USS Block Island Association

Bettendorf, IA

May 24-28

The 2010 USS Block Island Association Annual Reunion was held at the Isle of Capri Hotel on the Mississippi riverfront in Bettendorf, IA. Our hosts were Bob & Martha Border who did a splendid job of planning and organizing for our group. The reunion was held during the week of May 24-28, 2010.

On Monday, May 24th registration was in Hotel Lobby followed by a Welcome Buffet Dinner in one of the Hotel’s conference rooms. Many people gathered before and after the meeting in a special hospitality suite our hosts had set up.

Tuesday morning, May 25th, we boarded a bus for a tour of the John Deere factory in Moline, IL which was just across the river from the hotel. This huge factory manufactures very expensive combines for the harvesting of grains. The bus took us to downtown Moline for a sit down lunch at Johnny’s Italian Steak House. After lunch it was a short walk next door to the John Deer Pavilion and store.

On Wednesday, May 26th we made it only half way across the river to an island named Rock Island. We stopped to tour the Rock Island Arsenal, an active U.S. Army facility with a long and interesting history. The tour included a guided tour of the entire island with a stop at the Arsenal’s museum. Lunch was served at the Rock Island Golf Club, a beautiful facility with a lot of history. A tour of the Mississippi River Lock and Dam Visitors Center and the 360 degree swing bridge followed lunch.

A Mississippi River Cruise on the Celebration Belle was Thursday. In addition to narrated sightseeing a buffet lunch was served.

The Business Meeting was held Friday followed by the  Memorial Service where 24 members, associate members, and spouses were honored as  a red carnation was place in a vase for each name.  Taps were played beautifully by Toni Hoffman.

Reunion activities closed with the annual banquet that evening.

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