November Update
Hello Skalleagues,
It has been a few months since my last post and I apologize for the absence. So much has occurred since August and I thought I’d take a few minutes to update you on some SKAL Boston and SKAL International News.
First I would like to thank Skalleagues, Jim Carmody, Marianna Accomando and David O’Shaughnessy for hosting the August luncheon at the beautiful Seaport Hotel. The “Red, Stripe, and Blue” menu was delicious and the conversation with the chef was very informative.
In September we we celebrated the opening of the Boston Tea Party Ships and Museum with a private tour and a cocktail party in the Tea Room. This was another fantastic event and I’d like to thank and congratulate Shawn Ford and his team for hosting us and for the opening of such a beautiful and educational museum.
Finally, last month we returned to the wonderful Top of the Hub to share the best views of the city and an amazing lunch hosted by Raphael Oliver. We could not have asked for a more picturesque day and as always the staff was outstanding and the food was perfect. Thank you again!
2012 SKAL WORLD CONGRESS
In September I attended the the SKAL World Congress in Incheon and Seoul South Korea. It was such a great cultural experience and I was able to meet so many dedicated Skalleagues from all over the world. The highlight of the congress was the election of Mok Singh from SKAL Los Angeles as the new President of SKAL International. Mok is a great guy and I have faith that he will do a superior job represent SIUSA and leading SKAL International. CONGRATULATIONS MOK!
SKAL Boston was also honored as one of the few clubs that had membership growth of 15 members or 15%. I’d like to share a few pictures from the Korea trip and the World Congress.
IRELAND TRIP -
There is still time to book your Ireland Escape trip with SKAL International Boston. Your reservation needs to be in by December. for more information click on the attached flier
Flyer – Boston SKAL Group Boston SKAL Irish Escape -Tour bking form Feb 2013 (2)
Past Presidents Lunch
The 2012 Past Presidents’s Lunch is being held at the Hyatt Regency Boston next week November 15th. Please join us as we celebrate those who have served as President of SKAL Boston. Registration online is open and can be accessed by following the link below. http://tinyurl.com/clvjury
2013 SKAL WORLD CONGRESS
As I have mentioned the 2013 SKAL World congress is being hosted By SI New York and it is being held aboard the Carnival Glory Cruise Ship. The Ship will depart NYC on September 28, 2013 and will travel up the East Coast stopping in Boston, Portland ME, St John, Halifax and back to NY. There are only 150 cabins remaining so if you plan to attend I suggest reserving your space as soon as possible.
http://www.skal2013worldcongress.com/travel.html
Lastly,
Please keep the in your thoughts and prayers our fellow Skalleagues from NY, and NJ who have been impacted by Hurricane Sandy and Nor’Easter Athena. These are very trying times in the Northeast and along the Mid-Atlantic. If you are looking for a way to help please check out
http://www.redcross.org/news/article/American-Red-Cross-Ongoing-Relief-Effort-for-Sandy-Update
or
Call 1-800 REDCROSS or text the word REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation.
I hope to see you all next week,
Sincerely
Bob Lawler
August Update
Hello Fellow Skalleagues,
I hope you are all enjoying your summer. There has been so much going on since my last post that I wanted to take a few minutes to update you on some recent SKAL happenings. I have some good news to share with you regarding SIUSA. As of the July 30th quarterly report Boston is officially the largest club in the US with 158 members. We have added 5 new members in the past 3 months and we welcomed back 2 returning skalleagues. Congratulations Joe Capalbo, Rita Fucillo, Teresa Paolini, Catherine Chaulet, Cecilia Dahl, and welcome back Mark Fisher and Robert Jordan. The next largest club has 146.
I would like to thank Bob Diodati and the entire staff of Wentworth By The Sea Country Club for there outstanding hospitality, great meal, and the use of their first class facilities and golf course for our June meeting. I know I speak for all of those golfers who took advantage of the opportunity to play this private course when I tell you that it was incredible.
I also want to thank Deb Borgwardt and the staff at the New England Aquarium for providing us with a picture perfect day for the outdoor clam bake at the Harbor View Terrace. What a fantastic venue with an unmatched view of Boston Harbor.
