After qualifying, you may apply for membership by writing the dates of the 4 check-ins on a QSL card (preferred), or piece of paper. Include the callsign of the net control station for each check-in. Also, include your birth date , and if you are married, your spouse's name, and your anniversary date.

If you have a photo of yourself, send it along. Our secretary maintains a photo album/scrapbook of our members. Include a $5.00 donation to cover the cost of printing rosters, postage, certificates, birthday cards, sympathy cards to families of silent keys, and cost of mailers.

If you send a check, make it payable to Midwest Country Cousins. Send these items to our secretary/treasurer K9UZI.

The rooms are $79.00 plus tax per night with up to five people in a room. You have a choice of a room with one king size bed or a room with two double beds. The cut off date for this special price is August 20th. To get the special rate be sure to mention Midwest Country Cousins when you make reservations. After the cut off date, if rooms are available they will be at a much higher rate.

We will have a hospitality room friday and saturday. It will be available Around noon on friday. The banquet will be on Saturday night, with a buffet meal with food ready at 6:30pm. Entrees will be chicken picatta, honey cured ham, and sliced roast beef au jus. The price of the meal is $30.00 which includes service charge and taxes. The cut off date for the meal is two weeks prior to the banquet. Checks for the meal can be sent to WD9BDO. We can use the banquet room for our meeting on saturday. The hotel has a restaurant, bar, and an indoor/outdoor swimming pool. It's a nice place. I'm sure everyone will have a good time.

For those using interstate 94, use Michigan City exit 40A (Highway 20 and 35 east and south) as soon as you exit the interstate there is a traffic light. Turn right at that traffic light on to highway 35. You will be heading south and that will take you to La Porte. This will take you right to the holel. Pinelake Ave is highway 35 and 39. Those using the Indana tollroad use the La Porte exit. This exits to highway 39. Turn left onto highway 39, you will be heading south , This will also take you to the hotel. You will see Pinelake (the actual lake) where highways 35 and 39 meet and the hotel is probably less than a mile from there on the right hand side of the road right next door to the Super 8 motel. See maps below.

Ken-WB7FBL #772 writes: Just a note to thank you for the birthday card every year and a token of my appreciation. Maybe it will buy a roll of stamps. It's my fondest wish to get back on the air and talk to you guys again.

From Shirley XYL of Woody-WA4IYF #451: Thanks for the birthday card. Woody passed away a number of years ago. I saw the email address on the card and wanted to let you all know. He loved being a ham. Thank you for thinking of him after all these years.

Don-WAØJDG #926 writes: Just a note to let you know that I am no longer an active ham radio operator. Contact with members of the Country Cousins has been a pleasure over the years and I'm going to miss being on the air. Thanks for the many years of pleasant contacts.

From Gene-WB3AWH #560: If there is one thing I can count on, it's receiving the MWCC birthday card each year. Thank you very much for taking the time to put it in the mail, just to make me smile.

Archie-WA6IGX #998 writes: You guys are always so thoughtful to send out Birthday Cards. Thank you very much. We have been active in our volunteer work until this year. I have been crippling along with bad knees. Had my left knee total replaced July 31. Been in physical therapy. My right knee is probably due for the same next year. It has grounded us for awhile. To top it off, they discovered I had a heart problem. Had 2 stents put in. I start cardiac rehab next week. This was the first winter we stayed home for a number of years.

From Sal-WB2TZE #468: A fire caused me to lose my house, and of course all of my radio equipment and I no longer can get on the air. Since the fire I have had three strokes, and had to go through months of physical training. I want to thank you for the birthday card as it boosted my spirit and got me going again.

Dick-WD9HYY #1241 writes: Thanks for the birthday card, Mike. I can't get 3972.5 down here in South Texas because of the noise in the evening. I have a +10 or better noise level. I do manage to get through on the Breakfast club in the mornings. They don't have trouble hearing me, but I have a lot of trouble hearing them. The Post Office is really outdoing themselves this year on forwarding mail. I received your card March 17th. This is our 8th winter down here and it generally took about a week for our forwarded mail to get down here until this winter. And the Post Office is getting a raise for the "good" service" 73.

From Bill-KC4GW #608: When I receive a birthday card from the Cousins, it brings back memories of happy times and wonderful people. I have not been on the air much (since cell phones were invented) but cherish the memories of cranking up my TS520 into a wire randomly slung across the trees in my backyard and listening for the friendly cousins. Thank you for remembering us.

Bob-KW4RL #927 writes: Thank you for the birthday greetings from the MWCC. I have now reached the age of "best regards", that is 73. I listen in quite often after the Southern Cousins Net but don't check in because it would be too late and I don't want to cut in ahead of those who have been waiting their turn. Thanks again for the card.

From Velva XYL of Bob-K7NVC #1082: Just a note to thank you for remembering Robert on his birthdays. Robert passed away on Jan 29, 2007. The net was a great thing for him for many years. He enjoyed receiving your cards and thank you for remembering him.

Bud-WD9DMO #527 writes: Thanks for the birthday card. Still working as a janitor at nearby Northern Illinois U. Could retire now, but want to hang on a little while longer. I work 4-midnight M-F, but am dusting off the rig, which is a TS-130S, with hopes of getting back on the air soon. Thanks again.