The Baker Street Irregulars Trust

Register for the 2024 BSI Trust Lecture

<p>Registration is now open for the fourth annual BSI Trust Lecture. This free Zoom webinar is open to everyone but does require advance registration.  </p><p>Mattias Boström will use an analysis of thousands of newspaper articles and a deep dive into the activities of the BSI to shed light on how the BSI has helped to create and shape the Sherlockian landscape for nearly a century.</p><h3 style="text-align: left;">The BSI Trust Lecture</h3><p><b>Saturday, September 21, 2024 at 2pm Eastern Daylight Time (New York)</b></p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Online using Zoom</li><li>Open to all Sherlockians & the public</li><li>Free – no registration fee</li><li>Advance registration required</li><li>Registration closes when event reaches capacity</li></ul><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgssSJBvWvMFTYPX0R2PQbHZBc5_IIDyMP3rpEZiEcL9e11ELBkZNzaH9i9QECeYjUIao32h4xxByLxdh1ZbEjSly8X07iuxi90nof7JrQvgyyYASqxUjF6bwAmR8-7mT37O3P26hHIWSDAA3spGIMhyphenhyphen39j3ojFg4BwSYyvonx7EYJBd16ng5VJkAznkxA/s925/lecture-2024-mattias-bostrom-v1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Mattias Boström" border="0" data-original-height="925" data-original-width="925" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgssSJBvWvMFTYPX0R2PQbHZBc5_IIDyMP3rpEZiEcL9e11ELBkZNzaH9i9QECeYjUIao32h4xxByLxdh1ZbEjSly8X07iuxi90nof7JrQvgyyYASqxUjF6bwAmR8-7mT37O3P26hHIWSDAA3spGIMhyphenhyphen39j3ojFg4BwSYyvonx7EYJBd16ng5VJkAznkxA/w320-h320/lecture-2024-mattias-bostrom-v1.jpg" title="Mattias Boström" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">Mattias Boström</h3><div>Mattias Boström is the author of Agatha Award winning <i>From Holmes to Sherlock</i> (2017) and serves as one of the editors for the <i>Sherlock Holmes and Conan Doyle in the Newspapers</i> series of books. He resides with his wife and two daughters outside of Stockholm, Sweden, and is a member of various Sherlockian societies including the BSI.</div><div><br /></div><div>The title of his BSI Trust Lecture is "'The public shall know': The Impact of the Baker Street Irregulars Over 90 Years."</div><div><br /></div><div><h3 style="text-align: left;">Event Notes</h3><p></p><p>We plan to have only the scheduled speakers visible and talking, so you do not need a camera or microphone to watch the Lecture.</p><p>Please note the event time reflects the USA's Daylight Saving Time.  We estimate the event will last approximately 1 hour.</p><p>A recording of the Lecture will be posted online in the BSI Digital Archive in the future, but we do not have a date for that posting and encourage you to watch this event live.</p><p>While the Lecture is free, advance registration is required and space is limited.  <b><span style="color: red;">To sign up, click the link below to our online Zoom registration page:</span></b></p><p style="text-align: center;">Register for the free 2024 BSI Trust Lecture  (webinar is over)</p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.bsitrust.org/2023/12/bsi-trust-lectures.html">Watch BSI Trust Lecture Recordings Online</a></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p></div>

Register for the 2024 BSI Trust Lecture

Registration is now open for the fourth annual BSI Trust Lecture. This free Zoom webinar is open to everyone but does require advance regist...

