Class Notes

Name: Michael E. Pollock

Class Year(s): 1977

Note: Michael E. Pollock ’77 (GAP) received the New York State Senate Commendation Award in May 2021. Senator Jeremy A. Cooney presented it at a COVID-19 safe ceremony at Brighton Volunteer Ambulance base. It is given in recognition of exceptional people who have made a lasting contribution to their community through volunteerism, leadership, and charitable work. Michael has served as a volunteer for nearly 35 years with Brighton Volunteer Ambulance (BVA). He served as a Dispatcher, Emergency Medical Technician, and Line Officer. Injured on his career job in 2001, Michael had to limit his volunteer EMT activities. He transitioned to an administrative and support role, including becoming a Board member, spokesperson and raising over $500,000 for the Brighton Ambulance Base Expansion project. Additionally, he serves on the Board of the STEP Council of the Genesee Region (Society for Total Emergency Programs) and other Monroe County committees dealing with Public Safety. Further, he serves as an ex-officio member of the NYS EMS Memorial Service and other EMS-related state and federal committees. Pollock assisted the Ezras Nashim Basic Life Support First Response agency in Borough Park – Brooklyn, NY, to fight and win their NYS DOH "Certificate of Need" to operate a Basic Life Support ambulance. This enabling these Orthodox Jewish women to provide emergency medical ambulance transport to other Orthodox women enabling them to maintain their modesty. On two different occasions, while off duty, Michael used his EMS skills to save neighbors’ lives. First, a senior citizen accidentally electrocuted himself and another infant that had gone into respiratory arrest. He has been recognized with several Letters of Commendation from former employer (NYS DOCS) while on the job, and then with multiple awards from BVA, the NYS EMS Bureau Director, Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of New York, and the Rotary Club of Brighton NY for his volunteer activities and leadership in his community. Michael also volunteers for other civic activities such as the most recent Monroe County Executive-elect Transition team, other non-profits, his synagogue, and his alma mater, Rochester Institute of Technology. The Senate Commendation Award recognizes exceptional people who have made a lasting contribution to their community through volunteerism, leadership, and charitable work. Senator Jeremy Cooney stated, "I am honored to recognize Michael Pollock for his dedication as a local health hero and for being an advocate for those who are committed to this life-saving work. EMS workers are "essential" healthcare workers who helped us survive the pandemic, and the Senate’s Commendation Award is a testament to that work as well as Michael’s lasting impact in the Brighton community." Michael E. Pollock, Brighton Volunteer Ambulance said, "I am humbled. I don’t do the things I do for recognition. Instead, I help others; whether it is the work I do at Brighton Volunteer Ambulance, or my state, or now national EMS advocacy work, I do it, so we accomplish great things to help others. This award also recognizes EMS. All too often, especially at governmental budget time, we are forgotten. I hope this is the dawn of a new beginning. I appreciate being recognized by Senator Cooney for the work I have done."

Submitted on: June 16, 2021

Name: Michael E. Pollock

Class Year(s): 1977

Note: Michael E. Pollock ’77 (GAP) received the New York State Senate Commendation Award in May 2021. Senator Jeremy A. Cooney presented it at a COVID-19 safe ceremony at Brighton Volunteer Ambulance base. It is given in recognition of exceptional people who have made a lasting contribution to their community through volunteerism, leadership, and charitable work. Michael has served as a volunteer for nearly 35 years with Brighton Volunteer Ambulance. He served as a dispatcher, emergency medical technician, and line officer. Injured on the regular job in 2001, Michael had to limit his volunteer EMT activities. He continued in an administrative and support role, including becoming a Board member, spokesperson and raising over $500,000 for the Brighton Ambulance Base Expansion project. Additionally, he serves on the Board of the STEP Council of the Genesee Region (Society for Total Emergency Programs) and other Monroe County committees dealing with Public Safety. Further, he serves as an ex-officio member of the NYS EMS Memorial Service and other state and federal committees. On two different occasions, while off duty, Michael saved lives. One time a senior citizen accidentally electrocuted himself and another infant that had gone into respiratory arrest. He has been recognized with several Letters of Commendation from former employer (NYS DOCS) while on the job, and additionally with multiple awards from BVA, the NYS EMS Bureau Director, Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of New York, and the Rotary Club of Brighton NY for his volunteer activities and leadership in his community.

