61 Eleanor “Ellie” Rubin Charwat ( Poughkeepsie, NY) has been retired from the School of Adult Education at Marist College in Poughkeepsie since 1997. Since then she has been a consultant for government and nonprofit agencies and has authored two books, A Life Well Lived: A Memoir, and Small Town Lawyer: Highlights of Nathaniel Rubin’s Career. The latter is about Ellie’s dad, Nathaniel Rubin ’28, JD ’30, who practiced law in Poughkeepsie for 58 years. Contact Ellie at echarwat@yahoo.com for copies. Ellie is now fully retired and enjoys being a grandmother to five lovely children, ages 1-5, who live in New Hampshire and North Carolina. She spends time with husband Martin in their condo in Point Judith, RI, and together they travel the world. Recent trips included India and Turkey. While in Berlin they visited classmate Shirley Bochner von Buiren. Ellie is still active in community organizations, the AAUW, and the local historical society, and has been a trustee for ten years of the Public Library District. She is one busy lady. Another candidate for the 100-hour day. Thanks to you, Ellie, I can now spell Poughkeepsie.

Gerry Rappe wrote to tell us that he had moved from New Hyde Park, NY, to Fleetwood, NC. He lives on the side of a mountain and says it is absolutely gorgeous. He writes, “Am I retired? Of course not! I manufacture fuel-enhancing products for gasoline and diesel engines. Since these really perform, I am busier than a one-legged man at a fanny kicking contest.” (Hope this gets past the censors, Gerry.) He invites you to contact him if you’re in the area (www.aspengoldfuelenhancer.com). Gerry offers another quote from John C. Maxwell: “I judge the success of each day, not by the harvest I reap but by the seeds I sow. If you are always sowing seeds, the harvest is guaranteed.”

Bill Magee, Oneida, NY is another busy man,. He has three addresses in New York – Oneida, Cazenovia, and Albany – and is a member of the 111^th Assembly District of the State of New York and chairman of the Agriculture Committee. He is also an auctioneer. Bill says he would like to hear from Prof. Stan Warren and from anyone who remembers him. Here’s a hello from me, Bill. I remember you. If you remember Bill, write him at 641 Legislature Office Bldg., Albany, NY 12248. Hope you get a few letters, Bill. Keep up the good work in the Assembly.

George Ekstrom, Churchville, PA, retired in 1997 after 40 years with the same company. He had a variety of research and development assignments in several states. A varsity athlete, George was on the football and track teams. He was fortunate enough to win a doctoral fellowship which he used at Purdue. Bill Onorato, McLean, VA, sends his website for your interest (www.wtoconsulting.com). I pulled it up and found that Bill has traveled worldwide. Drop us a line and share your world with us, Bill.

Joanne Schapiro Koch and Sarah Blacher Cohen have published a book entitled Shared Stages: Ten American Dramas of Blacks and Jews (SUNY Press). Cornellians are especially invited to celebrate this publication by a fellow classmate. Shared Stages brings together ten of the best contemporary American plays that dramatize the explosive relationship of blacks and Jews in American society. My best wishes on the publication’s success. Dave Kessler (NYC) has a new adventure to report. It seems that Cornell Plantations invited Dave and 29 others to tour the gardens of Yaddo in Saratoga Springs, NY, created by Spencer Trask, a New York financier and philanthropist. The immense Italian Classical-style gardens are now the site of a “working artist” colony. Artists and writers who have worked at Yaddo have won 61 Pulitzer Prizes, 56 National Book Awards, 22 National Book Critics Circle Awards, A Nobel Prize and numerous other awards. Working artists have included John Cheever, Leonard Bernstein, James Baldwin, Truman Capote, Aaron Copeland, Sylvia Plath, Katherine Ann Porter, Mario Puzo, and many, many more.

Joel Blatt (NYC) is an associate professor of European history at the U. of Connecticut, Stamford. He participates in recreational tennis and won, for the third consecutive time, the over-60 men’s singles at the Mullaly Open Tennis Competition in the Bronx. Congratulations, Joel! As always I urge you to send us your news. We can’t do this without you! Thanks again to Larry Wheeler for a fantastic website.

Joanna McCully, joannacelticlady@aol.com; and Doug Fuss, dougout@attglobal.net. Class Website, http://www.cornell61.org.