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Watch BSI Trust Lectures

<p>The BSI Trust Lecture series began in October 2021. Lectures are held annually and are open to the public at no charge. They are delivered live as a Zoom webinar, with recordings deposited in the <a href="http://www.bsitrust.org/2015/01/archive.html">BSI Archive</a>. </p><p>Lectures typically last about an hour. The live event allows viewers to submit questions to the presenter.</p><h3 style="text-align: left;">BSI Trust Lecture Summary</h3><p>The links below go to BSI Archive online recordings at the Indiana University media server.</p><p><a href="https://purl.dlib.indiana.edu/iudl/media/999n10f49p" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Roberta Pearson: 2021 BSI Trust Lecture</a><br />The Adventure of the Mutable Detective<br />(See also her paper in the Spring 2022 BSJ)</p><p><a href="https://purl.dlib.indiana.edu/iudl/media/336h04mk43" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Ray Betzner: 2022 BSI Trust Lecture</a><br />"221B": The Story of a Sherlockian Sonnet</p><p><a href="https://purl.dlib.indiana.edu/iudl/media/f55z211163" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Steven Rothman: 2023 BSI Trust Lecture</a><br />The Godfathers of Sherlockian Publishing: Christopher Morley and Edgar W. Smith</p><p>Mattias Boström: 2024 BSI Trust Lecture (not yet online)<br />"The public shall know": The Impact of the Baker Street Irregulars Over 90 Years</p><h3 style="text-align: left;">Future BSI Trust Lectures</h3><p>To get notified via email when we schedule future BSI Trust Lectures, sign up via the BSI website for our free “<a href="https://bakerstreetirregulars.com/bsi-news-via-email">News from the BSI</a>” email alerts.</p><h3 style="text-align: left;">History of the BSI Trust Lectures</h3><p>The BSI Trust Lecture series began in 2021 under the leadership of Thomas A. Horrocks, then Chair of the BSI Trust. Steve Mason, Greg Ruby, and Randall Stock produced the webinars. Alan Rettig edited the recordings, and Tamar Zeffren deposited the edited recordings in the BSI Archive.</p><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img alt="BSI Trust Lecture Videos" border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifvzLzpA2-R2nlb2rk3cAdXKZLbP9sBA9myljgPQBJfYKmzIynSQD5Rv4-u9MRcVcR2ISZ6N-zTd7UR81_iKlq7C63vfnHv536QLIjs5oqPsmhT9yjQwYTY-C0phZPJwa5KZaBFJWyJNZ9NqnTE_-0SEw0nA5SgIxCjPsvYpKtcly45T3XrwVu8rGi47s/w200-h200/bsi-trust-lecture-videos.jpg" width="200" /></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><div>Page composed on 12/8/23 by Randall Stock.</div><div><br /></div><div>Page updated 12/12/23 by Randall Stock.</div></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>

Watch BSI Trust Lectures

The BSI Trust Lecture series began in October 2021. Lectures are held annually and are open to the public at no charge. They are delivered l...

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William Cochran Interview: Oral History Project

