Dear Shipmates,
The 2008 Goldsborough reunion will be held from Sunday August 31st until Friday morning September 5th, 2008 and hosted by the Sheraton Hotel in Annapolis Maryland. The hotel is just five miles from the downtown and harbor area to which they offer a free shuttle.
Bob and Judy Rodell, our reunion coordinators, along with my wife Connie and myself, toured the Annapolis area hotels back in early December and decided on the Sheraton for a host of reasons. They offered the best rate for rooms, they are very close to restaurants and a giant mall and have easy access to the expressway for those driving in. The hospitality suite set up is very nice and their banquet facilities are also top notch. They also offer some amenities that we felt would benefit some of our members which were not available at other hotels. Most important of which was free parking. Trust me when I say free parking in a town that has extremely limited parking and streets that are no wider than some alleys in other towns, is a premium. One hotel wanted $20 a night per car.
The hotel is approximately 30 minutes from Baltimore/Washington International airport (BWI). Connie and I spent just $140 for round trip ticket so it is a reasonably priced airport as well. We will of course be offering our free airport shuttle beginning on Friday, August 29 through 5 p.m. on Friday September 5. The normal commercial shuttle cost per person, per trip from the airport to the hotel is $38. Our free shuttle service should again save everyone flying in a nice chunk of change.
Some of the planned activities in the works include the dedication of the USS Goldsborough plaque at the Navy Memorial, tours of the Vietnam Wall, the World War II Memorial and a Congressional White House tour.
No trip to Annapolis would be complete without an official tour of the Naval Academy where we will also be provided a Memorial ceremony for our departed shipmates at the Academy Chapel complete with a minister, organist and bugler. Lunch is also being planned at the Officers Club.
We will also be offering a pre-reunion, extra cost activity again this year. We had such a great response last year to the Grand Ole Opry that this year we will secure a block of tickets for the Navy football game on Saturday August 30th. We will purchase 30 tickets as soon as they go on sale in mid-March so if you want to attend the game, PLEASE, let me know ASAP so if we need more tickets I can procure them. (Tickets are $24 each). (pat@pattaylorphoto.com or 1-800-433-6061)
We will also be making a day trip to Baltimore’s inner Harbor where there are numerous attractions and restaurants for those who just love fresh sea food.
There will be plenty of free time set aside for personal trips and shopping.
Again this year we have extended an invitation to Admiral Michael Mullen, Chairmen of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and former Goldy skipper to attend and be our keynote speaker at the Thursday banquet. He had committed to attend the 2007 reunion in Nashville but due to his nomination and promotion to Chairman, his schedule was drastically altered. We are again hoping, with enough advance warning, he will try to attend again.
Watch this site in the very near future for hotel details about reservations, reunion cost and other important information.
I would ask that each of you who have attended reunion previously, please try and contact at least one shipmate who you know and convince them to come. The more the merrier and that could not be more true than when it comes to shipmates of the USS Goldsborough. Killer Whale sailors know how to have a Killer of a Time without anyone getting hurt. Ignore the newspaper articles featured on the web site.
Pat Taylor, President |
