Hands Across the Border

Hands Across the Border Exchange, May 7, 2011 -

Time is of the essence for room reservations for Friday night, May 6, 2011.

It is unfortunate that we were able to block only 25 rooms for Friday night. We met with Kendra Hindman on May 1, 2010, and requested 75 rooms for Friday night. However, they are booked full and the best she could offer was only 25 rooms for Friday night. Some of their bookings are 3 years out.... into 2013.

If you wish to reserve a room at the Coeur d'Alene Casino for Friday night, you need to call NOW and reserve. Below is the invitation and information that will be mailed to the Chapters within the next few days. The mailing to the Chapters will include a Dinner Reservation Form.

OES INTERNATIONAL EXCHANGE

“Hands Across the Border”
May 7, 2011
Coeur d’Alene Casino Resort Hotel, Worley, Idaho

The Grand Chapters of Alberta, British Columbia & Yukon, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon and Washington are meeting once again for our annual “Hands Across the Border” International Exchange on May 7, 2010 at the Coeur d’Alene Casino Resort Hotel at Worley, Idaho (25 miles south of Coeur d’Alene on Old Highway 95).

The Hosting Grand Jurisdiction this year is Montana. WGM Margo Hellickson and WGP Rich Ransdell would like to invite you to attend for an evening of a delicious meal, fun, fellowship and renewing old acquaintances.

This is strictly a social get-together. Theme for the evening will be “Circles of Life”, with a touch of “western”. Dress for the evening will be your best denim duds (ladies – skirts please – no slacks or pants).

A block of rooms has been reserved at the Coeur d’Alene Casino Resort Hotel under the name of “Eastern Star”. The room rate is $62.95 + 7% Tribal Tax ($67.36) per night, single or double occupancy, for Standard and Deluxe Rooms: 2 Queen or 1 King Beds, Non Smoking/Smoking. This special rate will apply for Friday and Saturday nights. Rooms will be held at this rate until 2 weeks prior (April 22, 2011) to this event. Any rooms remaining in the block that have not been assigned will be released and reservations made after this date will be at the normal rate and depend on availability. Please make your reservations early as the hotel was booked full and we were blocked for only 25 rooms on Friday night and 125 rooms on Saturday night. Reservations may be made by calling reservations toll free at 1-800-523-2464. Check-in time is after 4:00 p.m.; Checkout is 11:00 a.m. All times are PDT.

RV parking is available across the old highway. With the on-going construction, this location is subject to change and may or may not have water and electricity.

An afternoon program will be held beginning at 1:00 p.m., PDT, featuring Service Dogs. “Noah’s Team of Montana” with Lynn Engum, Team Leader, affiliated with Canine Assistants out of Milton, GA, will be giving a presentation. Each team has a C.A.S.E. Dog (Canine Assistants Special Educator) who serves as an ambassador. They will be bringing one or more dogs with this presentation who are graduates or dogs in-training. Canine Assistants is an exciting program which takes advantage of the generosity of volunteers to educate people about how service dogs assist children and adults who have physical disabilities, seizure disorders, and other special needs. They may also have a display table for their fund raising products. You won’t want to miss this.

Dinner check-in will begin at 4:30 p.m. with a no-host social hour at 5:00 p.m. Dinner will start at 6:00 p.m. on Saturday, May 7, 2011. All times are PDT.

The dinner will be a “Land Lover” buffet selection with 2 meat entrees:
• Chanterelle crusted chicken breast with sherry cream sauce and fresh thyme
• Prime Rib

Served with the following:
• Caesar salad with parmesan, romaine hearts, and creamy garlic dressing
• Roast corn-macaroni salad
• Waldorf salad with apples, walnuts, celery and creamy dressing
• Honey-orange glazed baby carrots
• Roasted garlic mashed potatoes
• Dinner rolls with creamy butter
• Deep dish apple with spiced sweet cream

Cost for the dinner is $30.00 per person (US funds) and includes the gratuity. Dinner Reservation deadline is April 18, 2011. No refunds after April 18 unless there is a substitute/alternate. No Late Reservations Accepted. There will be No complimentary dinners. If you have had gastro-intestinal surgery and need special diet consideration, please contact the chairman of your jurisdiction for special arrangements.

Please join us for a special afternoon program and an evening of fun, food, fellowship and Montana hospitality. There will be drawings and prizes throughout the evening. We are looking forward to seeing you there.

Fraternally,
Martha G. Hendrickson, General Chairman, Hands Across the Border

Washington members should send their dinner reservations to Tom and Pat Scales of Pine Tree Chapter.