2019 DePue Reunion

[racingfan1]

Just wanted to let everyone know that the 2019 DePue Reunion is a definite go. If you attended the 2016 reunion and I have your email , look for the registration form around the 1st of February. Otherwise it will be posted here and on 2019 Reunion page on Hydroracer. Wishing everyone a Merry and Blessed Christmas and a Happy and Prosperous New Year.

[Master Oil Racing Team]

I am looking forward to it Dale. I will do what I can to make it to this next one. At this point, things are looking better so it's a go right now. That would be three out of four for me, so that put's the pressure on my compadre Joe.

[1100r]

Looks like I will be able to get there this year. Looking forward to meeting everyone like Dale, and Wayne. Need to get Ishi to travel with me

[racingfan1]

Alan said he is plannig on coming again to help Craig again who is planning on coming to race again

[1100r]

Yes I know Alan is going we chat weekly. Just mean to get me on the plane lol

[racingfan1]

I had hoped to have have the registration form posted March 1st but we have had a bump in the road. The VFW building in DePue has been rented out by the EPA as part of the Superfund cleanup so we will not be able to use it for the reunion. We are in the process of looking at other venues close by and should have something solid in the next couple weeks. This will not change anything , the reunion is a definite go and will happen. John is working on getting a host hotel in Peru and we will let you know as soon as that is completed. The shirt design is back in the very capable hands of Ann Fitzgerald , who did the original shirt , so you know it will be good. So make your plans to attend this great event.

[sbirbarie]

Hope to see you there Wayne.

[Master Oil Racing Team]

I am looking forward to seeing you too Skip as well as a lot of other of our friends.

[racingfan1]

reunion

[John Schubert T*A*R*T]

Hope to see you there Wayne.
Can't wait to see you Skip

[sbirbarie]

Likewise John!

[racingfan1]

Registration is now open for the 2019 DePue reunion. Just download the form then print it out. Also attached is the reunion shirt design.

As you will see on the form we had to move the dinner to the Days Inn in Princeton IL. The VFW building in DePue is being rented out by the EPA as part of the Superfund cleanup process so it is unavailable and there are no other reception hall in DePue with the capacity to hold the crowd. We are sorry for this inconvenience but please don't let this deter you. It will nice though to not have to drive back to the hotel after the reception is over. Just walk to your room and go to bed.

[racingfan1]

The host hotel , which is where the reunion dinner is going to be held , is the Days Inn in Princeton Il. There is a block of rooms reserved and to make a reservation you MUST CALL THE HOTEL DIRECT at 815-875-3371 , chose 0 from the options , ask for RuthAnn and mention it is for the DePue reunion. Each room comes with a 10% discount. It is best to call during the week between 9am and 4pm.

[racingfan1]

Registrations are starting to come in for the reunion. Here is the list and I will update it as I receive them. Updated 5/17/19

Birbarie , Skip
Dewald , Craig
Donald , Ralph
East , Gene
Forester , Wild Bill
Franck , Joe
Henderson , Denny
Hoffert , Dale
Ingalls , Craig & Nick
Ishi , Alan
Kalman , Sharon
Laatsch , Jett Winzeler
Laatsch , Laura Winzeler
Lawerence , Craig
Murray , Diane
Neadeck , Art
Nydahl , Pete & Kelly
O'Dea , Dick
Rodda , Ray
Schoch , Jim
Schmidt , Mike
Schmidt , Eric
Schubert , John
Summers , Bruce & Shirley
Van Steenwyk , Eileen with Netta Marshall
Voss , Pete
Willing , Don
Winzeler ,John
Winzeler , Megan & Bennett Ming

[racingfan1]

While LaSalle-Peru is the normal home base for most racers and fans Princeton has a lot to offer. Most things Princeton can be found at princechamber-il.com. However I thought I would add a little to that. Princeton is known for their downtown Main St business districts full of small shops and boutiques. It is one of the few towns that has resisted the chain stores. When looking for places to eat I put together the following list of the better places in Princeton.

