Those of us who attended the San Diego Regional heard Kim utter sweet words! While she was doing the drawing, towards the end, she was giving away a Michigan HL. She said something like, "how's that for a good place to have the next reunion". Later, as the wind was whipping around the area, I caught the words, Fall 2004.

How many of you heard that melodious sound? So, seems to me, you had better look at your calendar, get those vacation days held and hold on to your seats for HL to announce the exact time. No, don't think I am dreaming! But if I wake up at a HL Reunion in the Fall of 2004 somewhere in MI.....it will be worth the dream!
Derith

Derith I did hear the same thing. The Michigan lighthouse she was holding up as she mentioned a reunion in Michigan was the one I won!

This would be way too cool! A nice short drive for us this time. I would think if they we're having a Reunion in 2004 they'd have to let the word out pretty quick. Call in sign up for the last one was a year before, and I would think a Great Lakes Reunion would want to be held in early fall because of weather.

Bill did mention something at the Grand Rapids reunion about scouting sites with one of the Mchigan reps for a Reunion. He didn't say when he did this but maybe it's all fitting together.

We'll wait and see!

Mike

Lighthousing in the Great Lakes in early October can be a great time of the year: Fall leaves, no black flies, no mosquitos, less crowded.

Suzanne

Shhhh. If you keep telling them the best time to come that means our flying friends will have to drink domestic blood instead of import.

Michigan will be a great place to hold a reunion. I think Mackinaw would be the best place. Great lights, criuses, and lodging. If they can put up over 1 million for the Labor Day walk of the bridge, they can find places to put up 500-800. Besides lots of collectors don't stay in the host hotel anyway. They seek less expensive lodging or use camp grounds, and commute to the events.
Jakescol

I'd love to see a reunion in Michigan. I'll be there - just tell me when and where.
Judy

I don't know if anyone else heard it, but at the in store event in New Carlisle last weekend I asked Bill what he was allowed to let "leak" and he said someone told him there was allegedly going to be a reunion in Michigan sometime . At the time I thought it was wishful thinking but now, hmmm.......

At the Indiana event, I also asked Bill if "I needed to block out some vacation time for next October?" and his reply was "I have got go back and see what Kim told everybody at the San Diego Regional, I hear she said something about a Reunion" Patti and I both thought it was a neither confirm or deny kinda thing, and both figured it's a done deal. I kinda figure they might make an announcement at the last regional. We'll see. Keep your fingers crossed.

Mike

We wanted to go to the last one, but were relative newbies to the whole forum and Harbor Lights in general, that we just didn't give it any thought.

So having it in our backyard would be super, it would save on so many things, but I seem to remember someone saying that this type of event isn't free either, what kind of funds should I be putting away, I may need to change my autodeduct savings to handle it...

Hmmmmmmmmm .... sounds good to me!! I'm in, wherever it will be.

Dan

For me, there's enough circumstantial evidence to support there being another Reunion. And I'd say that it will most certainly be in the Great Lakes area. I also will go as far to guess that there might be a few people on these Forums that know more than there telling.....


Mike

I really don't know one way or the other but I suspect that it is still in the research stages and not in the planning stages... so that means any information would be helpful.

Like towns with enough hotel space, a meeting area big enough to hold and serve food to 700 - 1000 people at one time and possibly near some lighthouses!

It takes a big area and a lot of staff to feed that size of a group at one time.. October is probably a good bet since that would be off season if it were to be in the Great Lakes area, there would be more rooms available..

I don't know. For my money, they've had 3 plus years to look for a spot in the Great Lakes area. I just can't believe that after that long it would still be in question. There's either a place to hold all of those people or not. I find it hard to believe, with all the internet access and the like, that a decision on the Great Lakes couldn't be met by now.
Plus, I don't think Kim would tease like that if it wasn't a good possibility. My only question would be the year. May be 2005. My guess would be if it is going to be in 2004 it will be announced at or no later than the final Regional, assuming they're using the same call in method as the last time.

We'll see

Mike

We had Bill, Nancy and Kim all in the same place at the Long Island Regional! Did anyone put them on the spot about the Next Reunion?

I didn't, Bob. Time was flying so fast that I think everyone forgot to ask those questions that put the HL Crew on the spot.

My guess is somewhere in the Great Lakes area in 2005. Time is running out for an announcement for 2004, unless it is forthcoming real soon.

Bob

Oh how absolutely exciting...a possible HL Reunion in the Great Lakes area in the fall!! I do hope they share the news soon if it is going to be in 2004. But whether 2004 or 2005 Larry and I will definitely be there.
Kat

What the hey!

