New Beetles Return to Roswell 2009

[marvins_dad]

Earl posted this on the Topica list.
Sounds like there is a great grass roots movement to have a year 10 for the Roswell Show!

Please vote in the poll, I want to see how many are definatley going to make the show and who is going to plan on making it.

As you all know the R2K events have been canceled leaving us all sad and depressed. David did a marvelous job and I respect his feelings. We just can not let this happen so we all need to get together and fix this problem. A few of us have joined forces with the hardline commitment to make a New Beetle Reunion happen in 2009 in Roswell.

The core of the committee is Earl "Cueball" McCutcheon , Lisa Herr, Jerry O'Hara, Howie, Ray Townsend, and Antoine DeHon, but it will take a dedication from the whole New Beetle community to make this happen.

The event will take place on June 25th through the 28th of 2009. It will be headquartered at the Sally Port in Roswell. Planning is in place to have the banquet hall at the Sally Port available on Saturday night for the main party portion of the reunion. We are also negotiating to have the South part of the parking lot (behind the Dairy Queen and away from stray golf balls) to have an impromptu car show on Saturday afternoon (no trophies just an opportunity for everyone to see the new goodies on all the cars). Since this is more about the friends that we have all found during this great show we will not limit the attendance to New Beetle owners per say, but to anyone who has attended any of the R2K events (some of our friends have gone to the dark side for one reason or another, but they still have warm feelings for what R2K stood for and need to be a art of this thing).

We are tentatively planning for the following activities:
Thursday, June 25th - meet for evening of great Mexican Food and Margaritas at Tia Juana's at 7:00.
Friday, June 26th - Organized caravan to some near by sight (if you wish) to start around 10:00 and finish ? Possible drive in movie deal in the evening.
Saturday, June 27th - Impromptu car show 11:00 to 3:00, possibly the parade of colors if the town elects, reunion party with dinner from 6:00 till ? with R2K memorabilia, toy swap/sell, Barbie car show, and lots of bench racing.
Sunday, June 28th - breakfast goodbye.

Of course this is all tentative and we will be having polls on the list to figure out what you all want to do, but this is a good starting point to work from and discuss.

We need to get volunteers for area representatives for as many places as we can. Their responsibility would be to advertise the event in their area, organize caravans, be the spokes persons, etc. As you all know the Roswell portion is only the meat of the adventure sandwich. The bread, on both sides, is the trip to and from which for me at least has been some of my most memorable times.

R2K was successfully started by the grass roots method and I feel we can do this the same way. I want to keep the costs down to a minimum as we all know how expensive it is to take a vacation these days. We do need, however, to get a pretty good estimate count of who would be going as soon as we can. I am arranging the deal with the Sally Port now and I would like to see as many stay there as possible (everyone if we can). Once I get the deal done then I would hope that as many as can would make their reservations as soon as possible.
Remembering that you can cancel right up to the 25th with no obligations. In this way I can work with the Hotel and keep a good track on the numbers and this would be a tremendous help!!! In the mean time I need to get a straw man count quickly because that will help with my negotiations with the Hotel. So maybe you could write to me and estimate how many people would come from your respective areas. (the banquet hall holds 300 and I want to fill it to capacity) So keep an eye out for further information coming out soon. Lets "get-r-done" and show the world just how great (crazy) us New Beetleers are! Maybe even create an avenue to have these every year - who knows?

Cueball

[SMG]

You should add a "No." option. It's just too far of a haul for me.

[KatieBug27]

i would defenately go if this year too!

[Beetlemania]

I actually checked the first option! I never make firm decisions!

This would be an awesome opportunity. I never went for the trophies and always had fun meeting other crazy Beetle folks. Count me in for sure!

[scarabY2k]

I'm gonna make a quality effort to be there. Cup's complete mod work should be done by that time

[hestersu]

Of course I'll be there. Let me know if you need any help Antoine. I've been out of the loop the last week so I missed several of the emails. I'm at least caught up on the reading now. I already replied to Earl. I'll be in a better position to participate by the first of June when I get back from vacation.

[marvins_dad]

Originally Posted by SMG

You should add a "No." option. It's just too far of a haul for me.

We do have Canadian and Alaskan folks that drive down! LOL

I purposely didn't put NO on there, because the No vote really doesn't matter, we want to know who might come...not who might not. LOL

[USSVWBEETLE]

I would love to go. I just don't know what is going to happen family wise (and school).

