All Aboard! Last Call! The Annual Christmas Luncheon get together will be on Monday Dec. 29th from Noon until 4 PM

To All ExCons and their Friends,

Last call to remind you of our Christmas luncheon get together. Fifty four of you have responded that you are attending. If you are sure you are coming, and have not confirmed with me, please answer this email to fswanson@rcn.com so we have a better count for Victory Brewing. However, if you decide at the last minute to come, that's OK, just come as you are.

Victory Brewing has remodeled their restaurant and we now have a private room. We will have a small silent auction of some Conrail gift items and other railroad memorabila thanks to Jon Broder. The proceeds will go to the Vic Giardini Scholarship Fund at the U. of Delaware. Our room has a big screen and we will be showing some of Larry DeYoung's Conrail photography. So don't miss this once a year reunion event. It gets bigger and better every year.

The Annual Christmas Luncheon get together will be on Monday Dec. 29th from Noon until 4 PM at:
Victory Brewing Company
420 Acorn Lane
Downingtown, PA 19335
610-873-0881

The setup will basically be the same as last year. Victory Brewing will serve a hot all you can eat buffet lunch and pitchers of ale and beer. Cost is anticipated to be $25.00 per person payable when you arrive. Please forward this email far and wide. Last year we had over 90 ExCons attend. I am sure we will have more this year as this has grown every year. Don't miss this once a year Conrail reunion with all your old Conrail friends. Mark your calendar and PLEASE SPREAD THE WORD. This event is not restricted to Marketing and Sales. All Excons and friends are welcome.

Your Hosts,

Fletcher Swanson, Mike Behe, Mike Kasper and Joe Bowers

PS: Last year some attendees made contributions to the U of Delaware's Victor Giardini Award Fund. In addition, a small surplus from the admission collection was added to the fund and sent to The U of D. See their letter attached. Let's plan to remember Vic again this year.

While there is no requirement to make advance reservations, if you are sure you are coming please email your intentions to: fswanson@rcn.com so he can give Victory Brewing an estimated count.

See you on Dec. 29th

Jerome Cossel

Passing along this information:

----- Original Message -----
From: PAC31536@aol.com
To: DATSMan@aol.com
Sent: Saturday, December 13, 2008 8:41 PM
Subject: Fwd: Jerome Cossel
Bob please pass this information on to anyone and everyone that you think might need it. Thank you again for your help in distributing this info.

From: PAC31536To: jcossel@visconsi.comSent: 12/13/2008 8:31:28 P.M. Eastern Standard TimeSubj: Jerome Cossel

We have tried to reach many of you, and we apologize to those we haven't contacted, but we're writing to inform all of you that Jerome has unexpectedly passed away. Thank you all for your thoughts and prayers. The funeral arrangements are as follows:

- Friends and family may pay their respects on Tuesday, December 16 from 6:00 to 9:00 at William A. Moore Funeral Home, 708 Fayette Street, Conshohocken, Pa. 19428. If you need to contact the funeral home, their website is at www.williamamoore.com. There you can find an copy of the actual obituary, as well as directions to the funeral home and other useful information.

- On Wednesday, December 17, there will be a second viewing from 9:00 to 10:20 AM at Mother of Divine Providence Church, 333 Allendale Road, King of Prussia, Pa. 19406. The viewing will be immediately followed by a funeral mass beginning at 10:30 AM. Interment will be at Calvary Cemetery in West Conshohocken, Pa.

For those of you traveling from out of town, we have booked a block of rooms at the Radisson/Scanticon Hotels at the Valley Forge Convention Center in King of Prussia. The hotels are connected within the Convention Center and rooms are available for the evenings of Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, December 15 thru 17. The rate will be $89.00 or less per night. The reservation will not be in the hotel's computer system until Monday, so please contact us to ensure that there are enough rooms reserved. Should you need directions or other information, the websites are www.RadissonValleyForge.com or www.ScanticonValleyForge.com.

Please pass this information on to anyone else that you think should know.

Should you need to contact us, try one of the following numbers:

- House in K of P (610) 265-7849
- Jeff C. cell (216) 538-7126
- Jerry C. cell (937) 206-3398

Again, thank you all for your kindness and consideration. We look forward to seeing you and thanking you in person.