I'm usually in the Great Lakes region annually.

LET THE GOOD TIMES ROLL!!!

The Ancient Mariner

Hey Fred!!! Where the heck are you now?

I hope the next Reunion is in the Great Lakes area. I've never visited that area.

Great to see you visiting the CF!

Bob

I sure would love to act as some type of guide for a potential Reunion in Michigan...born and raised here; been to almost every accessible light in the state...my vote is a resounding YES! And fall colors here are incredible - however; it gets cold here so come dressed warm for October!

The Straits area is good because of central location. I think Shepler's ferry quits running the boat tours around Labor Day for the offshore Straits lights...but there is a boat cruise that Sault St Marie offers theough the St. Mary's River through October for those lights, and it's less than an hour from the Straits...

Nancy stated this weekend, that was stated not hinted or let slip, that the earliest that there would be a Reunion is 2005...

She said that Bill really wants to have one but it just isn't going to happen in 2004, but hopefully in 2005. She also said that they are trying to find an area in the Great Lakes area if they can.. She didn't say that it is firm for 2005 but that is what they are looking at now!

The Midwest would be fun, however, I'm still pulling for a cruise venue. The Great Lakes would be fine with a stop along the way. Hey Bill, you learn to swim yet??

Being from the east coast, where the weather is really starting to cool down, I am a bit unfamiliar with what states are actually considered the mid-west. Are we talking west of the Mississippi River? Are we talking states that border the Great Lakes?

Inquiring minds on the east coast would like to know!

Bob

P.S. Is there a mid-east in the continental United States?

Bob,

Going from a stricly geographic nature the majority of the Midwest states are just to the west of where the Great Lakes end.

I think for the purposes of a HL Reunion the Midwest would probably be centered around the Great Lakes and would include Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsion, Minnesota and Indiana. I'd leave out New York and Pennsylvania even though the are connected to the Great Lakes area.

And as for the Mid-East of the United States- I'd say that could be considered the same as the Mid-Atlantic states.

Dennis

Speaking of a possible future reunion, did anyone put that question to Kim when they were with her in Florida?

Bob

Yes I did. She indicated that she had been in Michigan looking around. Her feelings at the beginning of that trip were that maybe they wouldn't have a Renunion in 04 because it was getting too hard to get it together. After her trip she was revitalized and really interested in making a Renunion happen. She fell in love with one specific area and I have been sworn to secrecy as to it's location. So I guess that the Michingan Reunion rumor is still alive and well.

There is a very distinct possibilty that the next reunion will be in the Great Lakes Region, somewhere. I think that's a given. The next thing is when.

I say October 2005.

Bob

Assuming you're right Bob, Are you going? I sure would like to.

Bert

If I remain healthy and wise (note I left wealthy out) I will attend. Michigan is very driveable from Massachusetts. I really don't like to fly.

Bob

At the events this past weekend Kim had indicated that she visited Mackinaw Island and the Grand Hotel...she is in love with the island....maybe we will all be meeting there for a reunion...heard 2005 not 2004 but who knows?

Hi akmn, ...Thank you for that bit of information. I think many of the Wackos from the CF are starting to think the next HL Reunion will in fact be in Michigan in 2005.

The Great Lakes area will be a wonderful place to have the Reunion. There are many collectors who live within a reasonable driving distance, and probably many that have never been to that area including me.

Did Kim have anything else to say regarding future HL's or the like?

Bob

The Great Lakes area would be fine but hopefully not the Grand Hotel. I'm sure it's lovely but $$$$$! And we'd probably have to dress for dinner. Heck if we did that how would we even recognize each other????

I agree that the Grand Hotel would be expensive BUT if we all knew far enough in advance we could make installment payments over a longer period of time so when the time comes we are paid up. MJ and I have always wanted to visit this area of the nation and to stay at the Grand Hotel (location of one of our favorite films, "Somewhere In Time" with Christopher Reeve and Jane Seymour) would be the icing on the cake. 2005 works better.

Ron
(CT Keeper)

Yours is a great suggestion Ron. Installment plan!

Maybe they will let us "poor folk" pitch tents on the large lawn/garden area. Of course there are 2 cemetery's within walking distance of the hotel so I know that I have a place to stay.

Very high room rates plus evening "Dress Codes"!!!!! BOOoooooo! For those that would choose to stay elsewhere, not good. Other than the Grand, there are VERY few other choices on the island that can handle groups, especially during tourist season.

I believe the Grand was investigated, but I don't think price was the real problem. They as I understand it would not relax the dress code. So we'd all have to go formal in the evening. Maybe with the downturn in the tourism industry they've made a change?

