2022 Reunion New Orleans Cancelled

The March 2022 reunion in New Orleans is cancelled.  With the current Covid 19 Omicron surge, which began in mid-December, I thought it would be a good idea to send out an email out to the members who planned to attend the reunion and those that had shown an interest in attending to see if they were now actually coming to the reunion, so there would be no March surprise.  Only 11 members replied yes, they were still coming, which reluctantly included me, not enough for a reunion. 

For those who weren’t included on the emails, we had a block of 22 rooms contracted for the reunion, the Hilton contract states if we don’t use 80% of the rooms (17) we must pay for the unused rooms for the whole period, about $500 each, plus a percentage of the banquet cost.  In early December we were filling all 22 rooms and I was considering asking for more rooms, then along came the virus, in Hawaii we went from about 100 Covid cases a day to over 3,000/day almost overnight.  The result of the poll was we would now occupy only nine rooms, which included me.  

Some of those who said they were attending said they are still plan on coming to New Orleans in March.   I am checking with the hotel if the rooms these hardcore members reserved at the reunion rate are still good.  I am also checking if Hilton will require us to reschedule the reunion and banquet (November 2022) or if we can cancel altogether without paying the substantial penalty (about $6,500) for canceling that is in the Hilton contract; we have already rescheduled five times since March 2020, my preference is to cancel, if no penalty.  Hopefully we can cancel and wait until things get back to somewhat normalcy before scheduling another reunion,  We would then take a new poll of the members on the reunion location.

January 3, 2022

To:  Reunion Attendee’s and Prospective Attendee’s

In mid-December it looked like smooth sailing for our reunion to finally happen in March, then the Omicron virus showed up.  It is spreading like wildfire, in Hawaii three weeks ago we were averaging 100 Covid cases a day, now it is up to about 3,000 cases a day, but hospitalization are down, and for most fully vaccinated people a case of Omicron is like getting a cold.  I looked online to see what it said about us seniors and most articles say Senior citizens and individuals with co-morbidities are in greater danger.  Plus we still have the original Covid and Delta Variant going around, which are more sever and deadly.

I need to know if you are still planning on attending in March.  We have a block of 22 rooms reserved (66 room nights) and the hotel contract reads if we don’t fill 80% (17 rooms) we have to pay for the rooms under the 17 for the whole period, (about $500/room).  

 So, I need a firm readout of the number attending.  Right now I have 24 Attending, but 2 of those don’t need rooms.   If enough people confirm they are attending, we will go with the reunion, I am vaccinated/boostered and booked First Class seats both ways with miles, to avoid flying cattle car from Hawaii, so I am a confirmed yes,

NameYesPaidMaybe
 241113
    
Ardizzoni, Robert 2x 
Benson, Larry2  
Beidler, Art1  
Boasso, Herb   
Calvin, Connie1x 
Carey, Michael   
Cook, David2x 
Cruz, Papo1  
DeNunzio, Maureen1x 
Durnell, Pete1  
Forsyth, Bill1x 
Germer, William1  
Goetz, Kristine1  
Gohn, Gary1  
Holloway, Todd1  
Jackson, Tony1  
Kelly, Ken2  
Mizner, Mark1x 
Odell, Lawrence2x 
Sanchez, Teresa 1  
Spencer, Jim2  
Stokes, Elton2x 
Weller, Joe1x 
Wiles, Fred2x 
Alexander, Max  x
Belote, Dave  x
Dudley, Darrel  x
Johnson, Randy  x
Kores, Jon  x
LaFata Steve  x
Mathewson, Eric  x
North, Martha  x
Roberts, Buzz  x
Walters, Nancy  x
Wilson, James  x
    

From hotel contract:

 ROOMS ATTRITION: Hotel is relying upon the total guaranteed room nights at the Group room rate in this agreement. Group agrees that the Hotel will incur a loss should there be a reduction greater than 20% in the total guaranteed room nights of this agreement. Should  the room nights utilized be less than

80.% of the total guaranteed room nights, Group agrees to pay, as liquidated damages and not as a penalty, the difference between 80% of the total guaranteed room nights multiplied by the agreed Group room rate. 

