Hello Alumni, Teachers and Administrators!

 

Do you remember your first day in BERLIN?  The first time you set foot inside the school? Do you remember the Reichstag, Tiergarten, Checkpoint Charlie, the Europa Center, Funkturm, the Harnack House, KaDeWe, the RTO, the Outpost Theatre, the Victory Column, Brandenburg Gate, the Wannsee, the Grunewald, the KuDamm and Oskar-Helene-Heim?  Sure you do!  AND…if you’re like the rest of us, you made a promise to yourself to never forget our

BERLIN Experience”

 

 

This summer, we get to revisit ALL these places…

 

JOIN US AT:  THE BERLIN BRATS REUNION

IN BERLIN

 

July 27 -30, 2006

 

 

This package will give you the information you need to register…..so read on.

 

Unlike Asheville, NC the site of our last Reunion, BERLIN needs no introduction to you.  However we know you will have some questions. 

 

Airports in BERLIN:

BERLIN has 3 airports:  Tegel ~ the main airport for flights from Western Europe and the United States and located 10 miles from our Reunion Hotel.  Templehof Airport for flights within Europe and is 5 miles from the hotel.  Schoenefeld Airport for flights from European countries, Russia and Israel, is located 15 miles from our hotel. For more information on taking a taxi or a bus from each of these airports to the hotel view our website at: www.BERLINBrats.org, then view “Passports, Airports, Flights and Cars” in the Upcoming Events Box. 

 

As we mentioned when making the “BERLIN” announcement in 2003, airfares for a summer Reunion will be rather high.  We are going during peak period. If you are able, use airline miles.


 

Purchasing our Air Ticket:

We recommend “Carlson Wagonlit Travel” in Fort Worth, Texas for your trip arrangements.  Please call 1-800-654-4995 and ask for Victoria Stevens.  Carlson has special fares with Lufthansa Airlines, and can help you with the maze of promotional and published fares and the compromise between price and rules.  The best prices are more restrictive.  So if you need some flexibility this may be the route to go.  A LINK is also provided on our website in the Upcoming Events Box.

 

If you’re internet savvy you may prefer negotiating some of these sites for airfares:

www.kayak.com

www.Cheaptickets.com

www.Flycheap.com

www.Lowestfares.com

www.Priceline.com

www.Travelocity.com

www.Expedia.com

www.Smarterliving.com

 

Accommodations:

The Best Western Steglitz International Hotel       Albrechtstr. 2, D-12165 BERLIN          Tele:  011-49-30-790050 

Located in the center of Steglitz, across from city hall.  We have a special group rate of 70 Euros for a single room and 80 Euros for a double.  Please book via the special instructions on our website site at:  www.BERLINBrats.org  If that is not possible, please make sure when calling that you inform you are with “the Brats” and get the rates quoted above.  Everyone will be charged for the 1st night when booking.  This rate does not include breakfast. You do have until June 23, 2006 to cancel without penalty.  Additionally, the hotel will honor the same rate from Saturday, July 22nd through Saturday, August 5th for those who wish to tour BERLIN a little longer.

 

 

WEEKEND ITINERARY:

 

July 27th (Thursday):

 

 

9:00AM:        Welcome/Registration Table opens for early arrivals…….

 

9:00AM:        Optional Activity:  Sightseeing Tour of BERLIN.  Meet & greet with English speaking guide for a sightseeing tour of BERLIN with historic BERLIN-Mitte.  P/U and drop off at hotel.  3 hrs.  50 people required.  Specially designed for those arriving the night before.

 

12:30PM:      Showing of the newly released movie:  Brats: Our Journey Home (90 minutes)

 

4:00 to 6:00PM:      Welcome Reception.  Hot and cold hors deurves with a Cash Bar.  Teachers will be recognized and there will be a special presentation of the BERLIN Wall.

 

 

July 28th (Friday):

 

8:00AM:        Registration, Merchandise and Membership tables open.

 

9:00AM:        School Spirit Day.  Please wear our school colors!  (..or purchase a Reunion Polo Shirt and wear it!) School colors are Maroon and White……for those whose memory may have faded a tad! Ha!

