Make your reservations soon for hotel lodging at the Rendezvous. The five-day gathering, set for Sunday, Dec. 6, through Thursday, Dec. 10, will converge on the Wyndham Hotel in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania.

The hotel, at 95 Presidential Circle in Gettysburg, has guaranteed a room rate of $85 per night, single or double occupancy, plus tax (current rate is 9 percent). If requested, we also are trying to find roommates to lower your expenses further.

Our room block is being held only until Nov. 5. After that date rooms will be on a space-available basis at the conference rate. Make reservations by calling this number toll-free: 1-866-845-8885. Give the reservation desk the conference group name: ANPR Ranger Rendezvous.

The hotel is conveniently located at the intersection of U.S. 15 and U.S. 30 in the Gateway Gettysburg campus, and it provides easy access from major metropolitan areas such as Washington, D.C., Baltimore, Harrisburg, Philadelphia and Pittsburgh.

SPECIAL FREE BEDS NOW AVAILABLE: For late planners or those on a tight budget, Catoctin Mountain Park (in Maryland about 30 minutes from Gettysburg) has graciously set aside the Round Meadow Dormitory for Rendezvous participants. You will need to bring your own bedding (linens or sleeping bag), towels, soap, etc. The heated dorm sleeps 30 (15 beds per side, no individual rooms or cabins) and has two bathrooms with toilets and showers. Sign up is required through ANPR. Read more details here:

“America’s History: Protecting the Past, Informing the Future” is the theme of this 32nd Rendezvous. Sessions will largely explore issues pertaining to the Service’s management, protection and interpretation of historic sites.

ANPR plans to sponsor a training workshop, Operational Leadership, on Sunday and Monday at the beginning of the conference. Contact Rebecca Harriett, 304-535-6224, by Nov. 20 to sign up.

A NEW feature this year will kick off at the Monday evening reception. An Employment Networking and Coaching Team will staff a table in the exhibitors area, with experienced employees and hiring managers talking with people individually. Nat Deutsch, the NPS chief of human resources, and staff from the Seasonal Recruitment Operations Center will be present. This is a unique opportunity to talk with five or six experienced employees and hiring managers about how to position yourself for a new job, seasonal or permanent. Bring a copy of your resume and KSAs if you want to have a representative review them.

Other highlights:

• A Sunday evening reception at the new visitor center, followed by special viewings of the park movie, “A New Birth of Freedom,” and the restored 1884 cyclorama painting of Pickett’s Charge.

• A ranger-guided bus tour of the battlefield and the national cemetery (where the Gettysburg Address was delivered).

• A return of the popular NPS film night with showings of new films, presented by Harpers Ferry Center.

• Sessions on Civil War and other historical genealogy led by professional genealogists; challenges of managing historic sites and cultural landscapes; how to move forward in your career (for younger members); an ANPR-sponsored oral history project collecting employee stories for the NPS centennial in 2016; creating effective partnerships; interpreting controversial historical sites; and an overview of NPS plans for the upcoming Civil War sesquicentennial.

• Deny Galvin, past NPS deputy director and current member of the Second Century Commission, will speak on the commission’s recommendations and the challenges facing the National Park Service.

• The Rendezvous will be dedicated to the late Rick Gale, an ANPR founder, past president, fundraiser and loyal Rendezvous attendee. His daughters hope to attend to help us remember Rick’s impressive contributions to ANPR.

Below are additional details about the Rendezvous.

Location and Hotel: The Wyndham Hotel is a well-appointed facility that opened in September 2006 and is located just three miles from Gettysburg National Military Park. Visit the hotel website at www.wyndhamgettysburg.com.

Public transportation is now available from the hotel complex to the greater Gettysburg area attractions and battlefield. The Freedom Transit, provided by Adams County Transit Authority, picks up at the Marriott Courtyard next door to the Wyndham Hotel, and is part of the Gray Line loop. You can take it into town (about three miles), then switch to the Red Line to visit the newly reopened Wills House. Take the reverse trip back to the Gray Line and the hotel. The fare is $3 for a day pass to use all three lines. Visit www.ridethetrolley.com for full details.