Submitted on: June 15, 2021

Name: Edward Wolf

Class Year(s): 2009

Note: Edward Wolf ’09 (KGCOE) and his wife, Elizabeth Ihidoy-Wolf, are thrilled to announce the birth of their third daughter, Isobel, who was born in April 2021.

Submitted on: June 9, 2021

Name: Renee Reeves

Class Year(s): 2007

Note: Renee Reeves ’07 (COS) and her husband, Scott Long, welcomed their son, Eli Walker, in January 2021.

Submitted on: June 6, 2021

Name: Jon-Michael Fernando

Class Year(s): 2007

Note: Jon Fernando ’07 (COLA) was hired at the Henrietta Fire District on March 22, 2021 after 13 years of volunteer service. Since his hire date, Fernando has been attending the Monroe County Recruit Firefighter Training Academy and will graduate on June 12th with 22 fellow firefighter recruits. After graduation, Fernando will attend a week of district orientation and will begin working on June 21st.

Submitted on: June 5, 2021

Name: Mike Hunsberger

Class Year(s): 1996

Note: Colonel Mike Hunsberger ’96 (KGCOE) is retiring from the United States Air Force on October 31, 2021 after more than 25 years of service. He held a variety of positions including Commander, 30th Mission Support Group and will retire as the Vice Commander, Space Launch Delta 30 in the newly formed United States Space Force.

Submitted on: May 30, 2021

Name: Robert Ripps

Class Year(s): 1983

Note: Robert Ripps ’83 (GAP) has an ongoing project called "Negativityness Abounds", which started as his response to the political climate in America for the last several years - everything seems to be about negativity, about division, about what is truth (and what is inarguably false, yet touted as truth). It is about how the surface of things can be 180 degrees opposite from what is underneath; it is about falsehoods and unseen influence. It is about discordance, about disorientation, about a world turned upside down and inside out. What was familiar and perhaps mundane has now taken on a sense of surrealism and unfamiliarity, which leaves us feeling unsure, confused and helpless, powerless to get a handle on events affecting our daily lives. Even now, with the advent of Covid-19, the lies and misinformation continue unabated worldwide, and his series has broadened to deal with visual representations related to the pandemic. His imagery has also grown to include buildings and landmarks, which had pretty much closed and became deserted- what would happen to them if nature took hold, if vegetation overgrew the familiar and transformed it into something altogether different and foreign looking, but also strange and beautiful? Christine Frechard Gallery 5126 Butler St Pittsburgh, PA 15201 www.christinefrechardgallery.com Opening Reception Saturday, June 5 | 4-7 PM Gallery open Wed-Sat 12-6pm / Sun 12-3pm

Submitted on: May 17, 2021

Name: Lindsay Tendler

Class Year(s): 2007

Note: Lindsay Tendler ’07 (CIAS) married Paul Huntington in a small, intimate (socially distant) ceremony with family on October 10th, 2020. They hope to celebrate with friends in the near future.

Submitted on: May 13, 2021

Name: Lindsay Tendler

Class Year(s): 2007

Note: Lindsay Tendler ’07 (CIAS) and Paul Huntington are pleased to announce the birth of their first child, pandemic baby Isla Astrid, born February 2021.

Submitted on: May 13, 2021

Name: Samantha Schreiber

Class Year(s): 2015, 2020

Note: Samantha (Vent) Schreiber ’15 (SCB) MS ’20 (COLA) and Andrew Schreiber ’16 (KGCOE) welcomed twin daughters Penelope Elizabeth and Emma Louise on April 16, 2021.

Submitted on: May 11, 2021