Save the Date! ~ July 15-18, 2018
You are cordially invited to …
“A Party on the Prairie”
~ FAMILY REUNION ~
Plus: 25th Anniversary Celebration for Mary & Mike
~ and ~
80th Birthday Celebration for Mick Colvin
Save the Dates: July 15-18, 2018
RSVP online here: RSVP for Party on the Prairie!
Schedule of Events (Revised 4/1/18):
July 15, 2018: meet at Fossil Creek Hotel & Suites, Russell, Kansas, by around 6:00 p.m.
evening meal catered to hotel conference center by Meridy's, the locals' favorite steakhouse
July 16, 2018: late-morning group tour of The Garden of Eden, Lucas, Kansas,
a truly unique attraction of local lore & fascination (see: http://www.garden-of-eden-lucas-kansas.com)
afternoon & evening at Wilson Lake, “the clearest lake in Kansas”
(see: http://www.wilsonks.com/wilson_lake.htm)
picnic-style BBQ lunch & dinner at campsite
(possible activities include: swimming, fishing, boating, a dam tour,
and just sitting around the campsite & visiting)
July 17, 2018: group tour of the following attractions:
St. Fidelis Catholic Church, “Cathedral of the Plains”, Victoria, Kansas
(see: http://www.stfidelischurch.com)
George Grant Memorial, Victoria, Kansas
(Grant was a Scottish silk merchant who brought the first Angus cattle to America in 1873.)
~ lunch at Thirsty's, a Hays, KS, sports bar & grill (see: http://www.thirstyshays.com) ~
The Sternberg Museum of Natural History, Hays, Kansas (see: sternberg.fhsu.edu)
dinner at Gella's, a Hays, KS, micro-brewery featuring German fare
(see menu at: http://www.lbbrewing.com)
July 18, 2018: ~ morning & lunch on your own ~
(some suggested options for activities in the Russell area include: Oil Patch Museum,
Encore Antique Mall, Russell Municipal Golf Course, and LaSada Trap-Shooting Range)
FEATURED EVENT : afternoon & evening at Wolf Creek Angus Ranch, Luray, Kansas
tentatively planned activities:
afternoon ATV tours of the ranch & cattle herd
scavenger hunt, laser-tag, and other games for young & old alike
evening meal under tent at ranch, with western lore & song by Jeff Davidson
anniversary & birthday celebrations at Luray Legion Hall, with music & dance to follow
See hotel information below – make reservations by July 1, 2018
(visit: www.wolfcreekangus.com/celebrate25 for periodic updates)
“A Party on the Prairie”
~ FAMILY REUNION ~
Plus: 25th Anniversary Celebration for Mary & Mike
~ and ~
80th Birthday Celebration for Mick Colvin
Save the Dates: July 15-18, 2018
RSVP online here: RSVP for Party on the Prairie!
Schedule of Events (Revised 4/1/18):
July 15, 2018: meet at Fossil Creek Hotel & Suites, Russell, Kansas, by around 6:00 p.m.
evening meal catered to hotel conference center by Meridy's, the locals' favorite steakhouse
July 16, 2018: late-morning group tour of The Garden of Eden, Lucas, Kansas,
a truly unique attraction of local lore & fascination (see: http://www.garden-of-eden-lucas-kansas.com)
afternoon & evening at Wilson Lake, “the clearest lake in Kansas”
(see: http://www.wilsonks.com/wilson_lake.htm)
picnic-style BBQ lunch & dinner at campsite
(possible activities include: swimming, fishing, boating, a dam tour,
and just sitting around the campsite & visiting)
July 17, 2018: group tour of the following attractions:
St. Fidelis Catholic Church, “Cathedral of the Plains”, Victoria, Kansas
(see: http://www.stfidelischurch.com)
George Grant Memorial, Victoria, Kansas
(Grant was a Scottish silk merchant who brought the first Angus cattle to America in 1873.)
