Dates / Hotel / Meeting Location/ Hospitality/ Breakfast/ Transportation / Event Dress / Silent Auction / Business Office / Exhibitors / Contact
MEETING DATES
Sunday June 8 - Wednesday June 11, 2008
An early bird outdoor excursion is scheduled for Saturday afternoon from 3-5 pm. Plans are to kayak down the Saluda River benefiting the Canoeing for Kids Organization. Cost is $30 per person. Meet in the Hilton lobby at 2:30 pm.
Early Saturday Registration will open at noon in the Hilton lobby.
Registration will begin Sunday morning at 9am at the Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center.
Our host hotel is The Hilton in downtown Columbia. Exhibits and meeting rooms are on the first floor of the Convention Center across the street from the hotel. Additional lodging is available at The Hampton Inn that also is across from the Convention Center. All facilities are within easy walking distance of the Vista, Columbia’s premier entertainment district.
HOTEL INFORMATION 
924 Senate Street,
Columbia, SC 29201
Tel: 1-803-744-7800 Fax: 1-803-744-7777
State Foresters must call 803-744-7800 and reference the conference and request a VIP room.
Please make your reservations at the Hilton in downtown Columbia as soon as possible. The meeting rate is $129/night. You may make the reservation online or by phone.
Check-in/Check-out
Check-in: 4:00 PM
Check-out: 12:00 PM
Directions to Hotel
From Interstate 26 West: Take Interstate 126 into Downtown Columbia, merge onto Huger Street, approximately 4 blocks turn left onto Gervais Street, approximately 6 blocks, turn right onto Park Street, one block, hotel is located on the corner of Park and Senate Streets.
MEETING LOCATION 
Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center
1101 Lincoln Street
Columbia, SC 29201
803-545-0001 or 800-264-4884
From Greenville, take I-26 East to Columbia I-126 to Huger Street go .08 miles and turn left at the 4th traffic light onto Gervais Street. Go .03 miles to the second traffic light. Turn right onto Lincoln Street and the Convention Center is 1 block down on the right.
From Florence, take I-20 West to Exit 76A onto I-77 toward Charlotte/Charleston. Merge left onto I-77 toward Charleston. Get off at the Shop Rd Exit 6-B. Drive to the end of Shop Rd, 3.4 miles and turn right onto George Rogers Blvd. At the first stop light George Rogers turns into Assembly Street. Drive .08 miles to the 2nd light and turn left on Blossom. Drive two blocks, turn right onto Lincoln Street and the Convention Center is four blocks on the left.
From Charleston, take I-26 West to Columbia, Exit I-77 North get off at the Shop Rd Exit 6-B. Drive to the end of Shop Rd, 3.4 miles and turn right onto George Rogers Blvd. At the first stop light George Rogers turns into Assembly Street. Drive .08 miles to the 2nd light and turn left on Blossom. Drive two blocks, turn right onto Lincoln Street and the Convention Center is four blocks on the left.
From Charlotte, take I-77 to Columbia, get off at the Shop Rd Exit 6-B. Drive to the end of Shop Rd, 3.4 miles and turn right onto George Rogers Blvd. At the first stop light George Rogers turns into Assembly Street. Drive .08 miles to the 2nd light and turn left on Blossom. Drive two blocks, turn right onto Lincoln Street and the Convention Center is four blocks on the left.
From Atlanta, take I-20 to Columbia. Get off on Exit 58, right on US Hwy #1. Go 5.8 miles slight left onto US-1, Jarvis Klapman. Turn right onto Huger Street. Go to the 2nd traffic light and turn left onto Gervais Street. Go .03 miles to the second traffic light. Turn right onto Lincoln Street and the Convention Center is 1 block down on the right.
BREAKFAST
Free Continental Breakfast will be served to all registrants in Ruth's Chris Steak House, located on the bottom floor of the Hilton from 6:30-8:00am Sunday through Wednesday. If you would like a hot breakfast, a buffet is available for an additional $4.
