North
Dakota Mensa’s Regional Gathering, 2005:
Potluck
Picnic and Fireworks RG
– we
will have a bang-up time!
The second annual Potluck Picnic and Fireworks Regional
Gathering will be held at the President’s House Guest Inn at Valley City State
University, Valley City, North Dakota, on June 24-26, 2005. Besides the
admission test, potluck picnic, and fireworks that we enjoyed so much in 2004,
we have added a themed murder-mystery dinner in the beautiful President’s House
dining room on Friday evening, followed by dancing to the antique player piano
that resides in the music room, and a home-cooked informal brunch at the
President’s House on Saturday morning.
Click here to see
pictures from the 2004 RG!
Cliek here to see the
2004 RG web page.
Click here to read
the LocSec’s column about it.
Click here to read
the Editor’s column about it.
Click to read more
about the President’s House from a Mensan viewpoint.
Dates: June 24-26, 2005
Place: Valley
City, North Dakota:
The
President’s House Guest Inn, www.presidentshouse.com
Chautauqua
Park
The Broken Spoke Restaurant
Click here for maps and directions.
Activities: Murder-Mystery
Themed Dinner, Dancing, Informal Brunch, Admission Test, Potluck Picnic,
Canoeing, Party, Fireworks, Overnight Stay, Restaurant Brunch
Contacts: Ann
Knudson and Shirley Starke, Co-Chairs (mailing
addresses and phone numbers are on the contacts page).
Who Is Invited? All Mensans, especially our neighbors in South Dakota,
Minnesota, Montana, and Canada; their spouses, kids, friends and (if you have a
place to stay overnight with them) pets; and those who test for Mensa
membership at our June 25 testing session.
Registration: Please print and send this form as soon as you know you
are coming – deadline, June 20. Registration will help us greatly for the
picnic and is necessary for the catered dinner and overnight stay. Walk-ins
won’t be turned away, but might accidentally miss us, and the sooner you let us
know, the better choice you will have if you want a room at the President’s
House. (Click for HTML version. Click to register online.)
Schedule:
Friday, June 24:
1 PM: Unofficial Early Bird Start: Meet at The President’s House Guest Inn, VCSU, for chili, coffee & conversation; settle in.
5 PM: RG officially begins: gather for themed Murder-Mystery Dinner at the President’s House. BYO cocktails.
6:30 PM: Dinner served.
7:30 - ?: The mystery continues; dancing to the antique player piano in the President’s House.
Saturday, June 25:
11 AM: Informal brunch, President’s House
2 – 4 PM: Mensa Admission Test, President’s House. (Mensans can chat meanwhile on the screened porch or in the upstairs parlor – or swim in the VSCU pool, explore the wooded trails above the President’s House, etc.)
5 PM: Chautauqua Park: potluck picnic; canoeing, horseshoes; any other outdoor games (lawn darts?) you want to bring.
9? – 10:30 PM: Party, The President’s House. Coffee, munchies, games and conversation. BYOB; no alcohol for those planning to shoot fireworks.
10:30: FIREWORKS, outside city limits. (We will go as a group to Shirley Starke’s yard to shoot them.)
Sunday, June 26:
10 AM: Brunch, Broken Spoke restaurant.
11 AM – 3 PM: Cleanup at President’s House; optional extra time together: Golf? More canoeing? Hiking? Swimming? Just sit and visit? Please send suggestions to Ann or Shirley.
3 PM: President’s house
closes; official end of RG.
Costs:
Registration: FREE.
Rooms at the President’s
House, per night:
Double room: $35 (all taken;
ask to be put on waiting list in case one becomes available)
Single room: $25 (taken;
ask for spot on waiting list)
Share a double: $20 (one twin
bed available)
There is also the option of
putting a cot in the attic room; see this page for
details.
Those who
sign up after the President’s House is filled can stay at the nearby Wagon
Wheel Inn, about $40/night, where they will do their best to give the Mensa group
adjacent rooms. The Wagon Wheel also has an RV park – BYO RV. J
Murder-Mystery Themed
Dinner: $10.00
Chili (available 24 hrs/day
throughout RG): Donation, $1/bowl; bring some “customizers” (shredded cheese,
corn chips, diced tomatoes, etc.) if you wish.
Informal Brunch: Donation
to cover the group’s expenses: $2 minimum, $5 suggested, more appreciated.
(Meal Package Option: You
can purchase a flat-fee meal package for $20 that includes the Themed Dinner,
Informal Brunch, and all the chili you want. It doesn’t get you out of bringing
a dish to the picnic, though, because we want a great variety of potluck food
there!)
Potluck Picnic: FREE; bring
a dish to share. (Locally-purchased deli food is fine if you are coming far or
don’t cook.)
Fireworks shoot: Bring
FIREWORKS to share if you can get them!!!
Restaurant brunch: Order
your own from the Broken Spoke’s excellent menu.
A small donation to help
cover the group’s expenses is appreciated but optional.
(Why are costs so low?? This is a full-scale RG, and
it might just be the best one you’ve ever attended! Registration is free and
costs are low because were aren’t using the RG as a fund-raiser but only want
to have a great time and cover our costs – and by keeping costs low, we hope to
attract as many Mensans as possible. The more Mensans, the more fun – call it a
“fun-raiser”…groan…)
Menu:
Friday:
1 PM, early arrivals: Chili, crackers, “customizers” such as salsa, corn chips, shredded cheese, etc.
Coffee, pop, old-fashioned lemonade, available throughout the RG
Themed dinner: Choice of barbecued ribs or ribeye Philly steak sandwich, each with salad and dessert; rib dinner also includes another vegetable and potatoes.
Saturday morning informal brunch:
Scrambled eggs
Toast
Strawberry jam (and other flavors on request)
Orange juice
Coffee
Waffles and syrup if someone requests them
Pancakes if someone requests and volunteers to make them!
Saturday potluck picnic:
Polish sausages and buns (you may also bring another main dish to grill)
Baked beans
Potato salad
Pop (cola and whatever else someone brings)
Dessert, salads, or whatever you decide to bring (The food brought to our previous potlucks has been scrumptious!!)
Sunday morning brunch:
From the Broken Spoke menu, which includes a wide variety of breakfasts, omelets, buffet with chicken and ribs, etc.
I am bringing party munchies, and Brian will probably bring wine again this year; please bring whatever you like, and bring some to share!
We will do our best to accommodate special diets!