Alma Matters
ALMA MATTERS REGIONAL CLUBS
CENTRAL FLORIDA--Sept. 12: Some 30 area alumni and friends attended an organizational meeting at J. B.'s Sports Restaurant.
CENTRAL INDIANA--Sept. 21: About 40 area alumni and friends participated in the 5th Annual Away Game Bus Trip, for the third time to Notre Dame. Prizes were raffled during the trip, which raised more than $415 for the club's scholarship fund.
CINCINNATI--Oct. 26: 65 area alumni and friends attended the MSU-Ohio State game in Columbus.
Dec. 7: Nearly 150 alumni and friends from the area, as well as Dayton, Columbus, Louisville and Central Indiana attended the MSU-Dayton basketball game in Dayton.
DAYTON--(Correction: At the July 17 meeting, the following were elected officers: Roger Sucharski, president; Patricia Leyden, vice president; George Smith, treasurer; and Kristine Tobin, secretary. Elected to the Board of Directors were Caroline Buckey, Jeff Hawkins, Annelle Lewis, Charles Metcalf, and John Missal.
EASTERN WAYNE--Jan. 23: About 70 alumni attended the annual meeting at Harper Woods Community Center. Special guests were MSUAA associate director Keith Williams and assistant director Susan Zimmerman.
GREATER ATLANTA--Oct. 17: More than 100 area alumni and friends attended the annual meeting, held in the Spartan wing of the Famous Faces Pub in Atlanta. Special guests included 'Rocky' Lane (see photo, holding a sweatshirt), a welterweight who made the 1956 U.S. Boxing Team at the Melbourne Olympics. Guest speaker for the evening was Robert Bao, editor of the MSU Alumni Magazine. In the photo are (l to r) Doug Smart, former presidents Judy and Gary Babiarz, Laura and John Klein, president-elect James Alexander, and editor Robert Bao.
GREATER NEW YORK--Nov. 11: About two dozen MSU alumni attended a concert by the Detroit Symphony Orchestra at Carnegie Hall. The reception was held at the Russian Tea Room.
Jan. 27: Some 1,200 area alumni and friends attended by special invitation a concert by MSU's Chamber Orchestra and Chorale at Lincoln Center. Following the concert, part of a year-long Mozart festival, a coffee and dessert reception was held. Special university guests included MSU president John DiBiaggio and MSUAA associate director Keith Williams.
ILLINOIS--Oct. 27: About 22 area alumni and friends attended the Chicago Supernatural Halloween Bus Tour to visit the grave of Al Capone, Woodlawn Cemetery; Shawmen's Rest, where victims of a 1918 circus train wreck are buried; and the 'Ghost of Resurrection Mary' in Resurrection Cemetery. Richard Crave, ghost hunter, was the host.
KALAMAZOO--About 50 area alumni and friends attended the Notre Dame game by bus. The biannual event raised $350 for the club's scholarship fund.
LAPEER/ST. CLAIR--Oct. 7-10: The 4th Annual Blood Battle between MSU and U-M drew 140 participants to the St. Clair County chapter of the American Red Cross. MSU creamed Michigan 65-31, the highest winning score in four years. 44 blood donors remained neutral.
NORTH FLORIDA--Nov. 3: Nearly 50 area alumni and friends attended the fall meeting, an 'International Affair' with covered dishes. President Gerald Dake presented a Founders Award plaque to Earl and Helen Hoekenga for helping to start the club.
NORTHWEST OHIO--Sept. 11: The 3rd Annual Kick-Off Party was organized by Jim Sciarini to introduce area MSU students and their parents to each other. Following the social hour the club provided food and refreshments. Each student received a directory of all Northwest Ohio students bound for MSU. Sept. 28: The club's 3rd Annual Tailgate Party was held at the Abrams Planetarium lot, giving area alumni a chance to renew friendships and meet new people.
OAKLAND--Nov. 9: More than 100 area alumni and friends attended the Annual Wine-Tasting Social, organized by Ross D. Leonard and featuring wine expert Mike Amine.
