Happenings at Premier Reunion Services, LLC

Spring Season 2014 is over, Fall Season 2014 is Right Around The Corner

2014-06-27T07:31:00.000-07:00

Our spring season this year took us all over the US. We met lots of folks in lots of places, and enjoyed every minute of every reunion. Thank you so much to all our reunion attendees for allowing us to be a part of your reunion.

We met this spring in Norfolk VA (I just gotta say, the Sheraton Waterside is just a fantastic location for a reunion. You just can't beat the service at the hotel and the location right there next to Nauticus and the USS WISCONSIN.) We also were in Huntsville, AL (that reunion was challenging, but in the end everyone had a good time.); three reunion in a row in Branson, MO; Fort Pierce, FL, Reno NV a couple of times, Virginia Beach, VA, and Albany NY.

Brenda Eckard, waiting to check in the first arrival from the USS KENNETH D BAILEY reunion in Norfolk, VA

A wonderful place to visit when you are in Branson, MO. Also known as Hard Work U, where there is no tuition, all students work on campus, and debt is openly discouraged!

The USS CAMBRIA group has a good time wherever they go, this year it was Virginia Beach, VA.

No visit to Reno is complete without a trip to Lake Tahoe. It was really interesting to see the difference in the lake water on a cloudy, over cast day, and two days later on a bright and sunny day.

Spring was in full bloom in Albany for the visit by the USS PURDY in May!

Our trips this fall will include Boston, MA; Plattsburgh, NY; Albuquerque, NM; Pensacola, FL; Philadelphia, PA; Memphis, TN; San Antonio, TX; Kissimmee, FL; San Diego, CA; Louisville, KY; Nashville, TN, and then rounded out the year where we started, back at the Sheraton Waterside, in Norfolk, VA. We are looking forward to seeing all of our reunion friends in cities all over the US this fall!

Doolittle Raiders - not original content (I didn't write this), But Oh So Good!

2013-08-22T08:40:00.000-07:00

On Tuesday, April 18, 2013, in Fort Walton Beach, Florida, the surviving Doolittle Raiders gathered publicly for the last time. They once were among the most universally admired and revered men in the United States. There were 80 of the Raiders in April 1942, when they carried out one of the most courageous and heart-stirring military operations in this nation's history. The mere mention of their unit's name, in those years, would bring tears to the eyes of grateful Americans. Now only four survive.

After Japan's sneak attack on Pearl Harbor, with the United States reeling and wounded, something dramatic was needed to turn the war effort around.

Even though there were no friendly airfields close enough to Japan for the United States to launch a retaliation, a daring plan was devised. Sixteen B-25s were modified so that they could take off from the deck of an aircraft carrier. This had never before been tried -- sending such big, heavy bombers from a carrier.

The 16 five-man crews, under the command of Lt. Col. James Doolittle, who himself flew the lead plane off the USS Hornet, knew that they would not be able to return to the carrier. They would have to hit Japan and then hope to make it to China for a safe landing.

But on the day of the raid, the Japanese military caught wind of the plan. The Raiders were told that they would have to take off from much farther out in the Pacific Ocean than they had counted on. They were told that because of this they would not have enough fuel to make it to safety.

And those men went anyway.

They bombed Tokyo, and then flew as far as they could. Four planes crash-landed; 11 more crews bailed out, and three of the Raiders died. Eight more were captured; three were executed. Another died of starvation in a Japanese prison camp. One crew made it to Russia.

The Doolittle Raid sent a message from the United States to its enemies, and to the rest of the world: We will fight. And, no matter what it takes, we will win.

Of the 80 Raiders, 62 survived the war. They were celebrated as national heroes, models of bravery. Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer produced a motion picture based on the raid; "Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo," starring Spencer Tracy and Van Johnson, was a patriotic and emotional box-office hit, and the phrase became part of the national lexicon. In the movie-theater previews for the film, MGM proclaimed that it was presenting the story "with supreme pride."

Beginning in 1946, the surviving Raiders have held a reunion each April, to commemorate the mission. The reunion is in a different city each year. In 1959, the city of Tucson, Arizona, as a gesture of respect and gratitude, presented the Doolittle Raiders with a set of 80 silver goblets. Each goblet was engraved with the name of a Raider.

Every year, a wooden display case bearing all 80 goblets is transported to the reunion city. Each time a Raider passes away, his goblet is turned upside down in the case at the next reunion, as his old friends bear solemn witness.

