Hello Campers!

Hard as it is to believe, Necon 37 is only six days away!

As such, this “Chairperson’s Letter” will be our last official notice prior to the convention, but any and all are encouraged to reach out to me privately should you have any questions or concerns. Otherwise, please read the following carefully as there is a lot of important information you don’t want to miss (and please make sure to read ALL THE WAY TO THE END, because we’re saving the best for last!) —

* Following are the directions to the Baypoint Inn and Conference Center for those of you who will be driving.  If you are flying in or taking a train or bus, please let us know ASAP.  We’ll be more than happy to pick you up at the airport (T.F. Green), at the bus station (Peter Pan or Greyhound in Providence), or at the train station (Amtrak in Providence).  If you need a ride from any of those places on Thursday or Friday, drop  an e-mail to me (sara1131977@gmail.com) and to Matt Bechtel (bechtel.matt@gmail.com), or give me a call on my cell phone at (401) 365-5740, and we’ll arrange for someone to pick you up.  Please make sure you have contacted me before Tuesday, July 18th to ensure we’re there for you. Per usual, while not obligatory, it would be appreciated if you gave the volunteer who picks you up a few dollars towards gas for their kindness. Please note we will be doing runs throughout the day, so while we might not be able to get you as soon as you arrive, we will do our best to make it in a timely fashion. Please look for someone holding a “Necon” sign at your pick up location.

From Boston, Massachusetts and points north:

• Take Route 93 South to Route 24 South to Fall River.  From 24 bear right onto Route 195 West to Exit 8A (Tiverton/Newport) where you will continue on Route 24 South for approximately seven miles.  Take Mt. Hope Bridge/Bristol exit.  Bear right off the exit and take first right onto Anthony Road.  Bay Point Inn and Conference Center will be your first driveway on the right.

From Albany, New York and points west:

• Take Route 87 to Route 90 East (Mass Turnpike).  Take Route 146 South to Route 95 South to Providence, Rhode Island.  Take exit 19 to Route 195 East towards Fall River/Cape Cod.  Continue on 195 East to Fall River, Massachusetts.  Take Route 24 South (Tiverton/Newport) for approximately seven miles.  Take Mt. Hope Bridge/Bristol exit.  Bear right off the exit and take first right onto Anthony Road.  Bay Point Inn and Conference Center will be your first driveway on the right.

From New York City and points south:

• Take Route 95 North to Providence, Rhode Island.  Take exit 19 to Route 195 East towards Fall River/Cape Cod.  Continue on 195 East to Fall River, Massachusetts.  Take Route 24 South (Tiverton/Newport) for approximately seven miles.  Take Mt. Hope Bridge/Bristol exit.  Bear right off the exit and take first right onto Anthony Road.  Bay Point Inn and Conference Center will be your first driveway on the right.

* If you need to give an emergency number out to your family, babysitter, etc., please feel free to have them call my cell phone at (401) 365-5740.  I should be able to track you down.  Also, the number for the Roger Williams Security office is (401) 254-3397.

* If you’re receiving this email and haven’t yet registered for Necon 37, it’s not too late to join us! There are still slots available, so simply go to www.campnecon.com/registration and register today! If you can’t make it all weekend, walk-in registrations will remain available throughout the convention. The cost is $50 for a single day or $100 to come and go as you wish all weekend, payable at the door. A walk-in registration allows the Camper to attend ANY AND ALL Necon 37 Programming, including panels, the art show, the dealers room, the Authors Party, evening entertainment and after hours parties. In short, walk-ins enjoy the same access as full registrants, but they simply can’t eat or sleep at the Conference Center.

* The first thing to remember is that even though we are at a hotel, it is not the Ritz. When you get there on Thursday you will have clean linens (two sheets and one blanket), two pillows on the bed, two regular sized towels, and one washcloth. Housekeeping will come in and replace towels if need be, but if you do not want your room cleaned until the end of the convention please let the front desk know. The hotel does have Wi-Fi and a fitness center (but no swimming pool).

* Check-In is NO SOONER THAN 2:00 p.m. on Thursday, July 20th and we will close registration at 12:00 p.m. on Saturday, July 22nd.  You’re more than welcome to show up before that, but if you do we’ll put you to work!

* Once again, this year’s Hawaiian Shirt Contest WILL BEGIN AS SOON AS REGISTRATION OPENS AND RUN ALL WEEKEND! Three SECRET judges will be keeping their eyes peeled for the best Hawaiian Shirts ALL CON, and the winners will be announced (and Valuable Prizes awarded) during Saturday evening’s entertainment. That means any shirt you wear during Necon is under consideration and therefore entered in the contest!

