Thursday, May 28, 2009

No. 103


A New U

Greetings classmates! Yes, the UNews has a new look. Now it will be easier for everyone to respond to news items without sending multiple and redundant emails. Also, it should cut down on some on the bounce-backs from corporate email accounts with firewalls.

If any of you have other ideas on how to make this new format more user friendly, please leave a comment at the end of this post. Everyone will have access to the comments, but only I can administer the site. If you have your own blog, please feel free to send me the link so I can add it to the sidebar.

Additionally, instead of just doing a monthly newsletter as we approach our 30th reunion, this site will be updated as news comes in. I will try to send out reminders but you can be sure to receive the latest news if you become a follower. Just click on the "followers" icon on the right-hand side of the page.

Now, on with the news!

REUNION NEWS


Planning Ahead

As you all know by now our host hotel for the 2009 homecoming weekend is the Crowne Plaza, formerly the Radisson, which is just steps away from campus. Although the Ubiquity room block has been sold out, Class Leader Andre DeBose says that there are still rooms available at the reduced rate of $119 a night if you ring the hotel directly at 757-727-9700.

The Reunion Committee is currently working hard to make sure our 30th reunion is a memorable occasion. A State of the Reunion letter will possibly be posted in the next week.

CLASS NEWS

The Next Generation

It's that time of year when our kids are doing their thing. Congratulations go out to: Melody Harrison, daughter of Valerie Milsap Harrison, who was just accepted at the Savannah College of Art and Design in the visual arts department. If she likes it she'll be invited to join the incoming freshman class next year.

Kalvin Hicks Jr. (a.k.a. PJ), made his mom Mary Radden Hicks proud on May 10 when he graduated from Hampton with a degree in political science; also graduating was Channing Parham, daughter of Darlene Fuller Parham; Parris Young, son of Bill Young, graduated from Middleton High School on May 26 and is heading to the Philadelphia School of the Arts; Bill's daughter, Elyssa, is finishing up her third year at the Culinary Institute in New York and Bill is working with Hampton's own Willie Brown (and his dummy Woody) as a writer! Willie is currently working on Shelly Garrett's "Beauty Shop 2009" and touring.

And Morgan Stith, daughter of David Stith, will be attending UVA on a soccer ride this fall. If there are any more graduates or accomplishments, please click the comments link at the end of this post.

Birthdays

June

Carolyn Harris Brown, June 2
Cindy Woods Ward Pearson, June 10
Michael Prewitt, June 17
Terri Lawrence, June 25
Larry Butler, June 26
Willeta Monroe Sawyer, June 27
Brett Pulley, June 28
Sheila McNeill-Lee, June 30

July

Marcia Fields Milton, July 6
Joyce Wilson, July 6
Chan Phillips, July 10
Charlene Alexander-Taylor, July 10
Margaret Colden-Stanfield, July 10
Rhonda Hoskins Bush, July 10
Chuck Dortch, July 18
Kenny Boone, July 24

REUNION WEEKEND

By now we've all seen the hundreds of photos of Reunion Weekend '09 circulated by various members of the class of '79. Here are a few sent in by Dyanne Boone Baldwin of the new Proton Center and other such memorable events.