Daniel Chadwick: It's been a hard couple of decades in Flying Squirrel world, but I'm pleased to share that I just completed editing my first full length book of poetry and have submitted it to a local publisher (Green Writers Press) for a first-book contest they run in conjunction with an organization called the Sundog Poetry Center. Both of these are based in the state of Vermont, where I now make my home; in the city of Burlington, in fact (home of the world's tallest filing cabinet) where I'd be delighted to welcome any Kenyon friends who might be passing through. And (or) if you just want to get in touch, I'd love to hear from you! Email at
Daniel.H.Chadwick@gmail.com is probably best; I'm still pretty scatter headed, but I generally remember to check it at least once a week.
Christian Ehrbar: I’m pleased to report that two Kenyon classmates migrated to Massachusetts recently. First,
David Elliott, long-time New Yorker, was lured to Lincoln, Massachusetts by
Liz Brown ’92 who studied a couple years at Kenyon. I saw Dave on the job as Artistic Director at the illustrious Cape Cod Playhouse.
Murder on the Orient Express was fun, but seeing Dave and meeting Liz was the real treat. Next, I need to meet up with
Dan Hirsh and do some biking in his new area out in Western Massachusetts.
All’s well with the Ehrbars, but any hope of a fourth-generation legacy at Kenyon seems lost. My youngest has other interests, like producing music in Norway. The older two are done or almost done with college now. I’ve been in the robotic automation business about 2 years now. Should be interesting from here. As with self-driving cars, the progress is amazing, but they haven’t taken over very much … yet.
As for
Dan Chadwick’s fun report on the world’s tallest filing cabinet, I confirm it’s real. Saw it over the Summer visiting my daughter at UVM. Cool, random and apropos of Burlington, Vermont in general. Not keen on tourist kitsch? Enjoy a local brew at the brewery and beer garden next door.
David Elliott: I celebrated my 1-year anniversary to
Liz Brown (who matriculated at Kenyon in '88 and later graduated from Smith) on the same day I helped close the final performance of
The Fantasticks to end my first season as Artistic Director at The Cape Playhouse in Dennis, MA. What an incredible year it has been! If you come to the Cape next summer, make sure to visit me at the Playhouse.
Chris Falkenberg: My recent Kenyon highlight was coffee with
Jane Collins Howell, at Emory University last Fall as I dropped my eldest off for her freshman year. As both an Emory parent and staff member, there could be no better friend to have in a new place. Now that we are spending more time in Atlanta, I've been fortunate to see
John Loud a few times as well. Back in New York, I continue to run a security business and my wife Kai and I have one more at home in high school. I've been able to see
Bob Melican and
Kara Glynn in New York as things have opened back up.
Julia Griner: We have officially retired! As for many, the last couple of years have been tough and between covid, energy crises, changing world travel patterns and price hikes on all sides our little cooking school has not been able to weather the storm. It is bittersweet but since we have both worked for 40 years now, and we figure, we are due for retirement. We continue to work in the food world. We just tested all the recipes for the
Pasta Grannies cookbook n.2 and I remain the go to expert on pasta making for that project. So, we won't be idle ... but for now we will no longer be entrepreneurs. Ahimé, as they say in Italian.
On a happy note, I reconnected with
Karen Devine who lives outside Bologna and is a masseuse extraordinaire! She and her husband have found a small corner of paradise in the Hills outside the city. It was wonderful to catch up. I hope to see her again soon.
Dan Hirsh: Although I continue to go back to Boulder, CO about once a month, Amherst, Massachusetts is now home! Our son, Josh, started at Pitt in the fall and our daughter, Anna, is in her senior year at Brandeis, so it was a good time to move east to be closer to family. I’m looking forward to being able to spend more time with Kenyon friends like
Christian Ehrbar, working with new photography clients, and photographing the Northeast fall. Please get in touch if you’re in the area!
Brendan Keefe: After eight years at the Atlanta NBC station, I've gone “across the street” to the competition. I'm now the Chief Investigator for Atlanta News First at the local CBS station, owned by Atlanta-based Gray Television. So far in my journalism career, I've won the Peabody Award, duPont-Columbia Award, six National Edward R. Murrow Awards and the Hillman Prize. My work has been recognized with 123 Regional Emmys and a National Emmy Award for investigative reporting. All the accolades are great, but the real reward is changing laws and sending corrupt officials to prison. This year my work resulted in a new state law in Georgia requiring all 911 dispatchers to receive annual training to give CPR instructions over the phone. Last year, we got every 911 dispatcher at the busiest airport in the world trained as Emergency Medical Dispatchers after several passengers at ATL died from heart attacks. My wife, Tiffany, is studying for her Series 7 exam to become a wealth advisor as she reinvents herself at age 50. Our son, Ian, is 15 now and is considering colleges in Ireland. Our daughter, Mackenzie, is 12 years old and has Early-Onset Teenager! I talk often with
Dr. Michael Mullen and many members of the K80s Facebook group.
Thomas Klein: I have enjoyed getting to know Nell Flanders,
Kate Flanders' sister, and the symphony director at Idaho State University. I got to see Kate when she helped her sister move in. Otherwise, Lucinda and I are doing well, and I recently enjoyed "running" the Pikes Peak Marathon, which I first heard about when I was a Kenyon student!
Jamey Koratsis: I’m doing fine. My daughter started at Fordham this fall and is playing softball. My boy is a freshman in high school running XC and playing in the marching band. Our schedule is too full.
Jeffrey Kulichik: I am still living in the Syracuse, NY area we moved to when I was seven. I am a huge SU and New England sports fan still! I've donated over 28 gallons of blood, plasma and platelets to the Red Cross. For 9 years I shaved my head for childhood cancer research through St. Baldrick's, raising over $18,000. I would love my fellow Kenyonites to help me hit this year's goal through my webpage.
www.stbaldricks.org/participants/bravetheshave22
Jon Rakestraw (Babylon): Traveled this summer to souks in Morocco, plus sacred sites in UK and Portugal. Now revising a movie script and working at Europa Crust Bakery in Richmond, VA.
Jenny Thurber (Ross): I was recently promoted to Director of Student Services at Davenport University. I also received a Milestone Award for 20 years of service to the organization. My husband,
John Thurber met
Sean Ward in Orlando in March for a trip to Walt Disney World. John later traveled to Milwaukee in May to visit
Todd Van Fossen and tour the Harley Davidson Museum. John and I celebrated our 24th wedding anniversary on June 6!
Peter Whitcopf: After recovering from COVID-19 in 2020, my ataxia, a movement disorder which I have had since 2017, became much worse. I moved to the Atlanta, GA area to be closer to my parents and sister. I went to the 43022 gathering and met several alums who were both much older and younger than me, but missed most of the people who were on campus when I was.
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Hopefully you enjoyed catching up on the news of classmates connecting, artistic and work accomplishments, various feats of strength and compassion, our children growing up, folks retiring (yes, if you can believe it) and other life changes we are all going through, the good, the not so good and otherwise.
Think about what news you want to share with classmates far and near in the Spring!
Yours like Kokosing,
Christian Ehrbar
