USS MAUNA KEA AE-22 11TH REUNION
CHARLESTON, S.C.
MAY 4 – 7, 2017
Reunion Co-Hosts/coordinators: David Cannon and Marion Munn
NEWSLETTER #4
February 3, 2017
Hi Shipmates,
Be sure to check out our new Highlighted Shipmate – Jim Cummings – at www.ussmaunakeaae-22.com.
Also, you can see the names of all shipmates who have made hotel reservations and signed up for the tour.
We are only three months away from our 11th Reunion. This might sound like a long time, but we have some deadlines that we must meet. We will need your help to meet them.
ACCOMODATIONS
We only have 7 rooms left on our contract. We were able to get 5 rooms added, but no more will be available. We have to return any rooms not booked 30 days in advance. Your reservations must be made by made by April 3rd to insure that you can get a room at our contract price. There is no guarantee that any room will be available beyond that date. You will not be charged for your reservation until you actually check in at the hotel. Your shipmates are reserving their rooms – don’t be left out!
MENU SELECTIONS
We have to give the hotel final menu selections and final payment by April 25. Therefore, we need your menu selections and payments by April 15 in order to get payment to the hotel on time. Thanks to those shipmates who have sent their selections.
TOURS
We owe for all tours (admission and private tour of hanger and flight deck) already booked to Patriots Point by April 5. We can add tours after that date and make payment for those on the day of the tour. However, our bus holds 55 passengers. To be sure you get a seat on the bus, you should book the tour as soon as possible. We have 77 guest registered at this time, and we hope all of you will go on this tour. We had a good time going on the tours together last year. If we have more guest register than the bus will accommodate, we will need to rent a 15 passenger van if enough additional people register to make it cost-effective. We want to avoid taking personal cars so parking will not be an issue in the Historic District. Remember lunch in the CPO Mess is included. This is a great time to spend time with your shipmates.
See you in Charleston,
David Cannon
Marion Munn
USS MAUNA KEA AE-22 11TH REUNION
CHARLESTON, S.C.
MAY 4 – 7, 2017
Reunion Co-Hosts/coordinators: David Cannon and Marion Munn
NEWSLETTER #2
August 23, 2016
Hi Shipmates,
We are less than 9 months away from the 11th reunion. The reunion will take place at the Charleston Embassy Suites and Convention Center, North Charleston location. We have attached information about the accommodations.
We have planned a tour to Patriots Point and the Historic District for Friday, May 5. This tour includes transportation, a private tour of the Hanger and Flight deck of the USS Yorktown, admission to all venues at Patriots point, lunch in the CPO Mess, and transportation to the Historic District for some free time to explore this area. See attached tour brochure and registration form.
Our banquet will take place on Saturday night, and we will have a DJ again this year.
We have attached the menu selection form. Be sure to fill it out with selection for each person, and the preference for the temperature (rare, med, etc.) if you select the steak.
A fee of $65.00 per person will include dinner, entertainment, beverages (beer, wine, soft drinks, coffee) and snacks for the Hospitality Room. It will also cover miscellaneous expenses for the reunion.
Thanks for the quick response to the first newsletter. We have had some additional rooms added to our contract, but at this time, we already have 40% of the available rooms booked! Do not wait too late and miss out on this room rate. Charleston has been rated the #1 place to visit for the 5th year, and room availability is tight in this area. We have 5 people who have never attended, or have not attended since 2003 already registered.
Our Website has been down for several months. Our prior website host is no longer associated with us (thanks Cynthia for doing a great job). A new website has been designed and we will keep current information regarding the reunion posted. We will also have facts about the ship and our shipmates posted. It will include information on having some of your favorite pictures posted. The website address is maunakeaae22.com or maunakeaae-22.com. Check it out!
Register now – you will not be charged for your room until you check in.
See you in Charleston,
David Cannon
Marion Munn
Newsletters...
USS MAUNA KEA AE-22 11TH REUNION
CHARLESTON, S.C.
