92 Chronicle Fall02 for Web - Berry College

SPOTLIGHTALUMNIMEETING NEEDS IS MUSIC TO HIS EARSWhen the citizens of Austin,Texas, recently celebratedPeyton Wimmer Day, theyapplauded the selfless success of a manwho saw a need and worked tirelessly tomeet it. That success, according to thehonoree, 1981 Berry College graduatePeyton Wimmer, was grounded in thelessons of Martha Berry and her schools.Seven years ago, Peyton joined aneffort to turn the tragic death-by-suicideof a fellow musician into momentum toprovide accessible mental health servicesto local musicians. In Austin, known asthe Live Music Capital of the World,musicians represent a large, medicallyunderserved population. A trainedtherapist as well as a songwriter andmusician, Peyton became director of thenew Sims Foundation, an organizationfunded by grants andgifts that providestherapeutic case managementand a network of mental healthsupport services for musicians.Peyton described his earlyefforts for the foundation as“working on a shoestring butaspiring to someday haveshoes.” He said that he hasbeen called the “King ofLeverage” in securing fundingfor needed services andinsists he learned it all fromBerry.“I have told the story ofMartha Berry over and overagain,” he said, “as I haveassured donors that we will get aminimum of three to five dollars worth ofbenefit out of each dollar they give.”He added that the music communityitself is the foundation’s greatestsupporter, also a lesson he learned atBerry, where “everyone was working inone way or another.”Now that the Sims Foundation is wellestablished, Peyton has turned his effortsto launching a new foundation aimed atmeeting the physical health care needs ofmusicians. Dr. Jack McConnell, theinventor of Tylenol who establishedVolunteers in Medicine — anorganization powered by retired healthprofessionals — and whose son PaigeMcConnell is keyboard player for thepopular band Phish, is his mentor in theproject. Martha Berry remains his rolemodel.It was his departure from the SimsFoundation that triggered PeytonCity councilman Raul Alvarez, right,presents Peyton Wimmer a proclamationthat names June 1, 2002, Peyton WimmerDay in Austin, Texas.Six-year-old Milo Wimmer, center, jams with his father,Peyton, second from left, during the Peyton Wimmer Daycelebration in Austin, Texas.Wimmer Day in Austin, which wascelebrated by the mayor and city councilas well as by several staterepresentatives and many members ofthe music community. “Thank youPeyton,” read a newspaperadvertisement signed by many —including Willie Nelson, “for saving lives,mending hearts and soothing souls forthe community of Austin musicians andtheir families.”“When I left Berry, I thought I wouldchange the world through my songlyrics,” he stated. “I don’t perform muchnow — usually only in fundraisers —but the spirit of my lyrics comes throughin my work.”Peyton and his wife, Karen, havethree children: Milo, 6; Lucy, 4; andWendy, 2. In addition to his degree fromBerry, he holds a master’s degree incounseling from Southwest TexasUniversity. He invites his fellow alumnito follow the progress of his clinic atmedicino.org and to e-mail him atpeyton@medicino.org. ■— KARILON L. ROGERSPAUL O’MARAALUMNI CELEBRATE BERRY’S CENTENNIAL IN STYLEMore than 500 guests dined and danced the night away at the Centennial Alumni Gala incelebration of Berry’s 100th birthday. The evening culminated with the cutting of a largebirthday cake, complete with confetti-firing cannons and dozens of balloons falling from theceiling of the Forum in Rome.A total of 650 alumni and friends tookpart in Alumni Weekend, with highlightsincluding 12 class reunions, two booksignings and the installation anddedication of a new Georgia historicalmarker at the Old Mill.Headlining the weekend was theproduction of Martha!, a multimediamusical about the life of Martha Berry.The musical, written by Jim Way (52C,FFS) and directed by Robert Adams(94C, FS), featured scores of talentedBerry alumni, faculty, staff, studentsand friends.Photo highlights from theproduction can be seen atYoung Martha Berry, portrayed by Elizabeth Schenck (02C),centennial.berry.edu/martha.htm. bids farewell to her beau, played by Albert Coley (03c).The Forum provided an elegant setting for the Alumni Gala.9PAUL O’MARA