The week-long festivities have become the second biggest veterans’ event in the country after Washington, D.C. The Vietnam Memorial Wall replica has been a serious commitment for the resort for the last sixteen years. Throughout the week, visitors from schools, ROTC programs, and other organizations as well as the veterans and general public come to look at the wall, dropping off flowers and memorabilia and looking for loved ones’ names. Some veterans have come to visit the wall replica simply because it is much closer to them than traveling all the way to D.C. Throughout the day, volunteers read aloud the names of the Vietnam veterans whose names are listed on the wall.

The Welk Resort also holds two significant ceremonies by the wall: the Opening Ceremony for the Wall and the POW/MIA Service of Tribute and Remembrance. The 2012 keynote speaker for the Memorial Wall opening ceremony was Corporal Eddie Beasley who had lost his legs in the Vietnam War and in 2010 was presented with in iBbot chair from performer Tony Orlando, who had raised $50,000 for the chair.

“We are proud of Dathan Atchison, Tony Orlando and our Branson team for creating a memorable and moving Veteran’s Day celebration,” said Jon Fredricks, president of Welk Resort Group. “We are honored to be able pay tribute and give thanks to the many men and women of the Armed Services who have admirably served our country by hosting the Tony Orlando Veteran’s Show and the Traveling Vietnam Memorial Wall.”

The Welk Hospitality Group has a long history of showing their commitment to their surrounding communities by not only providing financially, but also by giving their time to volunteer organizations that reflect the Lawrence Welk Family legacy. They recognize that charitable engagement is a fundamental component of personal well-being and associate satisfaction. They also believe that when corporations like Welk include good citizenship as a benchmark of success, they demonstrate that they are ethical, responsible, proactive, and caring members of those communities. To that end, they have instituted a formal Welk Heart Program as a giving strategy to help instill a culture of corporate philanthropy. As part of this program, a Welk Heart Committee was created at each property to encourage and reward associates who participate in community service.

About Welk Resorts
Founded in 1955 by the late entertainment icon Lawrence Welk, Welk Resorts is one of the most respected independent brands in the vacation ownership industry today. Welk remains a privately held, family-owned company led by President Jon Fredricks, who is the grandson of the late Lawrence Welk.

Fredricks has established the Welk Resort group of properties as top vacation destinations. With more than 20 years of experience in hospitality, real estate and finance, he has helped the company realize unprecedented growth by fostering profitable expansion projects and internal corporate growth. The company has developed and/or operated more than 1,100 luxury vacation units, villas and hotel rooms in San Diego; Maui, Hawaii; the Palm Desert area; Branson, Missouri; and Cabo San Lucas. The corporate offices are located in San Marcos, California.

The mission of the company “Our family creates vacation memories to cherish for a lifetime” is reflective of the strong company values, which promote both tradition and family. This mission and commitment to guest and owner service and resort quality has led Welk Resorts to be among the highest rated resorts internationally by owners and guests. Trip Advisor ranked Welk Resorts Sirena Del Mar a Top 25 Resort in Mexico in 2012.

Web: www.welkresort.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/WelkResorts

Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/welkresorts

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Welk Resorts

8860 Lawrence Welk Drive, Escondido, CA 92026

Welk Resorts - See the Welk Resorts Vacation Ownership Presentation to learn how to get a free gift while you learn about vacation ownership.

HFF marketed the asset on behalf of the seller, LTMR Properties, LLC.  Welk Resort Group purchased the offering for an undisclosed amount free and clear of existing debt and was represented by Ragatz Resort Realty.

The Northstar Lodge, A Hyatt Residence Club, is a ski-in/ski-out private club with its own unique, pulse-driven gondola situated at the base of the project on Northstar Mountain in Truckee, California.  Completed in 2008, the first phase of this LEED Silver Certified luxury property features a total of 34 two- and three-bedroom residences totaling 51,602 square feet.  Northstar Lodge features exclusive exteriors with native materials for a naturally weathered appearance, while luxuriously warm appointments set the mood within creating a high-alpine sensibility.  All residences feature a private deck with outdoor fireplaces, and warm colors within; featuring hickory floors, alder cabinets, wolf-ranges, sub-zero refrigerators and ranch house design interiors. Other amenities include a private owners lounge, media theater, ski and boot valet (winter) and bike valet (summer).  The project boasts one of the best locations within the Village, just steps away from the Highlands Gondola and Village Swim and Fitness Center.  The adjacent development parcels are entitled for an additional 67 units totaling 102,619 square feet.  