Late June and early July were extremely busy along the Boston Waterfront. From June 30-July 5th Boston played host the Bicentennial Celebration of the War of 1812 which included over 25 navy vessels, tall ships from around the world the Blue Angels and over 50 other aircraft.
Just prior to 1812 Celebration Boston’s newest attraction opened up in the Fort Point Channel. Congratulations to skalleague Shawn Ford and Historic Tours of America on the opening of the Boston Tea Party Ships and Museum.
Thanks to Executive SecretaryTreasurer Holly Powers we have secured a great trip to Ireland planned for February 14th -18th. This 4 night package includes 4 star accommodations in Kilkenny, Killarney and Dublin. Private motor coach, 4 full breakfasts, and 3 dinners all for $349 dbl. Aer Lingus and Sceptre Tours will also provide air for $669.00 (all in). This is a wonderful opportunity to see Ireland with your fellow skalleagues at a remarkable price. If you have questions or need more information please contact myself or Holly.
Finally I want to recognize our very own secretary Phil Stamm and his Hyatt Team for hosting the “2012 Over the Edge Boston” event to raise money for Special Olympics. On July 20th and21st, the 104 member Hyatt team, led by Phil, went “over the edge” and repelled down the side of the Hyatt Regency Boston. They raised over $14,000 for SOMA bringing the 2 year total for this annual event to $290,000. Phil has challenged SKAL International Boston to participate as a team next year. It will be a great opportunity to have some fun, conquer your fears and raise money and awareness for a very worthy cause.
Just a reminder about our next 4 meetings.
- August 16th Seaport Hotel
- September 20th Tea Party Ships and Museum (Special Evening Reception Event - 5pm museum tour, 6pm cocktails),
- October 18th, Top of The Hub,
- November 15th, Hyatt Regency Boston.
I look forward to seeing you all very soon.
SKAL International Boston – June 4, update
Hello Skalleagues,
Happy June! First off I wanted to thank Adam Sperling and the entire staff of the Hotel Commonwealth for hosting the May luncheon at Island Creek Oyster Bar. The venue, service and food were fantastic. I also want to once again congratulate Priscilla Lee who joins Robin Brewster, Carmen Dongo, and Amanda Soucy as the 4th recipient of the Kieth Staples Scholarship Award. Priscilla was the first recipient to be awarded the $2500.00 amount and it could not have been given to a nicer young lady. Thanks also to Robyn Culbertson for continuing to administer the fund and working with the selection committee to find such worthy winners.
We had 80 guests at the May luncheon and once again your generosity is greatly appreciated. Several members took advantage of our newest technological improvement and added the purchase of raffle tickets to the on line registration fee, those tickets were waiting for you when you checked in. A few more used their credit cards on site to buy tickets and support the club. Regardless of how you contributed, together we raised another $810.00 for the May raffle. THANK YOU!
IMPORTANT INFORMATION REGARDING THE JUNE MEETING!
As you are aware, the June meeting will be held on the 21st at the beautiful Wentworth by the Sea Country Club in Rye, NH. http://wentworthbytheseacc.com/ Our host for the day is the GM, and Skalleague Bob Diadoti. Not only will we be enjoying a wonderful reception and lunch in the Donald Ross Grill and views of the beautiful NH seacoast, but Bob has graciously invited us to take advantage of some of the clubs amenities including Golf, Tennis and use of the pool all at no charge. Tee times are available beginning at 2:30pm and are on a first come first serve basis. Please call the club office in advance to reserve golf, tennis or the pool at 603-433-3050. Also if you would like to stay overnight at the Wentworth By The Sea Hotel before or after the meeting you can make reservations by calling 603.422.7322. www.wentworth.com
The Special SKAL Rate is $199.00 per night.
One other note, this is a casual meeting so please leave your jackets and ties at home.
As a follow up to last months message I wanted to once again invite you to join the First Corps Cadets www.afcc1741.org/index.html and help support this very worthwhile museum and the courageous men and women who serve in our country’s military especially those who have fought for the Massachusetts National Guard. If you are interested in joining for the low annual fee of $50, please email me at blawler@entertainmentcruises.com and I will provide you with all of the information.
