Anyone thinking about a get together this summer?

[crecco]

  Ok Ladies,
    I know that summer is here already and will be speeding rapidly by as it always does. But I am curious. Gail and I have been talking and if we can get some kind of get together planned like we did for last summer I am wondering just how many of you would be interested in going. We were thinking of the Boston area, sometime in Sept as the city of Boston goes all out for ovarian cancer. We are also thinking of trying to be there when there is some kind of event going on so that those who are able can participate in it.
   As you know I havent been doing quite as well this year as last so if I am going to try to get this done, I have a lot of work ahead. So before getting started I just wanted to get some kind of idea of what we would be looking at. See what you can come up with and let me know as the sooner I get going the better.
  Love Chris

[bohan54]

My son is getting married 9/19 but if I am able I would love to meet in Boston!
Sharon

[TrudieC]

I'm in!

[onthemendmomma]

Im trying to go to NH w/ my family in early /mid Aug so when you set a date let me know...I'm in...

[dian07]

I'm sorry to say I won't be able to make it as finances are an issue, but I certainly hope lots of us will be able to get together in Boston.  I love Boston!
Peace.
dian

[dawnlyn]

I am on consideration list....Finances could be issue.....but I will need to wait and see what is planned...I would love to make it this year.....

Love, Dawnlyn

[Ramsay14]

I am on chemo but would love to go.  When final date is set i can then say yay or nay.

[fungirl1011]

Hi Chris, hope  you are doing better.  I would love to go, but I am not sure I would be able to.  I found out two weeks ago that I no longer have a job at the school.  They had to let 4 aides go to hire a teacher.  If you decide on somewhere closer, I would love to go.  I do know that my kids have a fall break in October, so my parents could watch the kids.  Just let me know what you all decide and I will do my darndest to get there.  Last year was something so special that I will cherish forever.  I pray that I am able to go this year.  Give me a call if I can do anything to help, or if you just want to talk.  I will be coming to Effingham in 2 weeks.  If  you are up to it maybe we can get together.  Love ya, Kasie

[marie3B]

I would love to go, but have a big surgery coming up and don't know what shape I will be in after.  Also we are struggling financially, but will look forward to hearing back from all who can meet in Boston.  I am so thankful to have gone to Springfield last year.  Marie

[helenl89]

I would love to go, let know dates. would love to meet everyone, so we can give great big hug. computer keeps kicking me out of your profile, so went back door to give you this message. really don't want to speak to computer people today, don't have my copy of indian dictionary with me today ha ha. helen

[Teresa222]

Boston is a little far for me.  I hope all who go have a great time!
Teresa

[Flicka0459]

Chris,

It was great to talk to you yesterday.  Wisconsin is a great alternate choice.  Let me know, and I will even get on a plane for you.  I hate flying.  I can fly into Chicago and pick up TC if she is going and whoever else lives around there and we can drive up to Madison.  Can't wait!  Lisa

[Tybear]

I'm really going to try and make it this year...I know Boston or New York was considered earlier this year and those are great for me, simply because I could probably drive there. We should really decide on a place soon, so that we can start making arrangments - I'll try to make it wherever it ends up being!
Thanks,
Becky

[nyc lady]

As much as I would want to be there....Boston does not work for me as our walk is the following weekend.  Again, if you guys want, we have a walk here on Long Island, Sept 26th.  Would love everyone to come to NY.

[crecco]

  Here is something I want to throw by all of you. The more I have thought about it, I just don't know if I can pull off a big to do in Boston during Sept. And as much as we would like for this to be about ovarian cancer (which it still is) is has become something more personal. Taking into consideration that many of us are not quite in as good of shape as we were last year, I got to thinking of somewhere more centrally located and hopefully easy to get to. In talking with a few of you, I threw up the idea of maybe Madison, Wisconson and getting together sometime in October. School starting will be out of the way, there is already a 3 day weekend holiday in Oct, and there are 5 weekends in Oct.
  I thought I would send out e-mails to all of you who have expressed interest and see what your thoughts were and if there would be any weekends that you could not make it.
  As nice as it would be to get involved with something to do with ovarian cancer, I think it would mean more to us to just be able to get together. I will send out e-mails and watch for replies and then go from there. I don;t think there will be any problem with getting a block of rooms reserved for sometime in Oct. While waiting on replies, I will do some checking into the city of Madison and see what I can find out.
  I hope that something like this will still interest those of you that would like to come. I have realized that the reaching out to each other and actually meeting has become important to a lot of us and we would like to do this as long as possible.
  So let me know what you think, and I will get started.
     Love Chris

[shewrites]

I've been following the back-and-forth on this for awhile, and I'm wondering why there couldn't be regional events rather than one national event.  If someone wants to organize Boston, and they can get enough people to agree to come, they should go ahead.  If you can manage a midwestern get-together, that's great, too.   If someone in California or Texas or Florida wants to try, let's encourage them.  All would be announced on the forum and anyone who could come (even from a distance) would be welcome.  Dates could be throughout the rest of 2009 and in 2010.  

