Dear Friends,
Where has the time gone? Here on 16th Street we have gone from comfortable 70 degree weather to frigid 40 degrees in the blink of an eye! Still, alumni stop by to visit and tour the School or greet old friends and teachers. A few weeks ago Friends celebrated God’s Love We Deliver, decorating bags that will hang in the Meetinghouse and later distributed to our fellow New Yorkers living with severe illnesses. I was delighted to take part in decorating bags alongside some alums with their friends and family. A message I received from Zachary Klausz ’99 nicely captures the meaning of this Friends tradition, now in its 32nd year: “My first art teacher was John Jones. He was a special man who taught us that there are no mistakes in art, just surprises. To me these bags represent his legacy at the School. Friends let him continue teaching with an AIDS diagnosis in the 80’s, something that I continue to be proud of to this day. I am now a school director and we do a bag decorating project in the spring with a local organization out here in NJ. I think of him and the School every time I pick up a paint brush, work with a student on an art project or welcome in parents to discuss the power of art. I guess my point in writing this is I hope he still gets some recognition for this wonderful gift!” As we wind down to the end of year I wish you good health and positive vibes into 2023.
In friendship,
Michael Mudho
Associate Director of Advancement for Alumni Relations