Alison Drum Althouse P’12
804-378-7541
alison.althouse@gmail.com

Hello HoodLums!  Since I only got four responses this time, I can be a little more liberal with word usage… 😉 Lorie Dodd Gomez is now Associate Director of Advancement at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science and she loves working for the Chesapeake Bay!! Her older son, Louis, graduated from Christopher Newport University in May and is moving to NoVa to start work in June. Her younger son, Nicolas, is graduating from high school this month and will be going to Virginia Tech in the fall. She and Lou are excited for the boys and amazed that they are about to be empty nesters. A new chapter is beginning! Josie Calix shared that despite the challenges in her life in the last year, they were blessed with a beautiful granddaughter, Emersyn Rose Haerstsch, on Feb. 12. She came just at the right time and is a perfect baby.  We’re so happy for you, Josie! Patricia Kenyon Grimm had a great time on June 3 when her son Beck Grimm married Ellie Watkins. The ceremony was held at The Wolf Trap Farm with a honeymoon in Iceland.  This summer, she is celebrating 31 years of marriage and 3 years as Patient Relations Representative at UVA Medical Center. She and Chris have recently downsized to Batesville, in Albemarle County, VA. Marilya Padilla Spina and Steve celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary this year. Their daughter, Alexa, is a junior at Providence College majoring in Spanish and will be studying abroad next year for a semester.  Their son, Nicholas, is a junior at Kingswood Oxford and will start driving soon… next up are college visits!  She kicked the year off by hosting a spa day (complete with massages and fluffy robes) in her home – a birthday celebration for Maritza Bido.  Gina Oliveros braved the winter cold and joined Luz DeBrosse Ment, Khateeta Emerson, Maribel Martinez ’87, and Kim Burns ’87 for the celebration. She loved seeing her Hood sisters!  I want to thank all my HoodLums for their prayers and support this past winter.  My mom’s death in December and then my dad’s in February are traumas that will touch my life forever… your messages and presence in my life are a Godsend.  You may remember that my dad was married to Dr. Alice Drum, former dean at Hood, and I appreciate your keeping her in your thoughts and prayers.  My boys are both “adulting” well.  Drew Althouse ’12 lives in Michigan with his girlfriend, Kristen, and is an Athletic Trainer at Madonna University (Livonia, MI).  Evan lives in Arlington, VA and works for JD Power, which definitely came in handy when we needed to replace a totaled SUV (no injuries, thank God).  Michael still works for PayPal and we enjoy living close enough to Annapolis that we both worked men’s & women’s lacrosse games for USNA this spring.  Can we get more people to contribute to the next class report?  You can send updates ANY time to me: alison.althouse@gmail.com.