* Our traditional Thursday night Saugy Roast will begin at 10:00 p.m.  The cafeteria will not be open before that, but there are plenty of sit-down restaurants and fast-food places within a short driving distance of the convention if you need something to tide you over until the Saugy fest.

* Speaking of Thursday night food options, Mike Squatrito is hosting his annual Pre-Necon Party at his house nearby. He has posted the details to Facebook, so please reach out to him if you’re interested in attending (the cost is $15 and he can accommodate up to 30 people).

* We’ll have breakfast on Friday morning at 8:00 a.m. before we head off for Miniature Golf (leaving at 9:30 for a 10:00 tee time) and also kick off the Kaffeeklatsches (starting at 9:00). This is the first official Necon Olympic event, but unlike all the others there is a $5 fee to participate and we request that you let us know if you plan on competing so we can give the mini golf place an estimate of how many will be attending. In the event of inclement weather we will go bowling instead and the same fee will apply. Mini Golf will be followed throughout the weekend by Darts and Foosball (Friday night) and Hi-Lo Jack and our NEW Olympic Event, PING PONG (Saturday night). You can sign up for any and all events at registration.  Several events have space limitations, so please make sure you sign up early if you’re interested; also, please be advised that all outdoor activities are weather permitting.

* Friday evening festivities will commence with the Official Necon Toast, delivered by Toastmaster Lynne Hansen, at 7:00 p.m. That will be followed by Necon Update with Mike Myers and this year’s Necon Hall of Fame Induction (per usual).

* The Meet the Authors Party / Signing will start at 8:00 p.m on Friday. Authors, if you would like to bring your own books to sell, feel free to do so; however, you will be responsible for setting up your books and collecting money as well. Also, the bar will be open during this event and remain open for both Friday and Saturday evening. While you are allowed to consume your own alcohol in your room and the courtyard, you CANNOT bring any of your own alcohol into the bar area. We ask that you purchase any drinks from the bar and honor the request to not bring any beverages of your own into this room.

* You’re more than welcome to bring as much alcohol with you as you’d like; however, the hotel rooms do not have a fridge, so you might want to bring a cooler along also. We also have to ask you to keep the alcohol (and, quite frankly, any food or drink) out of the artists/dealers room.

* While I’m on the topic, the Cafeteria will remain open from breakfast on Friday throughout the entire rest of the convention. While food is only available during meal times, beverages will be available throughout the con (i.e. coffee, water, the soda fountain, etc.).

* If you have already signed up for Volunteer Coordinator P.D. Cacek’s “Skeleton Crew,” please allow me to thank you in advance for your help and generosity! Any questions regarding what Trish has in store for you can be sent to her directly at pdcacek@yahoo.com.

* The nighttime activities take place in the courtyard. There are a limited number of chairs, so you might want to bring your own (as well as bug spray, as the skeeters can get pretty bad!).

* If you are a dealer and have not yet contacted John McIlveen, please do so ASAP at mcilveen@comcast.net.

• As I promised, we’ve saved the best for last!

Per usual, we will be announcing our Dais of Guests for Necon 38 at the convention this year. Also per usual, we’ll be accepting early registrations for Necon 38 all weekend (payable by cash, check or credit card).

However, we’re happy to announce that we’re offering an EARLY REGISTRATION SPECIAL for Necon 38! Until January 1st, 2018, the cost for a full registration to Necon 38 will be $450 rather than $475. This discount is only available to Campers who pay for their registrations in full at the time of purchase.

But as they say on infomercials, “But wait, there’s more!” Since the “Early Registration Special” will be available to all Campers through the end of the year, we wanted to offer something even more special to our Necon 37 Campers. As such, we’ve decided to hold a drawing at the Necon Town Meeting on Sunday morning. To enter your name in the drawing, simply purchase an early registration for Necon 38 during the convention. The lucky name we pull on Sunday morning will receive AN IMMEDIATE FULL REFUND! That’s right, we’re giving away a FREE RIDE TO NECON 38. So if you know for a fact you’ll be attending Necon 38, purchase your registration at a discount this summer and you may just wind up coming next year for free!

As always, please feel free to call on my cell at (401) 365-5740 or  drop me a line at sara1131977@gmail.com if you have any questions.

Thank you and see you soon!

– Sara Booth (AKA Necon Chairwoman)

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And lastly, the complete Necon schedule of events!!!! CLICK HERE!!!