2006 White House Staff Reunion Committee Newsletter
The 2006 White House Staff Reunion was held the weekend of November 10-12, 2008 in the beautifully refurbished Williamsburg Lodge in Colonial Williamsburg, Va., and what a weekend it was!! More than 80 former White House staff, family and friends attended the myriad of planned events, as well as striking out on their own to discover Colonial Williamsburg and Yorktown in their free time....a few even managed to get in some shopping and golf. There was a Welcome Cocktail party on Friday night in one of the new banquet rooms, which was reserved for the entire weekend reunion events. In our Reception foyer where the Registration table was set up, the United States Secret Service Benefit Fund Gift Shop hosted a table where they displayed and sold specialty items that benefited the USSS. The White House Credit Union hosted a table, where they gave away mugs, booklets and various goodies with the Credit Union Logo. There were also tables for the White House Christmas Ornament as well as a table for the collectible “White House Staff Reunion” Christmas Ornament. We enjoyed a gallery of Christmas photographs and official Christmas Cards from the Truman Administration to the current Administration. It was especially wonderful walking down memory lane to the times we spent at the White House during the Christmas holidays!
The attendees participated in a silent auction, which included donated items from many previous administrations. Lots of beautiful mementos found new and loving homes. On Saturday night the program began with the Fife and Drum Corps, and a welcome from our hostess Jean Lamb. Florence Gantt read charming messages from President George W. Bush, former Presidents Clinton and Bush, former First Ladies Nancy Reagan and Mrs. Lyndon Johnson. We also received wonderful messages from Lynda Johnson Robb and Luci Baines Johnson.
Our guest speaker during dinner was Roland Mesnier, Executive Pastry Chef to five Presidents during his twenty-five years at the White House. He entertained us with many amusing stories about the first families and the created delicious, elegant, and dazzling desserts he created for the White House.
Following Roland, everyone was invited to visit the microphone and share special memories of their time in the White House. Words cannot describe the feeling we had when we heard some of the wonderful memories of all those who served President Truman, Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson, Nixon, Ford, Carter, Reagan, Bush, Clinton, and our current President. If “pictures are worth a thousand words” then our memories are “priceless.”
On Sunday, everyone had a chance to meet over coffee before saying goodbye to our friends until the next reunion in 2008. It’s always wonderful to be with the people who touched our lives during our special time in the White House. And it is a treat to meet people from the different Administrations and hear their stories. It is a special bond that we all share in having served in that very special and unique place.....the White House.
Please mark your calendars to meet your old friends and your new ones in November 2008 for another Reunion. Start dusting off your special memories to share! Watch our website (www.whitehousestaffreunion.com) for further announcements concerning the Reunion and other news of interest.
See you soon.