OCEANA--More than 30 alumni and friends attended the 1st Annual Student Recognition Night at the Congregational Church Fellowship Center in Shelby. The event featured Jack Siebold, MSU associate director of admissions, who gave a talk and slide show to answer questions from prospective MSU students and their parents.
SARASOTA/BRADENTON, FLORIDA--Sept. 21: Some 40 area alumni and friends gathered at Sharkey's On The Pier in Venice, FL, to watch the MSU-Notre Dame football game.
SOUTH TEXAS--Oct. 26: About 40 people attended the 1st Annual Big Ten Party, sponsored by Bill Morris. The event proved to be enjoyable.
TUCSON--Oct. 12: About 75 people attended the Annual MSU/U-M Tailgate Party at Jeff's Pub. Special guest was William Kenney, MSU associate director of financial aids. Prior to the game, a board meeting was held.
Jan. 25: About 35 area alumni and friends attended the Annual Dinner at the Ramada Inn. Featured speakers were Kathy Kucinski, who had accepted a posthumous Alumni Distinguished Service award for her late husband Ken, a founder of the club, and Larry Bielat, administrative assistant to MSU football.
WASHTENAW--Oct. 5: Nancy Neal, Kathy Dunlap, Dave Wenner, Dave Anderson, Hal Wendelken, Greg Marks, and Scott Loney participated in the M-DOT Adopt-A-Highway Program and cleaned a three-mile stretch of I-94 leading into Ann Arbor. The group cleared more than 50 bags of trash in their second roadside cleanup of the year.
WEST MICHIGAN--Nov. 14: A luncheon honoring the club's Outstanding Junior Awards was held at the University Club, Grand Rapids. President John DiBiaggio made the presentations.
Dec. 7: The Annual Christmas Tree Cutting took place at Lenderink's Tree Farm, Rockford.
WESTERN METRO-DETROIT--Oct. 12: More than 300 alumni and friends attended the Annual Tailgate Event at Demonstration Hall, held in conjunction with the Washtenaw County club. The event featured the MSU Marching Band, MSU Motion, MSU Cheerleaders and 'Sparty.' The event is a fundraiser for the club's scholarship fund for students at Schoolcraft Community College who transfer to MSU.
WISCONSIN--Oct. 5: About 50 alumni and friends attended a reception for MSU President John DiBiaggio, who spoke at ceremonies installing Sister Mary Lea Schneider as president of Cardinal Stritch College. Club president Norman Tuscany gave an update for the club's endowed scholarship program.
COMING EVENTS
GRAND TRAVERSE--May 22: 12th Annual Alumni Scholarship Golf Tournament and Spring Dinner will he held at High Pointe Country Club with dinner at the Waterfront.
July 1: Final National Cherry Festival activities will be held under the Dome at Park Place Hotel downtown. For reservations, contact Dave, 616-938-9305; Marilyn, 929-2349; or Krupka's, 946-8154.
WEST MICHIGAN--June 8: The Annual Golf Outing has been tentatively scheduled at Egypt Valley Country Club. The new course was designed by Art Hills, currently 'golf's hottest architect' , who recently modernized MSU's Forest Akers West.
CONSTITUENT ASSOCIATIONS HOTEL, RESTAURANT AND INSTITUTIONAL MANAGEMENT--The HRIMAA conferred the 1990 Alumnus of the Year award on Bennett J. Schwartz, '72, vice president and partner of Harper Associates, and the 1990 Honorary Alumnus of the Year award on Michel Roux, president and CEO of Carillon Importers. In addition, at its 1991 May reception, the HRIMAA presented board member Mary Ellen Young, '84, with a special leadership and service award.
EDUCATION-- Judith Lanier, dean of COE, Laura Frasier, English and communication teacher at Downers Grove North High School, Downers Grove, IL, winner of the COEAA's 1991 Outstanding First Year Teacher Award, and Mary Lee Gwizdala, president of COEAA's board of directors.