MAY 4 – 7, 2017
Reunion Co-Hosts/coordinators: David Cannon and Marion Munn
NEWSLETTER #3
December 3, 2016
Shipmates,
It's hard to believe that it’s almost Christmas and the new year is quickly approaching.
We just want to wish all of you a Merry Christmas, and hope you can enjoy it with family and friends.
The reunion is quickly approaching. We have 36 shipmates and 68 total guests registered at this time. We only have 9 rooms left on our contract, so do not delay in making your reservations. We cannot be sure of getting more rooms added at our special price since Charleston is a tight market.
We also need to book our banquet and tours. You might want to suggest a tour as Christmas gift to someone who can’t think of a thing to get you for Christmas…
Rich Letarte is also taking pre-orders for shirts (to be paid for at the reunion).
We have updated the website with the Highlighted Shipmate for December – Dick States. Check out the website to learn more about Dick.
The website also has an updated list of registered guest on the “Liberty Call – Charleston” page. Is yours there?
Have a safe, happy holiday and we will see you in Charleston!
David Cannon
Marion Munn
USS MAUNA KEA 11TH REUNION
CHARLESTON, S.C.
May 4 - 7, 2017
Reunion Co-Hosts/Coordinators: David Cannon and Marion Munn
NEWSLETTER #1
June, 2016
Hi Shipmates,
The 11th Mauna Kea Reunion is less than 1 year away! It will be held in lovely Charleston, South Carolina. This “lowcountry” city is rich in history with a culture of food, dance, and speech unique to the area (more to come regarding the culture).
We are happy to announce the dates, along with the hotel information. The reunion will be held May 4th thru May 7th, 2017 at the Embassy Suites- N. Charleston Airport/Hotel & Convention Center. The hotel is located 2 miles from the airport and approx. 8 miles from the Historic District.
The room rate is $155.00 per night, and this rate is available to us (based on room availability) for 3 night pre and post reunion dates. You should consider extra nights because there is so much to do in this area. It is also a convenient location for day trips (approx. 1 ½ hrs.) to Savannah and Hilton Head.
The hotel will provide the following amenities:
· All accommodations are 2 room suites. The living room includes a wet bar, microwave, refrigerator, table that seats four, and queen sleeper sofa.
· Breakfast buffet and made-to-order omelets.
· Evening Reception with complimentary beer (incl. draft), wine, and cocktails. The cocktails are generous, and most alcohols are available. It also includes light snacks.
· Free airport shuttle, and free shuttle service within a 3 mile radius of hotel. This will take you to Tanger Outlet and approx. 40 restaurants.
Charleston has been voted the #1 city to visit for the 5th year. We have reserved fewer rooms than we reserved for the 10th reunion. Due to the reduced availability of rooms, you will need to make your reservations quickly. The last date this rate will be available to us is April 4, 2017. You have nothing to lose since rooms can be canceled up to 14 days in advance with no penalty. No charge will be applied to your credit card until you check into the hotel.
You can make your reservation by calling 1-800-362-2779. Inform the reservation line that you are with the Mauna Kea Reunion and give the Group Code of UMK.
You can also make your reservation online at the following address:
http://embassysuites.hilton.com/en/es/groups/personalized/C/CHSEMES-UMK-20170504/index.jhtml
The online application is easy to fill out, and don’t forget to use your Hilton Honors rewards program.
We will send out a newsletter in the near future giving details regarding the banquet and tour (possibly a Patriots Point and Historic District tour with lunch aboard the USS Yorktown). We will also provide you with information re things to do in this area so you can schedule some activities on your own time.
We are looking forward to seeing everyone in Charleston. Now all of you pick up the phone and start calling your fellow shipmates and encouraging them to join us. Let’s fill every room we have reserved. One room is already taken – we reserved ours today!
See you in Charleston,
David Cannon
USS MAUNA KEA AE-22 Reunions
USS MAUNA KEA AE-22 11TH REUNION
CHARLESTON, S.C.