CANCELLATION:  ln the unlikely event that the Group finds it necessary to cancel the Event at the Hotel, Group realizes that It will create a loss for the hotel that will be difficult to calculate. Therefore, Hotel and Group agree that liquidated damages Will be charged based on the time to arrival of the cancellation.

  • Cancellation by Group occurring 91 to 180 days prior to arrival, liquidated damages in the amount of seventy percent (70%) of Room Night Commitment and forty percent (40%) of Minimum Banquet Food and Beverage Revenues including Meeting Room Rental will be due, plus applicable taxes.

There is now pandemic as reason for cancellations that was not in previous contracts, so cancellation is a option, rather than rescheduling to November, see below.

IMPOSSIBILITY: The performance of this Agreement is subject to termination without liability upon the occurrence of any circumstance beyond the control of either party – such as acts of God, war, government regulations, disaster, strikes (except those involving the employees or agents of the party seeking the protection of this clause), civil disorder, terrorism, pandemic/epidemic illness (as announced by the World Health Organization and/or the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or other government agencies) and/or curtailment of transportation facilities – to the extent that such circumstance makes it illegal or impossible to provide or use the Hotel facilities. The ability to terminate this Agreement without liability pursuant to this paragraph is conditioned upon delivery of written notice to the other party setting forth the basis for such termination as soon as reasonably practical – but in no

event longer than ten (10) days – after learning of such basis.

Due to the Delta Variant ravaging the U.S, we have had to reschedule the reunion to March 2022.

548th and 67th Reunion New Orleans

March 24-26, 2022

Embassy Suites Hotel New Orleans Convention Center

315 Julia St, New Orleans, LA 70130

Tel: 1-504-525-1993

The link for making your reservations is: https://www.hilton.com/en/book/reservation/deeplink/?ctyhocn=MSYCCES&groupCode=CES548&arrivaldate=2022-03-22&departuredate=2022-03-28&cid=OM,WW,HILTONLINK,EN,DirectLink&fromId=HILTONLINKDIRECT

If you use the Hilton app, the group code to get the special rate is CES548.

Note: Edit the dates at the top of the first page, the rate covers Tuesday to Monday. If are a Hilton Honors member, sign in at the top of the page. Only reserve the two queen bed room if you really need it.

Registration Cost: $100/person, includes the World War II Museum with movie, banquet dinner and vans to the museum , if you are not going to museum or are paying for it on your own (No Movie), the cost is $75/person.  Please pay by February 23, 2022, 2021, if you cancel before February 23rd, we will refund the full amount, after that we will refund anything we are not charged for by the hotel.  You can either pay via:

    – Paypal to [email protected]

    – Check/money order mailed to 548th and 67th Recon Assoc, PO Box 75549, Kapolei, HI 96707, made out to same. 

With your payment, please include a note with the names you want on your name tags

Hotel:  

Cutoff Date for Reservations: March 3, 2022, reservation must be made before this date. Make reservations at: To be provided at a later date.

(Note: Reunion room rate is approximately $169 per night (Plus taxes). Valet parking only at hotel at $44/day (plus tax). In our block of rooms, we have set aside five queen bed suites, the remainder are king beds, only reserve these if your really need them.

* 1 night’s deposit due at time of booking

* 2 nights minimum stay required

* 72 hours prior to arrival date no charge to cancel policy

* $90 early departure fee

* $10 per person round trip baggage fee for group arrivals of 10 people or more arriving at the hotel at the same time.

* $20 per person charge after 2 occupants in the room over the age of 18.

* Parking is Valet Only. Prevailing rate over contracted dates will apply.

