Alumni in Ferment
Reed grads pour libations to kick off March Match Campaign.
Nearly 80 alumni gathered downtown Portland on March 1 to celebrate Reedie winemakers, taste delectable alumni wines, and kick off the campaign. The event was hosted by Reed trustee Peggy Hill Noto ’75 at Stoel Rives, where she is a partner.
Reedies Drink Reedie Wine for Reed is a yearly fundraiser that started three years ago with an idea that alumni trustee Dylan Rivera ’95 brought to the annual fund staff.
“I cherish the friends and mentors I have met through Reed, and I hope that if alumni can continue to meet other alumni, from a variety of generations, they can also make friendships and professional contacts that enrich their lives,” says Dylan. “A wine tasting is more than just a good way to lure Reed alumni into a room. It's a chance for us to learn about wine from alumni who are experts, and a way for us to honor their success. It's a chance to meet alumni and build professional connections. And it's a fun occasion to donate to Reed and learn about the importance of the Annual Fund to the basic operation of the College.”
This year the event showcased wines from six winemakers:
- David Autrey ʼ89, Company
- Rob Coleman ’82, hobbyist vintner
- Matt Giraud ʼ85,
- Peter Gladhart ʼ62,
- Gina Hennen ʼ00,
- Greg McClellan ʼ01,
Gina Hennen ’00, from Adelsheim, says that she'd been “asked to participate in prior years for this event and I suppose you could say my guilt eventually won out, but I’m delighted that it did. It was great to reconnect with old classmates and the greater Reedie community. It also prompted me to reflect back on my time at Reed. While that’s now a long time ago, it was such a key period of my life. My experiences at Reed played a substantial role in the person I am now and it felt good to give back a piece of that to today’s Reedies.”
To kick off the March campaign, attending alumni donated $5,422 to Reed during the event, meeting the $1,500 challenge generously offered by Stephany Watson ’82 and Tony Fisher ’80.
Over the course of the entire fifteen-day campaign, 839 alumni made gifts, successfully meeting the ambitious participation goal and securing an $80,000 matching gift from Konrad Alt ’81 and Linda Matthews ’67. Thank you for your exceptional generosity this month, Reedies!
Special thanks to the alumni who helped make this event happen: Caroll Casbeer ’10, Catherine Dalton ’98, Claire Dennerlein Manson ’02, Nancy Morrice ’76, Peggy Hill Noto ’75, Dylan Rivera ’95, Andrew Schpak ’01, and Stephany Watson ’82.
To join fellow alumni in making a Reed education possible, !
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Tags: Alumni, Giving Back to Reed