Hello Campers,
This will be the last notice from your chairwoman before NECON. Please read the following carefully as there is a lot of important information you don’t want to miss.
* 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. We’ll be more than happy to pick you up at the airport (T.F. Green) or at the bus station (Bonanza 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 me an e-mail (saracalia08@gmail.com) or give me a call on my cell phone (401) 365-5740 and we’ll arrange to pick you up. Please make sure you have contacted me before July 14th to ensure we’re there for you. With the increase in gas prices and our volunteers doing the pick up/drop off, it would be appreciated if you gave them a few dollars for their kindness. Please note we will be doing runs throughout the day. We might not be able to get you as soon as you arrive, but 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 the family, babysitter, etc., feel free to have them call my cell phone at (401) 365-5740. I should be able to track you down. Also the # for the Roger Williams Security office is (401) 254-3397.
* We do our best to try and accommodate everyone with their requests for suite-mates, who they wanted to be near, etc. We have made room assignments. If you did not request to be with anyone specific and have since found someone you would like to share a room with, please e-mail me immediately as to avoid any confusion at registration. Please bear with us as it’s not a perfect system and we do try to make everyone happy.
* There are a LIMITED number of rooms that would be available as a single for an increase in price. Please contact me at saracalia08@gmail.com if you would like to reserve a single room.
* The first thing to remember is that even though we are now at a hotel it is not the Ritz. When you get there on Thursday, you will have clean linens (two sheets and one blanket) and two pillows on the bed and 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, a fitness center! Unfortunately, the pool is not available this year.
* Check-In is NO SOONER THAN 2:00 PM on Thursday and we will close registration at Noon on Saturday. You’re more than welcome to show up before that, but if you do we’ll put you to work .
* We will begin the official Necon festivities with a concert by the amazing Kasey Lansdale! This will start at 9pm. We are selling tickets to non campers for this event only. We ask you to please wear your Necon Name Tag so we can identify campers with non campers. The Saugy Roast will begin on Thursday at the conclusion of the concert. The cafeteria will not be open before that. There are plenty of sit-down restaurants and fast-food places within short driving distance of the convention if you need something to tide you over until the Saugy fest.
* We’ll have breakfast on Friday morning at 8:00 a.m., before we head off for miniature golf (leave 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 Olympics event- if you plan on competing in this event please let me know so we can give the mini golf place an estimate of how many will be attending. There is a $5 fee to participate in this event. In the event of inclement weather we will be going bowling again. The same fee would apply. It will be followed by Darts (Friday night), Foosball on Saturday afternoon and Hi-Lo Jack (Saturday night). You can sign up for any and all events at registration. Several events have a space limitation, so if you’re interested, please make sure you sign up early (registration forms will be available at check-in). Please be advised that all outdoor activities are weather permitting.
* On Friday and Saturday night, we will be having the signing, movies, etc. There will be the Authors Reception/Signing starting 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 Friday and Saturday. While you are allowed to consume your own alcohol in your rooms and the courtyard, you CANNOT bring in any drinks to 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.
* Friday evening is also the annual Hawaiian Shirt contest, Necon update, and Hall of Fame induction.. Wear your best (or worst) shirt and compete against other campers for valuable prizes.
* 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 have to ask you to keep the alcohol out of the artists/dealers room and out of the panel room.
* We are always looking for volunteers to help in the set-up, running, and break-down of various Necon activities. If you are interested in volunteering, please contact Barbara Gardner (Volunteer Coordinator) at barbarag.gardner@comcast.net — please see the letter if interested in volunteering.
* Another new event at Necon is a RPG hosted by Rick Sardinha. Following is some information on the activity. If this is something you would like to participate in, please email me so we can get a count.
“It is a early summer in Mexico 1914 and chill winds and snow squalls are still are coming down from the mountains. Working at the Makepeace silver mine in those ranges are a group of Americans who have just received disturbing news. America has entered the Mexican revolutionary conflict, unofficially. This has caused a series of ongoing repercussions and American anti-sentiment is running high on all sides. The company has ordered the mine abandoned and that the workers should reach an embassy if possible. Vera Cruz is under siege and the only way out is by the old mine collecting rail line that winds itself through the mountain gorges to Oaxaca. It all sounds safe enough. All the mines along the line have recently closed and it is said that even the bandits have left the area. The revolution seems to have taken its toll everywhere. The only thing to consider is whether some of the passes are still snow bound by the unseasonably cold weather. This is a Call of Cthulhu scenario. Fourth Edition rules. Game style is more of a loose storytelling method with heavy player participation, dice being secondary. Time 4-5 hours. Six players. Actual schedule TBD.”
* This year is a talent show year!!! I f you plan on participating in the talent show, please have an idea of what your act is and how long the act is. It should be kept to less than 5 minutes so we can accommodate the number of people who would like to participate. Sign up sheets will be available at registration.
* The nighttime activities take place in the courtyard. There are a limited number of chairs. 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 contacted John McIlveen please do so ASAP at mcilveen@comcast.net.
* If you are an artist and plan to show in the art show and have not contacted me please do so immediately as there is limited space!
As always, please feel free to call on my cell is (401) 365-5740 or drop me a line at saracalia08@gmail.com if you have any questions.
See you soon,
Sara Calia AKA Necon Chairwoman
* * * * *
Dear Campers —
I read over the letter from last year and decided not to reinvent the wheel.
I have added specific ‘Opportunities for Sublime Service’.
VOLUNTEERS
What would Camp NECON do without us?
Everyone still has the chance to be a vastly appreciated minion at this years’ NECON event.
There is a bigger than usual need for committed volunteers.
There will be sign-up sheets for specific times and places to be throughout the weekend.
Those sheets will be posted near the Registration Desk.
There is a need for everything from guard duty at the art show to Olympics facilitation to gofer . . . and more.
Additional Opportunities for Sublime Service
• Dealers’ Room Set-up/Break-down
• Artists’ Room Set-up/Break-down
• Goody Bag Filling
• Artists’ Reception
• Olympics Facilitation (Mini-golf, Hi-Low-Jack, Darts, Foosball, etal.)
• Assisting the Saugy Meister
• Registration and Panel Gofers
• Airport, Train, Bus Terminal arrivals and departures
• And everything else I didn’t mention.
As ever, your volunteer efforts are humbly appreciated by me and a grateful NECON committee (Yes, I stoop to fawning and groveling for your help)
And lastly, the Necon schedule of events!!!! CLICK HERE!!!