Beta Theta Pi - MIT

3 G reetings to all of Beta Upsilon! I'm happy to share we had an exceptional reunion experience enjoyed by members of the 1960 Beta House pledge class. It took place in Provence, France, from June 10-16, following the MIT campus reunion events this year. With the exception of Kent Groninger '63, who was in our pledge class but in the class of 1963, this was the 55th reunion of the Betas of the class of 1964, with almost all members participating. Unfortunately, Jerry Burnett '64 and wife Marge; Jim Giffin' 64 and wife Jackie; and Mike Lardner '64 and wife Nancy were unable to join us, but they participated in the planning and were totally with us in spirit and in our communications. Otherwise, the participants included Jon Burkhardt '64 and wife Karen, Rich Carpenter '64, Bob Grant '64 and wife Sally, Kent Groninger '63, Fred Luconi '64 and wife Sue, and Mike Monsler '64 and wife Barbara, as well as myself, Bud Boring '64, and my wife, Annie. Also joining us was Susan Martin, wife of Bill Martin of the class of 1960, who has remained friends with the group since Bill passed away many years ago. The first event was an initial get-together after arrivals in Paris for lunch at the renowned belle-epoch restaurant in the Gare de Lyon, Le Train Bleu. The next morning after a good night's sleep, the group took the high-speed TGV train from the Gare de Lyon to Avignon and then a short minibus ride to our base for the week, the Auberge de Noves. This is a large Provençale manor house highly reputed for its cuisine. We spent five nights there, and it was excellent. The people were extremely hospitable, and the meals were truly gourmet and exceptional! Our days were spent in excursions by minibus to various locations in the hills of the Alpilles, such as the Greco-Roman ruins of Glanum nearby St. Rémy de Provence and the bauxite quarries of Les Baux de Provence, with fabulous lunches at various restaurants mostly served en plein air. Our day trip to Arles was one of the highlights of the reunion. I had written up the Van-Gogh- in-Arles story as our guidebook for a walk- around to sites Van Gogh painted or frequented. It was a lot of fun and turned out to be an interesting experience. We also visited the monastery in St. Rémy where Van Gogh stayed for a year, and the theme of the sound and light show experience inside the Carrières de Lumières in Les Baux de Provence was also based on Van Gogh paintings, so we had a good dose of ol' Vincent on the trip! We had two wine tasting events: one at the Domaine de Valdition nearby the Provençale village of Eygalières and the Château Romanin in the countryside between St. Rémy-de-Provence and Cavaillon. Our last day was a trip through the Camargue region to visit the medieval walled city of Aigues-Mortes, from which Louis IX, Saint Louis, launched his two crusades in the 12th century. It also was Mike and Barbara Monsler's wedding anniversary, which made it very special, bringing back memories of romances at the Beta House! We continued the celebration back to the Auberge de Noves for dinner that evening, full of so many stories and reminiscences of the Beta House and the lifelong friendships made there, before the return trip to Paris. Altogether, the reunion was a great success, getting caught surrounded by beautiful landscapes and in historically interesting settings. It is difficult to imagine a more agreeable experience! Yours in _kai_, Bud Boring '64 BETAS IMMERSED IN FRANCE Sally Grant, Karen Burkhardt, Jon Burkhardt '64, Barbara Monsler, Mike Monsler '64, Rich Carpenter '64, Susan Martin, Sue Luconi, Fred Luconi '64, and Bob Grant '64 enjoy a meal at Le Train Bleu in Paris in June 2019. Mike Monsler '64, Jon Burkhardt '64, Annie Boring, Rich Carpenter '64, Karen Burkhardt, Sue Luconi, Susan Martin, Bob Grant '64, Fred Luconi '64, Sally Grant, and Barbara Monsler at Glanum in St. Remy de Provence in June. Beta pledge sneak to Cape Cod, November 1960. Kneeling, left to right: Jon Burkhardt '64, Mike Monsler '64, Fred Luconi '64, and Jerry Burnett '64. Standing: Mike Lardner '64, Rich Carpenter '64, Kent Groninger '63, Bob Grant '64, Jim Giffin '64, and Bud Boring '64. Visit beta-mit.org to read the story, written by Bud Boring '64, of Vincent Van Gogh's stay in Arles, which was used as a guide for a day-trip during their time in France.

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