2016 REUNION PAGE, UPDATED JANUARY 26,2017
New Pictures
New Pictures
FRONT ROW LEFT TO RIGHT: Cliff Steinsultz, Lee McCumsey, Dennis Giguere, David Steere, Carl Gilman, Henry Cooper, & Alan Perry. STANDING LEFT TO RIGHT: Rod Rodello, Rich Albrecht, Bill Sanders, Joe Sanders, George Freeman, Vince Strain, David Williams, Caleb Churchill, Rich Calhoun, Tom Detweiler, Henry Isenbergh, Mike Donley, Dave Wilson, John Lane, Howard Knipple, Clint Kammerer & Mike Kenny.
SATURDAY MORNING MEETING NOTES:
1. Location of the 2017 Higbee Reunion: Two days before the Saturday morning meeting a sheet was left in the hospitality lounge for attendees to suggest locations for the 2017 reunion to be held in the mid section of the U.S. Eleven suggestions were submitted. The eleven locations were: 1. Rapid City, SD, 2. Minneapolis MN, 3. Boat trip Mayan Riverari, Mexico, 4. Cruise out of Texas or Florida, 5. Chicago Great Lakes area, 6. New Orleans paddle boat trip on the Mississippi, 7. Cruise out of New Orleans, LA, 8. Davenport, IA, (Activities such as Military dinner cruise, National Cemetery, John Deere plant tour, gambling & casinos), 9. Memphis, TN, (Riverboat Cruise), 10. Cruise from New Orleans, LA, 11. San Antonio, TX. A vote was taken of all attendees and San Antonio, TX won by popular vote.
2. Web site news: Updated attendees on the status of the web site. Issue of keeping USSHigbee.com in addition to USSHigbee.info. It was agreed that the Higbee Association should keep the USSHigbee.com site.
3. E-mail news: Currently I am using advanced software for the e-mail to all Higbee Veterans who have an e-mail with the association. I informed the group of the monthly cost of $20/month to use this service and it is a very good service giving me feedback on the emails that are sent out. They felt this expense was justified. I was glad to hear this, however, I am looking at a simpler form of email to possibly use that is currently offered in my Hosting package. I have encountered problems keeping the Master List updated when I receive changes. There a quite a few changes requested and I have to use three different Master Lists to keep this information updated. I am changing to a PDF format that I can use to make all the changes one time only. This service is $15/month. By using the simpler email (at no additional expense) can save $5/month for the association.
4. Attendance of the Reunions: It was a topic of conversation and all involved agreed we need to reach out and encourage other veterans we know to attend. It was mentioned, "if all attendees would reach out to just one other veteran, we could increase attendance." Rod was asked if he had contacted any other destroyers in the same era who might be interested in joining together. There were pros and cons on the topic. Some of the veterans have served on two ships and have to choose one reunion or the other if we are in conflict with another ship. No solid conclusions reached.
5. Help each other: As webmaster I received e-mails from a few gentlemen who would like to attend the reunions but because of health or mobility reasons didn't feel they could get through airport security or wait in long lines to board a plane. If you know of anyone in this predicament it would be to our and the attendees advantage if we could assist these veterans with finding local services in their area who would help these veterans plan so they could attend. Local American Legions or Veterans of Foreign War clubs like to help their veterans. Also help them coordinate with airports to have assistance to help them get to the boarding area and from the boarding area. When we plan the tours put a note on the specific difficulties of the tour, such as: how much walking is involved? are there wheel chairs available?, does the tour bus have a lift to accommodate a wheel chair? When selecting the hotel site have them include how many handicap and first level rooms they have available to accommodate the Higbee reunion. We need to help others as we will all face these issues sooner or later.
1. Location of the 2017 Higbee Reunion: Two days before the Saturday morning meeting a sheet was left in the hospitality lounge for attendees to suggest locations for the 2017 reunion to be held in the mid section of the U.S. Eleven suggestions were submitted. The eleven locations were: 1. Rapid City, SD, 2. Minneapolis MN, 3. Boat trip Mayan Riverari, Mexico, 4. Cruise out of Texas or Florida, 5. Chicago Great Lakes area, 6. New Orleans paddle boat trip on the Mississippi, 7. Cruise out of New Orleans, LA, 8. Davenport, IA, (Activities such as Military dinner cruise, National Cemetery, John Deere plant tour, gambling & casinos), 9. Memphis, TN, (Riverboat Cruise), 10. Cruise from New Orleans, LA, 11. San Antonio, TX. A vote was taken of all attendees and San Antonio, TX won by popular vote.
2. Web site news: Updated attendees on the status of the web site. Issue of keeping USSHigbee.com in addition to USSHigbee.info. It was agreed that the Higbee Association should keep the USSHigbee.com site.
3. E-mail news: Currently I am using advanced software for the e-mail to all Higbee Veterans who have an e-mail with the association. I informed the group of the monthly cost of $20/month to use this service and it is a very good service giving me feedback on the emails that are sent out. They felt this expense was justified. I was glad to hear this, however, I am looking at a simpler form of email to possibly use that is currently offered in my Hosting package. I have encountered problems keeping the Master List updated when I receive changes. There a quite a few changes requested and I have to use three different Master Lists to keep this information updated. I am changing to a PDF format that I can use to make all the changes one time only. This service is $15/month. By using the simpler email (at no additional expense) can save $5/month for the association.
4. Attendance of the Reunions: It was a topic of conversation and all involved agreed we need to reach out and encourage other veterans we know to attend. It was mentioned, "if all attendees would reach out to just one other veteran, we could increase attendance." Rod was asked if he had contacted any other destroyers in the same era who might be interested in joining together. There were pros and cons on the topic. Some of the veterans have served on two ships and have to choose one reunion or the other if we are in conflict with another ship. No solid conclusions reached.
5. Help each other: As webmaster I received e-mails from a few gentlemen who would like to attend the reunions but because of health or mobility reasons didn't feel they could get through airport security or wait in long lines to board a plane. If you know of anyone in this predicament it would be to our and the attendees advantage if we could assist these veterans with finding local services in their area who would help these veterans plan so they could attend. Local American Legions or Veterans of Foreign War clubs like to help their veterans. Also help them coordinate with airports to have assistance to help them get to the boarding area and from the boarding area. When we plan the tours put a note on the specific difficulties of the tour, such as: how much walking is involved? are there wheel chairs available?, does the tour bus have a lift to accommodate a wheel chair? When selecting the hotel site have them include how many handicap and first level rooms they have available to accommodate the Higbee reunion. We need to help others as we will all face these issues sooner or later.
SHARE YOUR FREE TIME FROM CARL GILMAN 2016 - VISITING WITH THE CALIFORNIA STATE PATROL
PICTURES OF SATURDAY EVENING BANQUET
The Silent Auction
CALIFORNIA STATE CAPITAL, SACRAMENTO
TOUR - SUTTERS FORT
THE CALIFORNIA STATE RAILROAD MUSEUM
ON YOUR OWN TIME
This is the location where I put all the pictures you have promised to send me.
This is the location where I put all the pictures you have promised to send me.
Fun in Lake Tahoe, Nevada, eating, beer, gambling, & telling lies
Unofficial tour!
Unofficial tour!