David Buck and Paige Baker (Kristin Hart photo)

How nice to see the sun again – even if yesterday’s wind caused us to dodge tree limbs strewn on sidewalks and streets today.  Somehow it did not feel much like January with temperatures in the 60s.  Welcome back winter!

Happy news for our readers today as we share engagement announcements for Meg Buerkel and also David Buck plus baby news from Gabrielle and David Hammer and grandbaby news from Ed and Janis Beam.  In addition there is news of a much deserved award for Davidson College employee Robert Brandon.

WEDDING BELLS AT ST. ALBAN’S

“There must be something in the water at St. Alban’s,” says church member and DavidsonNews.net reader Jane Shoemaker.

Last month brought happy news, first from the Rev. David Buck that he has asked Andrea Paige Baker to marry him, and then from former St. Alban’s Associate Rector Michael Hunn that he is engaged to St. Alban’s current Associate Rector, Meg Buerkel.  David and Paige will be married in Davidson on May 23.  Michael and Meg will marry in early summer.

David has been the Rector of St. Alban’s since summer 2007.  Paige is based in Raleigh and owns “Write Solutions,” a research/writing/editing company that specializes in health care and education issues.  A true romantic, David surprised the congregation of St. Alban’s at each of the Christmas Eve services with the announcement of his engagement, expressed as a poem:

What a gift for my Christmas Tree!  What a surprise!  You’d never guess:

I asked Paige Baker to marry me, and believe it or not, she answered, YES!

Parishioners gave him a standing ovation at each service.  With Michael Hunn on hand at the services to announce his engagement to Meg, it brought a special holiday season of love to the church.

Michael Hunn is currently a canon to the Episcopal Bishop in Raleigh.  Meg splits her time at St. Alban’s between duties as the church’s associate rector and as the Davidson College campus minister.

Congratulations to both couples.  Lots to cheer about at St. Alban’s!

CRADLE ROLL

Lillian Brooks Hammer

Congratulations to David and Gabrielle Hammer of Huntersville who welcomed a second daughter on December 31, 2008, at 2:13 in the afternoon.  Lillian (Lilly) Brooks Hammer weighed 8 lbs. 10 oz. and stretched to 20 inches.  Proud big sister is Maddie, who is 3 1/2.

Mom Gabrielle is well known to the Davidson community since she teaches fifth grade at Davidson Elementary School.  She will return to the classroom in March and is eager to see her students’ academic growth during her maternity absence.  Dad David is an accountant at Lowe’s.  Grandparents are Jim and Martha Hammer of Harrisonburg, VA, and Gene and Claire Blair of Westminster, SC.   As big sister Maddie exclaims to Lilly, “I just love you SOOO much,” and the delighted grandparents could not agree more.

Isabella Lucille Hartridge-Beam

First time grandparents Ed and Janis Beam are thrilled to announce the arrival of granddaughter Isabella (“Isa”) Lucille Hartridge-Beam last October 4.  Isa weighed 6 lbs 9 oz and was 18.5 inches long.  Proud parents are Stowe and Caroline Hartridge-Beam of San Francisco.  Even prouder great grandmother is Isabel Hoyle of South Main Street in Davidson.

There were smiles all around during Christmas when Baby Isa traveled with her parents from the West Coast to visit in Davidson.  She spent time here with family before Stowe and Caroline drove to Clayton, GA, to spent a few days with Caroline’s family.  Oldest son of Ed and Janis, Stowe is working for Scientific Certification Systems in San Francisco and is a Project Manager for environmentally preferable products.  Caroline is a Project Manager doing research for the the University of California at San Francisco.

Three generations: Dad Stowe Hartridge-Beam, holds baby daughter, Isa, with Great-grandmother Isabel Hoyle, Mom Caroline Hartridge-Beam and Grandmother Janis Beam (back to camera).

Also coming from the San Francisco area to Davidson for Christmas were Ed and Janis’ youngest son, Rush, and his wife, Erin.  While here, they visited in Hilton Head to see Erin’s family.  Rush is working as Program Director for High School Ministries at First Presbyterian Church of Berkeley while Erin is a publicist working in religion and general interest for Jossey-Bass/Wiley.  Living in Oakland, they are able to visit often with Stowe and Caroline.

Happy to see his brothers was David Beam who currently is living in our area and working at Summit Coffee.  What a nice family Christmas for the Beam/Hoyle family to gather together.

COLLEGE HONORS ROBERT BRANDON

On Thursday, Dec. 18, all 100 employees of the physical plant department at Davidson College gathered for a breakfast to honor Robert Brandon, a Physical Plant employee and one of that special group that “makes things go” at the college.  David Holthouser, Director of the Physical Plant, injected a bit of humor while people were eating by showing employee baby photos and asking attendees to guess their identity.

2008 Hobart Award Winner Robert Brandon

Following breakfast, the announcement of Mr. Brandon as winner of the department’s 2008 Hobart Award was confirmed with loud applause.  This award is special among Davidson College’s staff employees because of its selection process. Rather than simply being voted on by a committee, winners must first be nominated by peers, then approved by supervisors, and finally selected by a committee that includes a student, faculty member and past Hobart winners. The previous two winners were Tony Freeze, who works in the warehouse, and auto mechanic Bob French.

Mr. Brandon is a 12-year employee on the special projects custodial team, with deep roots in the life of the college. His father, Curtis Brandon, was a Chambers Building custodian for 49 years and his mother, Alice Brandon, was a laundry employee for 48 years.

In announcing Robert’s selection for the award David Holthouser praised him for his constant good humor and excellent work ethic. Robert’s crew, under the supervision of Henry Withers, undertakes some of the heaviest and most burdensome jobs on campus. The community depends on them to set up tables and chairs for most events, which means hauling around, folding and unfolding hundreds of chairs and scores of tables.

“We do so much that sometimes I go home and dream about chairs and tables, especially at Homecoming!” Robert quipped.

The crew also cleans floors and carpets, and moves the entire contents of offices to new locations on campus. “It’s a lot of work and I am the oldest man on the crew,” said the 53 year old Mr. Brandon, “but I can still keep up with the young ones!” To warm up for his work day, Mr. Brandon walks a brisk mile on the college track every morning. His leisure activities include fishing and serving as head usher at Gethsemane Church.

The award, which carries a $750 honorarium, was established by John D. Hobart ’51 in honor of his father, who was superintendent of buildings and grounds at the college from 1925 to 1960. John came from his home in Smithfield to be on hand for this year’s presentation and thanked the physical plant employees for their vital role in college life. Growing up on the campus, John knew all the people who worked for his father and learned a lot from them.  During his remarks, he also spoke about his life as a student at Davidson College and his work/study job changing light bulbs. Also on hand was John Hobart¹s spouse, Frankie, and his sister, Edith Anne Hobart Cashion, who lives in Davidson.

(Our thanks to Bill Giduz for sharing this news about Robert Brandon’s award.)

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Have news for Brenda? Write to her at hbarger@bellsouth.net.