<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZd1Ujt4wufW3dCbEnaziH00pHGNT_r7iaHpikVaqH_QNI2P-KA5352zmDXiNEEXeukp7sWnLHWVgfCDPpBT0ZXAQJ32TkU0SmhlOohpARYHig4DkfyEtGfK7kGk9A81ASs1jluHM97VSez4jwUNpOBcRuVAAs9u9G882R6vjj-sAvM7jLEds2d-Er3rc/s868/william-cochran-v1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="William Cochran, BSI" border="0" data-original-height="868" data-original-width="756" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZd1Ujt4wufW3dCbEnaziH00pHGNT_r7iaHpikVaqH_QNI2P-KA5352zmDXiNEEXeukp7sWnLHWVgfCDPpBT0ZXAQJ32TkU0SmhlOohpARYHig4DkfyEtGfK7kGk9A81ASs1jluHM97VSez4jwUNpOBcRuVAAs9u9G882R6vjj-sAvM7jLEds2d-Er3rc/w279-h320/william-cochran-v1.jpg" title="William Cochran, BSI" width="279" /></a></div><br />Rare is the sentence in William Cochran’s (Murray, 1988) interview which does not feature at least one dynamic anecdote or memorable <i>bon mot</i>.  <p></p><p>Bill’s eclectic interview encompasses topics ranging from his early encounters with William S. Baring-Gould’s <i>Annotated Sherlock Holmes</i> to organizing speakeasies during the BSI Weekend with Gordon Speck and Newton M. Williams. It covers the “serendipity” of his Sherlockian collecting to the history and evolution of the Occupants of the Empty House scion (which he founded).</p><p>He provides insights into Midwestern scion societies, his favorite BSI Dinner experiences, and the Sherlock Holmes article he is most proud to have authored.</p><p>Bill also discusses his unusual connection with the architect and futurist Buckminster Fuller, who attended meetings of Christopher Morley’s Grillparzer Club in the 1930s.  As Bill often observes, “If you’re not having fun, then why on earth are you doing it?” </p><iframe allowfullscreen="" height="128" mozallowfullscreen="true" msallowfullscreen="true" oallowfullscreen="true" scrolling="no" src="https://play.libsyn.com/embed/episode/id/28701573/height/128/theme/modern/size/standard/thumbnail/no/custom-color/cccccc/time-start/00:00:00/hide-playlist/yes/hide-subscribe/yes/hide-share/yes" style="border: none;" title="Embed Player" webkitallowfullscreen="true" width="100%"></iframe><p style="text-align: center;">Click above to play audio (<a href="http://www.bsitrust.org/2015/01/oral-history-4.html">playback help</a>)</p><p>Interviewee: William Cochran </p><p>Interviewer: Joseph Eckrich</p><p>Date: May 3, 2019</p><p>Location: Carbondale, IL</p><p>Description: MP3, 36.1 MB, 86kbps, 58 minutes</p><p><br /></p><h4 style="text-align: left;">Interview Topics</h4><p>Criterion Bar Association</p><p>The Hounds of the Baskerville (sic)</p><p><i>Baker Street Journal</i></p><p>William S. Baring-Gould</p><p>Tom and Ruthann Stetak</p><p>John Bennett Shaw</p><p>Robert C. Burr</p><p>Peter Blau</p><p>Michael Harrison</p><p>Newton M. Williams</p><p>William S. Baring-Gould</p><p>Julian Wolff</p><p>Tom Stix</p><p>Gordon Speck</p><p>Downstate Sherlockian Competition</p><p>Occupants of the Empty House</p><p><br /></p><h4 style="text-align: left;">Definitions</h4><p><a href="http://www.bsitrust.org/2015/01/glossary.html">Explanation of BSI Honours & Other Terms</a></p><p><br /></p><h4 style="text-align: left;">Related Materials</h4><p><a href="http://www.bsitrust.org/2016/04/the-1988-bsi-dinner.html">The 1988 BSI Dinner</a><br />William Cochran received his Investiture at this BSI Dinner.</p><p><a href="https://bakerstreetirregulars.com/the-baker-street-journal/">The Baker Street Journal</a> (BSI website)<br />Cochran was Editor of the <i>Baker Street Journal</i> (BSJ) in 1993.</p><p><br /></p><p>For an index to all OHP interviews, see our <a href="http://www.bsitrust.org/2015/01/oral-history.html">Oral History Project Summary</a> list.</p><p><a href="http://www.bsitrust.org/search/label/Audio+Oral%20History">Interviews recently added online</a> (sorted by when recording was posted online)</p><p><br /></p><p>Material in the BSI Archive may be used by any qualified scholar, subject to the normal rules and regulations of the library. For links to a detailed finding aid and related information, see our <a href="http://www.bsitrust.org/2015/01/archive.html">BSI Archive</a> page.</p><p><br /></p><p>Page composed on 11/15/23 by Tamar Zeffren</p><p>This page last updated 12/8/23 by Randall Stock</p><p> </p><div><br /></div>

William Cochran Interview: Oral History Project

Rare is the sentence in William Cochran’s (Murray, 1988) interview which does not feature at least one dynamic anecdote or memorable bon mot...

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Register for the 2023 BSI Trust Lecture

<p>Registration is now open for the third annual BSI Trust Lecture. This free Zoom webinar is open to everyone but does require advance registration.  </p><p>Steven Rothman will discuss the correspondence between Christopher Morley (the founder of the Baker Street Irregulars in 1934) and Edgar W. Smith (the BSI’s second leader).</p><h3 style="text-align: left;">The BSI Trust Lecture</h3><p><b>Saturday, September 9, 2023 at 2pm Eastern Daylight Time (New York)</b></p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Online using Zoom</li><li>Open to all Sherlockians & the public</li><li>Free – no registration fee</li><li>Advance registration required</li><li>Registration closes when event reaches capacity</li></ul><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.bsitrust.org/2015/02/morley-smith-1949-12-24.html" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Christopher Morley 1949 letter to Edgar W. Smith" border="0" data-original-height="836" data-original-width="650" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNPc4qGh_v6pJLuwu7N4931PnYNkUp6Qzf8wjvlfRJTzdxcY9UBdZkQS_4AYcFnD4vB5eNqni9rxOsuSMuIlNNwJMsbqyQoaDByU9KVnPRyuIV3ze_avwmFO8GRWEbTqpTTRCRCBgkvzsGw-kc2siaXQ1KtKjCiFR-qesc4yD3N6XiikIyNzpg0QUGpm8/w249-h320/letter-morley-smith-1949-12-24.jpg" width="249" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.bsitrust.org/2015/02/morley-smith-1949-12-24.html">Morley letter to Smith at Christmas 1949</a></div><div><p></p><p>We plan to have only the scheduled speakers visible and talking, so you do not need a camera or microphone to watch the Lecture.</p><p>Please note the event time reflects the USA's Daylight Saving Time. We estimate the event will last approximately 1 hour.</p><p>While the Lecture is free, advance registration is required and space is limited. <b><span style="color: red;">To sign up, click the link below to our online Zoom registration page:</span></b></p><p style="text-align: center;">Register for the 2023 BSI Trust Lecture (webinar is over)</p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.bsitrust.org/2023/12/bsi-trust-lectures.html">Watch BSI Trust Lecture Recordings Online</a></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p></div>

Register for the 2023 BSI Trust Lecture

Registration is now open for the third annual BSI Trust Lecture. This free Zoom webinar is open to everyone but does require advance registr...

