Woodstock alumnus Robin Parker (Class of '48) unveiled the cornerstone for a new high school building in Kaplani village on September 23, telling a gathering of students, teachers and village residents "I am one of you. I am a pahari."

The new building, contributed by Robin Parker in memory of his daughter, Heidi, who died at the age of 5, will allow the school in Kaplani to add grades 9 and 10 to the existing junior school. Kaplani School currently enrolls 28 boys and 33 girls.

The Heidi Parker Memorial building strengthens an ongoing Woodstock connection with education in Kaplani village, located five kilometers east of Woodstock on the Tehri Road. Kaplani School is a project of the Mussoorie Gramin Vikas Samiti (Mussoorie Rural Development Committee) established by Bob Alter (WS '43 and former Woodstock principal). Woodstock alumni contributed the Sunday offering from the WOSA/NA 2001 reunion to the Kaplani Junior School, helping to make possible the construction of the initial building.

Mr. Parker told the approximately 150 guests at the ceremony about his life-long love affair with the hill country around Woodstock. "As a boy, I roamed these hills with your fathers, and perhaps your grandfathers," he said. Woodstock Director of Development Jane Cummings also spoke. She said the close partnership between Woodstock and Kaplani School would continue in many different ways such as the involvement of Woodstock students in the CARE project working at Kaplani School, and the participation of Kaplani students in programs of the Hanifl Center.