Pictured above: L-R. RuthAnn, Judy, Karen, Becky, Mary and her husband David, Elaine & her husband George, Barb, Joyce, Barb, Marie, and Lori.

In October 2023, a group of Luther College alumnae from the Class of 1965 gathered in Arizona to celebrate their 80th birthdays. It was a weekend of laughter, reminiscing, and some tears, too, as one of their friends had passed away.

One member of the group, Marie Peterson Marin of Woodruff, WI, was inspired to take out a piece of music by Handel that she’d thrown into her suitcase at the last moment, and she sat down at the piano to play the piece as a musical tribute to their friend.

The women were touched, and the tears flowed.

Later, many of the women asked Marie for a recording of the piece and offered to pay. “I did not feel comfortable accepting dollars from my friends,” shares Marie. “But the solution came to me one night when I could not sleep. I could ask them to give donations to LPGM!”

Indeed, gifts started showing up at LPGM “in honor of Marie’s music” from names we’d never seen before. Soon after, we connected the dots which led us back to Marie and her emotive performance.

Two years later in October 2025, some of these same friends gathered for their 60th Reunion at Luther College. Plans are being made to meet again next year. Marie remarks, "Our continuing friendship is remarkable, like many other Luther graduates."

She concludes, “[My friends] have been very generous in their gifts, and now they know the story and purpose of LPGM, too! Soli Deo Gloria! [Glory to God alone.]”