USS Sperry AS-12 Assn.

NEWSLETTER #GG-12

Spring 2010

TO:     Fellow Shipmates and Guests

FROM:           GEORGE GALLAS, President

Greetings once again to all of you.

I hope all is going well for each and everyone of you.  I now plan to convey to you as much information as I can concerning our next Sperry Reunion coming up this Fall in Covington, LA, from Wednesday, 29 September thru Saturday, 2 October 2010.  You may ask “Where is Covington, LA”?  Look at your atlas map and you will see Covington is located between Baton Rouge and New Orleans on the North side of Lake Ponchartrain and East of Ponchatoula, where Site Chairman Ron Ciresi and his daughter, Vernoica Smith reside.  Ron and Veronica have done their best to find us a place to gather that is nice and reasonably priced to accommodate us and so I am counting on all of you to make every effort to attend this 17th Reunion or else the Treasury will get penalized for “under attendance” to cover all the costs.  I am hoping for a total minimum of (100) to attend this Reunion, which includes yourself and your guest(s).

First of all, we will be staying at Holiday Inn Hotel & Suites Check-in time is 4:00pm.

IMPORTANT

Reunion festivities will commence on Wednesday, September 29th with the cake cutting opening ceremony starting at 6:00pm, since the hotel will not allow check-in until 4:00pm.  Ceremony will take place in the Sperry Hospitality Room, which is designated the “Bogue Falaya Room”.  The oldest and youngest shipmates present will do the honor of the first cuts of the cake.  Bring your cameras.

So after you check in to the hotel around 4:00pm and get your belongings stowed in your room, proceed then to the “Bogue Falaya Room” for the Association Registration from 4:00pm to 6:00pm, to receive your Reunion Packet containing your Reunion Booklet, your name tags, schedule of events for the tours, agenda for the business meeting on Saturday morning starting at 9:00am in the Ponchartrain Room.  All are encouraged to attend so you can hear what is being planned for our 2011 Reunion in Rapid City, SD.

Important

Forms for you to complete and return to George Gallas are the Sperry Assn. Registration Form and the Disclaimer Form along with your check payable to “USS Sperry AS-12 Assn”. 

Wearing apparel for this Reunion will be casual including the Banquet evening.   Shipmates, leave your white shirts and ties at home.

Our banquet dinner will be a plated surf and turf meal.  Meal will consist of house salad/rolls w/butter/petite ribeye/grilled chicken/shrimp/twice baked potato/chef’s choice vegetable/chef’s choice dessert/iced tea/regular and decaf coffee.

On Saturday morning, October 2nd, we will again have our Business Meeting starting at 9:00am.  I again encourage all to attend.  As you know, we will be seeking nominations for site location for the 2012 Sperry Reunion.  Please consider now to become a candidate for Site Chairman by nominating a place near where you live.  Please try to consider a place whereby your major airport is not very far away from the hotel, so as to minimize on shuttle fees.  Remember, I want to try and keep our Reunion costs down as much as possible.  There are a lot of places around this country that we have not gathered for a Reunion and where there are interesting things to see.

As you may or may not know, we are having the 2011 Sperry Reunion in Rapid City, SD, hosted by Site Chairman Marvin Spracklen.

DUES

This is your second reminder.  Check your blue membership card for expiration date.  If it does not indicate 10-2010 or beyond, then your dues are due.  The first reminder was made in the Fall 2009 Newsletter and a great many of you have submitted your check of financial support and some of you have paid your dues well in advance.  My thanks to all of you.  It is requested that when paying your dues that you only mail a check or money order.  Do not send cash through the mail.

To recap for the Sperry Reunion in Covington, LA, do the following:

#1 Call the Holiday Inn to make your room reservation   Cut-off date is September 1st

#2 Complete the Tours Form and mail it to Veronica Smith along with your check made payable to Veronica Smith

#3 Complete the Sperry Assn. Registration Form and the Disclaimer Form and mail those to George Gallas along with your check to USS Sperry AS-12 Assn for the total assessed amount. Provide me with names of your guest(s) for Name Tag purposes

#4 Complete the above task by 7 September 2010, as I still have a lot of last minute  things that need to be done before I drive down from Michigan

Last but not least, I wish to personally extend an invitation to all Plank Owners to try to make it to this Reunion.  We are proud of you and would be honored by your presence to recognize you and thank you for your faithful service in the U.S. Navy.

May God bless you all with good health and safe travel.

See you in Covington, LA,

GEORGE GALLAS, President

USS Sperry AS-12 Assn.

116  S. Higby St., Jackson, MI, 49203-1521

517-784-7810

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