CLEVELAND, February 13 — It may still be winter, but it’s an excellent time to plan ahead for the first BLET regional meeting of the year — the 82nd annual BLET-BLET Auxiliary Southeastern Meeting Association (SMA) in Gatlinburg, Tenn.
Slated for June 7-11, 2009, guests will stay at the Park Vista Hotel & Conference Center, a destination in itself with rooms offering 360-degree views of the Great Smoky Mountains.
Reservations can be made by calling the hotel — which is located at 705 Cherokee Orchard Road, Gatlinburg, TN 37738 — at (865) 436-9211. More information about the hotel is also available online at http://www.parkvista.com. Room rates are $103 per night. Deadline for room reservations is May 1 — after that, rooms may not be available, or may be significantly more expensive than $103 per night.
The 2009 SMA will offer the traditional leisure time activities, including the annual motorcycle ride and golf tournament, as well as numerous family-fun opportunities unique to the Gatlinburg area (Dollywood theme park and Splash Country in nearby Pigeon Forge; aquarium; a hay ride through the Great Smoky Mountains National Park; and a barbeque with live blue grass music).
“Gatlinburg is a great family vacation,” said SMA Chairman John Mason, who is organizing the convention with the help of his wife Lori and the members of BLET Division 239 (Knoxville, Tenn.). Brother Mason is Local Chairman of Division 239.
He also noted that a free trolley service runs between Gatlinburg and Pigen Forge every 30 minutes all day long.
Registration information and specific convention details will be made available soon.
For more information, please contact Brother Mason at: (865) 523-2684; or email LNM67@comcast.net.