Here’s the “latest and greatest” from Hood86!

Katrina Anderson moved back to Manchester by the Sea, MA almost three years ago from Minneapolis, MN and works at Salem State University in the School of Social Work. She also volunteers as the elementary school PTO Treasurer and serves on two town committees.  Her kids are now 13, 11 and 9 and doing great.  Over the summer they visited Anne Lamoureux and her family in the DC area and had a great time!

Chrysti Hogan and her wife, Jeanne, are hoping to take an Alaskan cruise next summer to celebrate Chrysti’s 50th birthday and their 20th anniversary.  Dagmar Kolarik wrote that her business is doing really well.  Since she started her home furnishing workroom ten years ago, all her clients are recommended by other clients with whom she had previously worked.  However, in 2014, she plans to display her work in downtown Frederick and expand the business, Dagmar’s Décor. As Dagmar says, “Family is fine: four parents, one husband, two children, one son-in-law and two grandchildren.”  Kathryn Neel lives in New Smyrna Beach, FL these days and works as a freelance computer consultant.  When she’s not working on computer stuff, she paddleboards and volunteers at Canaveral National Seashore.

Laura Nipps Gardner still lives in New Hampshire and loves that they’ve been there 19.5 years! She works for the Merrimack School District as a Paraeducator and is very happy. Daughter Mollie just started high school (she plays soccer) and daughter Alexa is in 7th grade (she plays basketball).  Both are taller than Laura – taking after Greg! They took a fabulous family trip to Europe this past summer and Laura is still sorting through her photos. Mari Padilla Spina sends in her update: “Life has been crazy here with work and the kids. It’s hard to believe that we are starting college visits for Alexa, a junior in high school. Nicholas keeps us busy with his basketball.  I recently had lunch with Mari Martinez ’87 – there is nothing better than Hood sisters! Gina Oliveros and I are already planning our 50th birthdays!

Mercedes Pellet and her husband sold their business – M2 Limited – in 2006 and retired to Garrett County, Maryland. They joined HART for Animals, Inc., an animal-welfare organization that rescues animals from shelters and transports them to places to be adopted. Together, they raised funds to build an animal adoption center that would give more animals a chance. HART is opening that Animal Center in January 2014. HART has saved 6,000 cats and dogs, and has spayed/neutered 4,500 animals at its low-cost clinic in McHenry, Maryland.

Betsy Reed Ringel met up with Jennifer Lee Matts and Cindy Leitz Hurley ‘87 in Morristown for lunch recently. The Matts & Ringel families shared a vacation in 2012 to see the Navy-Notre Dame football game in Dublin (and sightseeing in Killarney). This year, Chad graduated from the University of Pittsburgh and is a chemical engineer with an adhesives company.  Elise is a freshman at Loyola in Baltimore and Caroline is a sophomore in high school. Jeff and I are getting used to a bit more free time and just celebrated our 27th anniversary.

Cameron Soulis sends some of the best news: “Well, this is certainly a big year for me!  I’m in my last year of seminary, I am to be ordained (God willing), I’m getting married, and I hope to start a new job next summer after graduation.  And it’s all happening between my 49th and 50th birthdays!  Nothing like starting my 5th decade of life with a bang.  Please know that I’d greatly appreciate your prayers and good thoughts (if you’re not the prayin’ sort) for my ordination.”

On a personal note, Christina Hom Wilson, Stacey Robins Baum, and I visited with Stephanie Carlson Murray ‘88 (Stacey’s little sis from Hood) in September, shortly before Stephanie’s death from cancer in October 2013.  It was a bittersweet trip and we felt so blessed to have been able to spend that time with Stephanie.  Please keep her daughter, Courtney, and Stephanie’s family in your prayers.  I continue to work at a local winery and pen two blogs… Michael and I love living in Richmond VA.  Older son, Drew (Hood 12) is in grad school for a Masters in Athletic Training and younger son, Evan, is a “fourth year” at UVA.  Would love to hear from you all… email me or reach me via FB anytime!

~Alison Drum Althouse