Service and Hotel Updates

It's looking like we have two options for service, one clean and one dirty. John Conover has set up a possible project with a local nursing home which would encompass both dirty gardening setting up raised flower beds and cleanly spending time with elderly folks and cleaning the facility.

Otherwise, there's the possibility of cleaning up the James River Park system which would be most dirty.

Meanwhile, the hotel situation seems to be getting a bit screwy. Money up front? Not even in this economy, fool! From the pen of Lee Correll:

There are a couple of options we're pursuing. For some reason, the hotels we've spoken with seem to want some cash on the barrelhead UP FRONT to give us a reasonable rate. I'm kind of annoyed at that, and that's a new thing from my perspective. Melissa Stricker says that asking for up front capital is a very unusual request, and that the hotel world hasn't changed since the last time either of us did this, so I think we're going to tell them to have a nice day or change their tune. For the record, we're looking at Marriott Courtyards/Springhill Suites in Short Pump / West End at about $79/night - they've got small conference rooms we can use without a massive charge, and the rates are fairly good. Melissa also notes that Wingate Inns (whom she works for) has a brand new facility in the Short Pump area with a boardroom and 3 breakout rooms (so we can put kids in one area, supervised, and ... socialize in another. :) and she's going to try and potentially hook us up a little bit.

The Wingate Inns sounds like a great option, especially if the Marriott is being pissy about money up front. What, do they think we're going to short them? Come the frak on, this isn't a mortgage! It's a fraking room rate!