President's Message August 2020

“Was that a pivotal historical moment

We just went stumbling past?
Here we are
Dancing in the rumbling dark
So come a little closer
Give me something to grasp
Give me your beautiful, crumbling heart

Another disaster
Catharsis
Another half-discarded mirage
Another mask slips

Now I don't have the answers
But there are still things to say

I stare out at my city on another difficult day
And I scream inwardly
When will this change

I'm beginning to fade
But my sanity's saved, 'cause I can see your faces
My sanity's saved
'Cause I can see your faces”

 Excerpts from Kate Tempest – “People's Faces” 

 
Yes, we are living through a pivotal, unprecedented historical moment for all of us. Hopefully we’re not stumbling. Based on all the information we have and with the full concurrence of the LSAA board of Directors, we have to postpone the 2020 reunion until 2021. How’s that for a pivotal, historical moment ?!?! Still, I can’t wait to see your faces!

Thus, the next reunion is –

15 & 16 OCT 2021 and … we’ll have both the class of 1970 and 1971 celebrating their 50^th legacy reunion.

 The reasons for postponing are numerous and compelling, but the obvious ones are – the LSAA attendees represent the most vulnerable class of individuals by virtue of age, and an assembly such as ours would be reckless unless and until a vaccine is available and widely administered; it is at best uncertain as to whether Shakespeare & Co, the Lenox Club, or Trinity Church would even be in a position to support or even allow a reunion gathering; the flare ups that seem to occur may result in restrictions imposed by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts for self quarantine upon entering the state, etc. Planning a reunion in 2020 would be a triumph of hope over reason.

Which brings me to the other points I need to share:

• We’re still an active organization!

• We have made 4 scholarship donations this year (two to Miss Hall’s and two to BCD).

• We have made two separate donations to Shakespeare and Co during this trying time to help them weather the storm; along with two separate donations to Trinity Church.

• In parallel, we will still need funding (via tax deductible contributions to LSAA) for the next few years to support our administrative costs (printing the P&S, making donations, awarding scholarships, etc.).

• PLEASE! -- We need your membership dues ($30).

• We still seek nominations for the LSAA Hall of fame for the 2021 reunion.

• The memorabilia chronicling and disposition plan is nearly complete. We have a number of options regarding what we will do with the items, and these include but are not limited to: finding a permanent display or storage location via historical societies, etc.; returning items to donors who want them; offering them for sale to alums; general sale of items to the public.

• The website effort to inventory, and prepare for digitizing the important papers and images of other memorabilia has progressed under the incredible efforts of Randy Harris.

“Tough times never last, but tough people do.”–

Robert Schuller

 It bears saying again – Lenox Strong - refusing to be victims; we’re survivors. 

Next Reunion –

15 & 16 OCT 2021!!

- “Be There!!”

Class of 1970, 1965, 1960, 1955, 1950 and 1945 … stay strong! We’ll see you in a year!