~ lunch at Thirsty's, a Hays, KS, sports bar & grill (see: http://www.thirstyshays.com) ~
The Sternberg Museum of Natural History, Hays, Kansas (see: sternberg.fhsu.edu)
dinner at Gella's, a Hays, KS, micro-brewery featuring German fare
(see menu at: http://www.lbbrewing.com)
July 18, 2018: ~ morning & lunch on your own ~
(some suggested options for activities in the Russell area include: Oil Patch Museum,
Encore Antique Mall, Russell Municipal Golf Course, and LaSada Trap-Shooting Range)
FEATURED EVENT : afternoon & evening at Wolf Creek Angus Ranch, Luray, Kansas
tentatively planned activities:
afternoon ATV tours of the ranch & cattle herd
scavenger hunt, laser-tag, and other games for young & old alike
evening meal under tent at ranch, with western lore & song by Jeff Davidson
anniversary & birthday celebrations at Luray Legion Hall, with music & dance to follow
See hotel information below – make reservations by July 1, 2018
(visit: www.wolfcreekangus.com/celebrate25 for periodic updates)
Hotel Information:
The headquarters hotel for our event is Fossil Creek Hotel & Suites, located at 1430 South Russell, Russell, Kansas 67665.
The hotel's web site can be found at: http://www.fossilcreekhotel.com, and there you can view pictures of the various room types available.
We have blocked a quantity of various types of rooms at the hotel for the 4 nights of July 15th through the 18th, and special, discounted rates will be available for all room types for those of you who make your reservations prior to July 1, 2018. (Rooms may be canceled, at no charge, up to 24 hours before the reservation is to begin, and the hotel will honor the discounted rates if you wish to extend your stay, either before or after the blocked dates, provided rooms are available to do so.)
Discounted Room Rates, by type of accommodation, are as follows:
Standard Room with 2 Queen beds: $84.99
Deluxe (2nd sink area) Room with 2 Queen beds + lounge chair: $84.99
Executive (large space) Room with 2 Queen beds + lounge chair: $94.99
Standard Room with 1 King bed + lounge chair: $84.99
Executive (large space) Room with 1 King bed + lounge chair: $94.99
King w/whirlpool + lounge chair: $110.49
King 1-Room Suite w/whirlpool + lounge chair: $118.99
King 2-Room Suite (1 King bed + sofa-sleeper): $118.99
King 2-Room Suite w/whirlpool (1 King bed + sofa-sleeper): $127.49
Notes:
Want to Camp instead of stay at the hotel?
In response to some of you who have asked about bringing your camper or RV, we have reserved a few spots for camping (all in one area lakeside) at Wilson Lake's Sylvan Park. This is where our main activity will be centered on Monday, July 16th. The camping sites have electric hook-ups but, at present, water hook-ups are not available there; however, a hydrant is located nearby, and restroom facilities, shower house & playground are all within short walking distance from the sites. The sites are reserved (@ $18.00 per night/site) for the 5 nights of July 14th through July 18th. If you are interested in camping here for any of those nights, please contact Mary via email ([email protected]) to claim your spot!
What Airports are available for flights to the region?
The nearest airport to the area where we will be staying and traveling while you're here is the Hays Regional Airport (located just west of Hays, KS, it is approximately 30 minutes drive time from the hotel in Russell).
Other, larger airports to consider for your travel plans:
Eisenhower National Airport, in Wichita (approx. 3 hours drive time from Russell, KS)
Kansas City International Airport (approx. 4 hours drive time from Russell, KS)
All of these airports have rental car agencies on premise.
Other Things to See along the way:
If traveling from Kansas City, a highly recommended stop is the Dwight D. Eisenhower Library and Museum, in Abilene, KS, which provides a rich history of WWII and the life of the nation's 34th President (see: dwightdeisenhower.com). Also located in Abilene is the Seelye Mansion, an opulent Kansas mansion built in 1905 by Dr. A. B. Seelye, a very successful snake oil salesman, interior design by Frank Lloyd Wright, and furnished with items purchased at the 1904 St. Louis World's Fair (see: kansastravel.org/seelyemansion/). On the west side of Abilene is the Russell Stover Candies Factory & Outlet Store (see: kansastravel.org/russellstover.htm). Continuing on to just west of Salina, KS, the Rolling Hills Zoo is a favorite stop for many (see: rollinghillszoo.org).
If traveling from the north, the Great Platte River Road Archway Monument in Kearney, Nebraska, is a great and unique stop at which to learn more about the settlement of the western U.S., pioneer life in the region, and a history of the construction and development of the Lincoln Highway (U.S. Hwy. 30). On July 15th, a program of songs & dances of the Lakota culture is a scheduled event there. (see: archway.org)
Located in Minden, Nebraska, is the Pioneer Village, a historic collection of antique cars and tractors and other items of regional interest, billed as “the largest private collection of Americana” (see: pioneervillage.org). (This site was visited by the main character in the 2002 movie starring Jack Nicholson, “About Schmidt.”)
The headquarters hotel for our event is Fossil Creek Hotel & Suites, located at 1430 South Russell, Russell, Kansas 67665.
