Bikol National Association of America
31st Annual Convention
July 15 - 17, 2011
Hosted by the Bicol Association of Greater Jacksonville
An open letter from the President of the Bicol Association of Greater Jacksonville:
January 15, 2011
Dear Fellow Bicolanos,
On July 15-17, 2011 the Bicol Association of Greater Jacksonville, Inc. will host the Annual Convention of the Bikol National Association of America. The theme is Renew, Reaffirm and Reunite – for the new decade. It is on this occasion that I am personally inviting you and your organization to consider and plan to attend.
Whether you are an active member, a non-member of -- or inactive with -- the BNAA, let us have a reunion. It will be a great opportunity to meet old friends and classmates, to keep in touch with long-lost relatives, and to meet new kababayans. More significantly, you may start getting involved (again) and giving back a little to our Region and to our kababayans who did not have the same opportunities and blessings as most of us in the United States have had.
To the my fellow Nabuenos all over the world, I am calling on you to come have a reunion with our townsmen in Florida and from all over the States, especially those from the New York-New Jersey, the Carolinas, Virginia and Texas. I am your Lola or your Auntie or your Manay, or your classmate – Class of 1959 Nabua High School.
Please call me, or e-mail me, or text me. Please go through the Convention Schedules and fill out and submit the Registration forms. (Read further below for links to the Events schedules, amenities and forms for downloading.)
I look forward to meeting you all in July.
Yours truly,
Lilian Obrero-Gines, MD
(904)509-0030
(904)221-1658
Email: Logust67@bellsouth.net
BIKOL NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA
31st ANNUAL NATIONAL CONVENTION
July 15 – 17, 2011
Hyatt Regency Jacksonville Riverfront Hotel
Jacksonville, Florida
AMENITIES AND SCHEDULE OF ACTIVITIES
HOTEL ACCOMMODATIONS
Hyatt Regency Hotel Downtown Riverfront
225 East Coastline Drive
Jacksonville, Florida 32202
(Click here for the link for directions from the Jacksonville International Airport to the hotel.)
(Click here for the link for directions from the Jacksonville International Airport to the hotel.)
RESERVATION AND CONFIRMATION METHOD
Hotel reservations for the event shall be made by calling the Hyatt Regency Hotel Downtown Jacksonville at (Direct) 904-588-1234 or via special web link created for this event:
Please request the group rate for BNAA National Convention. Our negotiated rate is $99.00 per room night.
If guests would like to have suite rates, they will have to call our reservations line directly through as these are based on availability and not contracted. The phone number is 904-588-1234 and ask for in-house reservations. There is a note on the Passkey front page about the suite booking process. All other reservations should go through our Passkey website though.
- $139 for Premier rooms
- $175 for One-Bedroom Junior Suite
- $250 for Two-Bedroom Junior Suite
- $350 for One-Bedroom VIP Suite
- $450 for Two-Bedroom VIP Suite
- $800 for Presidential Suites
In order to confirm a reservation, all guests are required to provide a major credit card at the time of making the reservation to establish a guaranteed method of payment. To get the negotiated rate, please make your reservations not later than June 25, 2011.
Room Night Reservations
A total of 50 ROOM NIGHTS have been reserved for BNAA DELEGATES and GUESTS from July 15 through 17, 2010. The Bicol Association of Greater Jacksonville, Inc. will keep track of the room night reservations count at the Hyatt Regency Hotel Downtown Riverfront, for possible increase of room night reservations.
Airport-Hotel Transportation
The Hyatt Regency Hotel Downtown is only 18 miles from the Jacksonville International Airport. We are contacting taxi companies who we know would charge around $35 one-way for up to 3 passengers. You may also contact Transportation Committee Chair Ed Obrero (904)305-7607, email eobrero@comcast.net for related transportation issues.
CONVENTION REGISTRATION
Registration will begin on Friday July 15, 2010 at 10:00 AM till 6:00 PM at the Hospitality Room. Follow the BNAA REGISTRATION sign at the hotel lobby.
WELCOME RECEPTION
There will be a Fashion Show between 2:00 to 4:00 PM at the Terrace.
The welcome party will be on Friday, July 15, 2011 at the River Terrace 1 from 6:00 PM to 10:00 PM. The motif and attire will be Hawaiian Luau.
The Reception Program will include the following:
1. Welcome Address
2. Invocation
3. Cocktail and Reception
4. Presentation of Chapter Delegates
5. Entertainment numbers by each chapter – Adult & Youth. Group prizes will be awarded to the best presentation and biggest number of delegates per chapter. Please keep each presentation within 5 minutes.
