Live Long and Prosper

this article was first published in the Press Republican, Plattsburgh, NY)


By DIANE PETRYK

PLATTSBURGH — Getting a
guy to notice you isn’t always
easy. You’re shy. He’s shy. What
do you do?

Renata Fromme, who got noticed and to
the altar, got help from
the Federation. At least in the
form of a Lake Placid Star Trek
Club member.

Here’s the data:

Renata, 18, of Queens, first
met Jean-Marc Di Battista, 21,
of Montreal, in a summer
library-skills class at
Plattsburgh State. They were
randomly tossed together as
partners in a homework
assignment, but Library 101 left
them in the Neutral Zone.

In the fall they were, by
chance, in the same public speaking
class. Their teacher,
Kathleen Duley, was scheduled
to host a pledge break at the
Mountain Lake PBS station. She
decided to make the trip a prime
directive for everyone in the
class.

Most students manned the
phones, taking pledge calls,
including Renata. From where
she sat, she had a good view of
Jean-Marc, filling in as a
volunteer camera operator.
(He hopes to go into broadcast
news. She’s majoring in hotel
and restaurant management.)
Renata said she was attracted
by his sense of humor. “And , to
be honest, that French accent.”

By the end of the day she knew
she wanted to see more of him.
But his hailing frequencies
weren’t open.

“I was too shy,” Jean-Marc
admitted. “I noticed she was
looking at me, but it didn’t click.”

At the end of the day, the
volunteers, which included
members of the Star Trek club,
went to the International House
of Pancakes.

Renata confided in Trekker
Cynthia Merrick.

Merrick decided to boldly go.
She came right out and said: “I
think she’s attracted to you.”

The rest is history.

Jean-Marc showed Renata
around Montreal. They visited
her parents in Queens. She
picked out a wedding dress.

They fell in love in a matter of
two months, Renata said.

She doesn’t think they got
there at warp speed.

“I don’t think we’re rushing,”
she said just before the wedding.

“Most couples go through an
awkward period, but we cut right
through that. The timing seems
right.”

Because they didn’t have a
church in common, and they
didn’t like the idea of a
courthouse wedding, they
decided to get married where
their attraction took hold: at the
Mountain Lake PBS station.

“And it was a great way to get
a free video of the wedding.”

The management of Mountain
Lake PBS said it hopes the
couple’s example will encourage
others to discover the benefits of
volunteering at the station.

Renata certainly understands
them. She always dreamed of
being a bride.

Saturday, Jean-Marc made it
so.
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