Also in the wooden case is a bottle of 1896 Hennessy Very Special cognac. The year is not happenstance: 1896 was when Jimmy Doolittle was born.

There has always been a plan: When there are only two surviving Raiders, they would open the bottle, at last, drink from it, and toast their comrades who preceded them in death.

As 2013 began, there were five living Raiders; then, in February, Tom Griffin passed away at age 96.

What a man he was. After bailing out of his plane over a mountainous Chinese forest after the Tokyo raid, he became ill with malaria, and almost died. When he recovered, he was sent to Europe to fly more combat missions. He was shot down, captured, and spent 22 months in a German prisoner of war camp.

The selflessness of these men, the sheer guts ... there was a passage in the Cincinnati Enquirer obituary for Mr. Griffin that, on the surface, had nothing to do with the war, but that emblematizes the depth of his sense of duty and devotion:

"When his wife became ill and needed to go into a nursing home, he visited her every day. He walked from his house to the nursing home, fed his wife and at the end of the day brought home her clothes. At night, he washed and ironed her clothes. Then he walked them up to her room the next morning. He did that for three years until her death in 2005."

So now, out of the original 80, only four Raiders remain: Dick Cole (Doolittle's co-pilot on the Tokyo raid), Robert Hite, Edward Saylor and David Thatcher. All are in their 90s.

They have decided that there are too few of them for the public reunions to continue.

The events in Fort Walton Beach this week will mark the end. It has come full circle; Florida's nearby Eglin Field was where the Raiders trained in secrecy for the Tokyo mission. The town is planning to do all it can to honor the men: a six-day celebration of their valor, including luncheons, a dinner and a parade.

Do the men ever wonder if those of us for whom they helped save the country have tended to it in a way that is worthy of their sacrifice? They don't talk about that, at least not around other people. But if you find yourself near Fort Walton Beach this week, and if you should encounter any of the Raiders, you might want to offer them a word of thanks. I can tell you from first hand observation that they appreciate hearing that they are remembered.

The men have decided that after this final public reunion they will wait until a later date -- some time this year -- to get together once more, informally and in absolute privacy. That is when they will open the bottle of brandy. The years are flowing by too swiftly now; they are not going to wait until there are only two of them.

They will fill the four remaining upturned goblets.

And raise them in a toast to those who are gone.

Emailers Now Need to Subscribe!

2013-04-24T09:58:00.001-07:00

Please watch your email carefully! If we have an email address for you in our database, you will be receiving (if you have not already) an invitation to subscribe to the your group's Emailers List. In an effort to reduce the amount of junk email that is being sent, there have been standards established to control the way emails are sent to groups of people. The server that hosts our web site has adopted these standards, and we must abide by them. This means that we can no longer just copy a list of email addresses out of our database, and paste that list into the “To:” or “BCC:” fields of an email. We can now only send group emails to recipients who have subscribed to a particular email list. This process involves sending out an invitation to group members.

When you receive the invitation you will be asked to click on a link within the email that takes you to the subscription page.
On the subscription page, you fill out your email address, and then submit it.
You will then receive another email from the DADA Mailing Service confirming that you are the actual owner of the email address you provided.
When you click on the link in the confirmation email, you will then be “subscribed”.

This process is called a “double opt-in” subscription. It is designed so that a computer robot can’t just go in and fill out random email addresses in forms – they want to know a real person is submitting the email address, and that same person really has access to that email account.

This subscription list is totally independent of the database we maintain for your group. If you change your email address, you will still need to let us know, and you will need to re-subscribe with your new address. If you have not ever submitted your email address and would like to, there is a link to the subscription process on the reunion web site. You will also need to send us an email with your email address in order to get it added to the database.

I experimented with several different email programs before selecting this particular one. It is the least complicated of the ones I tried. Thank you for your patience as we implement this new procedure. I, for one, get a ton of junk mail, and would not mind at all if standards like this reduced the amount I have to weed through every day!

Respectfully,

Dina Coffey

General Manager

Premier Reunion Services, LLC

www.mlrsinc.com

828-256-6008

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Prime Value Destination - Kissimmee, FL!!!!

