Institute Programs
Full Institute Program
General Schedule
Governors-Elect and Governors-Nominee arrive no later than Tuesday, Dec. 1, for training, that begins at 3:30 p.m. You will attend a reception and banquet on Tuesday night. You will be in training sessions all day Wednesday and Thursday. Governors-Nominee will begin a day earlier than in the past.
Sitting governors arrive no later than Wednesday. Governors, Governors-Elect and Governors-Nomineee have a joint banquet on Wednesday night. Seminars for sitting governors will be held on Thursday.
Thursday, Dec. 3 through Sunday, Dec. 6. The Institute will begin at 3:45 p.m. This is a change from past years. A reception will begin at 5:30 p.m. We will have dinner in the elegant Homestead dining room or elsewhere on the Homestead property.
The Institute continues all day on Friday and Saturday and concludes around noon on Sunday.
Saturday afternoon is free and we encourage you to explore The Homestead web site to see all that is available to you.
General Information about the Institute
When to arrive:
DGEs and DGNs should be ready to begin their first plenary training session at 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 1. Homestead Tea will be served in the Great Hall beginning at 3 p.m.
District Governors should be present by 5:45 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 2, for a cocktail hour followed by the Leadership Dinner.
Thursday, Dec. 3 Schedule:
- Council on Legislation delegates and alternates meet from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. for training.
- PDG Roundtable 10:45 a.m. -11:45 a.m. hosted by current and past RI directors. Each table will have a topic to discuss and will decide on a question for the PDG Forum
- PDG Forum 2 p.m.-3 p.m.
- Homestead Tea is at 3 p.m. in the Great Hall
- First plenary session of the Institute begins at 3:45 p.m.
- Opening Reception at 5:30 p.m. followed by dinner at the venue of your choice (see below)
Registration will open Tuesday at 2 p.m for all registrants.
Flying and Driving information
Valet parking is included in our contract. You do NOT pay for this service.
If you are flying to Roanoke, spending a night there first and then taking the hotel shuttle to The Homestead, let the shuttle service know to pick you up at your hotel, not at the airport. If you encounter problems with the shuttle, contact The Homstead, 866-354-4653.
Dress Code---Homestead Institute
GETS and Leadership Seminars for DGNs, DGEs, and DGs
Men-business casual, dress pants, collared shirts, and jackets
Women-business casual, pants suits, dresses, dress slacks with sweaters, or jackets
Rotary Institute
Plenary Sessions- Men-same as above, jackets excepted. Women-same as above, jackets excepted
Rotary Institute receptions, dinners
Men-semi-formal, coat and tie
Women- semi-formal dress
Saturday evening, black tie optional, otherwise, men dark suits. Women, formal or semi-formal evening wear
Free time- see hotel requirements for dress.
Meals and Dining
The Homestead’s Modified American Plan under which we are operating includes breakfast and dinner in your room rate.
Thursday Evening Dining: On Thursday evening, you may choose to dine 1. In The Homestead’s main dining room with other guests where you will order from a menu; 2. In the Commonwealth Room with only our party where we will enjoy a gourmet buffet; 3. In Sam Snead’s, a more casual dining atmosphere where you will order from the menu. If you choose to dine in the dining room or Sam Sneads, you must make your own reservations with The Homestead by calling 800-838-1766. The cost of dinner, no matter which venue you choose, is built into your room rate.
Other meals: Please be aware that if there is a group meal scheduled, you MUST eat with the group, else you will be charged for an extra meal(s).
Dinner is scheduled for DGEs and DGNs on Tuesday night; for DGs, DGEs, and DGNs on Wednesday night; class dinners on Friday night; the Director’s Banquet on Saturday night; and breakfast on Sunday morning for all participants. Each of these is scheduled in a particular room and the cost is built into your room rate. If you choose to eat elsewhere on the property when you should have been with one of these groups, you will be charged. A group breakfast is scheduled at 8 a.m. on Sunday. If you eat in the dining room on Sunday morning, you will be charged. However, if your Sunday flight is such that you must leave The Homestead before the scheduled breakfast, notify local arrangements chair Dave Moreman in advance and you may be allowed to eat breakfast in the dining room at no additional charge.
Dinners on Tuesday (for DGEs and DGNs) and Saturday (the Director’s Banquet) offer two entrée choices. On Tuesday the choices are Roast Loin of Pork OR Seared Red Snapper with fennel and tomatoes, lemon. (default - pork). The Saturday choices are Braised Short Ribs OR Allegheny Mountain Rainbow Trout. (default - short ribs). Please notify Dave Moreman of your choice by Nov. 23. You will be served the default meal if you don’t notify Dave otherwise.
The Friday Foundation luncheon is included as part of your Institute registration fee.
The Modified American Plan does allow you to order breakfast or dinner through room service. While there is no additional cost for the meal, there will be a delivery service charge. If you order room service when you should have been at a group meal, you will be charged the full cost of the meal.
Other
Join us after the class reunion dinners on Friday night for holiday music and hot cider in the Crystal Room.
Institute Project: This year’s Institute project is the Virginia Boys Home, located in Covington, Virginia, near The Homestead. The director of the Boys Home is member of the Covington/Hot Springs Rotary Club. While we considered asking you to bring clothes or holiday gifts for the boys, we felt that would be difficult and we were advised by the Home that the special need at this time is for scholarships to assist with the costs to bring boys to the Home. Costs for each boy is around $500. Director Eric has set a goal of raising enough money at the Institute to provide scholarships for 10 underprivileged boys. We are asking each couple to contribute $25 to this project. There will be a display during the Institute with a video of the Virginia Boys Home. You can leave your check at the display or give it to project chair Abe Clymer. Some of the boys will be present on Saturday afternoon during the Homestead Tea. Eric will present the checks to the Boys Home director on Sunday morning. Make your check payable to Virginia Boys Home
What else?
Questions about the hotel or dining, contact Dave Moreman.
Questions about the pre-institute events, contact John Smarge.
Questions about the Institute program, contact Fran Milberg.
Any other questions, contact Sue Poss.
Sue’s cell is 864.934.6112 should you need to reach someone on the Executive Committee while in transit or while at The Homestead.
Explore The Homestead web site, and try to decide how you would like to pamper yourself during your free time.
If you have any questions, contact registration and marketing chair Sue Poss.
If you have any questions about making reservations at The Homestead or encounter any problems with your reservation, contact arrangements chair Dave Moreman.
Class reunion dinner locations
2011-12
Commonwealth
2010-11
Mountain Lodge
2009-10
Mountain Lodge
2008-09
Commonwealth
2007-08
Dominion
2006-07
Tower Suite
2005-06
Dining Room
2004-05
Dining Room
2003-04
Hunt
2002-03
Dining Room
2001-02
1766 Grille
2000-01
1766 Grille
1994-00
Commonwealth
Pre 1994
Commonwealth
Meals in the Commonwealth, 1766 Grille, Tower Suite and Mountain Lodge will be buffet. Meals in the Hunt Room and Dominion will be plated. Those guests going to the Dining Room will order from the Dining Room menu.
The Homestead will be decorated for the holiday season during the time we are there.
More details about the Institute, including information about the Silent Auction.
The Homestead is sold out for Saturday night.
The Executive Committee made its first visit to The Homestead the first weekend of December 2008 and enjoyed a little bit of snow. Photos.
See what the Homestead is like.
