Commitment to service is the “common thread” for members of the Hoot family. Their roots in Annapolis and the U.S. Naval Academy (USNA) run deep and continue to extend. Brandy Hoot’s father, Admiral Daniel Bowler, USN (Ret.), graduated from the Academy in 1970, and his father in 1945. Born in the former Naval Academy Hospital and baptized in its chapel, Brandy coincidentally went on to marry Todd, a veteran and USNA alumnus (Class of ‘94). The two married at the Naval Academy Chapel, where their four children would also be baptized. Today, three of their four children are Midshipmen themselves. However, this school year is special. It’s the only time Alexander (Class of '25), Madeline (Class of '27), and Olivia (Class of '28) will be at the USNA concurrently. Inspired by their grandfather and each other, the Hoot children voluntarily chose to join the Navy, one sibling after the next. However, their youngest sibling, Sophia, a highschool sophomore, plans to break the pattern for a traditional college experience, and Brandy is hilariously excited for the change—especially because she’ll be able to help decorate a dorm for the first time. Together, Brandy, Todd, their four children, her parents (Daniel and Susan Bowler), and their dog, Whiskey, gathered at the Academy’s Dahlgren Hall to grace the cover of our fall issue as a symbol of family, service, and Annapolitan culture. ABOUT THE COVER by Stacey Coles
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8 ...............Retail 20 .............Community 36 .............Health & Beauty 54 .............Education 68 ............Entertainment 80 ............Food & Dining 94 ............Sports
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6 | THE MOTHERLODE
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