SKAL Boston Travel Committee
I announced at the May meeting that we have created a travel committee to help plan one or two SKAL trips for 2012. This committee is being led by Holly Powers and we hope to have a some recommendations to the club later this month. In the meantime I invite all of you to submit any suggestions for trips especially if you have specific contacts and or industry deals that you can offer the club. Please email your thoughts to powersh1@verizon.net or blawler@entertainmentcruises.com
SKAL International Boston update April 24, 2012
Fellow Skalleagues,
I wanted to take a moment to update on some exciting news for SKAL International Boston.
First of all, I want to thank Terrilyn Haak, and the entire staff of Towne Stove and Spirits for hosting a fantastic lunch last week. We had over 70 attendees and we raised over $1500 for the Keith Staples Scholarship Fund.
Speaking of the KSF, I am very happy to announce that because of the outstanding generosity of our club and the hard work and dedication of your immediate Past President Chris Pappas the Scholarship Fund now has over $47,000. The success of our fundraising efforts made it possible for your Board of Directors to unanimously vote to increase the annual scholarship amount from $1500 to $2500 for 2012 and beyond.
I am also proud to announce that the 2012 KSF Scholarship winner is Priscilla Lee. Priscilla is a junior in the Isenberg School of Management at UMass Amherst where she maintains a 3.258 GPA majoring in Hospitality and Tourism Management. She is currently employed in the Starwood Corporate Summer Internship Program where she will be working for the W Hotel in New York this summer. She is the VP of the National Society of Minorities in Hospitality at UMass as well as a member of the Isenberg School of Management Women in Business Society organization. Priscilla was referred by skalleague Christine Frazier and she will be attending the May luncheon at the Hotel Commonwealth to receive her award.
I also wanted to take a moment to mention our March fundraising cocktail party at the First Corps of Cadets Museum. This museum is truly a hidden gem of Boston. www.afcc1741.org/index.html
The mission of the Museum of the First Corps of Cadets is to preserve the artifacts and archives and to promote the history the Oldest Continuously Active Volunteer Militia Unit of the United States which is still serving our country after 267 years of continuous service. Since 1741 the First Corps of Cadets, now designated as Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment, 211th Military Police Battalion, has lived up to it motto Monstrat Viam : “It Points the Way.” The Corps has always been one of the premier organizations of the Massachusetts National Guard and, while it has served in five wars, its primary Contribution to the Commonwealth and nation was as an officer-producing institution for new regiments from the Revolutionary War through World War II. The First Corps of Cadets will continue to point the way as it enters its fourth century of service.
The purpose of Association of the First Corps of Cadets (the men and women who are members) is exclusively charitable and educational and include the promotion and encouragement of public interest in and study of the history of the Commonwealth and, in particular, the history of the First Corps of Cadets and other units of the Commonwealth’s militia.
You can help preserve this museum and support this incredible group of volunteers by becoming a member. For the very reasonable price of $50 per year you can join the association and help to off set the costs of operating and maintaining this great piece of American History. If you would like to learn more or you would like an application for membership please email me at info@skalboston.com .
Finally, I want to share the list of venues for 2012-2013
2012/2013 SKAL MEETING VENUES
April 19, 2012 Towne Stove and Spirits Boston
May 17, 20112 Hotel Commonwealth Boston
June 21, 2012 Wentworth by the Sea Country Club Rye, NH
July 19, 20112 New England Aquarium Boston
August 16, 2012 Seaport Hotel Boston
September 20 , 2012 Boston Tea Party Ships and Museum**** Boston ***This will be a special after work reception
October 18, 2012 Top of the Hub Boston
November 15, 2012 Hyatt Regency Boston*** Boston ***Past President’s Lunch
December 20, 2012 Colonnade Hotel*** Boston ***Holiday Lunch
January 17, 2013 The Boston Harbor Hotel Boston
February 21, 2013 The Ritz Carlton Boston
March ?, 2013 Entertainment Cruises*** Boston ***President’s Night
Thank you and SKAL
Bob Lawler
Skal President’s Night
If you haven’t registered already for President’s Night on March 9, please take the time to do so now! Invitations were mailed to you, but you can also click here to register.
We have a great evening planned at The Fairmont Copley Plaza and you won’t want to miss any of it — from the installation of new board and officers, to dancing to the music of Flipside, it’s guaranteed to be a fun night!
