The R3 Staff Reunion will take place June 5-7 in Richmond, VA. Here are the results from the survey (shout out to Mike Nocerino for setting it up):
- Logistically, a plan between "light organization" and "totally structured" fits our group
- Service was split between dirty and not with many asking for "kid-safe" service.
- We're looking for a mid-range hotel of Marriott Courtyard, Sheraton Four Points, or Hilton Garden Inn caliber.
- Hotel reservation block aiming for a block of 30 rooms and whatever amenities we can get.
- Service project location, preferably near the hotel location. Hotel and service folks should probably coordinate with each other.
- Food! Survey says we like restaurants. However, if the weather is nice we could BBQ on or near our service project. Otherwise it's back to the restaurant with all the headaches that will entail with 70+ people.
- Registration/ signage/ local stuff like what to do and where to go when you show up if you want munchies.
- Directory of attendees. Someone could compile a little directory with bios and photos that everyone sends to some lucky person.
- Photography/videography maybe?
- Other ideas?
- Friday night: arrival, go out in small groups, etc.
- Saturday morn:
- 0830 breakfast
- 0900 depart for project
- 0930 arrive & begin
- 1230 finish project
- 1300 back @ hotel ... and lunch? Have those folks that didn't help
- out kick in $20 to cover food for this and Friday night.
- 1730 meet for dinner
- 1800 dinner
- ???? return to hotel
- free for all that night
- Sunday morn: 0830 breakfast and depart.
Posts
Jami,
ReplyDeleteThanks for setting this up!
Lee
No prob! I'm a blogging whore.
ReplyDeleteI recommend Hampton Inns - free wifi, comfy, free breakfast, fridge in room, good cable tv. I also recommend looking at the Richmond-West hotels...lots of food and shopping options nearby.
ReplyDeleteFrom John Conover:
ReplyDeleteFood Bank sorting sounds kid-friendly, but I'll have to check to ensure that they'll allow 'families' to work in their warehouse. It seemed pretty safe to me last time I was there, and it's a nice new clean facility. While I personally prefer the 'build something/get dirty' projects, it may eat the entire day, and would certainly require additional clean-up time. If we go with a food bank project, the hotel would likely be a 10-15 minute ride to the project, straight down the interstate.
Hotels downtown (closer to the food bank) would be much more expensive, and the home school association has most of them booked for the weekend. I know this because Jamie has a college fair that day, and may have to pop out for a short period of time to work that event.
Courtyard by Marriot has a location just off the interstate, closer to the Short Pump area of the west end. It would be more affordable, and does have meeting space. I have a lot of Marriot points, and can see if using them would get us a better deal, a suite, or free use of the meeting space. We may want to solicit others to use points as well.
In other words, I just volunteered to do the hotel negotiation and check the food bank to see if that's a viable service option. I'll try to have both answers NLT early next week. I'll also check the other comparable hotels in the area.
Best Hotel option so far:
ReplyDeleteCourtyard by Marriott, 6400 W. Broad Street, Richmond
$89/night Single King; $94/night Double Queen (plus 13% tax)
Five 2-room suites available @$149/night. These are not part of the reserved block, so we can use Marriott points to cut the cost of these. (I have a bunch of points)
Small meeting room $150/day for Friday night welcoming/check-in and Saturday afternoon mingling (Seats 50 Theater style). No food or beverage permitted (we’ll take care of snacks and sodas in the private suites). This is the only meeting space they have.
Other hotel rooms at the Hilton Garden, Sheraton Four Points, Holiday Inn, etc. are all running $89-$99/night with the block of 30 rooms. Some have adequate meeting space for a reception (75-100 attendees), but it will cost approx. $750 for the room alone, or free with $2000 minimum reception catering ($20-22/person for hors devours). The new Holiday Inn Airport wants $5250 minimum food/rental for a reception room, or $99/room for empty adjoining bedrooms. A cash bar is available at these hotels, if that’s what the group decides, but that doesn’t change the price.
Service: Central Virginia Food Bank is not open on Saturdays, but they invited us to come volunteer during a weekday. I’ve called Maymont Park’s volunteer coordinator to see what opportunities they have for Sat. 6/6.
More to come next week, -JC
Can we bring in outside food? I.e., can we 'hire' our own caterer for the dinner? I'm thinking about BBQ from a local place, say Andy's, Buz'n'Neds, Smokey Pig, or even Ukrops...but need to know what the restrictions are on that kind of stuff for where we land. Or even if BBQ is something folks are interested in? LMK - and if this is something to pursure, I'll be happy to do some legwork on this end, since JTC is covering service...
ReplyDelete