Council of Councils is going to Vegas for 2024 event!

click the picture or the link below.

https://www.hilton.com/en/attend-my-event/lasinhx-nva-2aa0cde3-5649-4b68-8623-918cc8033e85/

 

The search is over...for 2024 hosts !!

 A very pleasant surprise came to us a couple of weeks ago, although it is definitely long after the 2023 meeting in Ohio. It came at the point in time where we were seriously looking at having to cancel CofC for 2024 due to a lack of bids from councils willing to host a CofC. 

Fortunately a group have submitted the necessary form and are diligently / feverishly working on the final bits to, again host (Spoiler), a Council of Councils. A little later this week we will update our pages with links to the hotel for booking and all the current info on what will be happening in addition to the main meeting. It is a favourite getaway destination .... so please stay tuned!

ON a related note, we are past the submission date to contact us, again, if you are interested in submitting a bid for 2025 !
This is a recurring situation year after year lately, the feedback is that no one wants to move to a virtual meeting for the main meeting, the core of CofC. Quite frankly everyone enjoys a fun filled winter break with our second family to get you thru to the Spring....but it is getting harder each year to pull together the finances to host this event. I can only speak for up here in Ontario, our best option would be for something in Toronto for easy airport or train access. the few hotels that I approaches sent us quotes that at first glance did not seem workable. 

Overall Guest rooms ranged from $190 CAN to $300, with the exchange around $200 CAN getting $150US, that could get pricey fast. The hit came when they quoted prices for the required meeting spaces on a rolling scale where IF we had $15,000 or less in food and beverage sales they would discount the charge down to $9,000. (IF everyone was REALLY hungry and thirsty (hmm) and we hit $25,000 then the rooms would be complimentary! Another property stated if we spent $22,000 then the meeting rooms would be $12,000. If you notice the hotels now disregard, up here at least, the number of room nights booked for guest rooms. 

I personally could not commit to all of those expenses. I know we all want to chat in person but I would like to see a representative for each member council complete a short online survey of what would be acceptable going forward for a host council to try and arrange for the main meeting. Nothing extensive, more along the lines of what Vanners feel is affordable and doable for a winter get away. I was personally shocked at how much has changed in recent years and wonder if these numbers are the new norm!?! (REALLY hope not!)

That is it for tonight, did you guess yet where we are going...send an email to [email protected].

 

Looking for a host for 2024

 Just a reminder, if we want to have CofC in 2024, we need someone to host it.

if you are thinking of hosting, please let us know here... https://forms.gle/UjDL3gJ9XFgerVjy8

2023 Rep Registration!

 even though I updated the form a while ago, I just realized the link on this page was still to the 2019 form.

Sooooo....

If you are a council, attending or not (hopefully you are!)
We need you to fill out this form...  let us know who you are, you your reps are, how to contact you... your council's official mailing address, etc.

link here -->>  https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSc4ZncSZS2woOpSfexCoATLnQGWW6hmcYOQstlOejnmFlYxEQ/viewform

Hotel information

 Northeast Ohio Van Congress will be your host for the 2023 Council of Councils in Independence Ohio.


It will be February 23-26, 2023 

Holiday Inn Cleveland South-Independence 
6001 Rockside Road, Independence, OH 44131 
Phone: (216)-524-8050 

https://www.hirockside.com/ Room rates for single and double rooms is $129.00USD per night, plus tax (currently 17.5%) You can reserve a room using this link - NOVC Council to Council booking link for Holiday Inn Cleveland South - Independence
or you can call them at 216-524-8050, ext. 298, and let them know you are with NOVC/council of councils. The cut-off date for reservations at this price is January 24th, 2023. More information will be posted at CouncilofCouncils.com as it is available

We have a signed contract!!!

 After a lot of work, we have a host and a signed contract for 2023!

I'm sorry for all the delays, but it is hard to schedule a CofC when nobody wants to host it, thankfully, we have had someone step forward and it's finally happening. 

This will be a joint venture between SOVC and NOVC, and will be held in Independence, Ohio, on February 23-26th 2023.

The host club needs to get a few things in order still, and more information will be forthcoming over the next couple of weeks, please stay tuned for hotel info, etc.

Important Update, CofC is Canceled this year.

Good day to all Vanners…

It has been about a month since the last bit of info was posted and unfortunately, we need to do a U-turn on the idea of an in-person Council of Councils event for 2022. 

The majority of the reason is to keep all of us safe during this ongoing pandemic.  The latest variant is spreading like wildfire and the numbers are rising in leaps and bounds, some places doubling the report cases in as little as a week.

It does not appear to be a situation that will resolve in a month’s time. Today the hotel is reporting that they are open and California is not locking down at this time, this could change tomorrow for all any of us can predict.

Based on only a third of the rooms of the block being reserved it seems a lot of you were not anticipating attending. only one ad was sold for the bible to our knowledge. The hosting group has experienced some other hurdles like the original hotel going bankrupt and their spokesperson having personal challenges but Covid is the Camel that broke the straw’s back!

The hosts should not be forced to continue with what looks to be a limited attendance event which could also, in the next few weeks, be prevented from happening due to Covid precautions for gatherings and traveling in general.

Based on all of this and MUCH discussion, the Council for Council board feels it is in the best interest of all of our Vanning family that we cancel the live version of Council of Councils this year.   

We are looking into organizing a virtual meeting on the same date, Saturday, February 26th. Please stay tuned to this site for more info as it becomes available.

The hotel agreement states that if you cancel more than 48 hours before that there is no penalty.

Hoping that those who have booked flights will be able to get a full refund or a travel voucher for 2023.

So far only 1 bid has been submitted and their dates are for the first weekend in February of 2023.

We apologize for this very necessary decision and have tried to be time-sensitive and not wait until it is too late and not pull the plug too early!  

May the 2023 Vanning season be full of lots of events to go to in the warmer weather!   

On behalf of the Council of Councils board.

Geoff Koome & Dave Astro

On behalf of the Council of Councils Board