Newcomers Welcome: As is the tradition, a special continental breakfast with the ANPR Board of Directors will be held for "newcomers," those attending their first Rendezvous. It is planned for Tuesday morning, Dec. 8.

Raffle Prizes and Auction Items: Daily raffles and silent auctions are planned so be sure to bring items to donate. If you can't attend you may mail raffle items to Dan Moses, Rendezvous coordinator. Contact him at mosesdd@aol.com for a shipping address.

Tradeshow and Receptions: Exhibitors will display products, equipment and services of interest to NPS employees during a two-day trade show. Prospective exhibitors may download the information and application here in PDF format. The exhibit hall will open on Tuesday morning, Dec. 7, and close after the morning break on Wednesday, Dec. 8. A reception hosted by VF Imagewear is planned on Tuesday evening. If you know of a potential exhibitor or donor, contact Warren Bielenberg at web9272@msn.com

Annual Photography Contest: It's not too early to start thinking about the annual photography contest. Keep the contest in mind as you visit national park areas throughout the year.

The contest last year attracted 36 entries. With the increasing popularity of this contest, we have established several new rules to encourage your creativity with the unlimited photographic opportunities in our national park units, allow for easier display of entries and level the playing field for related contests. Here are the criteria for the Gettysburg Rendezvous photo contest:

• Photos should be of a national or international park unit
• Submit photos without matting or frames
• Provide photos in 8-inch by 10-inch size or less
• No more than two photo entries per person
• Participants must be members of ANPR

Winners will be asked to provide a digital copy of their photo for publication in Ranger magazine.

So far we have received two prize donations from Eastman Kodak, both classic photography books: Alfred Stieglitz: Photographs and Writings (valued at $75) and Douglas Kirkland’s Light Years: Three Decades of Photographing among the Stars (valued at $45).

We look forward to seeing the results of all your great photographic talent come December, and we hope to have other great prizes for this year’s contest. Contact Liz at anpr_photos@att.net with questions. Keep those shutters clicking.

Hospitality: The hotel will provide a suite (open each evening of the Rendezvous) to serve as our hospitality room. Various refreshments and munchies will be provided by ANPR for attendees.

Additional Activities Scheduled:

• Sunday evening, Dec. 6 - Reception at Gettysburg National Military Park Visitor Center with film viewing and museum access. Sponsored in part by Western National Parks. Picnic reception with hamburgers, chicken and side dishes. Veggie burgers will be available. Included in reception cost will be ticket for museum, NPS film and cyclorama. Cash bar available. Cost, $20 per person.

• Monday afternoon, Dec. 7 - Guided bus tour of Gettysburg Battlefield and National Cemetery. Pickup and drop off at hotel. Bus seats are limited to 90 (two buses have been reserved) on first-come, first-serve basis paid through preregistration. Cost, $10 per person.

• Monday evening, Dec. 7 - Meet and greet reception at hotel sponsored by Wyndham Hotel and ANPR.

• Tuesday evening, Dec. 8 - Exhibitor reception sponsored by VF Imagewear with Exhibitor raffle.

• Wednesday evening, Dec. 9 - Harpers Ferry film show, a collection of some of the best national parks films. This popular event is back after an absence of several years.

Miscellaneous: Rendezvous T-shirts with the official Rendezvous logo will be available. Please assist ANPR program planners by preordering your shirts on the preregistration form. Only preordered shirts will be available at the Rendezvous. Any additional shirts requested after the preorder cutoff date (Nov. 20) will incur handling and shipping charges. Other ANPR promotional and sales items will be available at the Rendezvous.

Scholarships have been announced: Prospective first-time Rendezvous attendees were encouraged to apply for financial help to attend this Rendezvous. Three winners were announced recently.