By the way, Madison is a Big Ten college town and the football team plays at home on 10/17 and 10/31 if I read the schedule right.  (See bigtennetwork *******)  That could mean competition for hotel rooms.  There's an airport in Milwaukee,  too, and the city's not all that expensive -- with nice art museum, zoo, etc.  Also good restaurants.  Might be an alternative.  

[crecco]

  shewrites,
    Thank you for bringing this up. I guess that I kind of forgot that we have so many new people here this year and that they would not know about our Springfield event last year. My original plan was to have an event each year in a different part of the country so that everyone would have a chance to attend if they wanted. And I hoped for it to get bigger and better each year. But something happened at that last evet that I was not expecting. Those of us there formed a bond that will be with us always. We also took for granted that we would all be a part of it every year. But we have since realized that may not happen. With the passing of Jan a few months ago, we lost a dear friend that was a big part of the event. I have also come to realize that many of us are not in as good of shape as we were last year and to travel very far just would not be possible. The getting together part became much more peronal, a way for us to stay in touch. Of course anyone new is more than welcome to attend.
  Of course if anyone wanted to organize an event elsewhere, I would be all for it, but for myself, I just cannot put the time and effort into the planning like I did last year, as I do not have what it takes this year.
  Those of us who did get together last year were all members who had been here for quite awhile and felt that we knew each other anyway. To actually get together and meet the way that we did, affected all of us.
  As I said, regional events were the original plan. But there is a lot of time and hard work into putting together something like this. I changed my mind from Boston to Madison (if that is the final destination, thanks for the heads up on the football games) to make it easier for those whose health is not good this year to be able to meet again this year because I know it means a lot to them.
  We had a ballon release on our last day for all of our sisters who have passed before us. This release (thanks to Jan) can be viewed on you tube under Springfield Illinois balloon release. You can see the emotion in all of us if you watch it.
  Please rmember that anyone is invited to come no matter where you are from and I hope that some of you will decide to join us.
   Thank you for the suggestion of Milwaukee as I will keep that in mind should we decide on one of those weekends.
  I hope this helps you to realize why we decided to stay in the midwest.
     Chris

[MinnieWM]

Whenever, wherever suits me -- provided no medical issues rear their ugly head.  I'm new to the group this year, but would love to meet some of the people that have been so supportive.

[justscore]

Over the past couple of years, I've watched these forums with much admiration for everyone fighting this disease...........  
If I can swing it, I would love to come and meet all of you, if it would be ok that I attend.

Much respect!
Heidi

[crecco]

  Please know that anyone who wants to and can attend will be welcome with open arms. We are all in this together and the bonds that we form are strengthened when we get to actually meet face to face.
  I have been doing some checking and have sent an e-mail to see about lodging. If everyone can swing it I was thinking about trying to make it a long weekend, from the 23 of Oct to the 26. That would make it Fri through Mon. Of course nothing says that you have to be there that long. If you can't make it until the next day or if you have to leave on Sun, that would still be fine. As long as we can all get together. I have picked that weekend because after viewing events going on in Madison, that seemed the most quiet weekend. Of course it could be subject to change but the sooner we get a definate date the better. Also within the next month, I will need to know exactly how many are coming so that I can get a block of rooms reserved. There is an airport there and I am trying to find a hotel that has airport shuttle. We will see what happens in the next few days if I get an answer back from the e-mail I sent.
  Ok I am already excited again.
    Love Chris

[lvfrogs]

I wish I could come, I would so love to meet all of you in person!!! But very doubtful for me. It is just too far. However, I will still consider it and do my best. Wisconsin will be lovely that time of year!! I will check to see if my kids are off in October. I don't think so though,but since they have a father and stepfather, that wouldn't be a problem. Someone could watch them, lol.
Thank you to Chris for trying to organize and set this up, especially while you have not been feeling that great. It shows what a wonderful caring person you are!!
Hugs,
Colleen

[Flicka0459]

I'm there.  I think Jan would want me to go.  I'm so excited to meet all of you.