In an operating partnership with Resort Equities, a luxury resort real estate company with a specialization in shared ownership, Resort Equities Realty will oversee sales of some residences within the existing phase of the project.  Resort Equities Realty is especially well-suited to oversee the re-launch of the remaining sales offerings within the existing phase due to their extensive experience and presence within Northstar Village.

Northstar California is one of the premiere ski resorts in North America, offering an unrivaled ski-in/ski-out experience, with 3,170 skiable acres, 97 trails, 7 terrain parks, 20 lifts and 2,280 feet of vertical drop and a newly constructed 22’ half pipe designed by Winter Olympics gold medalist, Shaun White.  During the summer, the mountain serves up over 100 miles of trails in what is the most extensive lift served mountain bike terrain in the Western U.S. 

With its charming cobblestone walkways and relaxed European vibe, this quaint mountain locale reveals an inviting mix of specialty boutiques, restaurants, cafés and craft shops all circling an open-air ice rink, complete with cabana’s, outdoor bars, cozy fire-pits and both winter and summer activities including a year-round ice/roller skating rink, live music, a bungee trampoline and family activities.

“We are excited to add this one-of-a-kind ski-in/ski-out resort property to our vacation club as we develop additional phases at the Northstar Lodge.  This will be our first Western U.S. alpine resort with strong year-round demand due to the quality of the Northstar mountain and the proximity of Lake Tahoe.  Our 44,000 vacation owners will be excited to know this will be part of our points-based club system once we receive the requisite approvals”, says Jon Fredricks, President of Welk Resorts.

“We are in the midst of an exciting time for our company, as Northstar represents another unique opportunity for our ever expanding family of premiere vacation resorts in one of the most desirable locations,” says Michael Gehrig, President of Sales and Marketing.  “Tahoe represents an amazing year-round playground facility for vacationers of all ages in pristine Alpine surroundings, untouched wilderness and all of the sporting amenities imaginable that create an exciting array of activity opportunities seldom found in one place, let alone such an immaculate setting.”

The Northstar Lodge will join the resort portfolio that includes Welk Resorts San Diego, Welk Resorts Branson, Welk Resorts Desert Oasis, Welk Resorts Sirena Del Mar, Cabo San Lucas, as well as land held for future resort development in Breckenridge, Colorado and the newly acquired Poipu, Kauai property.

ABOUT RAGATZ RESORT REALTY (www.ragatzresortrealty.com) 

Ragatz Resort Realty is a commercial brokerage firm that focuses exclusively on the resort, resort-hotel and shared ownership marketplace.  The latter component includes resort timeshare, fractional interests, private residence clubs, etc.

ABOUT RESORT EQUITIES  (www.resortequities.com)

Resort Equities has emerged as one of the leading resort real estate organizations in the country with its full service brokerage, Resort Equities Realty, the launch of an industry-wide Vacation Listing Service (VLS) and its partnership Ragatz Resort Realty.  With a specialty in shared ownership, Resort Equities’ team of experienced professionals is uniquely positioned to provide representation to buyers and sellers as well as project-level services at every phase of development; from project acquisition and development to feasibility, finance, marketing, sales and resort operations. The company is headquartered in San Francisco, with offices in Lake Tahoe, Newport Beach and Denver.

For information about Resort Equities, go to www.resortequities.com or call (866) 655-9060.

About Welk Resorts

Founded in 1955 by the late entertainment icon Lawrence Welk, Welk Resorts is one of the most respected independent brands in the vacation ownership industry today. Welk remains a privately held, family-owned company led by President Jon Fredricks, who is the grandson of the late Lawrence Welk.

Fredricks has established the Welk Resort group of properties as top vacation destinations. With more than 20 years of experience in hospitality, real estate and finance, he has helped the company realize unprecedented growth by fostering profitable expansion projects and internal corporate growth. The company has developed and/or operated more than 1,100 luxury vacation units, villas and hotel rooms in San Diego; Maui, Hawaii; the Palm Desert area; Branson, Missouri; and Cabo San Lucas. The corporate offices are located in San Marcos, California.

