Essex Reunion Activities!

Don't forget to bring/wear your tennis shoes so you can participate in some of the games and activities at the picnic on Saturday! Some of the options will include:

• Softball
• Kickball
• Volleyball/Badminton
• Three-legged race
• Sack race
• Wheelbarrow race
• Egg toss
• Relays
• Pinata for the kids

Please also feel free to bring photos or display boards as we've seen in the past or any other family mementos or memorabilia. And certainly, don't forget your camera! We'll definitely want to do family photos like the last reunion. Special thanks to Vicki for distributing the reunion photo CD after the 2005 event!



If you have any other suggestions, please leave them as a comment for everyone else to share or forward them on to one of the Phillips so we can add them to the blog!

One Week to Go!

Hello everyone!

We are one week out from the 2010 Essex Family Reunion. Here is some important information that you might need next weekend:

PICNIC TIME: Lunch will be served starting at 12:00noon on Saturday. Please plan to arrive by this time to insure that you have time to eat before the caterers pack up! Organized games and activities will be scheduled for after lunch, but everyone is welcome to arrive earlier to begin socializing, etc. Members of our family will be there early to set-up, post signs, etc.

PICNIC LOCATION: The picnic is being held in Picnic Area #1 at Burba Lake on Fort Meade Army Base. Please see the map below which provides directions from the reunion hotel and gives general landmarks, etc. (CLICK ON MAP FOR LARGER VERSION). Additionally, you can find directions to the general picnic vicinity using an on-line mapping or GPS device by searching this address: 2300 Wilson Street Fort Meade, MD 20755 This is not the exact location, but it will get you to the base and the general picnic area. We will post signs on base to help locate the Essex Reunion area. Specific questions regarding base access, directions, etc. can be addressed to Steve Phillips (sothpaw8@hotmail.com) or (410) 570-0202.

WHAT TO BRING - REQUIRED: Please be sure that everyone in your car who is old enough for a government-issued ID (drivers license, etc.) brings it with them. In addition, drivers may be asked to provide proof of vehicle registration as well. These items will be required to gain base access.

WHAT TO BRING - OPTIONAL: There will be seating available at picnic tables, however we encourage people to bring along portable/collapsible chairs to insure that you are comfortable! There is a pavilion for shade as well as some shade trees, but we also welcome anyone who would like to bring coverings, awnings, etc., particularly is the weather continues to be as hot as we've been experiencing recently.

***VERY IMPORTANT***

We have only received food costs from approximately half of the names currently on the base access list. We need to provide a final headcount within the next few days so that the caterer brings enough food. This headcount will be based on the number of paid individuals. If you have not sent in your picnic food payment yet, PLEASE do so as soon as possible and send an email to Joan Phillips (joanuphillips@verizon.net) or call her (301) 352-9132 to let her know how many people will be attending and eating so that we can include this number in the headcount.

Vegetarian option for picnic

We wanted to let everyone know that there will be a vegetarian option for the picnic on Saturday. We will provide veggie-burgers for any vegetarians who will be attending.

This will not affect the cost of the meal, but we will need to know how many people would prefer the veggie burgers to be sure that we have enough. If you would like to use the "vegetarian option" please indicate how many people will be eating veggie burgers when you send in your food payment. The only item that will be affected is the "entree" (veggie burger vs. hamburger/hotdog). All sides, drinks, and desserts will remain the same.

UPDATED HOTEL INFORMATION!

The reduced rate for the hotel rooms should be good for the next 1-2 weeks. As of this evening, there were still a few rooms available in the Essex Reunion reserved block.

There has been some confusion among the hotel staff re: the number of rooms and the reduced rate. If you call in the next 1-2 weeks and they tell you that the rate has expired or there aren't any more rooms, we have been advised that you should ask to speak with a manager. There are a limited number of rooms, but you may still be able to procure the lower rate. To insure that you get the discount rate though, please call as soon as possible.

Just be sure that you mention the Essex Reunion and the reduced rate! If you're still having any problems, please let Steve know (sothpaw8@hotmail.com).

Food Costs for Picnic on Saturday, August 7

Hello again everyone!

We are a little less than a month out from the Essex Reunion. Hopefully people have made any hotel reservations that they need. The reduced rate period has passed but it is likely that rooms remain available at the La Quinta Inn - BWI and at neighboring hotels. The link to the hotel is on the right hand side of this page.

The list on this blog is now updated with all of the names that we've received (also on the right-hand side of this page). Please take a moment to verify that your name(s) are on the list as it has been through several updates and versions and we want to be sure that everyone who plans to attend is included! For anyone who RSVPed a "maybe" - please let me know if you have a definitive answer between now and the date of the reunion. For now, any "maybes" should still be on the list.

