2022 Reunion Email - Apr 4,2022

Well, 38 days till we are together again. Lord willin' and the creek don't rise.

You are receiving this email because I have you down as attending the reunion.

Standard reunion dates are... check-in May 13, checkout May16, 2022. But everyone is free to come and go as you please.

For those staying at the Promenade....

Check-in is 4pm, check-out is 11am.

Normally there is a daily charge for parking, but veterans are free. BUT, you have to check in before you park, and get a pass.

As most everyone already knew, this was going to be a low key, minimalist reunion. Probably from here on out, long as I'm still breathing.

Too much work involved, months of it. The planning and logistics for a group this size is a nightmare. Planning tours is actually the worst part.

Few of us have the time to invest in all the daily planning, emails, phone calls, scheduling, finances, etc.

So, other than signing a contract with Hilton to get a decent group rate of $159 (going rate for the standard 1K/2Q a/o today is about $270),

I'm trying to keep this reunion as simple as possible.

The hotel was fairly easily arranged, though I did have to sign a financially liable contract in order to get the room block at a rate well below normal rates. I don't remember having to do that for the Rapid City, SD hotel. Oh well, such is life I guess when you deal with prominent hotel chains.

We have filled the initial contracted block of 50 rooms, and now have 58 rooms reserved. A few others have made their own arrangements, RV'ing, etc.

Current overall attendance is at 125.

Since the vast majority of regular attendees is now in their 60-70s, I chose the Hilton Promenade at the Branson Landing, which IMHO, is the best place to be in Branson, because of all the shopping & dining, ALL within walking distance.

Branson is a good military friendly reunion town. Many of us have been there before, whether at the 2009 reunion, or separately.

Arranging tours or shows, besides the logistical difficulty previously mentioned, might not have a full complement of attendees since a lot of people have already been to this show or that show.

So, other than getting together for dinner Friday the 13th, you are on your own to decide what you want to do with your time. Everyone will have their own transportation anyway.

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Banquet...

A few days ago, I decided not to have a formal banquet.

The meals, plus drinks, would be too expensive at the Promenade, or the Convention Center across the street. Their pricing is geared for corporate events.

Service fees + gratuity comes out to be 23%. Plus the sales tax rate in Branson is very high, 10.725%.

As an example, a $53 buffet priced meal would come out to be $72 per person.

The banquet (actually just an informal bite to eat together) will be at the Black Oak Grill, on the Landing, just walking distance north of the hotel, at 7pm.

The manager said they do large groups of any size, and still have room for other patrons, as long as he plans ahead.

I'll send out another email on this, probably tomorrow, with more details, menu, pricing, location, pictures, floor plan, etc.

Pricing is way better, and a decent group selection menu (taken from regular menu) on the meal choices. Plus the manager said he would extend happy hour bar prices for our group.

Soon, I will be sending out a link, for a quick form I'll design, on your menu choice(s), so their kitchen can be better prepared.

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I will send out another email tomorrow, concerning a few other notes of interest.

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John Helsley

69-73, BM3

Reunion Website: https://sites.google.com/site/usshoelddg13site/home-page/reunion-info/reunion-2022

Reunion Email: uss.hoel.ddg13.2022reunion@gmail.com