MAY 4 – 7, 2017
Reunion Co-Hosts/coordinators: David Cannon and Marion Munn
NEWSLETTER #5
April 2, 2017
Hi Shipmates,
After all the planning and waiting for the date to arrive, we are only a month away from the 11th Mauna Kea Reunion in Charleston, S. C.
We are excited about the reunion and can hardly wait – we hope you feel the same way.
We have 43 shipmates currently registered. We have a total of 85 shipmates and guest scheduled to attend. We have some “first-timers” and will have two Plank Owners attending!
The temperature for May is predicted to be in the low 60’s at night, and the low to mid 80’s during the day, so break out those summer clothes.
We have received question regarding the dress code for the banquet. We would ask that your attire be resort casual. That’s dresses or slacks/skirts and blouses for the women (you are at the coast so something tropical would be nice). The men could wear slacks and a collared, buttoned shirt. A sport coat would be nice, but certainly not required. Once again, we will have a DJ and dancing. We have a couple of surprises planned for the banquet.
Many of you have the Mauna Kea golf shirts. It would be nice if you wore those on the tour on Friday. If you don’t already have one, they will be on sale in the Ship’s Store on Thursday.
Twenty five shipmates are coming early or staying an extra day. I you would like to plan activities for those extra days, this is a very good website to go to for information about tours: www.charlestoncvb.com/plan-your-trip/tours-attractions~204
Remember you will be visiting Patriots Point and the Historic District on our tour on Friday. If you want to take additional tours based out of the Historic District, or spend more time there, you can take the CARTA/Nash Transit to the Historic District for $3 and free shuttles in the district. The hotel will give you the Nash schedules, and they are located across the street from the hotel. The plantation tickets advertised at the website above can be purchased onsite.
If you have not registered for your tour or provided use with you menu selection, please do so as soon as possible. Thanks to the 96% who have taken care of this already!
“THE SOUTH”
We will soon be meeting for our 11th reunion in Charleston, SC, which is truly located in “The South”. Our last reunion was held in a southern state (Florida), which is not the same as “The South”. Although there are many southern states, True Southerners are very particular about the states that they call “The South”. North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Alabama are the preferred states, although you will see various other states listed if you look up “the south”
“The South”, where the tea is sweet and the accents are sweeter ~summer starts in April ~ macaroni and cheese is a vegetable ~ front porches are wide and words are long (most have multiple syllables ~”Y’all” is the only proper noun ~chicken is fried – and so are most other foods ~ gravy goes with anything, especially biscuits ~ everyone is “Darlin’ ~ meals end with pecan pie ~ grits is a singular word ~ someone’s heart is always being blessed.
You will not only be visiting “The South”. You will be visiting the “Low Country”. The “Low Country” has its own language. A tutorial will be provided. The locals are highly trained professionals and will be able to understand you. We want to be sure you can understand them…However, if you encounter someone speaking “Gullah”, you’re on your own.
It has its own culinary delights – grits, collard greens, black-eyed peas, shrimp and grits (chefs are rated by their version of shrimp & grits), chicken bog, Frogmore stew (there are no frogs in Frogmore stew), sweet tea, and everything fried.
It has its own music – Beach Music. (The Beach Boys do not sing Beach Music!). You will be exposed to Beach Music at the banquet. It even has its own dance – yes, South Carolina has a state dance.
Charleston – where the temperature is “warm”, the air is salty, and the mosquitos are in competition with the state bird (bring insect spray if you plan to go out at night).
You will see Southern Hospitality in real-life, be able to visit plantations, beaches, forts, ships, submarines, and museums. The trees, flowers, and Spanish moss are beautiful (do not touch Spanish moss – chiggers/red bugs love it). You can shop, experience new foods, and probably laugh at some of the things you will hear. But best of all, you will be able to visit with your shipmates again in the South.
See you in Charleston real soon!
David Cannon
Marion Munn
uy Copyright © Susan Cannon.