Good news for this edition of Class Notes. At the annual CALC meeting held in Baltimore, Rosanna and Marshall Frank were announced as the recipients of the William "Bill" Vanneman '31 Outstanding Class Leader Award. This award recognizes Cornell alumni "Who, in their capacity as class officers, have provided long-term, exemplary service to the university and to their individual classes."  Our remarkable classmates, Marshall Frank and Rosanna Frank, were presented this award for their many contributions to our class and to the Cornell community, the first recipients younger than the 50s classes. In her remarks Rosanna urged young alumni to participate in reunion activities and, with her usual wit, promised that on our 75th reunion she would make a circuit of the Arts quad with the "Grand Marshall" piloting her wheel chair. With his characteristic precision, Marshall commented that in our graduating class, 326 classmates married Cornellians, with 38 couples both from the class of '61. Congratulations and sincere thanks go to Marshall and Rosanna.

Now, more comments on the CALC meeting from class president Dick Tatlow. “I arrived on Thursday evening for the Cornell Alumni Leadership Conference known as CALC. I was picked up by Robin Bissell and wife Sandy. After checking in at the Renaissance Hotel, we went to dinner joined by Alex Vollmer ’62, MCE ‘54 and Jeanie Lahey Johnson ’60. Starting the festivities by being with long time old friends was perfect. Alumni Affairs hosted the opening session Friday afternoon, followed by a cocktail reception. All totaled there were 675 people at the meeting. The reception was followed by a Class of 61 dinner attended by six people including Kate Freyer our Engagement Officer, Dick Tatlow, Pauline Sutta Degenfelder and husband Joe’60, Marshall and Rosanna Frank. The Class Meeting followed Saturday breakfast with our four classmates and Carol Gittlin Franklin by phone.”

A major topic of the Class Meeting concerned Reunion Planning. Reunion Chair Pauline Degenfelder provided the following summary. “Our discussion included a review of a post-reunion survey findings. Respondents highly rated our 55th in areas of opportunities for catching up with friends, programs, food, event venues, and pre-reunion communications. As for programs for our 60th, respondents urged emphasizing the many substantive University-sponsored events, with the possibility of a class-specific event such as a faculty member's presentation or a panel of classmates who have written books. Pauline Degenfelder and Carol Franklin welcome your ideas and interest in working on reunion planning (pdegenfeld@aol.com and cgfranklin@aol.com.)” We can also add that Pauline and Carol have been joined by Jim Moore, LLB ’64, as a Reunion Co-Chair. Jim attended our pre-reunion get together last fall in Savannah and was part of our 55^th on campus. Welcome Jim!

Recently, an email arrived in my inbox from Jon Greenleaf as follows, “I'm a counselor with SCORE, an organization dedicated to counseling small and start-up businesses by retired executives. I serve on the board and executive committee of the Santa Barbara Symphony and also manage our small real estate investment company with properties in Charlotte, NC. As a hobby I build dollhouses which are donated to The Teddy Bear Foundation, an organization aiding families with a cancer-afflicted child. Finally, I am a serious photographer constantly trying to find a creative niche for myself and become reasonably proficient in Photoshop. My wife, Barbara (Vassar '63) recently retired from Antioch University. She now writes a blog titled Parents of Grown Offspring, to provide a forum for parents to discuss their relationships with their adult children. Our older daughter is a homemaker in Northridge, CA. The younger one is a TV personality with WNBC-TV in New York. Her program, "Talk Stoop with Cat Greenleaf,” interviews A+level celebrities on the stoop of her Brooklyn brownstone, and is broadcast over the NBC and USA networks. I've recently been in touch with Ed Furtick, Dave Klein, Peter Greenberg and Peter Brandeis from our class, and will soon be visiting Rita ('62) and Kent Gershengorn in the Bay area.  An additional comment from your class columnist, “I have also been engaged with SCORE and was presented, this morning, with a fifteen year Service Award. This has been a fine volunteer organization.”

Another email arrived from classmate Hank Dullea, Cornell Vice President for University Relations Emeritus. “I’ve just concluded a four-year term on the Board of Trustees of the State University of New York (SUNY) system. In the year ahead, I’ll be working with the Rockefeller Institute of Government in Albany, making presentations in support of the upcoming November referendum on holding a state constitutional convention.  Having a grandson, Joe Dullea, here in Ithaca as a Cornell sophomore has been a real treat; my wife Sally Gilligan ’63 and I are learning a lot about the Cornell Club Men’s Hockey team and Army ROTC.”

Gus Kappler, MD ‘65 contacted me concerning alumni data. It turns out Gus was hosting a book signing in late March at Shakespeare and Company. He sent an electronic copy of the event invitation. I found the topic to be moving. I have included the text. AUTHOR’S TALK: Welcome Home from Vietnam, Finally. Gus Kappler is a former army surgeon. Drafted during the Vietnam War, he saw first-hand the devastation of war on body, mind and soul. His deeply empathetic and sometimes humorous account of this period forms the basis of his memoir. Dr. Kappler understands the conflicting moral codes of war and peace better than anyone and the wrenching anxieties of veterans who have to adapt anew to civilian life. He is now actively involved in Veterans Affairs and in the prevention of PTSD and suicide.

Keep your notes and emails coming to us for future columns. dougout@attglobal.net ; sastevens61@gmail.com