Mountain Research Station聽
The past few years I聽have been writing some聽memoirs to share with my聽three daughters and 12聽grandchildren.
This fall I was writing聽about my summer jobs.聽My most memorable聽one was working as anassistant cook at Science聽Lodge near Ward in the聽summer I was a sophomore.聽Right in the midst聽of my writing, the Fall聽2015 issue of the聽颁辞濒辞谤补诲补苍听was delivered with a聽double page picture-story聽about聽Mountain Research聽Station [鈥淥rigins,鈥� Fall聽2015], the current name!聽I felt it was meant to be聽because of the coincidence聽of timing.
Norma Davis Vavra聽Klein (笔蝉测肠丑鈥�49,听惭贰诲耻鈥�53)
Naperville, Ill.
Helmet Safety聽
I eagerly look forward to聽each edition of the Coloradan.聽CU alumni are living聽fascinating lives in all parts聽of the world and contributing聽to the betterment聽of the planet. One of the聽most inspirational aspects聽of our graduates and聽faculty is how they model聽doing what you love for聽work. Even better when聽that work supports the聽environment. Professor聽Kevin Krizek [鈥�Pedal Power,鈥澛燜all 2015] is a perfect聽example. My only disappointment聽with Kevin鈥檚聽interview is the absence聽of a helmet in the photo聽of him and his bike, along聽with the twice-repeated聽phrase about enjoying聽鈥渢he wind in his hair.鈥� I鈥檓聽aware that the pro-bike聽Dutch have their reasons聽for not using helmets, as聽do many other Europeans.聽In Boulder, Colo., USA,聽however, bike accidents聽and even deaths are not聽uncommon. Bicycle safety,聽including the wearing聽of helmets, can certainly聽use some reinforcement in聽our town.
Joan Gabriele聽(笔丑顿贰苍驳濒鈥�97)
Boulder
Response to "An Apology"聽
In 1967, I was a freshman聽and was enrolled in聽AFROTC. I was one of聽those cadets who were聽engaged in drill practice聽in front of Brackett Hall聽one afternoon, when聽Mark Gutsche (闯辞耻谤鈥�73)听摆鈥淟etters,鈥� Winter 2015]聽serenaded us with his聽anti-war song. It was loud,聽and we all heard it. But聽really, Mark, no apology聽is necessary. You were聽merely exercising your聽right to free speech, which聽all service men and women聽have fought to protect.聽I have not forgotten that聽day, but it did not evoke聽bitterness or rancor from聽me. I felt worse for my聽father, who did fight in聽that war, but he didn鈥檛聽witness Mark鈥檚 political聽expression. I was not able聽to complete the ROTC聽course, which would聽also have provided a full聽scholarship, due to physical聽limitations. Later, I,聽too, began to oppose our聽military involvement in that聽war, and decried the needless聽deaths of thousands聽of young American men. I聽hope that Mark respected聽the job that our service聽persons did, even while聽opposing an immoral war.聽I was more dismayed by聽the treatment that returning聽soldiers received from聽their fellow Americans. I聽hope, Mark, that you were聽not among those who spat聽on and cussed at them.聽They, like all soldiers聽before and since, were聽doing their job as ordered,聽no matter their personal聽feelings about the war. Unfortunately,聽that war tore聽our country apart, and I鈥檓聽not sure we鈥檝e ever recovered,聽but for people like聽Mark to express remorse聽indicates that some, at聽least, have grown up.
Joe Felice (厂辫补苍鈥�72)
Aurora, Colo.
Lichen Love聽
Thanks so much for聽sharing your love of聽lichens! [鈥�Lichen Hunter,鈥澛燱inter 2015] As a 1969聽CU graduate majoring in聽geology, I enjoyed lichens聽in the Western states, but聽never studied them until I聽moved to Chapel Hill, N.C.聽Last summer I attended a聽wonderful workshop led聽by James Lendemer and聽Jessica Allen (of the NY聽Botanical Garden) held at聽the Highlands Biological聽Station in Highlands, N.C.聽Good luck on discovering聽more lichens in Colorado!
Paula LaPoint (骋别辞濒鈥�69)
Chapel Hill, N.C.
Photo聽by Patrick Campbell