Load Buses.  Will drive by the original school in BERLIN, Gertrauden Schule (circa 1946 to 1953), then tour TAR (our elementary school from ’53 to ’94 and our high school from ’53 to ‘65). Travel on to the Allied Museum (formerly the Outpost Theatre). At the Museum we will dine on lunch and attend a reception in our honor, then tour the “American

Education Exhibit” (…items we collected and contributed to AND which a BERLIN Brat Team of former students and educators have expensed much energy on for our enjoyment!!! You still have time to temporarily contribute your own piece of memorabilia. See how on our website). Then we are off to BAHS. We will exchange gifts with the staff of Wilma Rudolph Oberschule (formerly BAHS) and then tour the school. Class pictures will be taken for the respective classes at each school with the Group Panoramic being taken at BAHS. For those interested a brief ceremony will be held at the nearby gravesite of Faculty Member ~ Mr. Philip Sullivan.  Then it’s onto the German-American Volksfest.  They will be expecting us for a light dinner in the Beer Tent.  While we dine on Brats, Potato Salad and Brotchen we will be entertained by our very own BERLIN Brats Band!  Rob Hotchkiss ’79, Jim McLean ’78, Jason Spankle ’78 and Tim Craig ’79 all performed at the Volksfest during their high school days and will again perform for us in the tent and then later move on to the outdoor stage.  Talk about a Homecoming!!!  All musicians in their own right….but you may recognize the name Rob Hotchkiss as he was formerly in the band ~ “Train” which has numerous hits and garnered 2 Grammy’s.  After dinner we load the buses and return to the hotel – however many of you will want to stay and enjoy the Fest!!! 

The entrance fee for the Fest has been waived for us and discounted tickets for the rides will be on sale at our Welcome/Registration Table in the hotel lobby on Thursday. This will be a long day, so wear comfortable shoes!

We must look “spiffy” however for our Class Pictures and our Reception at the Museum…so please wear Maroon & White, maroon, or white!!!  Show that School Spirit!!!  Thanks!!!!

 

 

July 29th (Saturday):

 

 

9:00AM:        Registration, Merchandise and Membership Tables Open

 

9:00AM:        Optional Activity:  Sightseeing tour of BERLIN. Meet & greet with English speaking guide for a sightseeing tour of BERLIN with historic BERLIN-Mitte.  P/U and drop off at hotel.  3 hrs.  50 people required.  Specially designed for those who didn’t have the opportunity on Thursday.  Same tour repeated. 

 

9:30AM:        2nd Showing of the newly released movie ~ Brats: Our Journey Home (90 minutes) If you didn’t catch the showing on Thursday this is your last opportunity. 

 

6:00PM:        Cocktail Hour ~ cash bar

 

7:00PM:        Dinner, Program and Dance in the hotel’s banquet room.  DJ and Cash Bar.  A surprise special performance. Dress: Casual-elegance.  (see the “Frequently Asked Questions”  sheet for further clarification)

 

 

 

REGISTRATION FEE:

Your registration fee for the Reunion includes the private showing of the newly released movie, the Welcome Reception, Bus transportation with lunch at the Museum and dinner at the Volksfest on Friday, Saturday’s dinner/dance, two memorabilia items with your registration package, decorations, name tag, printing, mailings and production costs.

 

Cost per person is $150.00 if received by April 30th, 2006.

Registration fees received after April 30th incur an increase to $175.00.

 

CANCELLATION POLICY:

Cancellation of your Reunion registration, with full refund of all fees, will be accepted until May 15th.  From that date the BERLIN Brats will be required to finalize all payments to the various different vendors. Consequently, no refunds can be made for cancellations received after this date.

 

CHILD CARE:

While our Reunion caters to adults we realize some of you may be bringing younger children to enjoy the whole European experience.  The hotel does have an activity room for younger children but does not necessarily provide staffing.  If you plan on bringing younger children and need some assistance in acquiring “child care” while a guest in the hotel please contact the BERLIN Brats at:  BERLINBrats@gmail.com or call Jeri (Polansky) Glass at (623)764-1105. 

 

 

SUMMARY:

  1. Log onto the Best Western Steglitz International Hotel site via our site and per our special instructions book your room as soon as possible.  The hotel was announced a year in advance and many have already booked.     
  2. Fill out the Reunion Registration form and send it in with your payment by April 30th.
  3. Call a BERLIN classmate and/or educator and make sure they are coming too!

