FROM CO-PRESIDENT LAURA BERKOWITZ GILBERT
We are still feeling the glow from the Guilford ABC 50th anniversary weekend October 19-20. We welcomed 20 alumni who reconnected with each other and former board members and host families as well as created meaningful bonds with the current scholars and the GABC board.
The alums toured the high school, enjoyed lunch at the GABC house with our current scholars and volunteers, attended the wonderful concert at Guilford High School, and shared memories at a Sunday brunch. It was a full and very meaningful weekend for all.
During my speech at the concert, I asked each alum and scholar to stand as I called their name since they are the heart of the program. I then proceeded to ask other groups who support the organization to stand, starting with our board and staff and culminated with people who literally bought tickets to this concert. At that point everyone in the theater was joyously standing! This was a beautiful visual proving that “it takes a village” to support the mission of this organization, and the town of Guilford comes through year after year.
I’d like to recognize a few key groups whose hard work made this anniversary weekend possible: the anniversary committee (composed of board and advisory board members and alumnae); the current board members; GABC alumni; Mo Pleasure with Angela Clemmons and their musician friends; the Guilford High School music department students and teachers; the GHS alumni soloists Jackson Howard, Sara Iglesias and Kassidy Planas; emcees Stephanie Simoni and Roger Susanin; 50th Anniversary sponsors, advertisers and donors; all our concert attendees; and Martha and Terry Maguire, Pam and David Harding, and the M.J. Petretto Foundation for their ongoing generous support.
While the anniversary took a lot of planning, there are still so many other plates spinning at Guilford ABC. I want to make special mention of board members Ann Street and Mike Hyrb who oversaw the beautiful bathroom renovation at the house. The girls were thrilled when they returned to school to see a beautiful light-filled space that is so well designed.
Board member and GHS Principal Julia Chaffe succinctly captured the spirit of Guilford ABC in her welcome statement in the 50th anniversary concert program: “Guilford ABC has fostered a spirit of exploration and exchange for the scholars who attend the program as they augment the community where they live.” t