Alpha Omega Fraternity - 4th Update - Reunion Weekend - September 26 and 27

HI again guys.

We are 8 days away from our fraternity’s 60^th reunion.

Here is an update with a further request for your help.

The help we request is simple and easy for you to do. Just contact your friends and get them to be at the reunion.

1. Who is Coming

Cheques arrive every day. 70 tickets have been purchased to date. Another 11 members have confirmed they will be at the reunion.

Here is a list of those who have purchased tickets and those who have confirmed (*).

Wayne Astle *
Joe Biamonte
Bob Birrell *
Douglas Bowering
Gary Bowman
James Bredin
Tom Buchanan
Harry Burkman
Bill Campbell *
Jim Campbell
Rick Collard
Bob Collard
Gary Collier
Barry Cramp
Jim Deforge *
Joseph Dennis
Ken Dow
John Drewette
Tom Dwyer
Gary Ewart
Randy Garrett *
Wayne Gilmore
Charles Goodyear
Richard Goodyear
Don Green
Bryan Hart *
Frank Healey
Bob Hicks
Bob Higgins *
Hugh Jenkins
Gary Johnston
George Karol
John Kirkby
Tily Kershaw *
Wayne Kershaw *
Grant Knox
Lewis Knox
Steve Krizsan
Lorne Lambourne
Lewis Lambourne *
Allan Leake
Jan Leach
Gregory Lee
Jim Lockard
Glen Lockhart
Grant Maidens
Frank Massard
Tad McCallum
Jim McCutcheon
Donald McIlroy
James McKernan
David McManus
Louis Mitrovich
Larry Moore
Fred Murray
Robert Neal
Douglas Palmer
Robert Penner
John Potts
Douglas Rapelje
John Sentineal
Timothy Sirianni
Lester Snow
John Steward
David Steward
Roy Stoner
Alan Sundeen
Winston Taylor
John Thomas
George Vancea
Jerry Van Kleef
Bruce Ward *
Ronald Wilson
Michael Wood
Richard Woodruff

A number of others are attending but have just not yet got around to sending in their cheque or confirming.

Some of your friends, however, may not be on the list above and may need a prompt. Please contact them and encourage them to join us for the reunion.

Members’ contact information is available at http://aof.dougbowering.com . The password is 123.

It may be a while before we have another reunion. Our last one was 30 years ago in 1979.

Everyone (spouses, partners, others, families and friends) is welcome to attend all of the events whenever they wish. In particular, we anticipate most spouses/partners/others/families and friends will be attending the meals at Taps.

2. Schedule of Events

The only change from the last update is that the Sunday brunch will start an hour earlier at 11 a.m. and it will be at Taps Brewhouse and Grill (where we are having the Saturday-night dinner).

Here is the reunion weekend’s schedule:

Saturday, September 26

1 p.m. to 5 p.m. - Reunion Gathering and Barbeque - Niagara Falls Badminton and Tennis Club. Volleyball and change/shower facilities are available for those who wish to play.

6 p.m. to 9 p.m. - Dinner - Taps Brewhouse and Grill, a brew pub / restaurant featuring a broad range of reasonably priced menu items along with 8 beer / ale freshly brewed onsite, Ontario wines, live music and a tour of the beer-making process.

9:30 p.m. onwards - Post-Dinner Social - We will host a round of drinks for those who return to the Niagara Falls Badminton and Tennis Club after dinner for some further socializing.

Sunday, September 27

11 a.m. to 1 p.m. - Buffet Lunch - Taps Brewhouse and Grill

3. RSVP Please

We need to know who is coming to the meal events so we can reserve your seats and plan ahead.

Please confirm to Jan Lech at jan.lech@sympatico.ca or 905-780-8049 if you will be attending either or both of the Saturday-night dinner and the Sunday brunch at Taps and how many persons will be attending with you. Separate bills will be provided for both events.

4. Ticket Order Information

Tickets are $20. To purchase, please:

(i) mail a cheque for $20 a ticket to Harry Burkman (payable to him) at Suite 2810, P.O. Box 129, 1 First Canadian Place, Toronto, Ontario M5X 1A4; or

(ii) e-mail the payment to Harry Burkman at hburkman@burkman.com . Your confirmation question should be Name of Fraternity / Answer (one word) = alphaomega .

