29 February 2008
41st Annual General Assembly (AGA)
The 2008 Interline Celebration
A new brochure has been specially designed to attract as many interliners as possible to attend the AGA. Entitled "The 2008 Interline Celebration" Member Clubs should now promote the event to their membership to show that the AGA is much more than just a meeting.
Post-AGA Tour
A chance to explore the beautiful island of Eleuthera and stay in the Pineapple Fields hotel from 3-6 October has been arranged for interliners wishing to extend their stay in the Bahamas.
Brochures for the 2008 Interline Celebration and the post-AGA tour can be found in the Event Calendar section of the WACA Web site: /waca/events.
Visas
Arrangements are being made for interliners to obtain the necessary visa if it is required directly from the Bahamas. Specific details will be available in due course but it is intended that interliners will be able to courier their documents to the Airlines Club Bahamas President, Ann Albury, who will take them personally to the authorities to have the visa issued and then return the documents by courier.
Site Visit
Acting V.P. International Events and Special Projects, Elaine Miller, and Regional Vice President, Latin America and Caribbean, Jacquie Lyseight, recently made a site visit to the AGA venue and were very pleased with what they saw. Elaine reports that the Airlines Club Bahamas are well organised and gave them a great sampling of what to expect when we return for the AGA. The hotel is excellent and well positioned and Elaine thinks "The 2008 Interline Celebration" in the Bahamas will be a terrific AGA and party. She advises everyone to bring lots of sun screen, your swim suits and get in the party mood. There will be something of interest for everyone from the youngest to the oldest interliners.
Auction
Elaine also wants all Member Clubs to please bring something special for the annual auction. She wants to start this initiative early this year so those attending will be aware of the special things they will be able to bid for. Further details will be sent out in due course.
Flags
The Airlines Club Bahamas is requesting that each Member Club attending the AGA please bring with them with a flag measuring approximately 3x5 feet (1x1.7 metres) of their respective countries. This will make a very colourful display for the opening ceremony. The Club would like to receive the flags prior to the AGA so please forward them as soon as possible.
WACA Grand Venture Bonanza
The following generous prizes for the 2008 Bonanza have so far been offered:
a package for one person (based on double occupancy) at the Dodo's Nest in Mauritius from 2-7 June donated by the Paille-en-Queue Social Club of Air Mauritius;
two places at the Grill Party on 23 August donated by the Interairline Club Zurich;
a package for one (based on double occupancy) at The 2008 Interline Celebration donated by the Airlines Club Bahamas;
two places at the Christmas Party on 7 December donated by the Interairline Club Zurich;
two places at the Fondue Party on 25 January 2009 donated by the Interairline Club Zurich.
A promotional flyer is being prepared and complete details will be published in due course.
Member Clubs are urged to sell as many Bonanza tickets as possible to generate much needed revenues for the Association. Clubs requiring tickets for this purpose should order them from Headquarters and sell them as soon as possible as the first draw is scheduled to be held in April. It is hoped that more prizes will be forthcoming from Member Clubs to assist WACA in this revenue generating initiative - can your Club donate a prize?
Airlines Club de España
The following message was received from Luz Rojo, Secretary, Airlines Club de España:
Dear friends,
It is with a very profound sadness that I announce to you that the Airlines Club de España (ACE) has been dissolved on the 16th of January. Since one or two years ago we have been trying to maintain many activities with our members but, unfortunately, almost nobody attended them. As it has also been very difficult to recruit more members we decided to hold an Extraordinary Assembly during which it was decided to close our Club.
Nevertheless, it has been a pleasure to maintain contact with interliners all over the world even if ACE did not participate in many world events.
It is possible that some members of our club will be interested in becoming WACA Members-at-Large.
With the best regards from the Airlines Club España and mine personally to all interliners,
I remain yours faithfully.
Events Calendar
New Listing
The Latin America and Caribbean Regional Meeting will be hosted by the Airlines Club Bahamas in Nassau on 30/31 May.
Cancellation
It is with much regret that the Jordan Interline Club has had to cancel the 2008 WACA Get Together scheduled to take place from 28 April to 6 May due to an insufficient number of registrations.
Details on the above events can be found in the Event Calendar section of the WACA Web site: /waca/events.
Obituary
Member of Honour, Betty Marrs, sends the following message:
It is with deep sorrow and great pain that I am advising WACA that Yolanda Snowden, my travelling companion since 1996, passed away on Wednesday, 20 February 2008. She went into the hospital on Monday and passed away early Wednesday morning. Yolanda was 45 years old and had been fighting Lupus for many years. She was often in pain but never let it stop her. She loved to travel but because of her illness could not travel long distances alone. Yolanda had not been well since the AGA in South Africa. That trip was very hard on her but she wanted to go and would not be talked out of going. She was well enough to go to work everyday and to the doctor's when necessary. Just another phase in dealing with Lupus. Her death was not anticipated and was quite a shock. She was looking forward to the Bahamas AGA.
Yolanda was the daughter I always wanted, a "sister" who was closer to me than my own and my best friend. She was one of the few people in this world who was truly a good person. As far as I know, everyone who met Yolanda liked her. What you saw was what you got, the kind of person that people wanted to be around. I never heard her say an unkind word to, or about, anyone. My family and I are truly blessed to have had Yolanda in our lives.
Should anyone wish to send a card or e-mail, they can be sent to: Mr. Byron Snowden and Family, 26970 Hayward Boulevard, Apartment 1103, Hayward, California 94542, United States. E-mail: byronsnowden@yahoo.com.
Yours in interlining,
Keith Miller
Manager, WACA Headquarters
World Airlines Clubs Association
Tel.: +1 (514) 874-0202 (ext. 3243)
Fax: +1 (514) 874-1753