2013-02-13T11:18:00.003-08:00

Recently the staff of Premier Reunion Services along with the Coordinator for the USS Huntington, Gene Volcik, and the Coordinator of the USS Mississippi, Paul Shepley, were invited to visit Kissimmee, Florida, for a wonderful tour of their attractions. The visit was to highlight all the activities Kissimmee has to offer that are not Disney related and to encourage military reunion groups to consider the Kissimmee area when deciding on a location for their reunions. We were all greatly impressed with what we saw and thought we would share some of our experiences with you.

Our three-day visit began with a tour to the Museum of Military History. The 10,000-square-foot museum provides interactive displays and exhibits beginning with historical photos, uniforms and interpretations of the Civil War, World War I, World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Gulf War and the recent military conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. Some of the displays that we found particularly interesting were a large panoramic diagram depicting one of the elaborate tunnel systems used by the Viet Cong during the Vietnam War, actual uniforms and supplies used in various wars and a rare World War II motorcycle. There was also an opportunity to have a dog tag made on-site by one of the museum guides.

One of our most adventurous outings was to Wild Florida where we took an airboat ride into the headwaters of the Everglades. Speeding through the water we saw alligators, flocks of many different species of birds and, believe it or not—cows munching on the plant life in the swamps, knee-deep in the water. Also located on the property was the Wild Life and Nature Park which featured zebras, watusis, water buffalo, emus, alligators, peacocks and many other exotic animals. We also had the opportunity to hold an alligator. A few of us took the challenge and lived to tell about it!

Our next visit was to Stallion 51, a huge collection of vintage aircraft, all air-worthy and in prime condition. The amazing thing about this facility was that it offered anyone—no experience necessary—the chance to fly (after a training session, of course) a World War II P-51 Mustang.

In much the same grain as Stallion 51, the Warbird Museum also housed a collection of vintage airplanes. Some in our group were able to climb on the wing of one of the P-51 Mustangs and look inside the cockpit. Flight opportunities for the adventurous souls were also offered at this museum.

There is no shortage of nighttime entertainment in Kissimmee either. Our day continued with an evening visit to the Arabian Nights Dinner Show. “The American Princess” show features an American girl who discovers she is a princess and must find her Prince Charming. The stars of the show are the beautiful Arabian horses who put on a spectacular performance as various young men arrive on horseback to compete for the princess’s affections. A wonderful dinner is served as the performance takes place.

Day two started very early with what turned out to be our favorite activity of the trip—a flight in a hot air balloon! Although we missed the sunrise because weather conditions a few miles away kept us from launching on time, we thoroughly enjoyed the ride! Beautiful scenery, floating peacefully in the fresh morning air—wonderful experience! (The only hitch to the ride was getting in and out—no ladder or step stool; we just had to climb over the basket top—no small fete for our “mature” bodies!)

Our next visit was to Gatorland, “Alligator Capital of the World”. Alligators of all sizes make their home here, including Chester the Dog Eater. Chester was becoming a pest in one neighborhood because he was eating the homeowners’ dogs. Gatorland came to the rescue and captured Chester for the park. He is now the largest alligator at Gatorland at 13 feet. He has his own area and seems very happy in his new home. Another rarity at the park are the giant white alligators, seen only at Gatorland. Quite a sight to behold! A walk along the long boardwalk in the park allowed us to see thousands of white egrets nesting in the trees. They choose the park for nesting because the alligators keep away all the predators which would, in the wild, eat their eggs. Many other creatures are also on display here, including giant turtles, boa constrictors and all types of exotic birds. We all thoroughly enjoyed our visit.

A visit to Old Town was next on our agenda. We ate lunch at the A& W Restaurant, with 1950’s décor, ad then moved on to the Chocolate Kingdom. Here we learned about the history and processing of chocolate through a tour conducted by a knowledgeable guide, and then we were able to have our own chocolate bars made to order. There was much more to see in Old Town, but our time was limited, so we didn’t get a chance to see everything, but it looked like a great place to shop and be entertained at an amusement park on site.

Our evening entertainment was at Capone’s Dinner and Show. A buffet featuring many Italian favorites was enjoyed before the beginning of the show. The show itself was set in a 1930’s Chicago speakeasy with a zany cast of characters who get into lots of trouble, leading to hilarious consequences. The cast also brought the audience into the show by coming down to the tables and talking with them. This made for some very funny ad libbing by the cast. It was a wonderfully entertaining evening which we all enjoyed very much.

