Greetings! I trust that all enjoyed the holidays and are embarking upon a pleasant and successful new year.
2004 was a very busy year for DQS! We found ourselves with the need to find a new travel agency for our Operation Gold Star Trips, as Jerry Landman was no longer operating Nine Dragons Tours. We were fortunate to find Graham Heal of FrequentTraveller (FrequentTraveller had taken over the business of Nine Dragons Tours). After leaming how Graham and FrequentTraveller operated and educating them on how our OGS Trips were set up and what they were and were not about, we were able to form a very good working relationship. This was evidenced by our ability to plan and bring to fruition 2 OGS Trips in 2004. By necessity, both were put together, planned and implemented on a 'rush' basis. (Speaking of fruition, past associations at various functions enabled us to bring the Vietnow organization on board as 'partners' in our OGS efforts. This, coupled with the continued support of the Khe Sanh Veterans, allowed us to include 6 Gold Star Mothers on each of the trips in 2004.) Nina & I were able to squeeze in our arrangements to participate in and enjoy the OGS Trip in May.
The above, continued planning and work toward the 2004 DQS Reunion (including squeezing in a June trip to Louisville to go over final details and etc), planning for the second 2004 OGS Trip in August, working to ensure camping lots in Kokomo for September and other items/issues certainly taxed our supply of time and effort, not to mention stretching our abilities. The resultant successes of these endeavors are what make the efforts worthwhile. Our THANKS to all who helped and/or participated in these. Without YOUR efforts we couldn't accomplish what we do!
Our 2004 DQS Reunion in Louisville, KY was a good one and we had 85 DQS Vets in attendance (with friends and family, total attendance was around 140). Keep on Coming! Keep bringing your friends and family members also! More later.
Once again, Kokomo (the Indiana Vietnam Veterans Reunion - 3rd weekend in September) was heartily enjoyed by all DQS & DQS related in attendance. Approximately 30 DQS Vets were there and 55 to 60 made up the DQS contingent, including friends and family. Great Food! Great Company! Good Times!
Trips, in support of our 2005 DQS Reunion, were made to Branson, MO in August and November. Work in regard to our 2006 DQS Reunion in Charleston, South Carolina is ongoing at this time. Work has continued on our book effort (we now have our 3rd Editor) and a trip was made to Paducah, KY in support of this effort in July - a couple of weeks after the reunion. More on the Book later.