The mission of the company “Our family creates vacation memories to cherish for a lifetime” is reflective of the strong company values, which promote both tradition and family. This mission and commitment to guest and owner service and resort quality has led Welk Resorts to be among the highest rated resorts internationally by owners and guests.  Trip Advisor ranked Welk Resorts Sirena Del Mar a Top 25 Resort in Mexico in 2012.

Web:   www.welkresort.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/WelkResorts

Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/welkresorts

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Welk Resorts

8860 Lawrence Welk Drive, Escondido, CA 92026

Welk Resorts - See the Welk Resorts Vacation Ownership Presentation to learn how to get a free gift while you learn about vacation ownership.

“Hawaii is a perfect addition to the family of Welk Resorts.  The beauty, serenity and vast array of unique activities, in conjunction with its high demand, will provide an exceptional complement to our existing array of properties.  There’s no question that Welk’s commitment to providing memorable vacation experiences to cherish for a lifetime will continue with this desirable new destination,” said Michael Gehrig, President of Sales and Marketing.

Welk Resorts closed escrow in February of 2013 on 21.45 acres of land near Poipu Beach in Kauai.  The new resort will consist of six plantation-style buildings with 164 luxurious units, in a mix of one- bedroom, one-bathroom suites, large one-bedroom, one-bathroom villas, deluxe two-bedroom, two-bathroom villas, and deluxe three-bedroom, two-bathroom villas each with a kitchen, living room, dining area, and balcony or patio. It will also house a Preview Center, lobby with an Owners Lounge, Movie Theater, game room, and state-of-the-art fitness center.  Set in a tropical Hawaiian landscape, guest will enjoy unique features such as a white-sand beach pool entrance, waterslides, Jacuzzis, lava rock formations and water features throughout the resort. The property has an Archaeological Preserve that will serve as the anchor for the designs, celebrating Hawaiian culture, traditions and history.  The resort will incorporate both historic and contemporary Hawaiian art.

The property is located directly across the street from the Kiahuna Shopping Village with local stores and restaurants and sits adjacent to the Kiahuna Golf course. It is also walking distance from the beautiful Poipu Beach.

“Hawaii is a “dream vacation” for most of us, and Poipu is a unique location on Kauai; you have the benefit of being on the lush Garden Island, but in the South, which is usually dry and warm. Poipu beach consistently ranks as a top-10 beach in the world.  We look forward to creating a resort in this breathtaking location consistent with the high quality and luxury our owners have come to expect from Welk.  With a bright, “Aloha” spirit that communicates a warm welcome, and our great joy in serving our owners and guests combined with a culturally sensitive and historic resort, this will become one of our finest properties,” says Jon Fredricks, President of Welk Resorts.

The Poipu property will join the resort portfolio that includes Welk Resorts San Diego, Welk Resorts Branson, Welk Resorts Desert Oasis, Welk Resorts Sirena Del Mar, Cabo San Lucas and the newly acquired Breckenridge, Colorado property.

About Welk Resorts

Founded in 1955 by the late entertainment icon Lawrence Welk, Welk Resorts is one of the most respected independent brands in the vacation ownership industry today. Welk remains a privately held, family-owned company led by President Jon Fredricks, who is the grandson of the late Lawrence Welk.

Fredricks has established the Welk Resort group of properties as top vacation destinations. With more than 20 years of experience in hospitality, real estate and finance, he has helped the company realize unprecedented growth by fostering profitable expansion projects and internal corporate growth. The company has developed and/or operated more than 1,100 luxury vacation units, villas and hotel rooms in San Diego; Maui, Hawaii; the Palm Desert area; Branson, Missouri; and Cabo San Lucas. The corporate offices are located in San Marcos, California.

The mission of the company, “Our family creates vacation memories to cherish for a lifetime” is reflective of the strong company values, which promote both tradition and family. This mission and commitment to guest and owner service and resort quality has led Welk Resorts to be among the highest rated resorts internationally by owners and guests.  TripAdvisor ranked Welk Resorts Sirena Del Mar a Top 25 Resort in Mexico in 2012.

Web:   www.welkresort.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/WelkResort

Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/welkresorts

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Welk Resorts

Welk Resorts - See the Welk Resorts Vacation Ownership Presentation to learn how to get a free gift while you learn about vacation ownership.