The next morning we spent touring some of Kissimmee’s hotels, and then lunch was at a wonderful authentic Italian restaurant, Pacinos’s. Following lunch we had another rare experience at Fantasy of Flight, the world’s greatest aircraft collection airport. First we viewed the take off and landing of a P-51 Mustang. Then we were able to hear a very special presentation by three of the famous Tuskegee Airmen, who were there for only a few appearances. They shared some of their experiences of a segregated America in a question/answer type interview and then took questions from the audience. Afterwards they were available for photos and personal greetings. It was truly a privilege to hear and meet them. After the presentation we toured the facility which offers a wide variety of experiences including simulated rides in a Corsair Fighter atop an aircraft carrier, a hot air balloon, and a hang glider. One can take a walk through a World War II bomber which ends at a World War II exhibit. We did not have time for all the experiences that were available here, but really enjoyed the ones we were able to visit.

Our last evening in Kissimmee was spent at the Medieval Times Dinner & Tournament Show. Before the show we got to visit the museum in a separate building which contains artifacts that date back for as much as 800 years. The most fascinating artifacts were the actual tools used for torture in Medieval times—things like body stretchers, skull crushers, and other unimaginable punishments. Clothing, tools, furniture and household items were also on display. It certainly made us appreciate the times we live in. When it was time for the dinner and show, we were escorted to our seats in the “Blue Knight” section of the arena. The pageantry and thrills of an authentic medieval tournament came to life inside the walls of the King’s 11th century-style castle. Six armor-clad Knights on valiant horses sought the title of Champion amidst the clashing of lance and shield and heart-pounding combat. Dinner, without benefit of utensils, was served during the show. Luckily for our group, our “Blue Knight” won the competition and claimed the title of Champion.

We can't promise this for future reunions, but we were so privileged to meet
three of the Tuskegee Airmen. What an honor!

All during our visit we were treated like royalty and were certainly impressed with everything we were shown in Kissimmee. The weather was wonderful, the sights were spectacular and the overall impression was that Kissimmee would make a great place for a reunion. We consider Kissimmee to be a Prime Value Destination and we encourage you to make Kissimmee your 2014 reunion location.

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May was an Exciting Month!

2012-12-05T09:03:00.001-08:00

Our staff covered a lot of miles in May of 2012, working with 5 different reunion groups. We managed events in Norwich, CT, Warwick, RI, Minneapolis, MN, Norfolk, VA and Chattanooga, TN. All of these locations were great host cities!

The week before Mother's Day we had a group go to the little town of Pawcatuck, CT (not to be confused with Pawtucket, RI!) for a special memorial dedication. The members of the USS PAWCATUCK actually stayed in Norwich, CT, and rode the bus over to Pawcatuck to dedicate a memorial to the ship in their small veteran's park near the river. It was a fantastic event! Also while in CT, the group visited the Coast Guard Academy and the Sub Force Museum and Historic USS NAUTILUS.

Next on the calendar was the USS PURDY reunion in Warwick, RI. Another great group of folks in another great location. The meet for 4 nights instead of the traditional 3, so they can enjoy a slightly slower pace. From Warwick, they ventured over to the historic area of Boston, the Battleship Cove, and to see the mansions in Newport. It made for a great reunion!

Where we went in April 2012

2012-12-05T06:33:00.002-08:00

Well, 2012 is winding down and it's time to look back at the places we've been this year! I think I'll divide this up into a couple of posts. This first one will be our April reunions. This year we went to Branson, MO, Washington, DC, Nashville, TN, Cincinnati, OH, in April. Each location was a great place to hold a reunion! Check out some of these pictures:

The first reunion of the year was the USS CAMBRIA in Branson, MO. There is so much to do in Branson. It is truly a city dedicated to our country's veterans. There is a spectacular Veteran's Museum - a must-see for every American. You can see a number of shows, take a ride of the Branson Belle Showboat, and Ride the Ducks. Our group went to the Dixie Stampede and thoroughly enjoyed the show!

The same week we had a group in Branson, we had another group in Washington, DC. I don't have a lot of tour pictures, but this group always has a good time. They've been getting together for years and are more like family than just friends!