Please include your street address, phone numbers, e-mail address, chapter and active years with your payment or e-mail transfer message so that we can keep our members’ database current.

Tickets will be sent by e-mail before the reunion to those with e-mail addresses or mailed to those without e-mail addresses.

5 Directions to Event Locations

Niagara Falls Badminton and Tennis Club - 5300 Willmott Street, Niagara Falls

http://maps.google.ca/maps?hl=en&source=hp&um=1&ie=UTF-8&q=5300+willmott+street,+niagara+falls,+ontario&fb=1&split=1&gl=ca&cid=0,0,7763322716815880390&ei=mv2lSuWuEYKgnQe248nDBQ&sa=X&oi=local_result&ct=image&resnum=1

Taps Brewhouse and Grill - 4680 Queen Street, Niagara Falls

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=4680+Queen+Street,+Niagara+falls+ontario&sll=43.106592,-79.069741&sspn=0.01142,0.017874&g=4337+Queen+Street,+Niagara+falls+ontario&ie=UTF8&s=AARTsJoc4qthO1lCZUo1tRPLbi5BNe8zGw&view=map

We hope to post another update next week (with over 100 tickets sold).

We look forward to seeing you on Saturday, September 26 (and at the brunch on the 27^th). Please encourage your friends to be there too.

GLEN FINBOW

 

Hi, Everyone.

 

Glen Finbow, here. Hope all's well with everyone. I am hopeful of making the shindig over the Sep 26/27 weekend, but we are having an Open House of our own over that weekend here in Ridgeway. If any of the old gang is looking for something else to do while they're visiting, drop by for a visit. It's a lot of fun and 20 minutes from the Falls. Here's a copy of the invitation below. Follow QEW South to Exit 7 - Bowen Rd - take right at top of ramp onto Bowen West. Follow approx. 2kms. Take left onto Ridge Road (big dark green barn at turn). Follow another 2kms or so and we're on the left. Would be great to see some of you then!

 

All the best,

Glen

Glen & Lynda Finbow
SPLIT ROCK FARMS ALPACAS
1652 Ridge Road North
Ridgeway, Ontario, Canada L0S1N0
phone - 905-382-7777
email - splitrockfarmsbb@aol.com
website - www.splitrockfarmsbb.com
Specializing in Alpacas
of Distinction!

Your Personal Invitation to: Split Rock Farms Alpacas 3rd Annual Open House [Over 2,000 people in attendance in 2008] WHERE: 1652 Ridge Road N, Ridgeway, Ontario 905-382-7777 or 905-687-1319 Please call for Directions WHEN: Sat. Sept. 26 & Sun. Sept. 27 10:00 am to 5:00 pm FEATURING: So much to do for the little kids & the "big kids," too: Farm Tours -- meet our 16 beautiful new babies, learn about alpacas and alpaca fleece in our Q&A sessions... Warner Farms Belgian horse wagon rides... Laurie Corriveau, fibre artist & spinner... Cindy Praakel, artiste extra ordinaire... Sexsmith Farms jams and jellies... Many Canadian one-of-a kind fashions, eh!!... Peruvian garments & accessories... Purely alpaca yarn or blended with cashmere, silk, bamboo or cotton - simply beautiful Delectable foods/beverages provided by the renown Chef Paul Emond, Ridgeway's Restaurant.    Put some fun into your weekend. Share the experience with family and friends. See you there!

 

 

Alpha Omega Fraternity - 3rd Update - Reunion Weekend - September 26 and 27

Hi guys.

With just under 3 weeks to go before our 60^th anniversary reunion, here is an update and a request for your help.

1. Events Are Now Planned For Both Saturday, September 26 and Sunday, September 27

Many members are coming to the reunion from some distance away and are spending the weekend in the Niagara Region.

Accordingly, 2 more reunion events are being planned, including a Saturday-night post-dinner social and a Sunday brunch. The reunion day is now a reunion weekend.

The schedule now includes:

Saturday, September 26

1 p.m. to 5 p.m. - Reunion Gathering and Barbeque - Niagara Falls Badminton and Tennis Club. Volleyball and change/shower facilities are available for those who wish to play.

