Las Vegas Gathering Info

DETAILS

Las Vegas Gathering - April 25-27, 2014

Schedule as of 4/20/24

UMUC Overseas Marylanders Gathering

Las Vegas, April 25-27, 2014

FRIDAY April 25 -  Arriving and settling in.

11 AM onward:  Check in at the hotel lobby of Green Valley Resort. 2300 Paseo Verde Parkway, Henderson, NV  89052. Hotel phone:  866-782-9487. 

Either Bruce, Carole, Rosemary or Doug will be in the area to greet travelers and to hand out name tags.  For those who wish to mingle or just relax after arrival, the hotel’s Lobby Bar, which opens a 4PM, is just a few steps from the registration desk, and there is a pleasant sitting area near the pool just outside of the hotel lobby l. Note that there is no need to “check in” if you have other plans for the afternoon.

4:30 PM: For those already at Green Valley, meet to caravan from Green Valley to Sun City-Anthem. Others can proceed directly to the restaurant.

5:00 PM:  Dinner at Vic’s Restaurant, Sun City-Anthem (less than ten minutes from Green

  Valley Resort.) 2450 Hampton Road, Henderson, NV  89052  Phone:702-522-7203.

After dinner: free time to have a cocktail at Vic’s, get to know OMA colleagues, visit the LV strip, gamble (careful here . . .), etc.

 

SATURDAY April 26 -  More visiting and getting organized

Breakfast: On your own. (Check for others staying at your hotel)

11 A.M. – 3 P.M. OMA Gathering - Green Room at Sun City Anthem (down the hall from Vic’s Restaurant – see above dinner plans).

This will be an open forum and organizational event to reflect on our overseas experiences and to discuss potential long-term purpose and goals of the OMA.  (Bring a small overseas memento for “Show and Tell”.)

We are already arranging for a Fall 2014 OMA Gathering, probably in Florida, and would like to have other gatherings around the country. In addition to the possibility of such gatherings, we want to discuss other ways of using the expertise and energy of our group to continue to make a difference in the lives of UMUC’s adult students, especially those who live or serve overseas.

(Bring your thoughts and ideas!)

Bottled water will be available at this session, and we can have coffee, tea and snacks brought in.

Caution: there will be plenty of food and drink for the rest of the evening (see below).

4:30-6:30:   OMA Reception. Terra Verde Restaurant, Green Valley casino, main Floor.   Phone:  702-617-7073. (There will be a section reserved for OMA-UMUC.)

Cocktail reception with complimentary open bar and hors d’oeuvres sponsored by UMUC Dean Cathy Sweet, who will also be in attendance.  She will give us a perspective on today’s UMUC and the road ahead. She has also invited graduates of UMUC who live in the Las Vegas-Reno area, so we’ll get a first-hand view from the students’ perspective. Other presentations as time permits.

7:00-9:00:  Dinner at the Green Valley Feast Buffet, close to the Terra Verde Restaurant. Phone:702-617-6800 

On Saturday evening the buffet features prime rib and shrimp, but there are plenty of choices for every taste.  This Feast Buffet is very popular, but we will be able to bypass the long lines by prepaying for our reservation in one lump sum.  Cost is $27.51 per person including tax and gratuity. Carole Amedola, (Bruce Janoff’s wife), is very kindly taking charge of the payment

so we will each pay her directly by either cash or check (made payable to Carole Amendola).  We must get an accurate count of those planning to attend the buffet dinner as soon as possible, so please complete the "REGISTER Las Vegas Activities" survey.

SUNDAY April 27 -  A day for leisurely visits and sightseeing.

9-10:30 AM - Champagne breakfast in the Green Valley buffet.  Cost with GV rewards card is $14.

11:00 – Caravan leaves Green Valley for the 30-minute drive to Lake Mead for those who wish to go on the Cruise.

Noon - 1:30 PM-  Narrated cruise on Lake Mead with views of wondrous Hoover Dam aboard the three-level Desert Princess, an authentic Mississippi-style paddle wheeler. Food and drink are available for purchase on board.  Cruise cost is around $25 to be paid directly to the Cruise Line.  Please sign up online so we’ll know how many are interested in going. There is another cruise available at 2 p.m for any who prefer to go later in the day.

ORAL HISTORIES 

Throughout the weekend, OMA attendees with have opportunities to sit for oral history interviews. This project was initiated by Bruce Janoff during the November 2013 Gathering [thank you, Bruce!] and has been enthusiastically welcomed by UMUC. These interviews will kick-start the project to document the treasure trove of experiences that all of us had during our time overseas with UMUC as either faculty or administrative staff. Please bring any photographs or other documents you would like to give to the UMUC library for preservation. (Make sure to label them as to the content and time or occasion taken and to list your name and contact information as the donor.) These items will then be preserved for historical purposes in the University of Maryland University College library and will be available for future historians to study.