We were also privileged to manage the USS TARAWA reunion in Nashville, TN. The highlight of this reunion was a visit to the Grand Ole Opry. We were very fortunate to be there this time for a very big event in country music - the induction of Keith Urban into the GOO. I think I personally may have enjoyed this even more than the reunion attendees. A couple weeks after the reunion, I spoke to one of the Tarawa guys on the phone and he made the comment that "he didn't see why all those young people were so excited to see a singer who couldn't even afford jeans without holes in them, or to get a haircut!" (I know he was just picking, we really did have a great time!). Here's a few pictures from the Grand Ole Opy:

USS TARAWA crewmembers waiting for the show to begin

Bus trip over to the Grand Ole Opry

Little Jimmy Dickens!

One half of the duo Love and Theft. They performed one song, and later in 2012 that song was released as their first single - which scored the duo their first CMT Music Awards nomination for Duo Video of the Year.

The other half of the duo Love and Theft

Keith Urban

Josh Turner

Keith Urban, center about to receive his ceremonial microphone stand as a member of the Grand Ole Opry (Trace Adkins is on his left, Josh Turner on his right)

Trace Adkins speaking a few words of welcome

And now Keith is thanking the GOO for his induction

We can't promise big names like this every visit to the Grand Ole Opry, but the show is always top notch! (Our tickets are purchase months before the big names are added to the Opry schedule). Other attractions our groups enjoy in Nashville include the General Jackson showboat, tour the Opryland Hotel, the Country Music Hall of Fame, and many more!

The last trip we took in April was to the Cincinnati area. Another great location! An Army Security Agency group that was stationed in Helemano, Hawaii met in Cincinnati for their annual reunion.

REALLY big news! REALLY!

2012-01-02T06:28:00.000-08:00

If you've tried to call our office in the last two weeks, you're probably aware that something's going on around here! Since this is normally a very slow two weeks, chances are you haven't tried to call, and you don't know something is underfoot! But either way, it's time to spill the beans!

Effective on January 2, 2012 Military Locator & Reunion Service has been sold! The new company, Premier Reunion Services, LLC has purchased all the assets of ML&RS, Inc, including the company name, all the contact methods, the web site, and the physical assets. Our reunion customers and our vendor contacts will most likely not notice the change. We'll still use the same name, for the first year or so, then gradually change over to Premier Reunion Services, LLC. But other than that, you will still receive the same great service you always have from us! Our staff will remain the same, as will our phone number, web address and mailing address. Our street address has changed, so if you decide to stop by for a visit, please call first so we can tell you how to get here! If you want to send us flowers or chocolate just 'cause you like us, we'll be happy to give you the new street address too!

As you might imagine, our "on site staff" thoroughly enjoy traveling all over the US to manage our reunions. One reunion a month is a lot of fun, two is still fun. Eight reunions in eight weeks...now that can tucker one out! Larry and Brenda have decided it's time to scale back, so they are in the process of retiring. They will still be traveling to reunion locations to manage reunions, but they are out of the management end of the business. I (Dina) am their daughter and I have started Premier Reunion Services and will be continuing the business as seamlessly as possible. Our goal is that our customers won't really notice a change.

If you're in Hickory, still feel free to stop by and say hello! We're in a new location, but we still love to see our reunion folks when you are passing through NC!

Of course, I can't post a blog without a few pictures! We moved from our old office to a much smaller location. It took some doing, but we're all in our spots now, snug as a bug in a rug!

First day, moving in. Whew.

First day, different angle.

Second day. We did good! This is where Karen, our newsletter editor does her work!

This is where Elaine, our Memory Book editor, works.

And this is looking down the room, Karen and Elaine are just behind the filing cabinet and book shelf, Lynette and I are in the two back corners. It's been a great money saving venture to change our location and outsource our printing jobs. We're very happy with the results!

Colorado Springs - Air Force Academy - Another great location!

2011-11-03T06:25:00.000-07:00

We really don't favor any one city over another! Everywhere we've been has great things to offer a military reunion group. But my purpose on here is to highlight some of the places you might not think about going, or some activities you might not have considered including in your itinerary! We recently had the privilege of having the 34th Bomb Sqd meeting in Colorado Springs, CO. Being an Air Force group, their trip to the Air Force Academy was one of the highlights, as well as attending the Academy Vs. Tennessee football game. There are many other great activities in Colorado Springs, but since this group's itinerary was a little different than normal, I wanted to highlight the things that they did. Below are pictures from the visit to the Academy on Friday, and then pictures from the football game on Saturday! It's a little "iffy" to schedule a reunion around a football game - at the time we have to book the hotel, the football schedule has not been released, so we have no way of knowing whether the team will be playing at home or traveling to another school. We got lucky this time and they played at home on the date we were there! Check out their photos:

Diamond Lil, at the entrance to the Academy

34th Bomb Squadron group members

The chapel on the grounds of the Air Force Academy

Watching the noon formation on the grounds of the Academy

Posing at the football stadium in front of the Screaming Eagle!

