2025 Anniversary CELEBRATIONS: FALL ALUMNI REUNION!
At the end of October, we welcomed a group of past interns, apprentices, and volunteers for our second Alumni Reunion of this special year. We united over shared stories, cozy evenings by the fireplace, the excitement and tradition of the olive harvest and olio nuovo, and our love for Spannocchia.
30 people joined us for the reunion: 18 alumni and 12 friends/family—including alumni spouses, parents, and children. What a joy to see multiple generations come together to celebrate and reflect the wide impact of these programs!
We kicked off with a special aperitivo hour and pizza night, toured the garden and wine cellar and learned about current practices, heard from alumni and current interns about their experiences at Spannocchia, explored optional activities like a cooking class or hike to Castiglion Che Dio Sol Sa, and more. We even weathered and survived a power outage, phew! Everyone especially appreciated the energy and humor shared by the current fall intern group (check out their internship highlight reel here!).
Thank you to everyone who joined us, and special thanks to those who shared their stories as part of our alumni presentations: Caroline Pam (Farm Intern, Summer '03), Rachel Horner Brackett (extended WWOOFer & researcher, 2008-09), Casey Carr (Farm Intern, Fall '14; WWOOF, Fall '15), and Lina Maria Rojas Cardona (Butcher Apprentice, 2018). Thank you also to Kady Wohlforth (Guest Services, Summer '14) for sharing her WSET wine training and running a wine tasting for everyone alongside Niccolò. And finally, thanks to the people who made this program possible: Mary-Kate Duffy (Guest Services, Spring '16) and Sheela Prakash (Intern, Summer '10 and current Board Member), who helped to organize the reunion both in advance and on-site in their role as Alumni Engagement Volunteers, AND all the staff at Spannocchia who welcomed our alumni with so much warmth and care. Grazie tutti!
We've heard from many alumni that you'd like more opportunities to gather together at Spannocchia! Stay tuned for news of future reunions!