6 p.m. to 9 p.m. - Dinner - Taps Brewhouse and Grill, a brew pub / restaurant featuring a broad range of reasonably priced menu items along with 8 beer / ale freshly brewed onsite, Ontario wines, live music and a tour of the beer-making process.

9:30 p.m. onwards - Post-Dinner Social - We will host a round of drinks for those who return to the Niagara Falls Badminton and Tennis Club after dinner for some further socializing.

Sunday, September 27

Noon - Buffet Lunch - Several locations are being considered. Details to follow.

All events are casual / informal. Some events may be held outdoors if the weather is particularly nice that weekend, e.g. Taps has a large patio.

Addresses and links to maps for the Badminton Club and Taps are set out below.

2. Ticket Sales

53 tickets have been purchased as of September 4. Another 15 or so members have confirmed that they will be attending and are sending in their payment.

Ticket sales are expected to dramatically pick up as the reunion weekend approaches and our members realize that this reunion, our 1^st in 30 years, will be a good time and a great success. This is the perfect opportunity for our members to see their friends from many years ago while meeting a great group of other people from our collective past.

Tickets are $20. Your prepayment is requested to help us be able to plan the events. Ticket order information is set out below.

The ticket cost includes everything except for drinks at the Badminton Club (a cash bar will be available other than the hosted round later Saturday night) and dinner and drinks at Taps and at the Sunday brunch (separate cheques will be provided).

Should a modest profit be generated beyond our fixed costs and the hosted drinks after Saturday-night’s dinner, the committee is considering that a series of charitable donations be made in the name of the fraternity to a cross-section of deserving local charities.

3. Everyone is Welcome

Members’ spouses/partners/others/families and friends are welcome to attend all of the events whenever they wish. In particular, we anticipate most spouses/partners/others/families and friends will be attending the dinner at Taps.

4. We Need Your Help

(i) Contacting Members

The reunion will be a much better time if your group of friends is there. We need your help by encouraging them to attend by calling or writing them. Let them know that you plan to be there and that you hope to see them there as well.

Should you need to obtain contact information for certain members, the fraternity’s list of members, phone numbers and e-mail addresses is maintained by Doug Bowering. It is online at: http://aof.dougbowering.com .

The list is password protected. Doug has previously sent out the password. Should you need it again, you can obtain it from Doug at dougb@thebowerings.com .

(ii) Providing Your Ideas and Input

We need your suggestions and ideas to make the reunion events more successful and meaningful. Please either post your ideas on this blog as Jim McKernan has done with his posts, including “Stuff for Spouses to Do” with activities in the region, or contact the Reunion Committee chairman Frank Healey at abuash.healey@gmail.com .

5. Ticket Order Information

To purchase tickets:

(i) mail a cheque for $20 a ticket to Harry Burkman (payable to him) at Suite 2810, P.O. Box 129, 1 First Canadian Place, Toronto, Ontario M5X 1A4; or

(ii) e-mail the payment to Harry Burkman at hburkman@burkman.com . Your confirmation question should be Name of Fraternity / Answer (one word) = alphaomega .

Please include your street address, phone numbers and e-mail address with your payment or e-mail transfer message so that we can keep our members’ database current.

Tickets will be sent by e-mail before the reunion to those with e-mail addresses or mailed to those without e-mail addresses.

6. Accommodations

For those from outside of the Niagara region, there is an abundance of accommodations options offering a range of quality, amenities, prices, location, etc.

Due to the variety available and individual preferences (including as to price and duration of stay), no particular hotel or bed and breakfast has been selected.

Your committee has noted several options (following in no particular order) while further noting that there are numerous other hotels, motels and bed and breakfasts throughout the region:

- Hampton Inn, 5591 Victoria Avenue, Niagara Falls (Scott Johnson - 905-374-5018). Rates include continental breakfast plus 2 hot selections, free parking and internet. www.hamptoninnatthefalls.com

- Hilton Hotel & Suites, 6361 Fallsview Boulevard, Niagara Falls (1-888-370-9301). www.niagarafallshilton.com

- Marriott Fallsview Hotel, 6740 Fallsview Boulevard, Niagara Falls (1-888-501-8916). www.niagarafallsmarriott.com

- Great Wolf Lodge (Gayle Walters - 905-353-5614). www.greatwolf.com/niagara/waterpark

