Founder's Reception Letter

[Mark McLeod]

Okay, this wasn't an email blast, it's the letter that accompanies the Founder's Reception tickets sent to the team main contacts each year, so it's a snail mail FIRST Blast.
I include it here for those interested in FIRST communication.
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FIRST Robotics Competition

Founder's Reception at WestWind

6 to 9p.m., Friday, January 4, 2008

Meet, Mix, and Tickets
Your Team Support group (as well as the rest of the FIRST staff) is looking forward to meeting with you at the 2008 Founder's Reception! The evening attire is casual and there will be plenty of good food and non-alcoholic beverages.
We have enclosed four (4) tickets for your team, with the hope you will include at least 2 of your team's sponsors as attendees. The tickets are team specific. We have included a line to print the team or sponsor representative's name, and another for the company/school's name. Please discard any tickets you won't be using.

Partner Recognition:
We are adding this distinction to give special recognition to those companies and colleges/universities who do so much to further your team and the FIRST Robotics Competition program. We hope that two persons from the team and two sponsor representatives will attend the reception. We realize that you may have already invited those you wish to represent your team, so don't worry if those attending don't fall within the company/sponsor parameters.

Caveats:
· There will be no replacement tickets, so please put your tickets in a safe place and remember to bring them with you when you travel to the Reception in January.
· Attendees must show the ticket to board the shuttle bus to WestWind and when you enter the home. Since they are stick-on badges, please wait to put them on until necessary.
· Please remember that pre-college students cannot attend.
· In order to preserve the quality of the floors of Dean Kamen's home, we will provide paper booties to cover your shoes as you enter.

Mandatory Shuttle System:
There will be no driving to or parking at WestWind. Reception guests must use the shuttle system outlined below. Important. FIRST is not providing any transportation to and from any hotel. We ask that you take your travel time into consideration as we expect traffic in the Manchester area to be extremely busy.
1. From FIRST: (Glass tower area, 200 Bedford Street, Manchester, NH 03101)
There will be one pickup atFIRST at 5:30 p.m. for those attending the workshops.
There will NOT be a return bus to FIRST after the reception.
2. If you are driving to the Founder's Reception:
You must park at McKelvie School, 108 Liberty Hill Road, Bedford, NH.
Shuttle service will begin at 5:50 p.m. Please look for the signs designating the pick-up and drop-off location for the buses.
Buses will be returning to McKelvie School on a rotating schedule throughout the event.
Directions to McKelvie School and the shuttle service:
FROM: Everett Turnpike – Route 3, I-293, and Rte. I-93
GO TO:
Route 101 West
At the Junction of 114 and 101 (at traffic lights), turn left onto 101W (towards Bedford). (Go about 3.4 miles)
At blinking yellow traffic light, turn left onto Nashua Road
(Travel about a mile. There will be ball fields on your left)
Take the first left after the ball fields, onto County Road
Follow to end; McKelvie Middle School is located diagonally across the street on right.
Please park and board a Shuttle Bus.
Departure from WestWind:
Buses from McKelvie School will run continuously to drop off reception guests leaving the Founder's Reception. Coordinate your departure time from WestWind with your guests.
The last bus leaving WestWind will be at 9:15 p.m.
Questions?
FIRST staff members will be available on January 4th at FIRST Headquarters and onJanuary 5th at Southern New Hampshire University, Registration Area, to answer any questions you may have. We hope you enjoy the 2008 Kickoff experience!

Deb, Michelle, Andrea, Brigid, and Thelma

FIRST Team Support