What fun to be part of the St. Olaf College Alumni Author Signing outside the St. Olaf Bookstore on June 1, during Alumni Reunion Weekend. Ten Ole authors ranging from the classes of 1953 to 2003 visited with alumni. I sat between David LaRochelle ’83, who recently won a Minnesota Book Award for his children’s book: It’s a Tiger; and my friend and near-classmate, Charlene Behrend Torkelson ’73 (pictured right), with Get Fit While You Sit: Easy Workouts for the Young at Heart. I was pleased to also meet several parents from Prairie Creek Community School, which is featured in my book as one of the first charter applicants to be denied in Minnesota. The parents persevered, and they opened their school in 2002 to great success. Zero Chance of Passage, I say?
The most fun was meeting other former classmates. My good friend, Jan Christensen ’74 (pictured left), came up the hill from her home in Northfield to say hello. So great to see her! She and I participated in musical productions together at St. Olaf. Jan and her husband Jim were both teachers in the Northfield school district for many years.
Then along came Jill Bonebrake Schuneman ‘75 and her husband, Bill Schuneman, ’73 (pictured right). Finally, I visited with my personal physician, Dr. Jon Hallberg, who was there for his 25th reunion class of 1988. What a fabulous day! I hope to sign books again next year at St. Olaf when my own class of ’74 celebrates 40 years strong. Can you believe it?
