Hello friends. Well, here we are one year away from the 300th Anniversary of the loss of the 1715 Fleet. It is hard to believe that this event is a mere twelve months away. When the Fleet Society was started in 2008, this anniversary seemed far in the future. Where has the time gone?
Work continues on the 1715 Fleet Exhibit, which will be on display at the FUN Show in Orlando, Florida in January of 2015 (January 8 – 11, 2015). The Committee working on this project consists of Bob Hurst (FUN Board Member and Chairman of the Events Committee), Ernie Richards (Director, 1715 Fleet Society and Editor of the Plus Ultra Newsletter), and yours truly. From the Florida Department of State, David Dickel, Ph.D. (State Archaeological Collections) and Marie Prentice, Senior Archaeologist (State Archaeological Collection) have graciously provided their time and energy to help assemble Fleet related items for this display.
Our agenda for the 1715 Fleet Symposium to be held on July 28 – 29, 2015 at the Vero Beach Museum of Art, is in the capable hands of our Academic Coordinator, Phil Flemming of Scottsdale, Arizona. Phil, who is also a Director of the 1715 Fleet Society, is contacting speakers and developing a very interesting program.
The official 1715 Fleet Commemorative Banquet will be held on July 30, 2015, beginning at 6:00 pm at the Tiffany Room located at Captain Hiram’s Inn and Resort in Sebastian, Florida. We have room for 150 attendees and it is hoped that we will be able to accommodate all that wish to attend. Also, the Fleet Society has decided to publish a Commemorative Program that will be available to all those who join us at the banquet. This Commemorative Program will be a limited edition publication. More information regarding this will be forthcoming.
For those who cannot attend our banquet, we are arranging informal “Meet and Greet” receptions at various locations along the Treasure Coast. It is our intention to invite various 1715 Fleet luminaries and personalities in the hope that they will attend these receptions and be available to share their stories and maybe sign an autograph or two.
Small workshops and lectures will also be available at other locations to be announced in the future.
I certainly hope that all of you will have the opportunity to be a part of this once in a lifetime event. As for me, I will be signing off now because I have a lot of work to do.
Ben Costello, Director, 1715 Fleet Society
