Pine View Class of '88

Here’s your Pine View Class of 1988 Summer 2007 Newsletter!!

We are starting plans now for Summer 2008 for our 20th reunion!!! Summer has worked well in the past and our planned time for now. Please email me any suggestions, comments and your chance of attending (0% b/c you are locked up or 100% b/c you wouldn’t miss it for the world!) {Thoughts to ponder – will you need lodging? How many activities should we have for kids? Is a structured beach activity a must?} If you wish to have a place on the committee, volunteers always welcome! Our biggest obstacle is always finding contact info for classmates so make sure we have yours!

Please contact me at jbpeluso@earthlink.net
to be added to our email distribution list!
Contact # is 407-761-9020

From Jennie Blanton Peluso: I finally got organized and am sending out a newsletter! Life is good for me – I work part-time as Firm Administrator of a local estate planning law firm. Finally got to accompany my husband on one of his many business trips (Vegas, baby) and managed to get this done when my 2 kiddies (Lil Bart almost 8and Suzie 4 ½) were sleeping one night. I was fortunate in January to see my dear friend April Veilleux and her 2 kids, Abby & Ben (7) in Miami. Always good times with classmates - See you next year for our 20th!

Ruthie Tanenbaum Friedman writes “ After living in Manhattan for 10 years, I now live in West Palm Beach with my husband, Rob, and our children, Sammy (3) and Rose (16 months). We moved from New York in October 2005 and lived in Boca Raton before moving to West Palm in September 2006. I'd be happy to hear from old friends who live nearby -- please contact me at rtanenbaum@hotmail.com.

Kristi Stewart-Davis (Kae Davis) is living in Northern Virginia [Washington D.C. area] where her husband Jack works for Ferrari Maserati Lamborghini of Washington. Her mother, Donna Stewart, is with Michael Saunders and has recently transferred to the St. Armands Circle office.

Frank Filipanits is always to be thanked for hosting our class website! Here’s his update: “Last year I moved back to Sarasota with my wife, Paula, and our kids Jack (5) and Josie (4). It was a huge leap to leave California, but we wanted the kids to grow up near family... and a warm, sunny beach. Paula's bringing her graphic design firm, Artefact Design, across the country as well; they specialize in funding appeals and collateral for non-profits. I'm still developing software for the music industry as Cool Stuff Labs, Inc. This summer we're going to London so I can spend a few days with the folks at Abbey Road Studios (they are clients of mine) before heading to Italy (have to show the kids where we got married.) I'm looking forward to the 20th reunion next year; we've had a blast catching up with Bill and Christine Johnson since moving back and I am eager to find out what the other funny, smart, witty folks in our class have been up to.” Check out his website at www.coolstufflabs.com and yes, Frank, consider yourself part of the Reunion Committee!

Bobby Hopp writes “I got a Bachelor's of Science in Computer Engineering from USF this past fall. I was working at the center for robot assisted search and rescue for the past 2 years and I am now working for the Navy in Panama City doing robotics research. We moved up here in January, and I love my new job. I am doing lots of cool things, and learning alot. Kristen and I will celebrate our 12 year anniversary this July, and we have 3 kids, Sydney (7), Jack(5), and Madison (2 going on 20). We hope to attend the next reunion, and see everyone then.”

Rebecca Self is still living in gorgeous Lugano, Switzerland!

Michelle Weiss Rosen writes “In August 2006, I opened the doors of my own business, Michelle W. Rosen, LLC. I provide marketing and advertising writing, creative direction and strategic consulting. I specialize in financial services, but have also done non-profit organizations, retail and more. While I can concept and write everything from white papers and pitchbooks to brochures, direct mail and ads, I am especially gifted in the more creative writing. I particularly love taking a familiar word or turn of phrase and giving it new meaning that ties to what I'm promoting. My work has won many awards and some of it can currently be seen on CNBC, in the Wall Street Journal, on the Web or in the brochures, presentations and annual reports your financial advisor may share with you.” Michelle can be reached at michelle@michellewrosen.com.

Carolyn Gerry Deslyper and her husband, Michael welcomed son Thomas Andrew Deslyper, born 9-7-06. Carolyn writes “Mary (2 1/2 yrs) and Thomas are both doing great and keeping us entertained. I'm taking a break from my job with Children's Healthcare of Atlanta. Meanwhile, I'm busy with our stained glass business, www.globalsgs.com and I'm involved in the Peachtree City South MOMS club. My family and I [went] to Sarasota to visit my parents for the Memorial Day weekend.”

Check out Barry Ozer’s business website at www.teamexeter.com. He writes that Lars Olson is a client!

Ignacio Lopez writes “I've actually moved to White Plains, NY recently. I'm doing pretty well. Looking to finish a new play soon, hope to get it produced either in NYC or at a regional theatre. Lots of work around marketing it and pushing for production. As you might imagine, lots of people out there looking for a piece of the pie, and it's a pretty small pie. But the writing alone is a great process. Hopefully, I'll be able to make it down in 2008. Regardless, I send my best wishes to everyone.” {Ignacio had lived previously in Brooklyn and then in Flagstaff, AZ in 2004 until he headed back East last year.}

Seen on the web: Antonio Galloni has landed the prestigious job of commentary on Italian Wines for Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate. I’m no wine connoisseur but I can tell this is the big time- Robert Parker has been called ‘the most influential wine critic in the world’. Check out www.erobertparker.com for more info.

