TOP Planning Meeting in Rockefeller Hall

—Painting by Susan Nulsen 2019

This work used a number of photographs taken over 2009/2010.

People portrayed, clockwise from bottom left:

Helen Barron, Joan Yates, Johanna Erickson, Martha Nielsen (standing), Angela Maffeo, Elizabeth Dodson Gray, David Dodson Gray (standing at window), Charlene Brotman, Anna Donovan, Pattie Derr, Dorianne Low (seated at back), Esther Scanlan, Sandy Wayne, Pat Morris, Susan Nulsen (back of head).

2019 Pooh Party to Celebrate Liz Dodson Gray's 90th Birthday

—Martha Nielsen

Twenty six TOP/WE members and friends and family gathered on Thursday June 20 to celebrate Liz’ 90th birthday with one of her beloved Pooh parties.  The guests included Liz’ daughter Lisa and grandson Sam; Margaret Studier, a friend from HDS; Avis Strong Parke and her daughter Robin Melavalin; Maria Behnke and her three year old daughter Maggie; and nineteen of us who gather regularly.

The day was dark and rainy, but we inside, all cozy in the Rosa Parks room, were surrounded in color and comfort and caring - enjoying a program that was flexible and fulfilling and fun!  
* Our individual sharings with Liz were intimate and loving and, taken all together, spoke poignantly to the meaning of TOP/WE over its forty plus years of history.
* Lunch was delicious and beautifully presented.  Complete with Pooh cake...
* Room decor was rich with special adornments for the occasion.
* Pooh stories and quotes provided a fitting entertainment
* And woven amongst the formal programming were multiple, ever re-forming informal groups of sharing.

MANY thank yous are in order.
* Lindsa, MaryMargaret, and Martha for planning the details of the party
* Lindsa for her lovely decor and incomparable and loving moderating
* Paula for providing the lovely and delicious Pooh cake
* Susan, Elaine, Carol for various (some historical) decor items
* Carol for the ingenious cake shaped group birthday card
* Mary Rose for organizing the Panera sandwiches entrée lunch, and all other contributors of accoutrements
* To all who came and shared themselves so lovingly
*** Lisa Gray for bringing Liz to the party, and for being such a loving caregiver for her mother

Ly Thai took some lovely photos — see below .  There were several others taking photos too.  If you have ones that folks would like to see (!!), please email them to me Martha and I will send them around.