Las Vegas
2004 "All Hands" Reunion

The 2004 Patron 28 “All Hands” Reunion will be held in Las Vegas, Nevada on July 29, 30 and 31, 2004. Details are given below.  The agenda and Reunion Registration Form are posted nearby on the web site.  

A lot of hard work has been done and some insightful suggestions made by a large number of our shipmates.  We developed a strategy from the many suggestions ( I did not follow some of the more graphic ones!) that embraced two notions:  Las Vegas has plenty of distractions so we tried to leave the maximum time free for individual choices, and we wanted the hospitality room and banquet to be the focal points.  You will see these in the agenda, with Friday completely free of scheduled affairs and the hospitality room available around the clock.

We won’t be having the snowshoe races, but other than that, thanks are due to the many people who offered constructive and critical thoughts as we brought this schedule together.  Just know that all were appreciated.

Please make plans to attend and get your hotel reservations made early. 

Hotel – The Reunion Hotel is the Gold Coast Hotel and Casino, off the strip, in Las Vegas. The address is: 4000 West Flamingo Road ,Las Vegas, NV 89180. Look under the 2004 Reunion for more Gold Coast information, or log onto: www.goldcoastcasino.com. The three day room rates are $36 (29th), $63 (30th) and $63 (31st). You can use the toll free number (1-888-402-6278) to make your room reservations.  Check-in time is 1600 and check-out is 1200 (noon), the Hotel will accommodate earlier check-in if requested.  It is important to use the VP-28 Reunion Reservation number when making your reservations (VP20729) to assure your discount rates. The cutoff for making reservations at those rates is June 29, 2004.  Airport transportation to the Hotel  is available by Limo ($7) and Taxi ($15).

Hospitality Room – We will have a Hospitality Room available in the Hotel from noon on Thursday through Sunday. You’ll have the opportunity to renew old friendships and make new ones while “kicking back” a notch. VP-28 is making available a “cash bar” for your beverage pleasures.

VP-28 Association Meeting – The Association will have a business meeting and will look forward to all Shipmates attending and offering ideas on how to improve and strengthen the organization as we elect new officers to plan the next meeting.  Ideas such as future Reunion times, frequency and locations will be on the table.  New Officers and next Reunion location will be announced at the Saturday night Banquet. Any comment and criticisms will be encouraged.

Golf – The Callaway Golf Tournament will be held at the Nellis AFB golf course. There is a $10 fee for the golfers on the registration form and a $40 Green and Cart fee will be paid by the players at the golf course.  Prizes will be awarded during the Banquet on Saturday night. The tournament will be held on Saturday, 0700.

“Vegas Day” – Since Las Vegas is a destination city, we have set aside Friday, 30^th, as a day for the activities for which the city is famous. You  will have a full day to focus on “Vegas”. The Hospitality Suite will be available for gatherings all day Friday.

Squadron Memorabilia – Joan St. John of Cann Art has agreed to have VP-28 Memorabilia available for shipmates and families during the Reunion, You can check the Memorabilia available under that name on the Website to see what is available. She has indicated that new products are being made available and will be on the Website prior to the Reunion.

Photos – Getting the pictures you want will be easier this Reunion. You can get a picture of the Group, Shipmates and Spouses (8X10) and then for those other groups of flight crews, old shipmate groups and couples pictures (5X7) will be available and priced at $6 to $10 each photo. All Photos will be shipped to you after the Reunion.

Banquet – The Banquet will be on Saturday night so make your meal choices known when you register. There is also entertainment planned at the Banquet, introducing  the new Association Officers, announcing the location of the 2005 All Hands Reunion and a great wrap-up of renewing long time friendships.

Thanks,

Sam Cyrus