Now, there's not many military reunions where you get to see cheerleaders!

Opening ceremonies prior to the game

Fans watching the game!

Carrying in the US Flag!

The flag unfurled!

There are so many great places to have a reunion!

2011-10-03T11:58:00.000-07:00

I wish I could write about every place we visit for a reunion! There are so many really really interesting places in this great country of ours. I'm going to try to highlight a few of this fall's locations on this blog. Maybe you'll see one you'd like to visit for your next reunion!

The USS HALSEY POWELL (DD-686) went to Rapid City, SD. If there is a more beautiful spot in the whole world, I couldn't tell you where it is! I think these pictures say more than I could ever say with words, so just take a look:

The whole gang!

Bison at Custer State Park

The Shrine of Democracy Chorus sang at their banquet

Some brave souls hand feeding wild burros

WHAT A VIEW!!!!

Mt Rushmore

The tour group in front of the entrance to the park

Crewmember learning how to play the washboard at the Flying T Ranch after dinner!

A beautiful location for their annual Memorial Service

Price Comparisons

2011-07-25T08:30:00.000-07:00

I thought you might find it interesting to see how various cities we will be visiting this fall compare in price. So I picked out some of the places we'll be holding reunions, and listed the option price for two people from Thursday - Sunday. Some of these reunions actually start on Wednesday, so those who arrive on that day do pay more, but this was the easiest way to compare "apples to apples". None of these prices include the tours, those are always in addition to the option cost. There are some good deals out there! Some cities are more expensive than others, but there are great things to see and do in every one of them! For more information on any of these, I would encourage you to check out our Where Next site at www.mlrsinc.com/wherenext

Quincy, MA (Boston)	Aug 25-28	$902
Buffalo, NY	Sept 8-11	$801
Rapid City, SD	Sept 8-11	$803
Branson, MO	Sept 8-11	$680
Northern Kentucky (Cincinnati)	Sept 15-18	$727
Nashville, TN	Sept 15-18	$841
Long Beach, CA	Sept 15-18	$761
Colorado Springs, CO	Sept 22-25	$655
Norfolk, VA	Sept 28 – Oct 2	$727
Charleston, SC	Oct 6-9	$792
New Orleans, LA	Oct 6-9	$789
Cocoa Beach, FL	Oct 13-16	$796

Doing Our Part to Keep the USPS in Business!

2011-06-08T07:41:00.000-07:00

This is the beginning of a very busy couple of months for us! Now is the time to get out all the registration packets for our fall reunions. Although the planning has been in the works for months, the details have to be finalized, deposits sent, contracts reviewed and refined, and then all the pieces put together into a single registration packet.

The physical process of getting the packets out has changed so much since we started this business! We used to have a small copier, that didn't even do two sided copies. And looking back, I think it only printed 5 or 6 copies in a minute. We had to run all of one side, flip the paper over, run it back through again for page two, then repeat for pages three and four, and then repeat again for pages 5 and 6! Then collate by hand. We used an ink stamp to stamp our return address on the envelopes - that's fun to do 600 times in one day. Then we printed off labels on the pin fed, dot matrix printer, and pulled off 600 labels one at a time, and put them on 600 envelopes. Then collated three stacks of 600 copies each, folded them, and put them in 600 envelopes, that had to be kept in the order they were printed to allow for the discounted postal rate. And for mailings of more than 200 (I believe) we had another ink stamp that we marked the envelopes as "bulk mail". Sealed the envelopes with a sponge (it only took a couple of mailings to learn licking them was NOT the way to go!). Then we had forms to fill out, promising that all 600 pieces of mail contained exactly the same number sheets, and then we took the forms and the mail, and a check for postage downtown to the bulk mail window at the main post office, They weighed ten pieces, and then weighed the whole tray, and we were charged postage based on the weight, not individual pieces. They also did random checks to make sure all the envelopes weighed the same amount. Finally, that days' work could be on it's way! Whew! I'm glad our equipment has improved.