View the RSVP List on our site for those who already indicated they are coming.

 

 

We look forward to seeing you in BERLIN!  Don’t miss this one, it may be a once in a lifetime event!!!

 

Zurück nach BERLIN! Back to BERLIN!!


 

REGISTRATION FORM

For the BERLIN Brats 2006 Reunion

July 27 – 30, 2006

 

Name:  ___________________   _________________         _________________

(first)                                      (maiden)                    (last)

 

Class Year:  _____________                   or Teacher of:           __________________________

 

Years in BERLIN:  ___________________________

 

Name of spouse or guest(s) attending:  _____________________________________

 

Address:  _____________________________________________________________

 

Email:  ____________________________      Telephone #:  _____________________

 

 

Registration:

                                                                                               # of people    Fee     Total

 

                                   Alumni/Teacher                                _______ @ $150 = $_______

 

                                   Spouse/Guest(s)                              _______ @ $150 = $_______

 

                                   (add $25.00 per person on registrations after April 30th, 2006)

 

                                                                                  Total Due:                            $_______

 

                                  

I/We are interested in the following optional activities:   

 

                                                                                               # of people    Fee     Total

 

Optional Sightseeing Bus Tour:

 

Thurs or Saturday. (circle one)                               _______ @ $15 =    $_______

 

Optional side trip to Prague:

Leave hotel by motorcoach on Sunday, July 30th at approximately 8am.  Stop enroute in Dresden for some sightseeing and lunch. Arrive in Prague, check into our 4-star hotel.  Typical Bohemian evening to include dinner and music at a restaurant in Old Town Praha that evening.  The next day is a full day of sightseeing, part by coach, part by foot.  Walk Old Town Square, see the Astronomical Clock, Gothic churches, Prague Castle and St. Vitus Cathedral.  This evening we will have a Dinner Cruise on the Vltava River. Tuesday, August 1st we depart from Prague via Meissen, here we will make a stop at the famous porcelain factory.  We then arrive back at the Best Western Steglitz International Hotel late in the evening.

 

Tour includes: transportation by Deluxe motor coach, English speaking tour director, 2 room nights to include breakfast at a 4-star Prague hotel, Bohemian Dinner, Dinner Cruise and Local Guides. 

 

Any entrance fees are not included.

 

                                                                                  # of people    Fee                 Total

 

Per person for a Double bed (2 people per room):        _______ @ $400 = $_______

 

Per person for a Single bed (1 person/1 single bed)     _______ @ $510 = $_______

 

 

We can only accept the first 46 people to sign up for this event.

Conversely, if there is not enough participation this tour will be canceled.  That said, we believe there is substantial interest in this offering.

 

Due to European booking methods if you need to find a roommate on the above Prague trip to avoid the single penalty please email the BERLIN Brats at BERLINBrats@gmail.com or call Jeri (Polansky) Glass at:

623-764-1105

 

 

New Total Due:  to include optional trip(s):              $ _________

 

 

Payment due by April 30th, 2006

Make Check Payable to:

The BERLIN Brats

and mail to:

41910 N. Crooked Stick

Anthem, AZ 85086

 

 

*****PLEASE NOTE:  If you are a past attendee of BERLIN Reunions you will notice that there is no mention of a “hospitality room” above.  This is intentional as we believe this Reunion is much different than our previous ones.  We feel this time you are coming “to see BERLIN” versus sitting in the hotel conversing with your classmates.  We do encourage you to still bring some of your memorabilia and yearbooks however.  We’re sure you will still want to glance back and share a photo or two! 

 

On this same note, we have left a lot more “open time” in the itinerary for exactly the same reason.  In your Welcome Package will be a handout for things to do in and around BERLIN.  For pre-planning visit our website and view:  “Things to Do” in the Upcoming

Events Box.

 

 

THE LOGO APPEARING AT THE TOP OF PAGE ONE IS THE LOGO FOR THIS YEAR’S REUNION.

Selected by our Logo Committee and Created by Susan (Sams) O’Neill ’85

 

OUR REUNION PHOTOGRAPHER THIS YEAR IS:  Bryan Duckett ‘84

Bryan was selected Digital Photographer of 2005.  View his work at:  www.duckettphoto.com

Bryan will be offering private sessions in BERLIN in addition to documenting our Reunion weekend.