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Fall 2023 Newsletter

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://files.bsitrust.org/pdf/news/trust-newsletter-2023-fall.pdf" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="BSI Trust Fall 2023 Newsletter" border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="744" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijxif-daEqHWXcQuMBGt1R0mXJvAfQlcpAVJ-_IuO6vaFDRQQLji70A7FCuOmTxuL0n9a03vUPgJ9ws5LC5CAcYWJJ-E04rO5IqVLVW5vOuemCYrEG4NhlYiER1qZwPlLt10vlcvSxOt8L3zaCsJ7sKjEJhYggtRJRZDjiBId4qPblwk4r60XC5vDgU4w/w310-h400/trust-newsletter-2023-fall.jpg" title="Click to view PDF of newsletter" width="310" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>
The Fall 2023 newsletter includes these articles:<br />
<ul>
<li>Visit Denny Dobry's Basement of Books. </li><li>Rothman to Give 2023 BSI Trust Lecture. </li>
<li>From the Outgoing Chair by Thomas A. Horrocks. </li><li>From the Editor & Incoming Chair by Ray Betzner. </li>
</ul>
Our newsletter's design makes the PDF easier to read on-screen when using a tablet or smartphone. Phone users may want to turn their phone sideways for larger text.<div><br />
<h4>
View or Download the Newsletter:</h4>
<a href="http://files.bsitrust.org/pdf/news/trust-newsletter-2023-fall.pdf">Fall 2023 BSI Trust newsletter</a> (PDF - 1 MB)<br />
<br />
The newsletter is available ONLY in electronic format as a PDF.<br />
<br />
<h4>
Prior Newsletters</h4>
You can view or download <a href="http://www.bsitrust.org/search/label/Newsletter">all prior issues of the BSI Trust Newsletter</a>.<br />
<br />
You can also see <a href="http://www.bsitrust.org/search/label/News">other BSI Trust news</a> on the Trust website.<br />
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<h4>
Contact the Editor of the Newsletter</h4>
See the Contact Us page to <a href="http://www.bsitrust.org/2015/01/contact.html">send email to the editor</a> of the newsletter.<br />
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Fall 2023 Newsletter

The Fall 2023 newsletter includes these articles: Visit Denny Dobry's Basement of Books. Rothman to Give 2023 BSI Trust Lecture. F...

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Pj Doyle Interview: Oral History Project