HOSPITALITY SUITE
The Hospitality Suite is sponsored by the National Wild Turkey Federation, Motorola, American Tree Farm, and International Truck Company, The suite is open until 11:30 p.m. Saturday through Tuesday. It is located in Room 808 on the 8th Floor of The Hilton Hotel.
TRANSPORTATION
The Forestry Commission will provide local transportation to satisfy most of your needs. We will provide van transportation between the airport (Columbia Metropolitan Airport)and hotel for those who are flying in. Look for us in the baggage claim area, which is down one level from the gates and airline check-in counters, via escalator, stairs or elevator. Our drivers will be carrying signs easily associated with the Southern Group. Our vans will also have signs posted in case you miss the signs inside the airport. Van runs will be made to generally coincide with the flight schedule indicated on your registration form. If you miss connections, call David Owen, our transportation coordinator, on his cell at 864-637-8519.
Driving from the airport, turn left on SC 302, cross I-26, follow US 176 (becomes Blossom Street). Turn left onto Lincoln Street; go 0.4 mile. Hotel is on corner of Lincoln and Senate Streets.
Arriving by car from the west via I-20, from the northwest via I-26, or from the northeast via I-20 – from the intersection of I-20 & I-26, take I-26 east to I-126 toward downtown Columbia. Bear right onto Huger Street after 3 miles, then left on Gervais after 1 mile. Turn right on Lincoln Street. Hotel is on corner of Lincoln and Senate Streets.
Arriving by car from the southeast via I-26, take the SC 302 exit, turn right at the end of the ramp, and merge onto US 176 (becomes Blossom Street). Turn left onto Lincoln Street; go 0.4 mile. Hotel is on corner of Lincoln and Senate Streets.If you have other transportation needs or requests, please call David Owen at 803-896-8829.
Parking
Parking will be provided at the hotel at a cost of $10 per day per vehicle. (Room rates have been reduced to offset this cost.) The Convention Center is within easy walking distance of The Hilton.EVENT DRESS
General Meeting Attire: casual business
Spouse Excursions: casual and comfortable
Sunday Social: very casual and bring your shagging shoes
Tuesday Banquet: business attire
June in South Carolina will likely be hot and humid. Appropriate dress for the meeting is generally business casual, although plan to dress up some for Tuesday evening’s banquet. Shorts, slacks or jeans with short-sleeve shirts will be the threads of choice for your leisure time, and don’t forget your swimsuit for the outdoor hotel pool. For the spouses, remember the three C’s - cool, casual and comfortable clothing will be your best bet for the planned activities during the day. But bring some nice clothes for the evening events on Tuesday.
SILENT AUCTION
The 2008 Silent Auction will benefit the Canoeing For Kids organization which is a volunteer, non-profit organization serving as both a fund raiser and free recreational outlet for disadvantaged children.
Canoeing for Kids' primary function is to provide free canoeing, kayaking, rafting, camping and fishing trips for underprivileged children. More than 12,000 kids have benefited from the experience of being "on the water" and "in the woods" over the past eleven years. Teamwork, self-reliance, sense of accomplishment, as well as awareness and conservation of nature is achieved while the kids simply have fun .
Bids will be accepted until 7pm Tuesday night.
BUSINESS OFFICE
The SGSF Business Office will be located on the second floor of the Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center in the Boardroom. The Business Office will be open from 7am - 6pm Sunday through Wednesday to meet the meetings' office needs.
EXHIBITORS INFORMATION
You may begin set up at 7am on Sunday, June 8. Exhibits must be removed by 5pm on Tuesday. Please indicate on your Exhibitor Registration Form if you will need electricity for your exhibit.
CONTACT
Meeting Director - Mike Bozzo 803-667-1061
Assistant Meeting Director - Ron Holt 843-992-6417
Finance - Larry Moody 803-667-1056
Business Office - Cathy Nordeen 803-360-2644
Registration - Lisa Mowbray - 803-530-1631
Transportation - David Owen 864-637-8519
Exhibits and Sponsors - Doug Mills 803-530-0063
Spouses Program - Michelle Johnson 803-360-3135
Silent Auction - Lois Edwards 843-907-2323
If you need to contact an attendee during the conference in June, please call 803-530-1631.
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