- Old Town & Country Landing (Bed and Breakfast) , 211 Niagara Street, Niagara-on-the-Lake (Tom McMillan - 905-468-2896). www.otcl.ca + http://www.bbcanada.com/5256.html / octl@niagara.com

- Vintage Hotels (Queen's Landing, Pillar & Post and the Prince of Wales, all in Niagara-on-the-Lake) (Heather Wilson - 905-468-3246 x6515 or Fred Gamula). www.vintage-hotels.com / f.gamula@vintage-hotels.com

- Overlooking The Falls (Doug Birrell - 905-358-4666). www.overlookingthefalls.com / ceo@overlookingthefalls.com

You can post information about where you are staying, particularly good rates, etc. on the blog.

7. Directions to Events

Niagara Falls Badminton and Tennis Club - 5300 Willmott Street, Niagara Falls

http://maps.google.ca/maps?hl=en&source=hp&um=1&ie=UTF-8&q=5300+willmott+street,+niagara+falls,+ontario&fb=1&split=1&gl=ca&cid=0,0,7763322716815880390&ei=mv2lSuWuEYKgnQe248nDBQ&sa=X&oi=local_result&ct=image&resnum=1

Taps Brewhouse and Grill - 4680 Queen Street, Niagara Falls

http://maps.google.ca/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=4680+Queen+St,+Niagara+Falls,+Niagara+Regional+Municipality,+Ontario&sll=43.102142,-79.078989&sspn=0.016419,0.050211&ie=UTF8&ll=43.101484,-79.074697&spn=0.012158,0.035963&z=16&iwloc=A

We look forward to seeing you on Saturday, September 26 (and at the brunch on the 27^th). Please plan to be there.

Message From BOB KEEP

Hello Fraternity Brothers !!!!!!   It is with great regret and sadness that I inform you that I am unable to travel to our reunion. I was looking so forward to it and I understand how much work has been done to contribute to this reunion. 

I have to stay in Saskatoon due to a business commitment that I have to attend the entire weekend.

I would like to pass on my best wishes to anyone in the Fraternity that I have had the distinct pleasure of associating with.

If you get a second, please drop me a line.

Best Regards, Health and Prosperity !!!

 

BOB KEEP

 

 

Robert (Bob) Keep

Argo Fine Imports

Manager, Sales & Marketing

3045 Ridgelake Drive

Metairie, LA 70002

p..306-668-4800

f ..306-978-0562

e..bob@argofineimports.com

web www.argofineimports.com

 

 

 

 

Alpha Omega Planning Committee in Action

First and second pictures, L-R - Frank Healey, Jan Lech, Jim McCutcheon, Gary Johnston

Bottom picture, L-R - Frank Healey, Jan Lech, Jim McCutcheon, Harry Burkman (and friend)

Absent - Steve Krizsan

Stuff for Spouses to Do

Hi there all my frat brothers: Here's some more silly stuff from the bush in Northwestern Ontario ... where it's still a chilly 7C ... and still raining ...

Because my wife has been able to schedule some free time and will be accompanying me to the reunion, I’ve spent some time checking out “stuff that’s happening” in the Niagara area during the few days before, during and after our reunion.

She’s planning to attend the reunion at the Badminton Club but she didn’t grow up in the Niagara area, or go to high school there, so a bunch of old fogies recalling ancient stuff dealing with ancient history could be a bit “yawn-yawn” after a few hours and a few beers.

If your spouse is not too eager to come along with you, maybe if you show her some of the following stuff she will feel more positive. Here are some of the events I’ve been able to locate so far …

a) Casino Niagara:

September 24 & 25: Reba McIntyre; $90+; Thursday @ 8:30 pm; Friday @ 9:00 pm
September 26: Davy Jones of The Monkees; $ 20; show @ 9:00 pm
September 27 to 30: Country Classics – country hits from the 1950’s to today’s chart
toppers; $15; 3:00 pm

b) Niagara Wine Festival: September 18-27;
Details are available at: www.niagarawinefestival.com

c) Free Concerts and Fireworks .. in the Park: September 25 and 27; concert @ 8:00;
fireworks @ 10:00; Can’t beat the price!


I’m sure there will many spouses who didn’t grow up in the peninsula and would love to have a list of stuff to do … How about some of you guys who live in and around The Falls adding to the list … I’m sure there are farmers’ markets, flea markets, antique shops, art exhibits, musical presentations, and so forth.