Breakfast

Big Apple Family Restaurant - 2136 N. Main St. located within walking distance of the Days Inn

Coffee Cup Diner - located on Main St at the railroad crossing

Flour House Bakery & Coffee - 950 N Main St fresh baked breakfast items and specialty coffees , popular Princeton spot

Lunch and Dinner

Kramers Kitchen - 421 S Main St - homemade specialty sandwiches and all very good - lunch only kramers-kitchen.com

Spoons - 541 S Main St - spoonsrestaurant.net

Niel and Shortys - 646 S Main St - the local bar-b-que joint - nielandshortys.com

The Prime Quater - 250 Backbone Rd East - cook your own steak house or have them do it for you primequarter.com

Los Ranchitos - 1204 W Peru St the local mexican place

Pizza Cellar - 402 S Main St - a local favorite for pizza - not the usual pizza

Alexander Park Tavern - 815 Park Ave West - need your fried chicken fix , this is the place

There are other places on the chamber website but these are the some of the more popular spots.

[racingfan1]

So sad to hear that we have lost another racer. Allen Lang passed away this past week. May he rest in peace.

[John Schubert T*A*R*T]

Looking at the registration as already received, we need to rally around this reunion & get your registrations submitted. We need firm head counts in order to order the reunion shirts & to provide a head count to our caterer for dinner.

So, Let's go, sign up.

[racingfan1]

Just a reminder , if you are thinking about attending the 2019 DePue reunion please think about getting you registration mailed out. Shirts and the caterer have to have numbers by the end of June. Thank you and see you in DePue.

[racnbns]

Just a reminder , if you are thinking about attending the 2019 DePue reunion please think about getting you registration mailed out. Shirts and the caterer have to have numbers by the end of July. Thank you and see you in DePue.
I think you mean end of June don't you? The reunion still in July?

I'm displaying my F/1100 Hydro. Are the displays at the VFW as before?

Bruce

[racingfan1]

I think you mean end of June don't you? The reunion still in July?

I'm displaying my F/1100 Hydro. Are the displays at the VFW as before?

Bruce

Time to hire a new secretary I guess. LOL. Yes Bruce in front of the BTW building.

[John Schubert T*A*R*T]

To everyone, as of today there is not enough registrants to move forward with the reunion. I know many of you have indicated that you were going to attend, but still haven’t registered. At the last reunion, several of you suggested not waiting 4 or 5 years for the next event, for as you know, our numbers are shrinking. If we do not receive a significant amount of registrations by the end of this month, we will be compelled to cancel the event. So COME ON everyone, a lot of work has gone in to planning this event, and much more to come for your enjoyment, fun & to reminisce about the good old days.

I have heard comments that because the event is scheduled in Princeton, some have a concern. My 2 cents: first, the USTS National Championship banquet is also scheduled to be held the next evening at the Days Inn conference/banquet room. So a lot of you will be going there on Sat. night anyway. Previous postings on Boat Racing Facts & Hydroracer mentioned this & the reason we can’t have the gathering at The American Legion as it has been rented/leased to those doing environmental studies of the lake. My next 2 cents is that I have stayed several years now at the Days Inn in Princeton. I find it is easier to get to then Peru. You just take the west exit out of Depue, cross over highway 29 & go to US highway 6, turn left go a couple of miles to I 380 or whatever it is, go west one exit & get off turn left & the hotel is right on your right.

So, let’s stop procrastinating, you want to be there so please register.

John & Dale Hoffert

[racingfan1]

The plans are changing for the reunion this year. Due to the low number of people registering we will be doing something a little different. For those of you that have registered, I will be in contact with you via email to let you know what the options are and for everyone else we will post the information here as soon as possible.

I had put this video together to show at the dinner and just thought I would share it with you. It is the reason we continue to do these reunions because, well, you just never know when the last goodbye will come.

Click on the link below to watch the video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ocQ57C_FV98&feature=youtu.be

[racingfan1]

As of today, June 23nd, we only have 29 people who have registered for this year's event. After careful consideration and number crunching, we can not move forward with the reunion as currently constructed. However, John and I feel strongly that there is enough interest to move forward with some type of reunion event.

