1967 Palm Echo Yearbook
The Latest
Time For Reunion Registration
As many of you have learned from our direct emails, website and Facebook posts, the 50th Reunion of the Palmetto Class of 1967 is fast approaching. The committee has worked very hard to make this a terrific reunion. Several committee members have written checks, guaranteed venues, auditioned food vendors and spent a lot of personal time and their own money to make this all happen.
In understanding the cost here are some of the components:
On Friday night, March 3rd we will have private use of one of the Biscayne Bay Yacht Club’s bars. There will be bartenders and servers to take care of our food and beverage needs. The bar is a cash bar which means you will have to pay for your own drinks since we can’t bring in our own. There will, however, be delicious hors d'oeuvres included. The second night’s extravaganza is at the Coral Gables Woman’s Club. This is a gorgeous venue that we will have all to ourselves. We will be able to bring in our own caterer as well as beverages, to include alcohol. This is a tremendous savings. We will have a terrific DJ and have an off duty policeman as security. This is required. Cleanup, servers, bartenders, tips, linens, centerpieces are all included. The last event is a catered lunch at Matheson Hammock Park. We have reserved our own pavilion which also has an associated cost. Other incidentals include name tags, your welcome packet with the scheduled of events, maps and other information about activities you may pursue on your own in your free time.
Although there are a few of us that are still 21 most are not. We have lost many classmates over the years and we have been contacted by some, wishing to attend, that have the kind of health concerns many people attending their 50th reunion have. That is one reason we scheduled the reunion during the cooler month of March. We also took into consideration the availability of the venues needed to make this an enjoyable time and and those considerations made March the best month for the reunion.
Just like Denny’s we are offering an early bird registration special. If you sign up and pay the early registration discounted price you will save $50 per person over the regular price. This will last until 12/31/2016. The committee would appreciate all those that can please pay as soon as possible since we have deposits that are coming due. The early bird price is $205 per person.
There are two ways to pay. One is by check. Please make your check out to Vicki McGroarty for $205 per person and mail your check to Vicki Sutera McGroarty - 6440 SW 106 Street, Miami, FL 33156.
If you want to pay by credit card please go to www.palmetto1967.eventbrite.com.
Sincerely,
Your Reunion Committee
We will have the best reunion ever!
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Transportation
Will You Be Driving?
There are three main Interstates that lead to Florida; I-10, I-75 and I-95. If you live out of the state and are driving, chances are that you'll be traveling one of these roads.
Transportation to the reunion will be expensive. If you fly it can be a hassle and during the tourist season it won't be cheap. Checked baggage often costs money, then there's car rental, getting there early and standing in line.
If you drive, now that the price of gas has gone down, it's probably cheaper than flying.
Here are three things to think about. Do you have a large car? Would you have room for one or more classmates? Would you appreciate someone sharing the cost of gas and tolls?
If so, please fill out the form below if you can share a ride or if you'd like to "hitch" a ride with a classmate.
Considerations
In trying to help classmates afford to come to the reunion we are trying to be creative. Would you like an extra passenger or two. Maybe you'd consider taking your van or SUV instead of the car so you can let a classmate "hitch" a ride. Are you going down early? Will your passenger want to stay for a week if you do? Maybe you'd like to ride with (insert name here) or not ride with (insert name here). These are some things to think about.
If you choose to fill out the form below we will keep it confidential. Only those willing to take on a passenger will be contacted with the list of potential classmates needing a ride. If you are willing to take this passenger you will be put in direct contact with them to work out the details. Only a few members of the committee will see the forms and they will not be shared with anyone.
So fellow Panthers, step up to the plate. We all went to Palmetto but we are not all Jeff Bezos. So please, if you can, share a ride. Help make this the greatest reunion any Palmetto Class has ever held!
Lodging
Oh no, all of my relatives have moved out of Miami and I need a place to stay!
With the reunion the first week in March it will be snowbird time. That means the hotels will either be full or the rates will be high. Time to get creative again. Here are a few sample rates:
Hampton Inn Coconut Grove - 3 Night stay - $787.61 plus $12/night Parking - Very few rooms left.
Hampton Inn Dadeland - 3 Night stay - $810.21 plus $12/night Parking - Very few rooms left.
There are of course other hotels and you can check them out at booking.com and other Internet sources.
Possibly the Best Alternative
I have received many emails from fellow classmates concerned about the high cost of lodging in Miami in March not to mention availability. I have found many hotels in the general area booked a year in advance. Personally I'd rather share a big house with a pool with other classmates than stay in a hotel.
During the time of year our reunion will be held Lodging is scarce and expensive. It is for this reason the committee will not be putting up a huge deposit to guarantee a block of rooms. We did it for the 45th reunion, which was cheaper, and worried every day that we'd fulfill our commitment.
I just stumbled upon a possible idea that I think might be the best alternative to either VBRO/HomeAway or AirBnB, although I am still checking them out.
This best part of this possibility is it's FREE!
HOUSE SITTING
A report released by PricewaterhouseCoopers estimates that 7 percent of Americans consider themselves providers in the so-called sharing economy. Of those over age 55, 25 percent do. The report estimated that the sharing economy, which totaled about $15 billion in 2014, could grow to $335 billion by 2025.
One company putting a new spin on rental sites like Airbnb and HomeAway is TrustedHousesitters, which connects travelers looking for a place to stay with homeowners that need someone to care for their homes and pets while they are away. Different than Airbnb’s business model, the exchange is free.
As the sharing economy is a fairly young and disruptive industry – it isn’t fully regulated yet – which means you must protect yourself and know what you are signing up for, and do due diligence to ensure your own safety.
Rather than list the pros and cons here's the link. Check it out for yourself. Personally I can feed and let Fido do his business in the yard for a free house and many of these houses are gorgeous.
Other Alternatives
VRBO - Vacation Rental By Owner
Their tag line says, "rent a house for half the price of a hotel." Pros: It can be cheaper, if you get a big enough house you could share with other classmates, they usually have full kitchens (there will only be two meals at the reunion) and many have amenities like large screen TVs, jacuzzis, hot tubs and sometimes a pool. Cons: Check them out thoroughly, some are not what you expect, read the reviews, look at all the photos (no photos - beware), contact the owner by phone and ask questions, check for hidden fees.
Home Away - Owned by VRBO
Virtually the same as VRBO with some variations in inventory.
AirBnB
According to Airbnb, they provide “a trusted community marketplace for people to list, discover, and book unique accommodations around the world ….” Airbnb hosts list their properties - which can be single rooms, a suite of rooms, apartments, moored yachts, houseboats, entire houses or even a castle - on the Airbnb website. It's free to create a listing, and hosts decide how much to charge per night, per week or per month. Each listing allows hosts to promote properties through titles, descriptions, photographs with captions and a user profile where potential guests can get to know a bit about the hosts. Pros: Like VRBO it can be cheaper, if you get a big enough house you could share with other classmates, they usually have full kitchens (there will only be two meals at the reunion) and many have amenities like large screen TVs, jacuzzis, hot tubs and sometimes a pool. Cons: Both hosts and guests can help limit risks by using Airbnb features including Verified IDs, profiles, reviews, messaging, secure payment platform and the Host Guarantee.
Links:
I'm Interested in sharing a house
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