Dear Members of the Great Princeton Class of 1966,

The Class of 1966 Hilton Head Holiday Reunion is officially on! Nearly 50 of the classmates who responded to our interest survey indicated that they (plus about 45 of their spouses/partners) are either likely or definitely planning to attend. Have a look at the ’66 HHH Reunion particulars (below). We’re sure you will want to attend! You can also forward this announcement to classmates you have not seen in years and urge them to join you.

The registration fee for the 1966 HHH Reunion is $300 per person. To register, simply proceed to the Registration Form here (Note the August 25 deadline), fill it out, and email it to David Stitzer (contact information at the top of the Registration Form). Separately, make out a check to “David Stitzer ‘66”, noting in the check’s memo line: “Princeton Class of 1966” and mail it to him. (To help Stitz out on bookkeeping, print out your completed registration form and enclose it with your check.)

We’ll be there and hope to see you there, too.

Affectionately,

Your ’66 HHH Reunion Planning Group . . .

Ames, Bedell, Bowers, Hart, Hentschke, Holman, Jennings, Kirkpatrick, Marshak, Stitzer, and Thomas

Class of 1966 HHH Reunion particulars . . .

-------- UPDATE  Oct 4, 2023 --------

FOR UPDATED INFORMATION, PLEASE SEE THE HHHR HANDBOOK HERE

IN PARTICULAR, NOTE THIS EVENT - PLEASE ACT ASAP IF YOU ARE INTERESTED.

• Sea Pines Forest Preserve Wagon Journey ($20) — One-hour hay wagon eco and wildlife tour on forested trails. See the map below. David Marshak has scheduled a group trip for 9:30 AM Friday Oct 27 for interested classmates. Please contact David (marshak.david@att.net) ASAP to reserve a spot. The 22 spots have already been reserved, but David has confirmed that we can book an 11:00 AM ride if we have at least 12 people who want to go it.

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Location:
Palmetto Dunes Oceanfront Resort, www.palmettodunes.com, Hilton Head Island, SC.

Lodging:
The official class lodging and hospitality suite will be at the Marriott Oceanfront Resort and Spa, https://www.marriott.com/en-us/hotels/hhhgr-marriott-hilton-head-resort-and-spa/overview/, where a room block is set up with special rates for the Class of 1966, https://www.marriott.com/event-reservations/reservation-link.mi?id=1680726064454&key=GRP&app=resvlink. Due to a Marriott policy concerning posted rates, the rate you will be charged will be $25 less expensive per night than the rate shown on the room page.

In the event you prefer other than Marriott, the Omni Oceanfront Hotel (not in the room block) https://www.omnihotels.com/hotels/hilton-head, is within walking distance along the beach or bike paths. It is recommended that you make lodging arrangements as soon as the room block is open.

And for those who may want to go together with a small group of classmates, 3 and 4 bedroom condos, houses and villas are rentable nearby for the 3 or 4-day minimum stay. Renting through Palmetto Dunes Resort Rentals is strongly recommended so discounts for golf, pickleball and tennis or bicycle and kayak rentals will be made available. For non-hotel rentals: https://www.palmettodunes.com/vacation-rentals.

When:
Arrival Thursday, October 26, 2023 (or earlier), and departure Sunday, October 29, 2023 (or later). A number of classmates have indicated they may come in earlier or stay later, and booking for extended stays will be possible directly with the property when you make your reservation and identify yourself as part of the Princeton University Class of 1966 room block.

Transportation:
Hilton Head is a very drivable destination for those in the Eastern half of the country, and we need to know if you will be either driving your own car or renting a car if you are flying into a nearby airport. Places like Michigan, Ohio and Missouri are approximately a 14-16 hour drive. There will be a question on the registration form asking about driving or having access to a rental car.

Flights:
Hilton Head-Savannah International Airport is a one-hour drive from the resort and the airport hosts nearly all major airlines. Hilton Head Island Airport is a 15-minute drive from the resort and has airlines connecting through Atlanta and Charlotte, with several regional jet flights direct, non-stop from interior cities.

Featured Event: ($60 per person extra charge, lunch included, space limited to 78. Only eight seats are left on a first-come, first-served basis.)

A very special experience is being custom-created for members of the Class of 1966 by the local Hilton Head Gullah community.The Gullah people are descendants of formerly enslaved people brought from West Africa to the Southern Colonies from the late 1600’s through the Civil War, and a group that has clustered on the sea islands from Wilmington, NC to Jacksonville, FL following the Civil War.

