REUNION PLANS, JULY 13-16, 2000

 Fellow Avengers:

 The Board of Directors met in Louisville, KY to decide on hotel selection and discuss plans for our upcoming reunion, July 13-16, 2000.  The city of Las Vegas, NV was chosen by the attendees of the 1998 reunion for the sole purpose of affording the western U.S. members of the Association an opportunity to attend a reunion at a minimum of costs.  All of our reunions have been held east of St. Louis, making it difficult financially for our members from the western half of the nation to attend.  We sincerely hope that all will be able to attend due to the affordable accommodations & flights available to Las Vegas.

We selected BINION'S HORSESHOE HOTEL & CASINO in Las Vegas they presented the best overall proposal for our group.  Their location being downtown, as well as their competitive rates were the deciding factors for our selection.  We booked a block of 50 rooms for our group.  We need your input as to how many of you will be attending the reunion.  This information is vital due to the large number our group, that live on the west coast.  Please take time to email me the answers to the questionnaire as soon as possible, even if you think you might attend.  I can't express the importance of this enough.  If you have any questions, please email me at gijoe@telepath.com.  I will be glad to help.  Hotel reservations # is 1-800-622-6468.  Tell the reservation clerk at the hotel that you are with the ALPHA AVENGERS, 101st AIRBORNE GROUP, and you will receive the group-discounted rates for the rooms, etc.  All AVENGERS must provide a method of payment to guarantee their individual reservations.  THE RATES FOR THE REUNION ARE $29.00 FOR THURSDAY NITE, $45.00 FOR FRIDAY & SATURDAY NITES.  This rate does not reflect taxes or gratuities for the bellman of $3.50 per person, covering luggage handling.  The hotel will release all remaining unbooked rooms June 1, 2000.  Please book as early as possible to assure that you will have a room at the discounted rates for our group.

We will be having a BUFFET DINNER, SATURDAY NITE.  THE COST WILL BE $9.95 PER PERSON.  We decided that it would be less expensive to have a buffet style dinner instead of a banquet.  The restaurant is large enough to handle a group of up to 200 people.

We will have a large HOSPITALITY SUITE, FOR MEETINGS & GENERAL GET TOGETHERS.  ASK FOR ITS LOCATION WHEN YOU CHECK INTO THE HOTEL.  WE WILL HAVE SOMEONE THERE TO GREET YOU!  The hotel has an outdoor swimming pool on the 25th floor with a view of Las Vegas & nine other casinos, within a short walk.  When arriving at the airport, there is not a free shuttle to the hotel as in the past.  The cost for transportation from the airport to the hotel is $5.00 per person.  If you are thinking of visiting Hoover Dam, which is only 23 miles from the hotel, you might want to rent a car at the airport to save shuttle fees.  None of the hotels provide free shuttles as in the past.

We sincerely hope that all of you can start the new millennium out with us at this reunion.  The camaraderie experienced is unimaginable & we guarantee you will want to attend all the upcoming reunions, after attending just one of these events.  Hope to see all of you in Las Vegas!!!

I WILL JOIN THE OFFICERS & BOARD OF DIRECTORS IN WISHING EACH OF YOU & YOURS A HAPPY THANKSGIVING, & A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS.  TAKE TIME TO REMEMBER THOSE LESS FORTUNATE!  AND FINALLY IF YOU'RE TRAVELING, TAKE SPECIAL CARE TO GET THERE SAFELY!!!  WE WANT TO SEE YOU & YOURS IN LAS VEGAS, JULY 13 -16,2000

IN BROTHERHOOD,
PRESIDENT, ALPHA AVENGERS RET.  ARMY SGT.
JOE E. LUDWICK

MESSAGE FROM PAST PRESIDENT

I want to join President Joe Ludwick & the Board of Directors in extending an invitation for each of you to attend the first reunion of the new millennium.  Our organization was instituted to preserve & extend our camaraderie past our times in Viet Nam.  The reunions are a wonderful way of renewing old friendships & enjoying the brotherhood that will never leave our minds or hearts.  There are very few days that have gone past without thinking of someone or an event that happened 30 some odd years ago.  Come enjoy a fun Filled weekend in Las Vegas with your comrades.  HAVE A HAPPY HOLIDAY SEASON!!

JOHN FAIR
ALPHA AVENGERS PRES. 1989-1994

I can be contacted at my email address <jtexfair@bigcountry.net>. We will have golf shirts, tee shirts, & embroidered caps for sale at the reunion.  We will put the prices for these items as well as an order form in the next newsletter that will be mailed sometime around May.  You must fill out this order form & return it to me if you want any of these items as we will only have made, as many as we have orders for, from you.  We will try to include pictures of items for sale.

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PLEASE EMAIL THE ANSWERS TO THIS QUESTIONNAIRE TO jtexfair@bigcountry.net :

I PLAN ON ATTENDFNG THE REUNION?  (YES)                             (NO)

TOTAL NUMBER ATTENDING FROM YOUR FAMILY?

NUMBER OF KIDS ATTENDING UNDER AGE OF 12

DOES ANY MEMBER OF YOUR FAMILY REQUIRE SPECIAL DIETARY NEEDS?  LIST:

DOES ANYONE REQUIRE HANDICAP ASSISTANCE OR SPECIAL ROOM NEEDS?

 ANY COMMENTS?