Brewsterconnections - Brewster Academy

Regional Alumni ChaptersReturn to “Brewster”By Beth Hayes ‘81On a hot summer day in July a groupof alumni from the Lakes Region andbeyond met at the Pinckney Boathouseto lay the foundation for the first regional chapter– the Lakes Region Alumni Chapter. CandaceCrawshaw ’64, who splits her time betweenSarasota, Florida, and Wolfeboro, inspired the ideaof this local alumni chapter. When in Wolfeboro,Candace is committed to spending quality timewith her Brewster family, friends, and formerclassmates. Working with the Alumni Office,Candace brought her vision to life with the help ofother local alumni.Almost immediately the group established twoevents for September, kicking off with a guidedtour of historic gems in nearby Effingham. Thegroup boarded a Brewster microbus from campusfor the tour, created and narrated by Effinghamhistorian Erik Jones ’93. The group then reflectedon their morning over lunch at an Ossipee Villagerestaurant.The second event was a breakfast gathering in the Estabrook followed bya student-guided tour of the Academic Building. Although these types ofevents occur at Reunion, it was especially fun for alumni to visit the dininghall and Academic Building when they were bustling with students.Regional chapters serve to make local connections among Brewsteralumni, parents, students, and friends. Throughout the country, andaround the world, there are pockets of alumni and friends who share aBrewster bond. Life is full, we all get busy, and folks often don’t see eachother until they gather for Reunion in Wolfeboro and many just don’twant to wait another year or for that special reunion year to see theirformer classmates.The cornerstone of regional chapters will be the leadership andinvolvement of our alumni living in these areas, with Brewster’s AlumniOffice supporting the planning and promotional efforts of chapters.Examples of chapter events may include:Social – comedy club, boat cruise, wine tasting, happy hourAcademic – faculty lectures, seminars, luncheons, guided toursAthletic – professional and Brewster athletic competitionsNetworking – career connections and alumni speakersCommunity service – local volunteer projectsCultural – art museum/zoo/garden tours, symphony events, music festivalsPromotional – school fairs, gatherings for school counselors andconsultants, admissions gatherings, campaign events, phonathonsSouth to New YorkWe looked next to the Big Apple to plant the seeds for the New York AreaRegional Chapter. A brainstorming evening was held in Manhattan in midOctober to establish goals, leadership, and an events calendar for the NewYork Area Regional Chapter. A previously established event took place onOctober 13 – a day of community service with an organization called NewYork Cares. “Team Brewster” joined 6,000 New Yorkers to help revitalize90 public schools, painting murals and classrooms in a Brooklyn school allwhile making a difference with some familiar faces.In early November, a Meet and Greet Brunch was held at NortheasternUniversity with Brewster alumni who are working or attending college inthe Boston area. The group established goals and leaders and discussedevents for the Boston Area Regional Chapter.Chicago and Washington, DC, chapters also are in the works.These chapters are about alumni connecting with each other and sharingtheir Brewster bond, without requiring a trip to Wolfeboro. Although weare always ready for and happy to greet you on your return to campus, wewant to help you make Brewster connections from afar.For more information on Brewster regional chapters, please contact BethHayes ’81 at beth_hayes@brewsteracademy.org or 603-569-7133.www.brewsteracademy.org 11