A block of overnight rooms has been reserved at The Fairmont Copley Plaza for President’s Night. The rate of $249 for a Fairmont Room and $279 for a Deluxe Room is available on a first come, first served basis. Reservations MUST be made by February 9 to ensure the special SKAL rate. Call 1-800-441-1414 for reservations, and mention that you are part of the SKAL President’s Night Group.
Special thanks to our partners who have helped make this evening possible (click on the links to learn more about them)
The Distilled Spirits Council of the United States
One more lunch to go……
It’s amazing to think that almost a year has gone by since I became President of the second oldest and second largest Skal Clubs in the United States. It’s been an honor and privilege to lead the Boston Skal Club into the 21st Century by making sure we were automated….able to pay for registration by credit card, we have a website and making sure that our call to meeting notices are sent via email!
I think that it’s because of all of this that we’ve seen attendance at lunches increase and five times this year we’ve broken 100! That’s unheard of for as long as I have been a Skal member!
It’s great to see everyone more involved and engaged in the club and while I know we only have one more lunch under my leadership (mark your calendar, February 16 at the Royal Sonesta Hotel in Cambridge!) I know that I am leaving the club in great shape as we move forward!
Winding Down
It’s hard to believe that almost a year has passed since I’ve taken over as the President of the Boston Skal Club. I have to admit that for the most part, it’s been fun!
We have two lunches left….January 19 at the TD Garden and February 16 at the Royal Sonesta Hotel.
And then it’s onto President’s Night on Friday, March 9 at the Fairmont Copley Plaza. Make sure you mark your calendars. You won’t want to miss me turning over the ultimate bling (i.e. the Skal chain) to our incoming President, Bob Lawler of Entertainment Cruises.
Skal Holiday Lunch
Special thanks to the entire team at the Colonnade Hotel for making the Annual Skal Holiday Lunch such a great success!
With more than 250 people in attendance, Skalleagues and guests were able to network and spread holiday cheer among friends and colleagues. Over 60 raffle and auction items were donated, with proceeds benefiting the Joslin Diabetes Fund.
November Auction to Benefit Scholarship Fund
We also have a great Chicago Getaway including:
- 2 nights at the luxurious Hotel Allegro, a Kimpton Hotel in the heart of downtown Chicago
- 2 three-day Go Chicago Cards – giving you access to 28 top Chicago attractions, and more!
- We’ve taken care of your two nights dinner — one night you’ll have dinner for two on board the Odyssey at Navy Pier, and the other, we have a $150 gift certificate to Flemings Steakhouse.
- And of course, to get there we have 2 round trip tickets on American Airlines – but you don’t have to use them to go to Chicago, they’re actually good to anywhere in the continental US
The value of this package is over $3000 — and don’t forget that all proceeds from this auction will go to support the Scholarship Fund!
Thank you in advance for your generosity!
October Skal at the Parkman House
Thanks to Tony Nunziante and the City of Boston for hosting the October Skal meeting at the Parkman House.
More than half of our membership enjoyed this special evening reception that was catered by Gourmet Caterers and where musicians from the Longy School of Music performed, courtesy of the Cambridge Office for Tourism.
The Parkman House is a Greek revival house on Beach Hill constructed in 1825 by architect Cornelius Coolidge, a protege of Charles Bullfinch. The house was purchased in 1853 by the widow and two sons of Dr. George Parkman, a wealthy physician/businessman who was murdered and dismembered by John White Webster, a professor at Harvard Medical College. The case is generally regarded as the nation’s first celebrity crime, attracting worldwide attention. When the remaining heir died in 1908, the house was left to the City of Boston, along with an endowment for the maintenance of city Parks. Fittingly, the Parkman House served as headquarters for the city’s Parks Department for more than 60 years until the office was moved to the new Boston City Hall in 1969.
The Parkman House was restored to its original splendor by Mayor Kevin H. White to coincide with the U.S. Bicentennial in 1976. One of the first guests to visit the restored house was Queen Elisabeth II. In subsequent years, the historic house has served as a venue for receptions for distinguished Bostonians and high profile visitors, including several heads of state. The Parkman House, which was restored again by Mayor Thomas M. Menino in 1993, is also often the site where important civic matters are discussed and significant milestones are marked.
Skal Boston President, Chris Pappas, with Tony Nunziante, City of Boston