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Reunion 2011 Planning: Location

Posted: Sun Aug 02, 2009 8:19 pm
by Keith Holman
This is a preliminary selection.
  • In this first round, you are asked to select two (2) choices. This is your first and second choice. There is no way to distinguish between your first and second choice.
  • This poll will remain open until and through September 30, 2009.
  • The top three (3) choices from this selection will go into a second round. In the second round, everyone will be able to vote for only one (1) choice. We plan to have some information on options in the second round with regard to costs, etc.
  • They are listed in alphabetical order here.
  • If you'd like to "campaign" on behalf of one of these locations, please reply here to make that information known to others who will be voting.
  • If you have no preference, please indicate that. It's good to know that a broad number had the chance to voice a preference, even if they had none.
  • For reference, past locations were: 2004 - Charleston SC, 2005 - Jacksonville FL/Kings Bay Ga, 2007 - New London CT, 2009 - Bremerton WA
VERY IMPORTANT: If you are a former Madison sailor and/or a member of Reunion Association and cannot login and have your vote counted, send an email to website@ussjamesmadison627.com NOW to make it so you can. Do not wait until the voting closes and then say "oh there was a problem". I am not set up to take votes by email.

Re: Reunion 2011 Planning: Location

Posted: Mon Aug 03, 2009 1:15 am
by girardlew
I vote for Charleston or Williamsburg.

Gary Lew

Re: Reunion 2011 Planning: Location

Posted: Mon Aug 03, 2009 4:34 am
by goatmandol
I vote for Norfolk in May or Sept/Boston in July. Williamsburg Has many family deals, Newport News is 22miles if we could get a tour., I think Norfolk and the Scorpion Memorial at D&S Piers (possible boat tour- Sqd 6) is 29 miles, Montplier is up INT64. It could be toured but is much to expensive for the banquet. A logistical nightmare but with a little work could be put together. Len Reneau

Re: Reunion 2011 Planning: Location

Posted: Tue Aug 04, 2009 12:57 pm
by thelt
My vote is for Charleston, after all that's where the most of the crew spent their time.

Re: Reunion 2011 Planning: Location

Posted: Thu Aug 06, 2009 3:27 am
by Keith Holman
Some of the things I remember being said about each location as it came up at the meeting in Silverdale. By no means is this complete, it's just the parts I remember.

Branson, MO -- Centrally located. Has been to known to provide some very good deals price wise for Vets groups.

Charleston, SC -- Many years was the homeport. Many former shipmates live nearby.

Dallas/Ft. Worth, TX -- Centrally located. A number of former shipmates along the Gulf and also in Arkansas/Oklahoma.

Las Vegas, NV -- Usually good prices for groups including lower air fares. Fun place to visit.

Montpelier, VA -- Former home of President James Madison. Central to Jefferson's Monticello and the home of Monroe. Horse racetrack on site, things for the kids to do.

Newport News/Norfolk, VA -- Where the pre-commissioning crews lived. Overhaul/conversion site in the 1980 timeframe. Near to current base at Norfolk, VA Beach and Williamsburg.

San Diego, CA -- The Dolly was here for a while on her way to decomm. Another military installation.

Williamsburg, VA -- Good group rates, not far from Norfolk. Things for the kids and adults to do.

Like I said, I wasn't taking notes, these were things I happened to remember about each one.

Re: Reunion 2011 Planning: Location

Posted: Thu Aug 13, 2009 5:25 pm
by RDMyers
Charleston, SC would be my first choice. I have no preference for a second.

Re: Reunion 2011 Planning: Location

Posted: Fri Aug 14, 2009 11:08 pm
by Ron Warnick
I suggested that Newport News be the location for the 2011 reunion. We had a reunion in Charleston, the original and long time home port; then in Jacksonville/Kings Bay, a major east coast sub base; then at New London/Groton, the sub base where many of us trained and the shipyard where the boat was worked on; then in Bremerton, a major west coast sub base. My thought was that it was about time we returned to where it all started. I think it would be interesting to see the shipyard as it is today and, as a bonus, Newport News is close to all of the naval installations in the Norfolk area and is close enough to allow for a tour of Montpelier as well. There will be other reunions in the future when we can go back to some of the places we've already visited, or to places like Branson or Las Vegas.

Re: Reunion 2011 Planning: Location

Posted: Sun Aug 16, 2009 2:13 pm
by Clyde (Chip) Porter
I am going to Branson in September and have found out some information about the new airport that was not very pleasing to me. To begin with, only two airlines go to the Branson airport - Sun Country & Airtran (I never heard of either one). Also there are only 4 direct connections to Branson airport - Dallas/Fort Worth, Minneapolis-StPaul, Millwaukee, & Atlanta. To avoid the added time and expense due to the excessive extra distance to travel, I decided to fly to St Louis and drive 4 hours to Branson.

Re: Reunion 2011 Planning: Location

Posted: Wed Aug 19, 2009 3:10 am
by tlewis
Newport News OR Charleston are my choices

Tom Lewis :o

Re: Reunion 2011 Planning: Location

Posted: Fri Aug 21, 2009 3:37 pm
by KellyJoeRay
I vote Norfolk #1, Willaimsburg # 2

Could Not find the poll on line????

Kelly rAyganger

Re: Reunion 2011 Planning: Location

Posted: Fri Aug 21, 2009 3:40 pm
by KellyJoeRay
Okay, after I posted the last comment the poll popped up? Either way, I got to vote.

WETSU Baby!

Kelly rAyganger

Re: Reunion 2011 Planning: Location

Posted: Fri Sep 04, 2009 5:38 pm
by nickynuc
I vote Branson #1, Willaimsburg # 2

Re: Reunion 2011 Planning: Location

Posted: Thu Sep 17, 2009 5:01 am
by bnorwood
I picked Newport News or San Diego. The main reasons are:

1) We haven't had one either place
2) We've had several on the East coast, and need to accomodate our west coast shipmates...plus Jim Dullea (Engineer, Gold crew mid 80's) used to say that San Diego was the closest thing to Heaven on earth...