Back then we didn't have a lot of groups that were 500+, just a few. Now we have plenty of groups that are over a thousand, some are a couple of thousand. But we have a great copier, that spits out two sided, collated, pretty as a picture copies in just minutes. We have a specialized envelope printer that prints the return address and addressee info out almost faster than we can keep it loaded with envelopes. And we have a folder/inserter - a nifty machine that we load with the printed envelopes, and the collated copies and it pulls in the copies, stacks them neatly, folds them in thirds, and inserts them in the envelopes. Then we take that stack of mail to our postage meter, and run it through to seal the envelope and apply the postage. Lynette has processed about 2000 pieces of mail today, start to finish.

So now you know more about what goes on here at ML&RS, Inc in a day!

2000 pieces of mail ready to go!

Lynette running the Folder/Inserter. Papers go in on the right, and come out in envelopes where she is on the left.

Chattanooga Choo Choo!!!

2011-05-24T10:07:00.000-07:00

Last week I had the privilege of visiting the beautiful city of Chattanooga, TN and staying at the Historic Chattanooga Choo Choo Hotel. What a great trip! The hotel is a Perfect 10 when it comes to their enthusiasm and friendliness towards military reunions. They host a lot of military reunions and are very familiar with what it takes to put on a great reunion. All the staff members we encountered were thrilled to show off their property and eager to bring in more reunions. And there is so much to see and do in Chattanooga! Have you seen the barns with Rock City painted on the roof? They're all over, and it's worth a trip just to go to Rock City. There's the beautiful Ruby Falls, the Incline Railroad, the Tennessee Aquarium, river boat rides, and for the history buffs, there's the Chattanooga and Chickamauga Battlefield park. I thoroughly enjoyed my time there and can't wait to go back again with my family.

The Choo Choo used to be a train depot. You walk into the lobby, and you just have to stop and gawk at the beautiful domed ceiling. The lobby area, banquet area, and lounge area are in what used to be the terminal. When you go out the door the train passengers used to board the trains, you come into the garden/trains area. Where the train tracks used to be, there are now hedges and rose gardens. There are actual train cars that have been converted into sleeping rooms, dining areas, and a pizza place. There are shops on either side that sell all sorts of neat things, including really pretty stained glass items. At the end of the garden area, there are the hotel buildings, 3 of them, that are just as nice as you could hope for! There is a trolley on the property that you can ride around, and learn all about the various hotel features. It is quite a walk from the hotel buildings, through the gardens, back to the main terminal building, but the staff knows that, and they are prepared! They have golf carts driven by the staff for anyone who may find that far of a walk to be difficult. They really are excited to host military reunions and hope you will plan your next one with them!

Click here to see more pictures on my Facebook page!

Another Visitor!

2011-05-10T13:25:00.000-07:00

I think maybe we should call this a "who's come to see MLRS" blog! We got another visitor today! Last week Michelle and her cohort from the Greenville, SC CVB dropped by to say hello, and then today, Lindsey from the Sheraton in Charleston, SC came by! Both visits were very nice, but I have to tell you what Lindsey brought! We (as in my family) have recently become fans of the eastern NC style bbq sauce (it's vinegar based instead of the more ketchupy based kind I've always bought in the grocery store). I made a couple recipes of it myself, and was going to try another one this evening, so I have a pork loin in the crock pot at home, and it should just be ready for supper by the time I get home. Did you know this is National BBQ Sauce month? In honor of that, Lindsey from the Sheraton, brought us a bottle of Fiery Ron's Pepper Vinegar BBQ sauce! That will be a perfect fit for my supper tonight! Here's Lindsey, the bottle of sauce, and Karen, our newsletter editor!

If you're in our part of NC, feel free to come by for a visit! We in the office, who don't go very often to the reunions, would love to meet you in person!

USS CAMBRIA IN PENSACOLA, FL!

2011-05-03T08:57:00.000-07:00

What a fine looking bunch of sailors!!!

The USS CAMBRIA reunion group met in April in Pensacola, FL for their annual reunion. And they had a great time! We heard so many good comments from the group members. There were a couple of things that happened that made this reunion even more memorable than normal. Their memorial service was held at Memorial Park in Pensacola, on Saturday. Participating in the service were members of NATTC Performing Unit from Pensacola Naval Air Station. They did a superb job, and even better, they came by the banquet Saturday night, just to visit with the attendees! What an honor it was to have them participate in the reunion!

