Chipping In, Part 1 – Misery Hall

To: Class of ‘72
Re: “Chipping in” – Part I

Webster’s Dictionary defines “chipping in” as: “to contribute to something being undertaken by a group, such as a task or collection”. This memo is to ask for your help on the “task” part of that definition, specifically point #4 below.

First, some context as it relates to our recent successful 50th Reunion Legacy Campaign:

1. We raised $5.86 Million (versus a goal of $5 Million) to support four project areas. A record for class legacy campaigns!
2. We now have a new DMP for Character, Tom Roberts, who replaces Jim Campbell
3. Over the past six months, our participation rate for the class overall has crept up to 44% with 32 additional classmates coming into the campaign.
4. The renovation and conversion of Ricketts Hall, converting it to a new Physical Mission Centre, is underway. I’m including a few photos showing the construction that’s going on, plus the finished product images:

With the $2.5 Million we raised for this particular project, we’re entitled to a dedication plaque that will be prominently displayed for the “Class of ’72 Sports & Rehabilitation Center”. Chuck Gladchuk approached our anonymous “donor matching” classmate (AC) for this task (since he funded the major part of this project). “AC” has put together a first draft, and has asked for input from other members of the class in the creation and review of the text for the dedication plaque.

Therefore, I’m enclosing his draft with this memo and inviting (primarily) any classmate who also contributed to the Class of ’72 Sports & Rehabilitation Center to help in the editing and crafting of our message. We’ve already gotten some good input from our hardworking campaign committee… and that input is now incorporated within the draft below…we’d like to solicit input from the broader class.

So, here’s my “Chipping in, part I” request. Below is the draft for our class plaque. If you have any edits, suggestions, or improvements, go ahead and send them directly to me at my e-mail: jeffreyb72@icloud.com. I’ll serve as the “catcher” for all of this, summarize the chops, and review with “AC” and our class president, Bob Leib, for final approval.

Class of 1972 Sports Performance and Rehabilitation Center

The Class of 1972 is proud to sponsor this Sports Center that will sharpen the competitive advantage and serve as a haven of physical restoration for all members of the Brigade of Midshipmen. While participating in varsity, club, and intramural sports at the Naval Academy, we honed a competitive attitude, learned the importance of placing team over self, discovered the transforming power of purposeful daily drudgery, and developed effective leadership skills. We all know from personal experience that these encounters prepared us for the challenges we faced as officers in the Navy and Marine Corps and as future business leaders and community leaders. We are confident this Center will help support this vital physical development of Midshipmen in the years to come.

Tried and True with ’72!

Beat Army!

Dedicated 2019

Thanks guys…I’ll be back in touch in a week or so with the Part II of my “chipping in” request, which concerns point #3.

Jeffrey Beard Jeffreyb72@icloud.com