<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrFICxZEoyStskVhi9oYv8_tnHvjXPvPq4zgUVDcE9Azu5WPcdUaFh6sJGtGHpERgYchYIkBTKW-LLmmkdLynJqUocKs7g3b2V5F67pzpvPCzl-18KrswOcBwwyn-8GiQwha4rooYMI0FzJb2prWDYNf4-0XOwgm9TpU4GAQgKJbyAxxqaPi5ArtAOyPk/s884/pj-doyle-v2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Pj Doyle, BSI" border="0" data-original-height="884" data-original-width="756" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrFICxZEoyStskVhi9oYv8_tnHvjXPvPq4zgUVDcE9Azu5WPcdUaFh6sJGtGHpERgYchYIkBTKW-LLmmkdLynJqUocKs7g3b2V5F67pzpvPCzl-18KrswOcBwwyn-8GiQwha4rooYMI0FzJb2prWDYNf4-0XOwgm9TpU4GAQgKJbyAxxqaPi5ArtAOyPk/w274-h320/pj-doyle-v2.jpg" title="Pj Doyle, BSI" width="274" /></a></div><br />There is no shortage of spellbinding anecdotes in the multi-talented Pj Doyle’s (Ettie Shafter, 2010) oral history, including her appearance in the 1970 film <i>Airport,</i> her involvement with the Norwegian Explorers of Minnesota, and her extensive Red Cross volunteerism. <p></p><p>The conversation covers wide-ranging ground. Pj’s job as ground services personnel for Western Airlines led to an appearance in <i>Airport</i>. In addition to her involvement in founding Mixed Blood Theater in Minneapolis, she has also published two mysteries in England, authored multiple award-winning volumes of poetry, and served on the board of the National Federation of Poets. </p><p>Pj describes Holmes as “the great equalizer” for devotees of all backgrounds and shares how much she values her work with the Beacon Society.. She shares a host of enthralling stories about her affiliation with the Norwegian Explorers of Minnesota, including some of their incredible programs and many of the Sherlockian luminaries associated with the society, such as Austin McLean, Austin Brafford, and Dr. Bryce L. Crawford, Jr. </p><p>When she first learned about the Sherlock Holmes collection at the University of Minnesota, Pj decided to call the university—a call which <i>just </i>happened to be answered by E.W. (Mac) McDiarmid, University Librarian, one of the founding members of the Norwegian Explorers, and a towering figure in the Sherlockian world, whom Pj describes as her mentor. Pj and Julie McKuras served as the first and second female presidents of the Explorers. </p><p>One remarkable aspect of this oral history is Pj’s compelling description of her longstanding Red Cross volunteerism. This includes deployments all over the United States; teaching international humanitarian law; conducting international tracing for families dispersed by war or natural disasters; and serving as Red Cross liaison to other emergency responders and government agencies.</p><iframe allowfullscreen="" height="128" mozallowfullscreen="true" msallowfullscreen="true" oallowfullscreen="true" scrolling="no" src="https://play.libsyn.com/embed/episode/id/27535059/height/128/theme/modern/size/standard/thumbnail/no/custom-color/cccccc/time-start/00:00:00/hide-playlist/yes/hide-subscribe/yes/hide-share/yes" style="border: none;" title="Embed Player" webkitallowfullscreen="true" width="100%"></iframe><p style="text-align: center;">Click above to play audio (<a href="http://www.bsitrust.org/2015/01/oral-history-4.html">playback help</a>)</p><p>Interviewee: Pj Doyle </p><p>Interviewer: Julie McKuras</p><p>Date: May 18, 2014</p><p>Location: Red Cross facility in Minneapolis, MN</p><p>Description: MP3, 47 MB, 111kbps, 58 minutes</p><p><br /></p><h4 style="text-align: left;">Interview Topics</h4><p>Early life and family</p><p>Western Airlines</p><p>Mixed Blood Theatre Company</p><p><i>Airport</i></p><p>American Red Cross</p><p>Minnesota Writers Workshop</p><p>Writing mysteries and poetry</p><p>Norwegian Explorers</p><p>Austin McLean</p><p>E.W. McDiarmid</p><p>Austin Brafford</p><p>Dr. Bryce L. Crawford, Jr.</p><p>Allen Mackler</p><p>John Bennett Shaw</p><p><i>Baker Street Dozen</i></p><p>The Beacon Society</p><p><br /></p><h4 style="text-align: left;">Definitions</h4><p><a href="http://www.bsitrust.org/2015/01/glossary.html">Explanation of BSI Honours & Other Terms</a></p><p><br /></p><h4 style="text-align: left;">Related Materials</h4><p><a href="http://www.bsitrust.org/2017/02/the-2010-bsi-dinner.html">The 2010 BSI Dinner</a><br />Pj Doyle received her Investiture at this BSI Dinner.</p><p><a href="http://interestingthoughelementary.blogspot.com/2021/09/interesting-interview-pj-doyle.html">Interesting Interview: Pj Doyle</a> (website by Rob Nunn)<br />Nunn interviewed Pj for this September 2021 Interesting Though Elementary blog post.</p><p><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Baker-Street-Dozen-P-Doyle/dp/0865531870">The Baker Street Dozen</a> (Amazon)<br />Pj co-edited this 1989 book with a selection of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s favorite Holmes stories. </p><p><br /></p><p>For an index to all OHP interviews, see our <a href="http://www.bsitrust.org/2015/01/oral-history.html">Oral History Project Summary</a> list.</p><p><a href="http://www.bsitrust.org/search/label/Audio+Oral%20History">Interviews recently added online</a> (sorted by when recording was posted online)</p><p><br /></p><p>Material in the BSI Archive may be used by any qualified scholar, subject to the normal rules and regulations of the library. For links to a detailed finding aid and related information, see our <a href="http://www.bsitrust.org/2015/01/archive.html">BSI Archive</a> page.</p><p><br /></p><p>Page composed on 7/1/23 by Tamar Zeffren</p><p>This page last updated 7/17/23 by Randall Stock</p><p><br /></p><div><br /></div>