Looking forward to meeting old friends …

Jim (Peneseh)

Alpha Omega Fraternity - 2nd Update on 60th Fraternity Reunion - September 26, 2009

Hi again guys.

Ticket sales and planning are coming along extremely well for our 60^th anniversary reunion to be held at the Niagara Falls Badminton and Tennis Club on Saturday, September 26.

Your reunion committee headed by Frank Healey has been actively planning the day's activities.

The committee's focus has been to make this an enjoyable and worthwhile opportunity for each of us to reunite with our friends from years gone by.

Here are some updates:

1. Agenda

While the facilities are available to us from 11 a.m. that day until 1 a.m. Sunday morning, the core part of the reunion gathering at the Badminton Club will be in the afternoon from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Hot dogs and hamburgers will be included and a full bar will be available. Dress will be informal. Both indoor and outdoor facilities will be available.

2. Tickets

$20 each. Advanced sales are proceeding very well. We have already received payment for 30 tickets with limited initial promotion. Ticket sales will climb dramatically as the reunion nears and everyone realizes that this is going to be a great success.

3. Volleyball

Our members played baseball at our 30^th reunion in 1979. This time it is volleyball. The club’s volleyball courts are available to us so bring your shorts, sport shoes, etc. if you wish to play. Perhaps we can get some challenge matches going, e.g. Alpha vs. Omega chapters, etc. There are showers for afterwards.

4. Dinner

A sit-down dinner is planned for 6 p.m. that day. We will proceed to TAPS, a new nearby brew pub located at 4680 Queen Street, Niagara Falls (near Victoria).

TAPS has a broad range of reasonably priced menu items along with 8 variations of beer and ale which are freshly brewed onsite and Ontario wines. There will be live music and a tour of the beer-making process.

TAPS has an outdoor patio. If the weather is particularly nice, they can seat us outside.

Everyone (members, spouses, partners, sons, daughters, parents, friends, etc.) is welcome to join in for dinner. Each is to pay for their own food and drinks. Separate cheques will be provided. Those who wish to can return afterwards to the Badminton Club.

5. Accommodations

From initial ticket sales and communications, we realize that members will be coming in from all over North America for this reunion and will need places to stay over the weekend. A list of available accommodations, including hotels and B&Bs etc. run by members, is being prepared and will be posted soon.

How to Order Tickets

We hope that you will be joining us on September 26. You can purchase your ticket(s) by the following ways:

1. Mail your cheque for $20 a ticket to Harry Burkman at Suite 2810, P.O. 129, 1 First Canadian Place, Toronto, Ontario M5X 1A4 (cheques made payable to him); or

2. E-mailing your payment to Harry Burkman at hburkman@burkman.com . Your confirmation question should be Name of Fraternity / Answer = AlphaOmega. (AlphaOmega should be one word.)

We are working on keeping our members’ database current and obtaining additional information. With your payment or e-mail message, please include your street address, phone numbers and e-mail address so that we can keep in touch with you going forward.

Tickets will be sent electronically before the reunion to those with e-mail addresses or mailed to those without e-mail addresses.

Database

Doug Bowering has been building the fraternity's most valuable resource, its membership list, and keeping it current for many years. Doug is constantly updating the list of our members and their contact information and making it available to all of us.

As a resource to be able to target more direct communication with our members, we are hoping to further identify the chapters of the individual members and the years in which they were most active. It would be great if there were separate contact lists for the guys in each of the chapters.

Should you wish to assist in this project, and we encourage you to do so, please let Doug know. He can be contacted at: dougb@thebowerings.com Doug can forward to you an Excel spreadsheet of the members so that you can add additional information to identify the chapters of those whom you know and their active years with the fraternity. When you have done this, you can return it to him.

Your Ideas Please

Guys, this event is about you and your friends from years gone by. The planning thus far reflects the intial thoughts of a reasonably small group of guys. We do not presuppose that we know what is of most interest to you and what would work best. You may have much better ideas and refinements for our reunion day and we encourage you to make your suggestions and input. Please help us make this a better event for everyone. You can post your comments below for all to see or send them to Frank Healey at abusash.healey@gmail.com .

Further details to follow.

We look forward to seeing you on Saturday, September 26.

.