Also on Saturday, during the tour, the group ate at McGuire's Irish Pub in Pensacola. There were plenty of off-duty active-duty sailors there for lunch, and the "old" sailors and the "young" sailors had a good time sharing lunch together. As our group got ready to leave, the young sailors formed a line outside the pub, and shook hands with each of our attendees as they boarded the trolley for the rest of their tour. Just makes you proud to be an American!!

Let the games begin!

2011-04-07T08:27:00.000-07:00

Today is the first day of the first reunion of the year!!!! Boss Larry and Boss Brenda are down in Jacksonville, FL, but not for the typical Navy group that goes to Jax, but for an Army group - these guys served with the Army Security Agency at Helemano, Hawaii. They've been to lots of great cities over the years, and thought this would be a good time to check out what those Navy dudes do!

It's been a very unusual year so far. We've lost a lot of good friends since the beginning of the year. Some of the groups we've worked with the longest, guys who were in their 60s when we started this business, and who are still in their 60s in my mind, are now in their 80s! It's sad that losing friends is a part of working with this age group, but it sure seems like we've lost an extra-ordinary number since January. 'Course, they're all extra-ordinary people!

But we seem to be balancing it out by picking up some new, younger groups. We've added more new groups in the last few months than we have in years. It's really a lot of fun to call up someone we've found, and ask them if they were in the Navy, and if so, on the USS - whatever - or in an Army unit, and tell them someone gave us their name and asked us to see if we could find them and add them to the mailing list for a brand new reunion. That is one of my favorite "tasks" involved in setting up a reunion.

Well, as I was writing this, we got another really nice treat! Someone in Colorado Springs just sent us flowers. I'll have to track down our CS contacts, because the card just says Colorado Springs loves military reunions, but there's no name! We appreciate it, and we love Colorado Springs! It's a fabulous place for a reunion!

Well, that's what's going on this week at ML&RS, Inc! I hope you have a good rest of the week!

Annual Staff Meeting

2011-03-25T05:54:00.000-07:00

I guess if we were a big fancy company, we'd have this meeting at the beach or at a lovely cabin in the mountains and call it our annual retreat. However, we work with a pretty tight budget, and our office works just fine for our annual meeting. All the folks who travel to our reunion sites and make sure that the reunions happen as they should meet with us once a year so we can discuss the upcoming year, who's going where, what's worked well in the past, what we should change for the future, etc. Since everyone is off going in different directions once the reunion seasons start, this is the only time all our travel staff get to see each other more than just "in passing". So this is kind of like our reunion company's annual reunion!

This week at Military Locator & Reunion Service, Inc!

2011-03-24T06:43:00.000-07:00

Today should be a fun day, a little out of the ordinary! One of our friends from the Northern Kentucky CVB will be traveling from Georgia (where her daughter lives) back to Kentucky, and is stopping in Hickory for a visit! We love visitors! Since we go TO the reunions, we don't have very much "traffic" here in the office. It's really nice to have the chance to entertain someone here at home. Since this is my very first blog, if I can figure out how, I'll take a picture of our visitor and post it on here later today!

Lynette, Laura Jackson from the Northern Kentucky CVB, Brenda and Larry!

This week we've been finalizing the details for the first few reunions of the year. The 8605th AAU (ASA Helemano) in Jacksonville, FL, the USS PURDY in Chattanooga, TN and the USS CAMBRIA in Pensacola, FL are all meeting in early to mid April. If you are reading this and haven't signed up yet, there's still time! You can get to the web sites for these groups using this link: www.mlrsinc.com/current_reunions.htm .

One of our pre-reunion season projects is to work on cleaning up some of our older reunion group mailing lists. There are a lot of addresses that we have listed as INCORRECT ADDRESS. This means mail that has been sent to these folks has been returned to us by the post office as undeliverable. Please be sure to let us know if you move, so we can keep you up to date on your reunion group's happenings! We've been sending out post cards to potential matches we've found on these "lost souls" and have already gotten quite a few responses. That's really encouraging!

Another project we have taken on this week is issuing Association Membership cards for the Combat Infantrymen's Association. This is a large group that meets in the fall, and we've spent a lot of time in the last few months cleaning up and organizing their database. It's been a lot of fun to work with these guys and we look forward to helping them with this card project!

Well, this is it for my first blog entry. We'll see how this goes! Y'all have a great rest of the week, and I'll update again soon!