Regina C. McCombs
Welcome summer! I don’t know about you but I am really enjoying the warmer weather.
Before getting into the class news I just wanted to remind you that our 40th Reunion will be here before you know it. The Reunion will be October 25-27, 2019. Your class officers and the Alumni Association have been working really hard to plan some fun events. As I write this column (it is January) all the details have not been worked out but I know that there will be tailgating, football, some nice meals, and lots of walking down memory lane. There are new places on campus to check out and old haunts to visit. This is truly a case of “the more the merrier” so speak to your friends and gather a group to come to Orono in the fall! Join our class’s Facebook group for more information.
Here is some news from our classmates:
David Bacon has joined CMA Engineers, based in Portsmouth, NH, as its chief structural engineer. He will be overseeing projects in northern New England. David has extensive engineering experience, including eight years as the project manager for the design of seven tunnel construction projects for the Central Artery project in Boston. He also oversaw the planning for more than 1,000 miles of proposed interstate highway improvements in Texas and was the construction manager for various projects in the Middle East.
Tim and Debbie Bishop’s book Wheels of Wisdom: Life Lessons for the Restless Spirit continues to rack up awards. The book captures 52 “aha moments” from the Bishops’ bicycling adventures. They are now up to eight awards; the newest ones include: Best Book Award 2018 in the Christian Inspirational genre, winner, 2018 Next Generation Indie Book Awards, Christian Nonfiction, bronze medal 2018 Illumination Book Awards, Devotional and Bronze Medal, 2018 Independent Publisher Awards, and Personal E-book. Congratulations!
Donna Teal Harvey shared an interesting and funny story that I am passing on to you. She was the girl who lived in the men’s bathroom her freshman year. She arrived at Chadbourne Hall to find that too many students were admitted — more than there was available on-campus housing. If you remember, singles were doubled up, double rooms were tripled, and others were put in washrooms and study rooms.
“At the time of UMO dorm check-in to Chadbourne Hall in the fall of 1975, I was almost in tears to find my room was the men’s bathroom,” she recalls. “The very kind janitor reassured my parents that he would have a bed set up, study desk, and bookcase in my room before I got back from band practice.”
Donna was assigned to Room 119, the first floor lobby men’s bathroom across from the TV lounge. Her room had a frosted window, and she had her own stall, sink, mirror, and private toilet (with no urinal — she was grateful for that!) but no closet to hang all the items a nursing student and marching band member needed.
She did get some special visitors who wanted to meet the girl who lived in the boys’ bathroom.
Since that time, Chadbourne has been renovated to house a number of university departments, rather than serving as a residence hall. Donna’s old room is now an office — and has no plumbing.
Hope to see many of you at our 40th Reunion!