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Erlanger, Kentucky was our home away from home for the weekend of 5-7 September. Our meeting host, Jack Heist, reserved a block of 25 rooms at the Red Roof Inn, Erlanger, Kentucky and those rooms were quickly filled.
Troops started arriving on Thursday, 4 September, just to get a jump start on the festivities. Erlanger is just a hop-skip-and-a-jump from Cincinnati, Ohio. All you needed was a car, Interstate 75 and a few moments and you would find yourself in the bustling city of Cincinnati.
However, the fun and games didn't officially start until 1800 hours on Friday, 5 September. Jack had reserved a block of tables at the Hofbrau Haus in Newport, Kentucky for some famous Bavarian dishes and beer. The food was great and the beer...Well, what can you say when you have a liter of dark Bavarian beer sitting on the table before you? Just eat and drink. Drink and eat. The only bad thing with the seating was we were put in the non-smoking room and could not enjoy the Bavarian music being played by the band in the smoking room.
On Saturday, the meeting was held at 0900 hours in the morning. I know, I know. 0900 hours comes early especially if you spent the evening before at the Hofbrau Haus in Newport and then returned to the Hospitality room for a few quick beers. Some of us continued enjoying the Hofbrau Haus mood by sipping on the German beer we brought with us.
The meeting passed quickly. We had a quorum so it was an official get-together. Stan Shank gave us an update on the Alaska bear hunt and the paver situation. Gatlinburg, Tennessee was chosen for our Winter meeting in January or February 2015. The Spring (or Summer) meeting will be decided on at the Winter meeting. The two places are Brevard, NC or Fort Benning, GA. Jim Butler’s son is the Assistant Commandant of Training (or something like that) and Jim will brief us on the aspects of staying at Fort Benning at the Winter meeting.
And then meeting adjourned. People fled from the Red Roof Inn, hopped in their cars and headed for the Oktoberfest in Covington, Kentucky. This Oktoberfest wasn't as large as the one that would be held the following week in Cincinnati, but the food was good, the beer was good and the music was good. In fact, the same band that played at the Hofbrau Haus the night before, was on stage at the Oktoberfest.
Slowly but surely, all members and wives drifted back to the Team Room for a couple of more beers before the auction. Precisely at 1800, our famous Auctioneer, Stan Shank, kicked off the event and for the next two hours, he wheeled and dealed (and sometimes coerced) those present to depart from their hard-earned money. After the smoke settled and all items were auctioned off, the Scholarship fund was $900 plus richer.
And then Sunday, like all days that follow Saturday, arrived early. People had a long drive for the most part. Some as far as Gulfport, Mississippi and Fort Bragg, NC. Still the weekend proved to be another plus for the chapter. Some of us put 800-1000 miles round-trip on our speedaumeters, but the trip was well worth the time. A Tip of the Beret goes to Jack Heist for putting on a very enjoyable weekend of fun, laughter and commeradaire.
The Winter meeting will be in Gatlinburg, Tennessee sometime in January or February. It will be hosted by Sid Morgan and will be in the same hotel we’ve stayed at before. The Spring (or Summer) meeting is still up in the air, but it will be Brevard, NC or Fort Benning, GA.
Mark your calendars for January or February for the Winter meeting and we’ll see you in Gatlinburg, Tennessee.