On Saturday, October 28, participants in the limited space experience will be welcomed and introduced to the Gullah culture at 9:00 AM by Dr. Emory Campbell, respected community leader and former Head of the Penn Center (the first school for blacks in South Carolina dating to 1862) and the recent Chairman of the Gullah-Geechee Cultural Heritage Corridor, which encompasses Gullah communities from North Carolina to Florida.

Dr. Campbell’s introduction will be followed by Dr. Louise Cohen, a 7th generation Hilton Head Gullah family member, who will relate the essence of Gullah culture through her storytelling about Hilton Head’s and her family’s Gullah past.

After a short Q and A period, participants will board an executive coach for a narrated tour of Gullah neighborhoods and sites.
A lunch break will take place in one of Hilton Head’s historic neighborhoods with Gullah food served and Gullah vendors present with their wares. A special performance of the El Shaddai Gospel Group will offer a cappella spirituals as lunchtime inspiration and entertainment.

The narrated Gullah tour will resume after lunch and return back to the Marriott by 3:00 PM. Dr. Campbell and Dr. Louise Cohen will conclude the day with an informal discussion of their personal childhood on the island.

Additional activities:
·   Beach relaxing, beach walking, shopping, biking, hiking, kayaking, golf (3 courses inside the resort property), pickleball, and tennis
·   Biking and Canoe-Kayaking - https://www.hiltonheadoutfitters.com/hilton-head-bike-rental-gear
·   Boating - https://www.palmettodunes.com/things-to-do/boat-rentals-and-watersports
·   Bluffton-May River ecology cruise, Estuarine marsh kayak tour, Sea Pines Forest Preserve wagon tour, Pinckney Island National Wildlife Refuge walking tour,

Sea Pines Forest Preserve horseback tour
·   Hilton Head History Tour (bus), Hilton Head History Tour (boat), Gullah Heritage Trail Tour (bus)
·   Lectures (two per day): Hilton Head History Overview, Sea Island Marine Ecology, Shellfish and the Port Royal Sound, Hilton Head Plantations and Slavery,

Back in the Day (Gullah video)
·   Exploring Hilton Head and its restaurants for lunch
·   Two class dinners (reunion jackets preferred)
·   Hospitality suite for hanging out

Come early/stay late:
For those who come early or stay longer, driving day-trips to Beaufort (1 hour), Charleston (2 hours), and Savannah (1 hour) and local tours are available. For those who will stay Sunday, a special Gullah culture tour to Daufuskie Island will be made available.The local planning committee will be happy to recommend sources / providers for activities on either Thursday or Sunday.

Lectures will be gratis, tours will involve additional cost, and class dinners and hospitality suite will be included in the basic package cost. Lodging will be additional and will be reserved directly by individuals with the establishments. We urge you to make room reservations as soon as possible.

Cost Estimate:
The per person reunion fee ($300 per person / $600 per couple) includes class dinners with wine, hospitality refreshments, reunion shirt, and reunion photo album. Payment is required with the registration form submission, and does not include room, transportation, other meals, or tours. The Gullah tour is $60 per person. Other tour costs vary between $25 and $150 per person but tend to cluster in the $50 per person range. Room reservations and payment for lodging, as well as payment for tours and activities (golf greens fees, pickleball courts, tennis courts, bicycle rental, and kayak rentals), will be paid for directly by individual classmates to individual vendors.

Block Schedule:

Detailed list of specific tours and lectures:

Lecture Topics –All Free:

• Hilton Head History Overview
• Sea Island Marine Ecology
• Shellfish and the Port Royal Sound
• Hilton Head Plantations and Slavery
• Back in the Day (Gullah video)

Eco and Nature Activities*:

• Bluffton-May River Ecology Cruise
• Estuarine Marsh Kayak Tour
• Sea Pines Forest Preserve Drawn Wagon Tour ($25)
• Pinckney Island Wildlife Refuge Walking Tour
• Sea Pines Forest Preserve Horseback Tour ($80)

*Unless otherwise noted, above cruise/tour activities are priced at approximately $45 per person.

Cultural-Heritage Activities*:

• Hilton Head History Tour by Bus with Light Walking ($50)
• Gullah Heritage Trail Tour by Bus No Walking ($50)
• Hilton Head History Tour by Boat ($100)

* For those staying after October 29 or coming in early, side trips to Savannah, GA and Beaufort, SC, or to Daufuskie Island can be arranged for those interested.