PRIORITY: 

Please complete the "REGISTER Las Vegas Activities" survey. at www. gypsyscholars.com so we can get an accurate count of those planning to attend each event.  This is especially important for the dinner at Vic’s, the cocktail reception at Terra Verde, and the Feast Buffet.

I look forward to seeing old friends and making new ones during the weekend.

Best regards,

Bruce Janoff   (cell phone:  412-352-2880)

p.s. Last-minute additions are most welcome.  If you haven't been planning on coming, but decide that you can come, then COME.  It's more important to have you join us than to stick to any sort of advance protocol. 

 ***********************************

3.17.14 Message:

There will be an Overseas Marylanders gathering on April 25-27, 2014 in Henderson, Nevada, which is 15 minutes SE of Las Vegas. Bruce Janoff, who lives in Henderson, graciously has taken the lead in the planning. The weekend will be the kick-off event for the Overseas Marylanders Oral History Project which Bruce is organizing. (More information about that to come.)

More specific details as to time and place of these events will be forthcoming.

The basic plan as of 3.17.14:

  • Friday April 25th,  Lunch for any who have already arrived and possible Oral History discussions/interviews in the afternoon. In the evening, a Welcome reception and group dinner.
  • Saturday 26th, Morning and afternoon sessions for general discussions about who we are, what we can accomplish together, etc. Also futher discussion and implementation of OMA Oral History Project.  Dinner together.
  • Sunday, 27th, Brunch....and possibility of a cruise on Lake Mead if enough interested. Dinner arrangements can also be made for those staying over Sunday night as well.
  • Whenever time and place permit, Oral History interviews will be scheduled.

Hotel Information

The Green Valley Ranch Resort & Spa in Henderson, NV, will be the site of most UMUC-related events and thus will be the most convenient place to stay. (See map below.) You of course may stay wherever you wish -- at Green Valley, another hotel in Henderson, or in Las Vegas depending on your preferences and loyality programs.

Bruce Janoff has negotiated directly with George Argirovski, Executive Casino Host at Green Valley, an unusually attractive room rate at a high quality venue that, for logistical reasons can only be available until January 31, so you'll want to make your reservations without delay.

$80 for Thursday night 24th and Sunday night 27th
$120 for Friday 25th and Saturday 26th

(NOTE: These amounts do NOT include the 13% room tax or the $28 per day resort fee)
Free shuttle on scheduled times from/to McCarran airport.

All Green Valley hotel guests are required to obtain a FREE "Green Valley Rewards Card" , which will entitle  you to various discounts at the resort in addition to the special room rate. 
To make your reservation and obtain the Rewards Card, please contact Mr. Argirovski directly and BE SURE to mention Bruce Janoff's name & the Overseas Marylanders UMUC Reunion . You will need to supply the usual information:  Name---DOB---Address...E-mail address---Credit card number/date of expiration.   

George Argirovski

  Toll free 866--782--9487 Ext 7710   

  Direct 702--617--7710

  Cell 702--581--4461

  E-mail: Giorgi.Argirovski@StationCasinos.com

Other Hotels in Vicinity

Hampton Inn & Suites (around $101 per night)
3245 St. Rose Pkwy, Henderson, NV 89052
Phone: 702-385-2200
Wingate by Wyndham Henderson (around $100 per night)
3041 Saint Rose Parkway
Henderson, NV 89052
Phone: 702-568-0027
Homewood Suites Henderson (around $140 per night)
10450 South Eastern Avenue
Henderson, NV 89052
702-450-1045

Activities

  • Throughout the weekend, there will be opportunities to participate in discussions and interviews related to the Overseas Marylanders Oral History Project.
  • Bruce is arranging an optional Lake Mead cruise for Saturday afternoon. Cost would be around $25 per person.
  • As mentioned, several lunches, dinners, brunches providing lots of time to visit.
  • Information about any additional activities/events planned will be forthcoming in the relatively near future, but hopefully, the above venue information will be helpful in planning your trip/visit.

Registration

Please note that this event is NOT sponsored or subsidized by UMUC. Therefore, please be aware that air fare, hotel, food, and event costs are your responsibility.  We will alert you when a more formal registration process is available. Saturday, April 26, will be the most focussed day of activities.

If you have immediate questions or comments, please feel free to contact us at gypsyscholars@yahoo.com.

Bruce Janoff can be contacted directly at janoffb@yahoo.com.

If you haven't completed your profile on gypsycholars.com, please do so soon so that you can enjoy the interactive components of the site.

Please respond asap as to the likelihood of your attending this gathering by going to the link on the left-hand bar "Las Vegas Gathering - Preliminary Response".

SEE YOU IN LAS VEGAS!  We hope in May to be able to say: WAS GREAT TO SEE YOU IN LAS VEGAS!

With best regards,

Joe Arden - Rosemary Hoffmann - Doug Lemmon (gypsyscholars@yahoo.com)



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