[Captain Otto]

Noelle and I were talking about R2k yesterday and about how bummed we were about not going. She come up with avery good suggestion about trophies, what if every club brought a trophy to give out. (Peoples choice) Think how cool it would be if you were from Texas and win a award from Canada or New York. Just something to think about. I will be there, awards or not!!

[CoriBug]

YEEEESSSSS!!!!!!
Daisy and I will be there! I will do whatever to promote it here in Colorado and Rhonda (usabug03) will probably be willing to spread the word too. I like the idea of the trophies.

How about a group picture with all the NBs?? I thought about it last year. The parking lot behind the Motel 6 would be perfect, because there's a window in the 3rd floor laundry room. If someone has a wide angle lens, that would totally rock!!!

YAY!! How about some more exclamation points!!!!!!!

[marvins_dad]

Update...

Hello everyone,

Thanks you so much for your immediate responses. The team has been working on trying to get the first parts of an organization together and, as I have mentioned, one of the first priorities is trying to get a count of who might be interested.

Again the dates will be the evening of June 25th (Thursday), June 26th, June 27th, and morning of June 28th (Sunday). We have talked with the Roswell Chamber of Commerce and these dates are good with them and they are very, very happy that we are continuing this event (at least one more year).

Our next step is talking with the Sallly Port to set up some discount room rates. In my past experience I think this will take a few weeks to get settled and signed. Once this is in place I will advertise to all the prices. What I would like for you all to do then is to call in and make reservations. I know this is way off, but these reservations can be canceled right up to the day of the event prior to 6:00 so there really is no obligation. In this way we can best keep track of our number count which will be essential when we reserve the banquet room and arrange for dinners, etc.

In the mean time we should all keep trying to get new and old members to put these dates on their calendars. Again I know this seems pretty far in the future, but if people are anything like us McCutcheons we need to make plans pretty far in advance. If you get ahold of one of your friends please have them write into the list in the mean time so we can add them to our growing list.

Thanks for your support,
See you in Roswell (did not think i would be able to say that again!)
Cueball and team

[Howie]

I'll be going for the 10th, leading the Mighty Central Caravan again!! I leave from around Toronto, so I don't want to hear that it's too far for anyone. It's only about 1700 miles each way, and half of the fun of Roswell is the caravan experience. We all use 2-way radios, so we're in touch the whole way. Everyone gets maps and itineraries, so you are free to go on your own if you want to sight-see along the way.

Actually, I always offer a money-back guarantee to people if they don't have fun, and have never been taken up on the offer yet! We will also have a car coming all the way down from Alaska, so, no whining, just be there!

If you plan on coming along on the Central, please send me your email so I know who to expect, and where we're meeting up. The caravan runs down through Columbus, west to Missouri, Oklahoma, Amarillo, and down to Roswell. Details will be posted closer to the event.

Howie
howie@howielipton.com

[marvins_dad]

Howie!!!

[scarabY2k]

Originally Posted by marvins_dad

Howie!!!

I second that!! Howie's the man. Making the roadie from Canada!! You just might have to video part of that Bugavan from Canada to Roswell!

[CoriBug]

Best Western Sally Port Inn and Suites

877-574-2464

Do we know the discount rates yet?

[marvins_dad]

I haven't heard the actual rates yet. They are working with them to reserve a block of 50-100 rooms right now, I'll have to ask Earl.

[marvins_dad]

From Earl about the question of room rates...

The Hotel rules will not let us negotiate a room until 1 year ahead of time so I have to wait till the end of this month. Just as soon as I know I'll post it. I may not know what the cost of the banquet might be until we get a better number on attendance and decide about the menu. I'll let you know when I find out.

I think for this thing to work everyone needs to stay at the Sally Port, that is how we are going to be able to get discounted rooms and banquet rates.

[Beetlemania]

Works for me! I never did stay in the host hotel and always felt like I was missing out. Sounds like a plan!

[1funbug]

You can count us in for Roswell 2009. We will be traveling in the Central Caravan, and we already mentioned this to Howie when we were at the Effingham Funfest this past weekend.

Roger, Carol, and of course............Whoopi

[CoriBug]

Great news! Thanks Earl!