We have a BBQ company lined up to provide food for the picnic at Ft. Meade on Saturday (Aug 7) and we will provide drinks, dessert, etc. There will be hotdogs and hamburgers, rolls, BBQ baked beans, coleslaw, pasta salad, and chips. We will also provide drinks and dessert. The cost for the picnic will be:

• Under age 3 = Free
• Age 3-10 = $7.50 per person
• Ages 11+ = $13.50 per person

We will need to provide an accurate headcount to the caterer a week before the picnic. Joan Phillips will be collecting the money (checks can be made payable to her) and payment for your family (along with a count of paying children and adults) can be sent to her at: 2702 Filbert Lane Bowie, MD 20715 Please direct any questions about the food/costs directly to Joan at joanuphillips@verizon.net or to me at this email address. Payment must be received no later than July 31 so that we can provide the headcount to the caterers.

This information was also emailed. We will continue to send updates to emails as well as posting online. I have tried to update my email list but the large number of incorrect and out-of-date emails has made it difficult to verify that everyone is receiving information. PLEASE forward this to anyone that you think may need to information but may not have received it.

Be on the lookout for more information in the coming weeks!

~The Phillips Family~

A few things to consider as the date of the reunion approaches:

1. Please remember to send a list of names for family members planning to attend to this email address no later than July 2. We will need this list to allow access to the Saturday picnic site (Ft. Meade). Remember, if there is even a small chance someone may attend, please include their name since base access is restricted and you will not be allowed on base if you are not on the list. Thank you to everyone who has already turned in their list.
2. The block of discounted rooms that we've reserved at La Quinta Inn - BWI will expire July 2 as well, so please make your reservations soon! There are also many other options in the area for hotels if you'd refer to choose an alternate location. As of June 15 there are still plenty of rooms left, but we'll need to know soon if we need to expand the block so please make reservations soon!
3. In the past, each sibling's family (siblings = the children of Joseph and Mary Essex) has chosen a color, specific t-shirt, etc. for their members to wear to the picnic to help identify the different branches. Please consult with your families and let me know what color (if any) your family would like to use or if you plan to have shirts made for your family. Please include a few options as we'll "assign" them on a first-come, first-serve basis.
4. We will continue to provide information as it becomes available. Food options (including cost) for the picnic will be impacted by the total number of attendees so we will provide more information about that after the July 2 deadline. We'll also try to provide some options for a Sunday morning activity as well at that time. Friday evening has traditionally been informal gatherings at the hotel. We purposefully chose a hotel with an outdoor pool and a little lobby area in case people would like to visit on Friday after checking in. There are also numerous restaurants in the general vicinity.

Initial Hotel and Picnic Information

Hello everyone:

Here is the latest information regarding the 2010 Essex Reunion:


Hotel:

We have reserved a block of rooms at La Quinta Inn & Suites. Located at 1734 W. Nursery Road, Linthicum, MD 21090, the hotel is minutes from Baltimore Washington International Airport (BWI) and about 15-20 minutes from Fort Meade, MD (the location of the picnic on Saturday). More information about the hotel can be found at their website by clicking this link: La Quinta BWI. It is conveniently located near several restaurants and dining options, a movie theater, and a large outlet mall. The hotel provides a shuttle to many of the nearby restaurant options and also has shuttle service to and from the airport for guests flying in from out of town.

We have reserved a block of rooms under the name "Essex Family Reunion" at a rate of $79/night for August 6-7. This is a discounted rate for either two double beds or one king bed (we only reserved a few king options assuming more people would need the doubles) and includes a selection of breakfast foods served daily in the hotel lobby area. The hotel also has an outdoor pool and was recently renovated with upgrades and new furnishings. The discounted block of rooms will only be held until July 2 so please make your reservations soon. We should be able to request additional rooms if necessary, but the sooner we know the better.

There are also may other hotels in the immediate vicinity including some extended stay and higher-end options. We were unable to find any that would match La Quinta's $79/night rate, but there are definitely many other possibilities if you prefer a specific chain or have discounts for other hotels. The easiest way to find other hotels in the area is to Google La Quinta's address and search for nearby hotels.


Saturday Picnic:

As mentioned previously, the picnic on Saturday, August 7 will be held on the U.S. Army base Fort Meade. The base has restricted access and we will need a list of names to provide to the gate guards. Please email a list of all family members who plan to attend, even those who are not 100% certain. It is much easier to include a name (even if they do not attend) than to attempt to add a name at the last minute. Active duty, reservists, National Guard, and retired military personel should be able to gain access with their military ID. However, we ask that you provide information for everyone, regardless of military status, just to be safe.

Please send your family names to this email address (drjennyp@yahoo.com) no later than July 2. We will compile a list of everyone and submit it to Fort Meade to secure access.




We will send more information as it becomes available. For right now, we are focusing on securing hotel rooms for those who need them and compiling the base access list. Please let us know if you have any questions or need any additional information.

Thank you!
The Phillips Family