Congress Planning Committee Surveys Hotels for 2020.

     The Virginia SAR Congress Planning Committee and the National Congress Planning Committee visited five hotels in Norfolk and Richmond over three days, October 17-19.  One of these hotels will be selected as the site for the 2020 Congress.  Those making the visits included National Congress Planning Chairman Paul Callanan and his wife Keitha, SAR Executive Director Don Shaw, Virginia Congress Planning Chair Mark Brennan, President General Mike Tomme, past President General Lindsay Brock, Virginia President Ed Truslow and his wife Laura, 3rd Vice President Tom Whetstone, Secretary Wayne Rouse and his wife Wink, Bill Schwetke and his wife Cat, and Mrs. Julia Crider of Helms Briscoe.
     The hotels visited included Norfolk Waterside Marriott, the Hilton Norfolk The Main (still under construction), the Sheraton Norfolk Waterside, the Hilton Richmond Downtown, and the Richmond Marriott.  The group also visited the St. Paul's Church in Norfolk and the Richmond Convention Center.
     The National and Virginia groups will independently rank order the hotels, and if they agree on their first choices, negotiations will begin with that hotel for the 2020 Congress.  If the two groups do not agree, the SAR Executive Committee will decide.

Mariott Waterside, left to right: Don Shaw, Ed Truslow, Laura Truslow, Rebecca Smith of the Marriott, Tom Whetstone, WInk Rouse, Paul Callanan, Wayne Rouse, Julia Crider, Bill Schwetke, Keitha Callanan.

Viewing the Hilton Norfolk the Main, under construction.

Ready for the Hard Hat Tour of the Hilton Norfolk the Main, front row, left to right, Keitha Callanan, Cat Schwetke, Wink Rouse, Laura Truslow, Wayne Rouse, Paul Callanan; back row, left to right: Tom Whetstone, Bill Schwetke, Don Shaw, and Ed Truslow.

St. Paul's Church, Norfolk.

The group at dinner in Norfolk, clockwise from lower left: Cat Schwetke, Wayne Rouse, Wink Rouse, Keitha Callanan, Paul Callanan, Don Shaw, Julia Crider, Tom Whetstone, Wayne Callis of Visit Norfolk, Ed Truslow, Laura Truslow, Secoya Holmes of Visit Norfolk.

---

Meeting to start the tour of Sheraton Norfolk Waterside, clockwise from lower left: Bill Schwetke, Mark Brennan, Don Shaw, Julia Crider, Chris Russell of Sheraton (standing), Wayne Rouse, Wink Rouse, Keitha Callanan, Paul Callanan, PG Mike Tomme, past PG Lindsay Brock. Picture by Cat Schwetke.

Sheraton Norfolk Waterside Fitness Center

Sheraton Norfolk Waterside meeting room. Left to right: Paul Callanan, Lindsay Brock, Keitha Callanan.

Hilton Richmond Downtown, left to right: Keitha Callanan, Don Shaw, WInk Rouse, unknown, Julia Crider, unknown behind Julia, Mary Brown of CMP, Paul Callanan, Tim Stacer of CMP, Mark Brennan.

Richmond Convention Center. Left to right: Bill Schwetke, Paul Callanan, Jenny Toomey of the Convention Center, Wayne Rouse, Wink Rouse, Don Shaw, Mark Brennan, Julia Crider.

Marriott Richmond. Left to right: Wayne Rouse, Paul Callanan, Cheryl Knight of Marriott, Julia Crider, Wink Rouse, Mary Brown of CMP, Bill Schwetke, Mark Brennan.