(See e-mail below about the change of dates of The Greatest Camp On Earth, that
a lot of Florida Judoka have asked me questions about this event)


--- Carl Hayes" <nn5i@...> wrote:

Date: Sat, 31 Jan 2009 22:27:41 -0500
From: "Carl Hayes" <nn5i@...>
Subject: Changed date for Greatest Camp On Earth


To all who have inquired about dates for the 2009 edition of The Greatest Camp
On Earth.

I've sent this letter to all who have inquired about this year's Camp dates.

National Judo events in the United States are carefully scheduled in order to
avoid date conflicts. Event sponsors, in cooperation with organizations such as
USJA, USJF, and USJI, along with state and local organizations, are vary careful
to avoid conflicts that might force participants to choose among events in which
they wish to participate.

Many months ago we selected June 18-21, 2009, as the dates for The Greatest Camp
On Earth. This is consistent with the dates we have used in earlier years, and
was coordinated among all sanctioning bodies and major Judo organizations. We
have published this date for many months and in many places.

Another event, the USJA Junior Natiionals, also a major event (though smaller
than The Greatest Camp), had -- almost equally early -- reserved and published
its dates for the July 4 weekend. A great many participants had made plans, and
travel arrangements, in order to attend both.

Within the last month, however, USJA management, including the management of the
USJA Junior Nationals, suddenly changed the date for the USJA Junior Nationals.
Without consultation or coordination, they changed it to the date already
reserved for The Greatest Camp On Earth.

This caused a great disturbance in our planning for The Greatest Camp. Many of
our instructors and participants, being national-level Judo people, had
committed for both events. Our management was in final stages of contracting
and committing funds for physical space and for services such as hotel
accommodations, meals, transportation, and so forth; and individuals had made
nonrefundable travel commitments.

There has been a great amount of telephoning and discussion during the past week
or so. USJA management refuses to reconsider and undo the sudden and
uncoordinated change. Therefore it is The Greatest Camp that must change,
however difficult this is for us.

Because of this, we have coordinated and reserved a new date for The Greatest
Camp in 2009. The new schedule is one week later than originally planned.

The Greatest Camp On Earth will take place in North Carolina from June 25
through June 28, 2009.

We know that this change will be an inconvenience for many of our loyal Campers
who come to Camp year after year. We are deeply regretful of the necessity, and
we apologize most sincerely. We hope to make it up by making this year's
Greatest Camp, as it has always been, bigger and better than the previous year's
Camp, and the best Judo experience of the year.

Carl Hayes
Director, Public Relations
The Greatest Camp On Earth