An Inside View Of Lotovention 19 - Part 2

By Steve Gilbert & Bill Pasquino

Saturday

Several of us decided to meet for breakfast at 6:00A. M. on Saturday. After enjoying a few cups of coffee, we all moved into the dining area to enjoy a wonderful buffet breakfast. By 7:30A.M. , Steve and Bill went into the meeting room to get ready to open up at 8:00A.M. The crowd could not wait to get in so we opened the room at 7:45A.M. and the 19th Annual Lotovention 2007 officially began.

As members and guests entered, they were all requested to register and they received their gift boxes / bags. This year there were 4 of them. Quite a big haul !! All morning trading and searching for tickets went on and on. As lunch approached, some people did not want to leave, so it was decided by Bill and Steve to keep the room open as long as some members remained present.

Members scattered for lunch as Steve and Bill met their wives at the pool area for lunch. Steve's daughter Ellen, who served as our public relations / marketing person, was now at the convention and we all sat down for a lunch of Philly hoagies. Earlier, Linda and Patty had taken orders and went out to pick up Philly hoagies for anyone who did not want to leave the hotel for lunch.

By 2:00P.M., everyone had returned from lunch and we started the official business meeting. President Bob Heskett began the meeting with the Pledge of Allegiance and a moment of silence for members who had passed since the last Lotovention. Bob also offered a short prayer. Bill and Steve then welcomed everyone and thanked the many people who worked so hard to make this year's convention a success.

During the meeting a radio reporter arrived to interview Steve and Bill. He was from KYW 1060, the largest all news radio station in the Philadelphia area. It is really a small world as it turned out the reporter was a former student of Bill's when he taught 8th grade. The radio station aired the interview starting at 4:00A.M. the next morning and it aired once an hour for 24 hours. They also placed the interview on their web-site and had our club's web - site listed as a link for more information on our hobby.

After the meeting, the trading and searching for tickets continued. This time it was decided to keep the room open through dinner. The Gilberts, Pasquinos, Ron Moermond and Bob Heskett all went to dinner at Carrabbas' Restaurant.

The trading and searching for tickets lasted until about 11:00P.M. when the room was finally closed. The night was not to end there. Some of us adjourned to the lobby for some coffee or a night cap. Not wanting the night to end, the friendship and conversation went on and on.

Sunday

Sunday came all too quickly. Again, some of us met for breakfast and we opened up the meeting room at 8:00A.M. Everyone who came in seemed to have a fantastic time at the convention. After hanging out and still looking for that one more needed ticket, the clean up finally began. As the clean up was almost completed, but who should show up but a television crew from CBS CH 3. Since they were already there we quickly set up a mini convention for the TV reporter and cameraman. After several interviews the convention finally ended. The Lotovention was later shown on the 6:30P.M. and 11:00P.M. TV news. The piece came off great and was also placed on the stations web-site for those that missed the live airing.

It was now about 12:00 noon and most people were starting to leave for home. Steve drove Ron back to the airport for his long trip home.

At this time we want to again take this opportunity to thank everyone who contributed to the success of the Lotovention. We also want to thank our wives Linda and Patty for their support and understanding. Their support is greatly appreciated by allowing us to have thousands of tickets, raffle items and boxes all over the houses. Finally we want to thank Steve's daughter Ellen for acting as our public relations / marketing director. Due to her public relation release, phone calls and contacts with the press and newspapers our convention was listed in articles in several newspapers and was played on the radio and shown on the local TV news.

Last but not least, we thank all of you for attending the 19th Annual Lotovention in Philadelphia. Hope to see all of you next year at Lotovention 20.

Happy collecting,

Steve & Bill