The hotel's web site can be found at: http://www.fossilcreekhotel.com, and there you can view pictures of the various room types available.
We have blocked a quantity of various types of rooms at the hotel for the 4 nights of July 15th through the 18th, and special, discounted rates will be available for all room types for those of you who make your reservations prior to July 1, 2018. (Rooms may be canceled, at no charge, up to 24 hours before the reservation is to begin, and the hotel will honor the discounted rates if you wish to extend your stay, either before or after the blocked dates, provided rooms are available to do so.)
Discounted Room Rates, by type of accommodation, are as follows:
Standard Room with 2 Queen beds: $84.99
Deluxe (2nd sink area) Room with 2 Queen beds + lounge chair: $84.99
Executive (large space) Room with 2 Queen beds + lounge chair: $94.99
Standard Room with 1 King bed + lounge chair: $84.99
Executive (large space) Room with 1 King bed + lounge chair: $94.99
King w/whirlpool + lounge chair: $110.49
King 1-Room Suite w/whirlpool + lounge chair: $118.99
King 2-Room Suite (1 King bed + sofa-sleeper): $118.99
King 2-Room Suite w/whirlpool (1 King bed + sofa-sleeper): $127.49
Notes:
- Please call the hotel directly at the toll-free number 1-877-866-4630 to make your reservations (rather than online or otherwise).
- Be sure to mention that you are with the “Ferguson-Colvin Reunion” event to receive the special room block rates.
- The hotel has a complimentary hot breakfast each morning, an exercise room, pool and hot tub.
- The hotel does have an elevator to its 2nd floor, but if you would like a room on the 1st floor, please be sure to request such upon checking availability of the various room types. All rooms have refrigerators and microwaves. Some rooms have whirlpool tubs, fireplaces, and other amenities. Handicapped-accessible rooms are available.
- The hotel's conference room will serve as our group meeting place for on-site meals (and a staging area for car-pooling, etc.)
Want to Camp instead of stay at the hotel?
In response to some of you who have asked about bringing your camper or RV, we have reserved a few spots for camping (all in one area lakeside) at Wilson Lake's Sylvan Park. This is where our main activity will be centered on Monday, July 16th. The camping sites have electric hook-ups but, at present, water hook-ups are not available there; however, a hydrant is located nearby, and restroom facilities, shower house & playground are all within short walking distance from the sites. The sites are reserved (@ $18.00 per night/site) for the 5 nights of July 14th through July 18th. If you are interested in camping here for any of those nights, please contact Mary via email ([email protected]) to claim your spot!
What Airports are available for flights to the region?
The nearest airport to the area where we will be staying and traveling while you're here is the Hays Regional Airport (located just west of Hays, KS, it is approximately 30 minutes drive time from the hotel in Russell).
Other, larger airports to consider for your travel plans:
Eisenhower National Airport, in Wichita (approx. 3 hours drive time from Russell, KS)
Kansas City International Airport (approx. 4 hours drive time from Russell, KS)
All of these airports have rental car agencies on premise.
Other Things to See along the way:
If traveling from Kansas City, a highly recommended stop is the Dwight D. Eisenhower Library and Museum, in Abilene, KS, which provides a rich history of WWII and the life of the nation's 34th President (see: dwightdeisenhower.com). Also located in Abilene is the Seelye Mansion, an opulent Kansas mansion built in 1905 by Dr. A. B. Seelye, a very successful snake oil salesman, interior design by Frank Lloyd Wright, and furnished with items purchased at the 1904 St. Louis World's Fair (see: kansastravel.org/seelyemansion/). On the west side of Abilene is the Russell Stover Candies Factory & Outlet Store (see: kansastravel.org/russellstover.htm). Continuing on to just west of Salina, KS, the Rolling Hills Zoo is a favorite stop for many (see: rollinghillszoo.org).
If traveling from the north, the Great Platte River Road Archway Monument in Kearney, Nebraska, is a great and unique stop at which to learn more about the settlement of the western U.S., pioneer life in the region, and a history of the construction and development of the Lincoln Highway (U.S. Hwy. 30). On July 15th, a program of songs & dances of the Lakota culture is a scheduled event there. (see: archway.org)
Located in Minden, Nebraska, is the Pioneer Village, a historic collection of antique cars and tractors and other items of regional interest, billed as “the largest private collection of Americana” (see: pioneervillage.org). (This site was visited by the main character in the 2002 movie starring Jack Nicholson, “About Schmidt.”)
