Great new design

As a former communications coordinator, I can unequivocally state that I love the new design of the Calvin Spark! The page layout, the color choices, the fonts ... the whole redesign just works. Well done!

Jessica Derosier ’03

Cambridge, Mass.

Kudos on master’s program

Congratulations on the master’s degree program in speech and language pathology (“Little Acorn to Great Oak,” winter 2010). Keep us posted on your progress.

Luanne Sieplinga DeVries ’74 

Fishers, Ind.

Public assistance irreligious?

Professor Vander Linde’s suggestion (“Dollars and Sense,” winter 2010) that it is fine to “own homes and fill them with both functional and aesthetically pleasing items” is fine as far as it goes. After all, it isn’t as if we would expect the working group to come up with the conclusion that we should sell all of our possessions and give the money to the poor. What is not fine, however, is Professor Vander Linde’s suggestion that it is somehow irreligious to rely on public assistance (“so as not to burden a stressed social support system”). A mother struggling to feed her kids, an elderly person who needs help heating a modest house, or a working dad that just needs a few minutes of a doctor’s time are all putting a whole heck of a lot less “stress” on “systems” than your run-of-the-mill suburban, protestant, upper middle-class consumer, no matter how thankful they may be for their two-car garage homes filled to the brim with “functional and aesthetically pleasing” items (and hopefully, for their sake, one of those items is either a camel shrinker or a needle-eye enlarger).

David Baxter ’01

Detroit, Mich.

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Mary and I wish to congratulate the ���貹������staff for the continuous positive growth and development in quality and ideas that is shown in the making of the magazine. The quality of the layout, the paper and the printing is very fine. We almost wish we were still publishing lethbridge living magazine so we could compare, but the ���貹������brings back good memories.

Martin ’60 and Mary Stremler Oordt ’58

Lethbridge, Alta.

Singing reunion praises

I just arrived home from the 75th Capella Reunion. I strolled around campus the day before the reunion. I asked various students for directions and information. To a person, these kids were helpful, pleasant, and went above and beyond. Then, the reunion itself—the first reunion I’ve attended since my graduation in 1978. I can only describe the day, the music, the renewed friendships, as thrilling. And the event was masterfully organized. Thank you for an opportunity to spend a day on campus among old friends in a beautifully renovated Covenant Fine Arts Center.

Melanie Dykstra ’78

Oak Park, Ill.

Calvin wear unites alums

Growing up in Denver often brought me in touch with our “Indian cousins” in Rehoboth, N.M. First Denver Christian Reformed Church was the sponsoring church for this Indian mission boarding school in New Mexico. My Sunday school class took offerings for our “Indian cousins.” And although this was quite some distance from our church, whenever my father served as elder, we traveled to New Mexico to give support to this mission church and school. I remember Rehoboth as a rather barren place with a church, a dormitory and a school primarily for Navajo students.

Some 50 years later, it was the time for a trip out West for Calvin alums Jack ’58 and Bonnie Bonnema Van Der Slik ’54, and sister, Helen Bonnema Ver Schure ’54. We would be passing through Gallup, N.M. I had forgotten exactly where Rehoboth was but knew it was near Gallup and thought we might try to find it. As we were finishing our dinner in a Mexican restaurant, a family walked in. The mother was wearing a Calvin T-shirt. We excitedly went to talk to them. We found out that the oldest daughter, Nicole Begay ’93 (back center), had graduated from Calvin. The other two girls, Samantha and Shelby Nelson, are still attending nearby Rehoboth Christian School on their beautiful new campus. Father Edison Nelson stands next to Nicole.

Calvin is everywhere! It was very exciting to meet someone from Calvin when we least expected it. Finding connections to Calvin are heartfelt and always fun. Remember to wear your Calvin T-shirt.

Bonnie “Gertrude” Bonnema Van Der Slik ’54

Port Saint Lucie, Fla.

Calvin wins!

Jim Rauwerda ’90 of Grand Rapids, Mich., celebrates a Calvin victory over Hope in the first game of The Rivalry this year by building a snow bear 

A hockey legacy

My husband, Nelson Greidanus ’85, played hockey four years at Calvin and coached Calvin’s team for five years. Mark, our oldest son, is a freshman on the hockey team this year. They both took to the ice for Calvin’s alumni hockey game this winter.

Nancy Start Greidanus ’84

Grand Rapids, Mich

No Anonymous?

I didn’t get to read any Anonymous Bosch in the latest Spark. Should I start sending in questions or just skip straight to the weeping?

Josh O’Berski ’08

Villa Park, Ill.