BANCROFT NEWS (OUR OFF YEAR PICNIC RALLY)
FORT DESOTO PARK CAMPGROUND 
MOST OF THE CAMPSITES ARE RIGHT ON THE WATERS EDGE
THE WHOLE PLACE IS RIGHT ON THE BEACH
THE LATEST "BUZZ" (as of JAN 16, 2010))
OK! HERE IS THE LATEST SCUTTLEBUTT
RALLY DATES ARE MARCH 26, 27 & 28, 2010 AT
FT. DESOTO PARK, PINELLAS PARK, FLORIDA
HERE ARE THE REST OF THE PLANS
WE WILL GATHER AT THE DESOTO PARK LOCATION (look for a banner) STARTING FRIDAY AFTERNOON. THEN WE'LL HAVE A COCKTAIL HOUR (?) AT A PLACE CALLED "BILLY'S STONE CRAB RESTAURANT" AROUND 6PM AND WE WILL HAVE FUN TILL THEY THROW US OUT. CAMPERS CAN CHECK IN AT THE CAMPGROUND THERE AND COME MEET US LATER FOR THE SOCIAL HOUR. FOR THOSE WHO WANT A HOTEL IN THE AREA, I HAVE PUT TOGETHER A LIST OF SOME OF THE NEARBY HOTELS.
DON CEASER RESORT-727-363-5034: BEACH HOUSE SUITES-727-363-0001: HOLIDAY INN SUNSPREE-727-867-1151: BAY PALMS WATERFRONY- 727-360-7642
PLAZA BEACH HOTEL- 727-367-2791: TRADEWINDS ISLAND-727-367-6461: SANDPIPER HOTEL & SUITES- 727-360-5551
NOTE: ALL THESE HOTELS ARE AROUND 7-10 MILES FROM DESOTO PARK AND REASONABLY PRICED FOR THE TOURIST SEASON IN FLORIDA
THIS IS ONLY A SMALL SAMPLING; THERE ARE DOZENS MORE. GO TO EXPEDIA.COM AND SEARCH FOR "HOTELS IN ST. PETERSBURG FLORIDA"
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DIRECTIONS TO "BILLYS STONE CRAB RESTAURANT"
AND THE PICNIC AREA
FROM THE NORTH OR SOUTH OF THE TAMPA AREA, TAKE I-275 TO EXIT 17 (PINELLAS BAYWAY, RT. 682). GO WEST ON PINELLAS BAYWAY & GO THROUGH THE TOLL ($.50) BOOTH. GO TO THE 2nd RED LIGHT (SR 679S) AND TURN LEFT. NOW YOU ARE ON PINELLAS BAYWAY SOUTH. KEEP GOING & GO OVER THE BRIDGE PLUS ABOUT 3 MILES. NOW YOU ARE IN THE "DOWNTOWN" TIERRA VERDE AREA AND THE STONE CRAB RESTAURANT IS ON YOUR RIGHT. FT. DESOTO PARK IS ABOUT 2 MORE MILES DOWN THAT SAME ROAD. YOU WILL COME TO A TEE WHERE THERE IS A GIANT FLAGPOLE WITH "OLD GLORY". TURN RIGHT AND CONTINUE TO THE PAVILLION AREA. LOOK FOR OUR "BANCROFT PICNIC" SIGN ON THE ROAD AND JOIN US
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SATURDAY, WE WILL HAVE A COOKOUT AT THE PAVILLION AT DESOTO PARK STARTING AROUND 11:00 AM AND WE WILL HAVE GAMES, A 50/50 RAFFLE OR WHATEVER ELSE WE PLAN. NO OFFICIAL REUNION MEETING IS PLANNED AT THIS TIME BUT WE WILL HAVE A FEW MINUTES OF SKUTTLEBUTT ABOUT THE ASSOCIATION .
SUNDAY AM WILL BE MAYBE A BREAKFAST GET TOGETHER OR WHATEVER WE ALL CHOOSE TO DO WHEN WE ARE ALL TOGETHER.
THE COST FOR THIS GATHERING WILL BE $20.00 PER PERSON AND THAT WILL COVER THE COST OF HAMBERGERS, HOT DOGS, THE BASIC SOFT DRINKS (soda, cola, water, etc), MACARONI & POTATO SALAD, CHIPS, ET ALL. YOU WILL HAVE TO BRING YOUR OWN BEER OR ? YOU CAN ALSO BRING SOMETHING ELSE TO GRILL SINCE THE PITS WILL BE OURS TO USE.
CAMPERS WILL HAVE TO CONTACT THE DESOTO PARK OFFICE TO SETUP YOUR RESERVATIONS . WE ARE NOT GOING TO DO ALL THAT FOR YOU. THE LINK BELOW WILL TAKE YOU TO THEIR WEBSITE WHERE YOU CAN PRINT ALL THE DATA AND GET A MAP OF THE CAMPGROUND AS WELL. THEY WILL TAKE RESERVATIONS STARTING IN NOVEMBER
http://www.pinellascounty.org/park/pdf/campinfo.pdf THIS ONE IS FOR THE PARK OFFICE AND INFORMATION
http://www.pinellascounty.org/park/pdf/campground.pdf THIS ONE WILL GET YOU A GOOD MAP OF THE CAMPSITE AREA.
FOR HOTELS IN THE AREA. GO TO ORBITZ OR EXPEDIA.COM, OR PRICELINE, AND SEARCH FOR HOTELS IN "TIERRA VERDA, FL." AREA.
YOU WILL FIND LOTS TO CHOOSE FROM. PUT IN THOSE DATES AND SEARCH AND YOU WILL GET SOME GOOD RATES OVER JUST CALLING THE HOTELS DIRECTLY. JUST CONCENTRATE ON THE "DESOTO PARK" AREA.
THERE IS ALSO LOTS TO DO IN THIS ENTIRE TAMPA BAY AREA
TO SIGN UP FOR THIS "RALLY" SEND YOUR NAME AND CHECK FOR $20.00 TO:
BILL BADALUCCA PO BOX 6868 NORTH PORT, FL. 34290
MAKE CHECKS PAYABLE TO " BILL BADALUCCA". Please include your address so I can send a receipt.
FOR MORE INFO YOU CAN REACH ME AT 828-735-0831 (cell phone) OR BY E-MAIL AT:
NCBILLNC@HOTMAIL.COM
SO FAR THE FOLLOWING GUYS HAVE COMMITTED TO COMING:
BILL BADALUCCA DOUG BISHOP WILLIAM BOWES BENJI BRAYTON JIM BRUCE JACK BUXTON GEORGE DALY J.P. HEMMER STACEY LEONE RON LONG JOE McCLEARY PAUL MONACO J P OLSSON BOB PATE RON RYLAND TOM SCHIFFGENS JOHN WANALISTA PETER WILCOX RON ZENTEK
MORE WILL BE ADDED AS THEY SIGN UP --22 ARE COMING AS OF FEB 13TH-
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