Schedule

March 24, Thursday:  Arrive hotel. I arrive in the afternoon and should be at the hotel reception at 1730 to hand out name tags and other information.

        – 1730 to 1900, Evening hotel reception in the hotels Main Tower with

complimentary beverages, cocktails, wine and beer.

        – 1900 Diner on your own or as a small groups.   Across the street from the hotel you have Galliano, which looks good or Mulates, two and a half blocks from the hotel.  Advise making reservations early at any place you are eating.

          – 2100 to ?, Free time.

March 25, Friday:  Complimentary Breakfast Hotel

             – 0950 Bus to the National World War II Museum.

                  -Entry fee:  We are being charged a group rate of $17/person, plus $7 for the movie Beyond All Boundaries 4D, which is included in your reunion  registration fee, normally the museum admission price is $24.50 for seniors and $18 for military (includes retired). If you are not seeing the movie, you will need to buy your own ticket, preferably in advance online Dave Belote had this to say about the movie: “Put something on the reunion website about the fact that they are going to see the “4D cinematic experience Beyond All Boundaries.”  As you know, when Lianne and I left the Dayton reunion, we traveled all over the East Coast and eventually wound down south to see the National WWII Museum in New Orleans.  Beyond All Boundaries was amazing and is something that everyone in the USA and really the free world should see.  The 4D aspects of it must be witnessed as they’re hard to describe, but it should not be missed.

            – 1100 Lunch at the museum’s The American Sector Restaurant and Bar, pay as you go, probably no group seating

             – 1600 Bus to the hotel, anyone wanting to return to the hotel earlier will need to take a taxi or walk, it is a long six block walk.

             – 1730-1930, Evening hotel reception

             – Dinner on your own

             – 1930-? Free time.

March 25, Saturday: 

            – Tour on your own tour with the New Orleans Hop On-Hop Off buses, which stop in front of the hotel every 30 minutes, cost is $39 for a 24-hour pass, also available are trolleys, buses, streetcars or your own car.  See suggested tours attached.

            – 1800 Banquet Room open, socializing, dress business casual or aloha wear

            – 1845-1900 Business Meeting

            – 1900 Opening ceremony

            – 1915-2000 Banquet Buffet Dinner             

Entree Choices:  Roasted Beef au jus, Blackened Fish New Orleans seasoning, Chicken Picatta lemon caper sauce

Soup:  Corn & Crawfish Bisque

Salad: Arugula Salad creole tomato, cucumber, red onion, creole mustard vinaigrette

Accompaniment: Roasted Potatoes

Specialty: Shrimp Creole stewed tomato, gulf shrimp, white rice

Desert:  Southern Pecan Pie graham crust and Carrot Cake cream cheese icing

            -2000-2100:  Guest Speaker Ken Kelly and Larry O’Dell talk on the Civil Air Patrol.

            -2100-2200:  Socialize

            -2200- ?:  Farewell to Nola

March 27, Sunday:  Check-out of hotel

January 8, 2021

The month of November is pretty busy at the hotel with rescheduled reunions and meetings that were cancelled like ours, so the 4th of November was not available.  The dates of our reunion will now be November 18-20, 2021.  It will be a day or two before we can make reservations, I will let you know when you can make reservations.  The rate is the same $168/night.

 Due to COVID 19 we will reschedule our reunion in New Orleans to this fall, tentatively early November 2021.  If you are planning on attending or might attend, please send me an email at [email protected], include the number in your party attending and if you are not booking a hotel room or going to the museum, or watching the movie at the museum.  The hotel rate for the reunion when it was scheduled in March was $169/night plus tax, we expect about the same rate for November 2021.

 You will need to cancel your reservation and change your flights if you made them for March when we firm up the new schedule with the hotel.  I have a list of those who have paid and will carry it over.

Mahalo

Bill

The below information will be updated once the new dates are firmed up.

