That’s David Wagner ’05 doing an interview with our star SID Brent Harris during half-time at the Wabash-Southwestern basketball game yesterday afternoon. David and his parents made the trip – David from Mission Texas and his parents from Illinois via a Holiday visit to Texas – to watch the Little Giants.

David participated in the Teach for America program and has remained in teaching – he’s now teaching math and coaching in Mission, Texas. In the “it’s a small world” category, David’s team (a 1A team) played the team coached by Jeff Espino ’03 (a 5A team!) early in the season. David said it was a learning experience for his team!

That’s Jeff sitting with his parents…and David’s parents behind them. Jeff returned to “the Valley” after Commencement and there has been teaching and coaching- also in Mission, Texas.

David and Jeff both are true Little Giants – living the mission statement and having a positive impact on countless young men and women. Make’s you proud!

After a hard-fought game against Trinity University in San Antonio, the team joined local alumni, family, and friends for a get-together at the well-known restaurant Rosarios in downtown San Antonio.

Traffic was a mess, with the Alamo Bowl crowd headed to the Bowl game, but everyone made it and we had a great time. It was standing room only – the fajitas were superb!

Of course we closed the evening with a loud rendition of “Old Wabash” with the team (pictured above) leading the way.

The temperature was well into the 60s yesterday and will be over 70 today – I’ll be back to campus in March…make that April!

Chapel Sing this past year…different but the same as in the past. It’s one of the things that makes Wabash special. It’s also something that binds generations of Wabash men together. The beauty and strength of Chapel Sing comes from the same thing – the large group of students assembled belting out “Old Wabash”. One freshman can sing the song, ten can be loud, but the freshman class – now that’s “Old Wabash!!!”

There’s a strength in numbers that is so Wabash – like “Wabash Always Fights!”

It’s coming to the end of the year and it’s an opportunity to be a part of another strong group – Wabash alumni, family, and friends who support the College. You know about the tax deductions, you know your gift is appreciated, and you know the College does an outstanding job educating young men to be difference makers. I don’t need to cover that.

However, you might underestimate the value and impact of your gift…any gift. A $25 gift helps a student with financial aid or a scholarship. A hundred $25 gifts can provide a sizable scholarship. A thousand $25 gifts can provide new computers in a lab, funds several students for an immersion trip, supports several career services initiatives…the impact is felt all over campus.

Of course, the opposite impact is as the picture to the right from Chapel Sing …when a group of students didn’t show. There’s just no way to fill that void…

So, if you haven’t made a gift this year, please do. Click here to make a secure, on-line gift.

Thanks!

Chris and Heather Creighton Are Leaving Wabash. Chris will take over as head football coach for the Drake University Bulldogs.

In our Air Force days, we got used to friends coming and going…that’s just the way life was. It meant you ended up with more friends, not less. Of course, that didn’t make the “Goodbyes” any easier. I had hoped Chris and Heather would remain here, at least until Carol and I ride off into the sunset of retirement. However, it just wasn’t to be.

That might be my favorite picture of Chris…in the Grunge’s mind a great coach is, first and foremost, a great teacher of life skills. CC, as he is sometimes called, could probably write a book titled “Everything you need to know about life, you can learn on the field…and in Church.”

Of course, his partner in all of this, Coach Heather, is also a great fit. She knows football and she lives, lives “Wabash Always Fights”. We’ll miss that smile, for sure!

Chris and Heather leave a program that achieved great things. All you can ask is that people leave an organization in better shape than when they arrived – and they have done that for sure.

So, we wish them the absolute best. Our loss is Drake’s gain. Godspeed, friends.

I guess Carol and the Grunge are officially Little Giant, Fighting Irish, and Drake Bulldog fans…as of today.

All the credit cards are maxed out so I think my Christmas shopping is complete.

This year, as in the past, the most fun is shopping for the grandkids and for the child we get from the Angel Tree. This year it was a 6 year old boy. Carol allows me to do all the shopping for the kids in need. However, she provides that last minute, right before the register QC to make sure I don’t make a mistake. She knows me – I think every little boy out there wants 15 fighter jets and an olive drab jump suit, just like me. Carol has a more realistic outlook.

For the Grunge, it’s Merry Christmas. For many of my friends, it’s Happy Chanukkah. For still others, simply Happy Holidays. Regardless, our wish for you is a great Holiday Season.

See you next week.

Mike Lowe ’92 sent me the picture of this A-10 Warthog from his unit air refueling over the not-so-friendly skies. Mike serves with the Michigan Air National Guard and he and his guys are currently flying in and around Afghanistan. The business end of the Warthog includes a 30 mm cannon – it can ruin your entire day…and then some.

That’s Mike on the right.

Fly safe, my friend. (And, I would trade places with you in less that a half a heart beat!)

†

Eric Burns ’79 has been appointed the new West Lafayette, Indiana city attorney by incoming mayor John Dennis. Burns previously served as the Lafayette city attorney from 1996-2004. He will assume his new duties on January 1.

Eric graduated from Washington and Lee School of Law after Wabash and has over 25 years of private practice experience with Withered Burns and Persin.

Congrats Eric!

By now you know that UW-Whitewater beat Mt. Union for the DIV. III football Championship. Reporting on the Whitewater victory for D3Football.com is Wabash’s own Ryan Tipps ’00. Ryan’s column appears on the football web site.

Ryan, a Classics major, worked as a writer in Ft. Wayne before moving to Virginia to work for the Roanoke Times and for D3Football.com.

Ryan’s dad, Paul Tipps ’74, is a proud Dad – I’m sure of that.

Back in July of 2006 (July 24, 2006) I showed this picture of Wes.  At that time he was serving in the Army as a medical platoon Leader at a forward operating base in Iraq.

Wes checked in yesterday with this news: “I have decided to move back to the great state of Indiana to continue my education. I was accepted into the joint MPA/MSES program at Indiana University in their School of Public and Environmental Affairs. I start classes on January 7th.”

Thanks Wes for your service and good luck in your studies!

Recently, The Carmel paper ran a story about Tim Padgett ’84. Tim had his start in journalism back at Carmel High School. †Of course, we all know Tim’s talents really developed at Wabash.

Tim’s been very successful with Time Magazine. †The photo shows Tim interviewing Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez.

Tim – we’re proud of you!