CLEVELAND, August 8 — The BLET block of hotel rooms for the upcoming Southwestern Convention Meeting (SWCM) in St. Louis has just sold out. Members still planning to attend should contact Chairman Dave Grimes to be placed on a waiting list in case additional rooms become available.
“There will no doubt be a few cancellations and I will try my best to accommodate everyone wanting to attend,” Brother Grimes said. “I ask anyone who currently has a room but has to cancel the reservation to please contact me first so I can make the cancellation for them. I will be able to make sure the room goes to someone coming to our event instead of the room going back into the hotel inventory.”
Members can contact Brother Grimes at 573-776-8333 or dgrimes@boycomonline.com.
The 73rd annual SWCM will be held at the St. Louis Hilton at the Ballpark in downtown St. Louis, Mo., from September 14-18.
The convention kicks off with opening ceremonies and the BLET closed meeting on September 16, and concludes the evening of September 17 with a banquet dinner and dance.
Chairman David Grimes advises all members that hotel rooms are going quickly. He also asks that if anyone cancels a reservation, then please contact him first so that the room being cancelled can be held in the BLET block of reserved rooms.
Chairman Grimes also reminds members to submit their registration forms soon — they must be postmarked by August 29 to avoid a late charge. Reservations are available on the SWCM website:
http://www.swcmblet.org
Chairman Grimes and the SWCM Arrangements Committee have planned a number of activities for BLET members and their families, including: A “Texas Hold’em” poker tournament, with proceeds to benefit the BLET’s SWCM Scholarship Fund; a golf tournament at the Far Oaks Country Club; a trip to the St. Louis Zoo; a dinner cruise on the along the mighty Mississippi River; a shopping trip to Union Station; and a trip to the Missouri Botanical Garden.
Numerous educational workshops are also on the agenda for this year’s SWCM, including: a Radiation Training class; Local Chairman workshop; Secretary-Treasurer workshop; Legislative Representative workshop; and a workshop for new members to introduce them to the BLET and to instruct them how they can help their local officers.
Hotel information and registration forms for the convention (including poker and golf tournaments) are available from the SWCM website: http://www.swcmblet.org
A tentative agenda follows.
2008 SWCM Agenda
(Note: This is a tentative agenda and is a work in progress and may have to be changed to accommodate all of the events and activities. An updated version will be provided at check in.)
Sunday – September 14
Early Registration: 12 noon to 5 p.m.
Texas Hold’em Poker Tournament: 7 p.m. – 11 p.m.
Monday – September 15
• Registration: 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.
• Golf Tournament at Far Oaks Golf Club: 8 a.m. – 4 p.m.
• Shuttle for Golf Tournament will leave hotel at 6:30 a.m.
• Illinois State Legislative Board Meeting: 9 a.m. – 12 noon
• St. Louis Zoo excursion: 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. (Admission to the Zoo is free and each participant will need to purchase a $2.00 Metro Link ticket each way for transportation to and from the Zoo.)
• Lunch is on your own.
• BLET Radiation Training Class: 1:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
• Welcome reception: 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the hotel.
• Dinner is on your own.
Tuesday – September 16
• Breakfast: 7 a.m. – 9 a.m. (sponsored by AFLAC)
• Opening Ceremonies: 9 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
• DLC sponsored luncheon and presentation: 11-30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.
• BLE closed business meeting: 1:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
• BLET Auxiliary open business meeting: 1:30 p.m. – 4 p.m.
• Mississippi River dinner cruise: 6:00 p.m. – 10 p.m.
Wednesday – September 17
• Breakfast: 7 a.m. – 9 a.m. (sponsored by LECMPA)
• BLET Workshops: 8 a.m. – 12 noon (Local Chairman’s Workshop, Secretary Treasurer Workshop, Legislative Representative Workshop, New Engineer’s Workshop)
• Shopping Trip to Union Station: 9 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. Transportation to Union Station via Metro Link (each participant will need to purchase a $2.00 Metro Link ticket each way for transportation to and from Union Station).
• Lunch 12:00 noon – 1:30 p.m. (sponsored by BRCF)
• Missouri Botanical Gardens tour: 1:30 p.m. – 5 p.m. (shuttle will depart hotel at 1:30 p.m.)
• BLET Workshops continue: 1:30 p.m. – 5 p.m. (Local Chairman’s Workshop, Secretary Treasurer Workshop)
• FRA Meeting: 1 p.m. – 5 p.m.
• Dinner banquet & dance: 6 p.m. – 11 p.m. (Music by the X Band; cash bar after 9 p.m.)
Thursday – September 18
• SWCM closed business meeting: 9 a.m. – 11 a.m.
For additional information, please contact:
Dave Grimes at 573-776-8333 or dgrimes@boycomonline.com or
Brian Wheeler at 573-429-4953 or wheeler@semo.net