HELLO Shipmates!

Welcome to the spring newsletter. I hope everyone survived the winter months and is looking forward to some warmer weather; I know we are up here in Minnesota.

For those of you who were not at the last reunion in Nashville or did not read the latest presidents report our next reunion will be in Bloomington Mn/ Minneapolis /St. Paul. I’m happy to tell you that our dates have been sent for September 16-20 2009. We have already picked our hotel accommodations, which is not far from the airport or the Mall of America. I know you will like this hotel and I am working hard with the armed forces reunion committee to see that everyone has a great time while they are here in my home state. In your newsletter that you will be getting in the mail I have enclosed a flyer on things to do in the Twin Cities area.

I have had some injuries about putting older photos of the Glacier and her journeys on our web site and you can do this, but they would have to be scanned on to a CD or a DVD. One of our shipmate’s sons did this and donated it to the Glacier Association. I would like to thank LTJG Schenck and his son for these wonderful photos on his 1959 cruise to Greenland. Look for some of these on our web site under memorabilia/ship photos in the near future. For those of you that do not remember, 1959 was the year that Glacier ran aground on to a reef. If you would like, you can start your own personal web site by contacting our web master Ric Lobb; this information is available on our web site.

The latest information from the Glacier Society is to make plans to bring the ship to Bridgeport CT. and to start restoration as a museum ship. If you would like to volunteer in any way, more information can be found by going to their web site at www.glaciersociety.org. Please help bring this dream to reality.

Just a reminder to let you know that dues must be in by July 1st and if your have any questions at all on what you owe, please contact our treasurer Tom Ebnet at 218-963-2318 or email him at tebnet7335@charter.net. The year number after your name on the envelope indicates the year you are paid up to. New dues of $25.00 per year was voted on at our last reunion.

Tom Ebnet and I have worked hard to update our mailing list so please let us know if you have had a resent address change. Other wise you will not be informed of our reunion dates or newsletters.

Now is the time to start planning for the 2009 reunion so I’m sending out a challenge to all of you to make an effort to be their, especially some of you who I have not seen for a couple of reunions. We need your support to keep this great organized together. Set you course for Minnesota and happy sailing.

Respectfully,
Gordon Wagoner
President
USS Glacier Association