Dear 7th Fleet ,

I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving and that you are enjoying the weekend. Last week there was a vote by the admiralty board and noting rising costs and programs that require funding, the proposal to increase SF membership fees was passed.

Further details about this will be posted but many of you are already aware of the specifics. Given the feedback I received from R7, I also voted for the increase albeit reluctantly, but it is clear that it was necessary.

We’ve been doing well with our MSR reporting but occasionally, we have a few chapters who miss them and I’m asking our COs/XOs who submit them to be timely and to be carefully as to not accidentally submit it in the stored area which does not release them. Accidents happen I know but try to be careful as a few of them in the course of a year can present a problem.

On to more pleasant things, we will soon be starting the last month of the year which is hard to believe. So much has happened in 2023 and I wish to extend on behalf of myself and the R7 Command staff a very happy holiday season to you all. Enjoy your special gatherings that are coming up.

As posted previously, the USS Challenger will be expanding its usual holiday Cookie Exchange party into a full fledged pot luck dinner/dessert event on Sunday, Dec. 3 starting at 1 p.m. at the Seaside Heights Community Center 1000 Bay Blvd. Seaside Heights.

Please bring some holiday cheer, an entrée or dessert that will feed at least six people and you may also wish to bring a beverage of your own choice (non-alcoholic) . Given the risk of food allergies we’re asking you forgo any dishes involving fish.

We’ll have music, good conversations and fun as we celebrate the holiday season and close out what has been quite an interesting and challenging year. We realize that for most of the region, this event would be quite a distance but it is open to all. We hope you’ll join us for a grand celebration!

We wish you a very merry holiday season filled with happiness and joy!

Sincerely,
Adm. Bob Vosseller
Region 7 Coordinator

The 2023 Region 7 Conference will be held IN PERSON from October 20-22, 2023 at the Doubletree Hotel Cherry Hill (formerly the Crowne Plaza) 2349 Marlton Pike West, Cherry Hill, New Jersey.

Hotel rates are $119, plus tax! The link to book rooms for the conference is now live, and located here: https://book.passkey.com/e/50645334

The Region 7 Conference Registration cost will be $50, and includes access to all events, including our Friday night Mixer, including the sub sandwich buffet, and the Saturday Night Regional Halloween Party! You may register at the following link: https://region7.regfox.com/r7conf

The conference is being organized by the R7 staff, but we need your help to create and run panels! If you have an idea, please submit them to the staff with the subject line “2023 Conference Panel Idea”.

We hope to see you there!

Dear 7th Fleet,

Some exciting news, we are now able to announce the location coordinates for this year AND next year’s Region 7 Conference as well as dates.

It was my hope to bring this year’s conference back to the Jersey Shore in honor of the 30th anniversary of the very first Region 7 Conference in 1993 in Seaside Heights. Due to various obstacles we encountered, that is unfortunately not possible, at least this year and we needed to move forward.

I’d like to first thank my XO and our R7 chief of staff Adm. Jeff Victor for reaching out to a good number of potential locales and going over the cost factor and availability of said locations.

I requested Jeff to look into a two year arrangement if we ended up going back to our familiar midway point of the Double Tree Hotel in Cherry Hill NJ formerly known as the Crown Plaza and which has served us so well and also served as a former IC site and continues to host Monstermania twice a year. Our dates are Oct. 20-22, 2023 and Oct. 18-20 2024. You can make your hotel reservations via https://book.passkey.com/e/50645334

The cost of our R7 Conference is expected to be the same as last year that will cover food and materials for the conference A separate post concerning that will be made soon for conference signups. We’ll also have more information about panels on activity plans. I’d like to thank those who have already offered to take part in that during Shore Leave 43.

We look forward to seeing you in October and to celebrate the history of our Region, talk about the latest STAR TREK news, various series and much more as we gather in fun and friendship.

Sincerely,
Adm. Bob Vosseller
Region 7 Coordinator