6. Short Caucus
BNAA GOLF TOURNAMENT – Thursday, July 14, 2011 (Alternate date: July 15, 2011)
The Golf Tournament Committee has chosen Queens Harbour Golf & Country Club. Details are to follow. Please register on or before May 21, 2011. Please call Tournament Committee Chair Ed Obrero at (904)305-7607, email eobrero@comcast.net for more details.
CONVENTION PROPER – Saturday, July 16, 2010
The Convention Meeting will be held on Saturday, July 16, 2011 from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM at the River Terrace 3. It will start with continental breakfast and registration of delegates. It will be followed by convention proper. Lunch will be served to all registered delegates and paid guests. The registration fee for each voting delegate is $75.00, and $50.00 for any guest who wishes to join the breakfast and luncheon. The Convention Program is enclosed. Please make your reservations on or before Saturday, June 10, 2011.
A Holy Mass will be celebrated at 4:15 PM immediately following the adjournment of the plenary meeting. Msgr. Jerry Rebanal, BNAA Spiritual Adviser, and Fr. Joe Saltarin will con-celebrate. Choir singing will be provided by the Bikol-USA Chicago Chapter.
GALA NIGHT AND DINNER DANCE – Saturday, July 16, 2011
The Gala Dinner-Dance will be held on Saturday, July 16, 2011 from 6:30 PM to midnight at the Hotel Grand Ballroom 5. Barong Filipino or formal (black tie optional) suggested. Music will be provided by Rhythm in Motion, a very popular Filipino live band. Seating per table assignments will be arranged by Chapters. Requests for specific seating or group seating may be accommodated with enough notice. Please make your reservations by June 10, 2011 at $75.00 per person.
FAREWELL /SEND-OFF PICNIC- Sunday, July 17, 2011
The Farewell/Send-off picnic will be held on Sunday, July 17, 2011 from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM at Metropolitan Park which is booked exclusively for the BNAA and Bicol JAX members. The Riverfront Metropolitan Park is just 1.1 miles from the Hyatt Regency Hotel.
(Click here for the link for directions from the Hyatt Regency Riverfront Jacksonville hotel to the park.)
Lechon, seafood, and local specialties & delicacies will be served. If you are interested in frozen seafood, such as shrimp and local fish to bring home with you, you may purchase them in packages from local dealers or designated vendors at the picnic site for handsomely group-discounted prices. Please call the Souvenir Committee Chair Ed Gratil at (904)571-1633, email ed.gratil@comcast.net for more info.
Lechon, seafood, and local specialties & delicacies will be served. If you are interested in frozen seafood, such as shrimp and local fish to bring home with you, you may purchase them in packages from local dealers or designated vendors at the picnic site for handsomely group-discounted prices. Please call the Souvenir Committee Chair Ed Gratil at (904)571-1633, email ed.gratil@comcast.net for more info.
Please dress up in your Chapter Colors (or provincial or municipal colors) for picture taking, and/or for Trivia games, Entertainment or Dancing. Please let us know by Saturday, May 21, 2011 so we may assist you with your plans and/or reservations.
BNAA YOUTH CONVENTION
The Bicol Youth Convention activities will run parallel with the regular BNAA Meeting except for the convention proper and Gala Night dinner-dance. Please see the separate Youth activity schedule.
We trust that you and your delegation are as excited as we are to attend this convention. Please share this invitation and convention information to all your members, and ask them to join us at the convention or the planned tours/activities. For your chapter, kindly complete and return the following forms (click on form name to display form in downloadable PDF format):
(9) List of Youth Delegates joining the Saturday July 16, 2011 Afternoon Sightseeing Tour (Attachment 7)
Please return the completed forms to any of the contacts below, no later than June 10, 2011.
CONVENTION CONTACTS
Lilian Obrero-Gines, MD 1600 Sheffield Park Court Jacksonville, FL 32225 Tel: 904-509-0030 email: Logust67@bellsouth.net | Nelly O. Mendez 12081 Coachman Lakes Way Jacksonville, FL 32246 Tel: 904-642-0225 email: nellymendez@comcast.net |
Estrella Reburiano Tel: 904-779-0694 email: cell1954@hotmail.com Julius Matito Tel: 904-410-8548 email: julius@matito.com | Beth Reburiano Cole Tel: 904-282-8041 email: bcole128@aol.com |