I myself believe they already have a site picked out, and are just finalizing plans for a 2005 Reunion. As I said in an earlier post, they've had 3 or 4years to look for one, and I don't think Kim would drop hints like she has if it weren't going to happen.This is just my gut feeling mind you, I don't have any other insight.

Mike

WACKO BADGES??

Judy

The Grand Hotel would be pretty neat! I'm sure Harbour Lights would keep the price in line with the Marriott Baltimore which was a pretty spectacular place. And I hear there are a few lighthouses in the Michigan/Great Lakes Area(tic)?
I'm sure most everyone could put a sports jacket over their t-shirt?
Let's get the party going!
Bob

I suppose the Wacko Badge could substitute for a tie for the gents!

Reading this thread again today got me to thinking about my trip to the library yesterday. While I was waiting in line to check out I noticed a very stylish young woman ahead of me. She had on a nice skirt and sweater outfit, dark pantyhose and low-heeled leather shoes. I got to thinking about how long it had been since I dressed that way, quite a while. If it's not a wedding or a funeral it's shorts or jeans/slacks for me. Since I don't plan on either getting married or dying at a HL Reunion I doubt that I'd want to dress up.

Digger, maybe we tenters could pretend to be revivalists. I think dressing up would be against our religion???

Since rumor has it that HL wants to be out of the hotel business for the next reunion, it seems unlikely that an area with limited hotel options would work out very well.

Dressing up would give all of the guys an opporunity to show off a nice lighthouse tie. Heck there could be neat contests for flashiest, most unusual..............

But seriously, I think it would be nice to get dressed up for an evening dinner (if that was a requirement) no matter where we stay.

Ron
(CT Keeper)

I would love to stay at the Grand Hotel! Any way we could have a HL Reunion in Michigan, I'm all for it.

If HL goes to Mackinac Island for a reunion, it would most likely be in the "shoulder season" - before or after the island's big tourist season. Knowing that we don't like to dress up, I would venture a guess that part of any arrangement would be that we would not have to. Besides, we would be separate from other guests (if any) for our meals. If in fact the reunion were to be held at the Grand, I think HL will work to keep the prices in line with what Baltimore cost.

The opportunity to stay at the Grand would be worth the trip all by itself. Add in lighthouses and your lighthousing friends, and it is a dyn-o-mite deal!

Who knows? We WACKOs might 'clean up real good' given the chance (and requirement). Could be fun to see how many people we could recognize with a coat, tie, or evening dress. (No cross-dressing jokes here, Dave.)

Anybody see the movie "Somewhere in Time" with Christopher Reeves and Jane Seymour? We were there when they were filming that movie and each time we see the movie again on tape, I have to point out the scene where Chris Reeve's character gives the bouncing ball back to the boy in the lobby of the hotel while he is registering.

Kim mentioned at our club meeting yesterday that we should be hearing fairly soon about a date for the next reunion. Most likely, it would be the first Legacy of 2004 where we would see the information.

Somehow "evening dresses" and longnecks don't seem to go together.....

Kim also mentioned at the meeting that she has found the perfect place in the Great Lakes area, would not give details, except that it will be in the Summer of 2005.

Joyce

John,
You wrote "I have to point out the scene where Chris Reeve's character gives the bouncing ball back to the boy in the lobby of the hotel while he is registering" with regard to Christopher Reeve and "Somewhere in Time." My hubby and I stayed at The Grand Hotel in 1999 and I rented a video of the movie prior to going there. Curious why you made a point of making that statement.
By the way, 4 evenings back-to-back of having to dress for dinner was about all this lighthouser could take. I must admit that the accommodations were memorable and Stan was in his glory with the golf course on site, but getting all gussied up every night got really boring very quickly. AND there was no room service!

Hey Dave, I think we saw some good outfits for dressing up in New York!

Suzanne

That was the one scene we saw being filmed in the lobby of the Grand.

Not sure I'd put my money on it being the Grand in the Summertime. Maybe they'll throw us a curve and it'll be in the Detroit/Toledo area.

Talk amongst yourselves...

Mike

I would think summertime would be tough at popular vacation areas in that section of the country. I would think hotels would be more likely to accommodate such a large group after the prime-time season. Off-season bookings could possibly be cheaper then.

I'm sure many of you have developed an "I'll believe it when I see it attitude." Rumors heighten the hype. When the official announcement is made, then you will officially know where we are headed.

Bob

We have reached our usual limit of 50 posts, so please continue our discussion here:
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