We will not be doing the formal evening dinner as we have done in the past. As we stated earlier, we are not able to use the entire VFW building in DePue, but we found out that we are allowed to use the front bar area as the EPA is not using that part of the building. This area will be used as our reunion headquarters all day on Friday and Saturday. You will be able to come and go as you please. Inside the VFW will be pictures, videos, and other racing memorabilia. There will be drinks available along with light snacks. At the end of racing on Friday, we will be having pizza delivered and guests will be allowed to stay as long as you like.

We understand that this is quite a departure from the original format, but we hope that you will be satisfied with our new plan. Those that are already registered have the following two options: 1) still be part of the festivities and all the above will be covered by your registration fee as well as your reunion shirt orders, with no additional cost to you. or 2) choose not to come and have your check returned to you.

For the people who have not registered, there is still time to do so, just fill out the registration form and mail it in. We will accept them up to July 2nd or there is going to be a cover charge of $10 that day, to cover drinks and food, to get inside the VFW and be part of the reunion. We will be ordering extra shirts and they will be available in case someone would like to purchase them that day. Shirley Summers has made a quilt from racing t-shirts and we will be raffling that off, Bruce will be bringing his hydro and 6 cylinder motor to display as well, and also have a 50\50 drawing.

John and I hope you still will come to DePue and be part of this year's event. As we all know, life is short and you never know when or if you will see your racing friends again. Even in a scaled down form, this reunion is meant to bring us all together and give us the chance to reminisce and enjoy the company of life long friends. We really hope you will join us and be part of the 2019 DePue reunion.


John Schubert and Dale Hoffert

[racingfan1]

Here are a couple of pictures of the quilt that Shirley Summers had made and will raffle off at the reunion.

[racingfan1]

We will have a limited number of these commemorative 20OZ RTIC tumblers available. First come first serve. $20

[John Schubert T*A*R*T]

The reunion was not the big success as hoped. As a result I have 4 XL t-shirts leftover & available plus 12 L. All are reduced from $20 to $12 plus $8 shipping.
contact jschubert19j@gmail.com

[racingfan1]

I'd like to thank everyone who attended this year's reunion and being flexible as our plans changed. Although our numbers were few the laughs were many.

A few takeaways from Friday night, 1) with all the Quincy guys in the house it was like being back at 5th and State, thanks for sharing some of the stories. The one thing most agreed on was if something was to be welded Gene East was the man 2) I was glad Pete and Sandy Nydahl enjoyed the 12 pack of Hamm's beer I bought for the occasion, they said it was Ray's favorite. 3) when Bruce Summers gets hungry the food best be there, LOL and 4) old boat racing stories are the best.

So a couple of awards to give out, well you don't get anything but nonetheless, 1) the Longevity Award has to go to the table with Bruce & Shirley Summers and Ralph & Shirley Donald as they started the day early and stayed to the very end and just about drank us out of wine. and 2) the Funniest Award had to go to the table with Craig Lawrence, Denny Henderson, Hox Compton, Mike Schmidt, and Skip Birbarie, I could have stayed there all night and listened to the stories. One thing I learned is the innocent Alan Ishi, perhaps not so innocent?? LOL

Special thanks yous' to
1-Shirley Summers for donating the quilt that was raffled off.

2- Craig Lawerence for letting us take a spin in the 88 and being humbled if we thought we could drive.

3- John Winzler for your support and words of wisdom

4- My wife Becki for helping in many ways and putting up with me the last few weeks before the reunion as the plans changed and daughter Lindsey for again helping that night.

5- And to John Schubert for allowing me to take his ball and run with it. Hopefully, someday, I can match what you did in 2007, still, the standard to judge all others by.

So this ends the 2019 DePue Reunion. As always, if you have any suggestions as to how to make this a better event don't hesitate to send me an email. 1daledog1@gmail.com. And I look forward to seeing you at the next DePue Reunion in 202???????

Dale