible at the Princeton-Harvard game, this year in Cambridge, on Oct. 24. Princeton Association of New England (PANE) is once again organizing a Tiger Tent extravaganza, and '71 plans to participate. For more information, please contact our Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, Kathy Molony, at Kathy@pu71.org.
Three weeks later comes our annual class reception at the Tiger Inn Library, immediately following the Princeton-Yale football game on Saturday, Nov. 14. 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 cappella singing groups.
As previously noted, Kathy Molony is spearheading an effort, together with other members of the management team, to reexamine the provisions of the Class of 1971 Constitution, the present form of which was adopted in 1985. This examination will recommend the best manner in which to memorialize procedures for the selection, election and appointment of class officers, the process for the filling of unexpired terms of offices of the class and other procedural requirements pertaining to the management of the Class of 1971. These recommendations will be forthcoming shortly and will be shared with the class.
Make a point of periodically checking out the ’71 Web site, which has news about upcoming and archived events and profiles of classmates written by our Secretary, Jeff Marshall. I’m proud of my role as class Webmaster, and I think you’ll find that the site easy to navigate. Please check it out at www.princeton1971.org.
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…
Periodically, I find myself making an appeal to classmates to consider sending news about yourself and your family to Class Secretary Jeff Marshall at secretary@pu71.org. Jeff welcomes any and all contributions, and is especially interested in hearing from people who have not submitted any news in recent years.
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, who e-mail addresses are on the Class Website – www.princeton1971.org/contact/ .
Warmest regards to you and your families!
Bill Lewis
'71
President – Princeton Class of 1971
Chairman – 71 Legacy Initiative
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