548th and 67th Reunion New Orleans

Fall 2021

Embassy Suites Hotel New Orleans Convention Center

315 Julia St, New Orleans, LA 70130

Tel: 1-504-525-1993

Registration Cost: $100/person, includes the World War II Museum with movie, banquet dinner and vans to the museum , if you are not going to museum or are paying for it on your own (No Movie), the cost is $75/person.  Please pay by ????, if you cancel before $$$$, we will refund the full amount, after that we will refund anything we are not charged for by the hotel.  You can either pay via:

    – Paypal to [email protected]

    – Check/money order mailed to 548th and 67th Recon Assoc, PO Box 75549, Kapolei, HI 96707, made out to same. 

With your payment, please include a note with the names you want on your name tags

Hotel:  

Cutoff Date for Reservations: ????, reservation must be made before this date.

(Note: Reunion room rate is approximately $169 per night (Plus taxes). Valet parking only at hotel at $42/day (plus tax).

* 1 night’s deposit due at time of booking

* 2 nights minimum stay required

* 72 hours prior to arrival date no charge to cancel policy

* $90 early departure fee

* $10 per person round trip baggage fee for group arrivals of 10 people or more arriving at the hotel at the same time.

* $20 per person charge after 2 occupants in the room over the age of 18.

* Parking is Valet Only. Prevailing rate over contracted dates will apply.

Schedule

Thursday:  Arrive hotel, I arrive in the morning and should be in the lobby or that general area by 1300 to hand out name tags and other information.

        – 1730 to 1900, Evening hotel reception in the hotels Main Tower with

complimentary beverages, cocktails, wine and beer.

        – 1900 Diner on your own or as a small groups.   Across the street from the hotel you have Galliano, which looks good or Mulates, two and a half blocks from the hotel.  Advise making reservations early at any place you are eating.

          – 2100 to ?, Free time.

Friday:  Complimentary Breakfast Hotel

             – 0950 Vans to the National World War II Museum, if necessary I will standby at the hotel with a van until 1020 to pick up any stragglers.

                  -Entry fee:  We are being charged a group rate of $17/person, plus $7 for the movie Beyond All Boundaries 4D, which is included in your reunion  registration fee, normally the museum admission price is $24.50 for seniors and $18 for military (includes retired). If you are not seeing the movie, you will need to buy your own ticket, preferably in advance online

            – 1100 Lunch at the museum’s The American Sector Restaurant and Bar, pay as you go, probably no group seating

             – 1600 Vans to the hotel, anyone wanting to return to the hotel earlier can call me on a cell phone number I will provide at check-in and I will give you a ride to the hotel, it is a long six block walk.

             – 1730-1930, Evening hotel reception

             – Dinner on your own

             – 1930-? Free time.

Saturday: 

            – Tour on your own tour with the New Orleans Hop On-Hop Off buses, which stop in front of the hotel every 30 minutes, cost is $39 for a 24-hour pass, also available are trolleys, buses, streetcars or your own car.  See suggested tours attached.

            – 1800 Banquet Room open, socializing, dress business casual or aloha wear

            – 1845-1900 Business Meeting

            – 1900 Opening ceremony

            – 1915-2000 Banquet Buffet Dinner             

Entree Choices:  Roasted Beef au jus, Blackened Fish New Orleans seasoning, Chicken Picatta lemon caper sauce

Soup:  Corn & Crawfish Bisque

Salad: Arugula Salad creole tomato, cucumber, red onion, creole mustard vinaigrette

Accompaniment: Roasted Potatoes

Specialty: Shrimp Creole stewed tomato, gulf shrimp, white rice

Desert:  Southern Pecan Pie graham crust and Carrot Cake cream cheese icing

            -2000-2100:  Guest Speaker Ken Kelly and Larry O’Dell talk on the Civil Air Patrol.

            -2100-2200:  Socialize

            -2200- ?:  Farewell to Nola

Sunday:  Check-out of hotel