Sean Connolly lives in South Jordan, Utah now with his dear wife Kelly and 2 sons, Sean Jr. & Jack. Sean is the commanding officer for the recruiting station that covers Utah, Montana, Idaho, and parts of Wyoming and Nevada.

Marni Chaplin Lennon is now the first-ever Dean for Public Interest and Pro Bono Law at The University of Miami! She also continues to teach Alternative Dispute Resolution & Mediation (Editor’s Note: I remember her using those skills at PV!)
Check out http://personal.law.miami.edu/hope/ for more info. If you would like to difference, Marni is always taking tax-deductible donations for HOPE Public Interest Resource Center 1311 Miller Dr. Coral Gables, FL 33124

Heather O’Keeffe Gardner and her husband Brandon added a new member to the family this past fall. Campbell was born on September 17, 2006. Big sisters Ella and Lily are thrilled with their baby brother. Heather & her family live in Austin, TX.

I was happy to hear from Vivian “Rochel” Levine Ebel and have included her note: “For the past three years I've been working as a hospice social worker with one of the oldest and finest hospice organizations in the country. Although I loved working in my previous position as a psychotherapist in a family service agency, I believe that I've finally found my niche as a social worker. I feel so privileged to be with patients and their families as they approach the end of life. The work is enormously hard, often terribly sad and painful, but amazingly gratifying. I am humbled by the courage I see, and encouraged by the love and humanity I experience. Family wise, our little baby girl is now a getting bigger every day 10-year-old who loves reading, tending to her stuffed animal collection, and creating amazing works of art. Of course, we think she's brilliant, beautiful, loving and hilarious. Our two adopted cats, Max and Missy the Hospice Cat, grow fatter and more contented by the day, and our one surviving parakeet, Bluebird, has been enjoying her new cage suspended far out of Max's reach. My darling husband, Daniel, is in the midst of a career change from IT to health information management. On the rough side of family things, my dad died unexpectedly about 4 years ago, and Daniel's mom died last month after duking it out with cancer for a few years. Well, I'll close by saying that I often think of Pine View and my classmates. I think I've come to appreciate the experience more now with distance and maturity than I was capable of in years past. We definitely were given a unique opportunity at PV, and I regret that I wasn't able to make the most of it then. Regardless, I know the nine years I spent there had a large impact on who I am intellectually and emotionally, even if I wasn't a stellar student or a social butterfly. Anyway, I hope all is well with everyone and their families. I'm still amazed at how much all of us have grown up since our Pine View days, expanding our lives with husbands, wives, partners, children, real jobs, etc. Way cool!”

Peter Corradino writes “I abandoned Vermont to become the Director of Operations for the Everglades Day Safari down here in the Everglades. Wohoo! For anyone interested in highly thought provoking/juvenile silliness in the guise of environmental education, they can check out my Everglades Adventures at http://junglepete.blogspot.com. I’d love new readers and even have had a few things to say about good old PV.”

I’ve been in touch with various classmates to confirm addresses – Ben Hanan (Sarasota), Carrie Whitney (Atlanta), Charles Ward (Bradenton)

Zak Kelly has been very faithful in his updates – thanks! He writes ”My wife Laurie and I recently adopted Lera Shashova Kelly from Kirov, Russia. She's now 2 years old and bizarrely looks just like me. We had a wonderful experience in Russia and plan to adopt another child from the same orphanage. As of last July the company I work for, AIG, promoted me to Regional Operations Manager for Asia-Pacific, so we moved to Hong Kong and will live here for several years. I travel a lot around Asia and it's very interesting. As a hobby over the past year I've collected a complete set of brand new, in the box parts from 1984-86 to rebuild my old racing bike. It's a blue Gios-Torino with full Campagnolo Super Record. Maybe you'll see me riding by some day.”

Tammy Gruen Lenkeit writes “Allison Claire Lenkeit was born at 12:31 pm on Feb. 23, 2007 weighing 6 lbs. 15 oz Measuring 20 ¼. Big brother Noah (2 yrs) is very excited to have a new sister and playmate.” {Editor’s note - Folks, Tammy wrote me the big news within literally days of giving birth, so pls no excuses about not keeping your address current with me!}

Jill Grinberg writes last year “I got married to Marty Beller in Millwood, NY in 2003 (and missed our class reunion because it coincided with our honeymoon). We moved from East Village Manhattan to a Brooklyn brownstone in May of last year and had a baby girl, Violet, in September 05. She's already brought us tremendous joy. I'm still running my literary agency - we're about to enter our eighth year. Marty is a musician/composer for TV and film and the drummer for They Might Be Giants. I'm able to work from my home office a few days a week to be close to Violet, and Marty has a home studio with lots of musicians trekking in and out, so we've a lively (if somewhat chaotic!) household. I'm hoping to be able to make the next reunion.

Andrew Wisler and his wife, Sally and kids Lydia & Everett welcomed baby sister Claire Wisler who was born May 31, 2006.