10-Year Reunion and Draft Party Update

The reunion is definitely happening. Here is what is certain so far: 

• Saturday, 5 September 2015: Henry Hudson's Public House in Bricktown OKC 1100-2000ish. We have half the venue there reserved, including a big screen TV we can use to showcase a collection of photos from the SECFOR mission. We'll have half-price appetizers and happy hour beer specials. Of course, no one has to drink. There will be plenty of non-alcoholic options available as well. 

• Sunday, 6 September 2015: OklahomIraqis League fantasy football draft at AT&T Cowboys Stadium, Arlington, TX. This will start with a guided tour of the stadium that each of us will have to pay for ($20), but it will end with a draft party somewhere in the stadium (either post-game press room or a luxury suite). This is primarily for members of the OIL, but anyone is welcome to come. Please let me know if you are not in the OIL but do plan on joining us at Cowboys Stadium. 

Here is what is TBD so far: 

• An activity for either Friday evening or Monday morning/afternoon: I'm working on a tour of the Coop Ale Works brewery with cookout out back afterwards. They have a nice setup with horseshoe pits and the whole nine yards for a nice atmosphere. That is not certain yet. 

• Transportation to Cowboys Stadium: I want to get us a chartered bus (Red Carpet) to the stadium for the draft. The first quote I was given on that is $1,600. That is a possibility, but we may need more funds. Otherwise, everyone will carpool.

• Lodging: I was hoping to get some sort of sponsorship so our guys from out of town could stay in a hotel near Bricktown for free or at reduced rates, but I'm having trouble getting any traction there. Anyone have any ideas? I assume plenty of us live in the OKC area and can host guys. 
  
• An alternate activity for Sunday: Those that do want to join us at Cowboys Stadium should have an alternate activity in Oklahoma City for that day. Their reunion should not end on Saturday. It's been 10 years, so let's spend at least a couple days together. Please post suggestions for that activity in the comments section. Here are my suggestions: 

1. Go to the range at H&H Shooting Sports? They have more indoor lanes than anyone else and have a bar and lounge to congregate in after you're done shooting.
2. Dave and Busters? 
3. Fishing or cooking out at one of Oklahoma City's three lakes? 
4. Just hang out in Bricktown? 
5. Oklahoma River? 
6. Cookout somewhere? 
7. Horse races? 
8. Car races? 
9. Float the Illinois River? 
10. Hunting? 
11. Paintball? 
12. Go-Kart racing at Pole Position?
    
13. Tour the 45th ID Museum (would it be open)?

• Budget: Our GoFundMe is not doing very well. Outside of a few very generous donations, we're not getting anywhere near our goal. Why is our goal so high? Because I wanted to make it as easy to get to the reunion as possible. I was hoping to raise enough money for travel and lodging expenses for the guys that are out of state. Unless we really get on the ball, that's not going to happen. We'll be able to help here and there, but not to the extent we'd hoped for. I can't do this alone, guys. I need every single one of you to contact your local media, local civic organizations, and local businesses to try and make this happen. 

Here is what I need from you:

• Share the GoFundMe page: I can't stress this enough. Send it to family, friends, co-workers, local media, celebrities on Twitter. If you can ask family, friends, and co-workers to buy your kid's school fundraiser candy bars, you can ask them to donate $5 for this 10-year reunion. The URL is www.GoFundMe.com/158reunion

• Contact local media: I outlined how to contact your local media here. It even has email and physical addresses for many of them. Please take advantage and do that. 

• Contact local veterans organizations like the VFW and American Legion: The men will know how to get the most coverage possible. Please contact your local lodge. 
• Make contact with ALL our SECFOR brothers: Let's do this in a structured manner. Platoon sergeants: make contact with your squad leaders. Squad leaders: make contact with your team leaders. Team leaders: make contact with your team's soldiers. We need 100% accountability here so no one is left in the dark. If you have trouble locating someone, let me know. I have access to databases that can maybe find them.