  “The opportunity to open in the beautiful Alpine town of Breckenridge will not only provide additional value to our owners and guests who enjoy the Welk family of resorts, but also provide a unique experience for world-class skiing in the winter and unparalleled beauty and activity in the summer months for Welk’s new resort property” said Michael Gehrig, President of Sales and Marketing.

 “With most of our existing 44,000 owners residing in the Western U.S. and Missouri, Colorado is the ideal ski resort location to add to our Welk family of resorts.”

 This is an exciting time for our company, and even more so for our family of owners, as we begin the process of establishing our beautiful new property in Breckenridge.”

 Welk Resorts closed escrow in late January 2013 on 6.5 acres of land on the Blue River in Breckenridge.  The new resort will consist of 126 luxurious units, in a mix of one- bedroom, one-bathroom suites, large one-bedroom, one-bathroom villas and deluxe two-bedroom, two-bathroom villas, each with a kitchen, living room, dining area, balcony or patio and fireplace. It will also house a Preview and Meetings Center, lobby, housekeeping and maintenance facility as well as employee housing.  Plans are still being designed to include an owners lounge, state-of-the-art fitness center, game room, movie room, indoor/outdoor pool, Jacuzzi, fire-pits and BBQ areas. 

 The property is framed by mountains, including views of the Breckenridge ski area. Shuttle service provided by Welk Resorts will connect guests to the base of the mountain – a five minute drive away.  It is also on the bicycle path connecting Breckenridge with Vail, Colorado.  This location on the Blue River is a favorite fly-fishing spot.

 “To me the Rocky Mountain experience is breath-taking – the beauty and majesty of the mountains combined with the kindness, hospitality and warmth of the people of Breckenridge makes this a tremendous opportunity for Welk Resorts. Vail Resorts operates one of Colorado’s best ski areas at Breckenridge, and the expansion plans for the mountain are impressive” says Jon Fredricks, President of Welk Resorts.

 The Breckenridge property will join the the resort portfolio that includes Welk Resorts San Diego, Welk Resorts Branson, Welk Resorts Desert Oasis and Welk Resorts Sirena Del Mar, Cabo San Lucas.

 About Welk Resorts

Founded in 1955 by the late entertainment icon Lawrence Welk, Welk Resorts is one of the most respected independent brands in the vacation ownership industry today. Welk remains a privately held, family-owned company led by President Jon Fredricks, who is the grandson of the late Lawrence Welk.

 Fredricks has established the Welk Resort group of properties as top vacation destinations. With more than 20 years of experience in hospitality, real estate and finance, he has helped the company realize unprecedented growth by fostering profitable expansion projects and internal corporate growth. The company has developed and/or operated more than 1,100 luxury vacation units, villas and hotel rooms in San Diego; Maui, Hawaii; the Palm Desert area; Branson, Missouri; and Cabo San Lucas. The corporate offices are located in San Marcos, California.

The mission of the company “Our family creates vacation memories to cherish for a lifetime” is reflective of the strong company values, which promote both tradition and family. This mission and commitment to guest and owner service and resort quality has led Welk Resorts to be among the highest rated resorts internationally by owners and guests.  Trip Advisor ranked Welk Resorts Sirena Del Mar a Top 25 Resort in Mexico in 2012.

Contact:

Cathy Nerenberg

Director of Resort Marketing

760-751-3802

cnerenberg@welkgroup.com

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    Welk Resorts

8860 Lawrence Welk Drive, Escondido, CA 92026

Welk Resorts - See the Welk Resorts Vacation Ownership Presentation to learn how to get a free gift while you learn about vacation ownership.

Merlin has performed on television shows such as the “Mike Douglas Show” and “The Hollywood Palace”.  He also has performed at Caesar’s in Las Vegas Nevada alongside some of the biggest names in the business including Tony Curtis and Wayne Newton.

Merlin is a 33 year old cockatoo who belonged to the late Ralph Adams, one of the top magicians and illusionists of his time.  When Adams passed, his son Ralph Adams Junior, and Merlin, kept his magic going in Las Vegas and all over the world until Ralph Adams Junior recently retired.

With perfect timing, in steps one of Ralph Adams Senior’s most talented students, Anthony Hernandez.  Hernandez was only 12 years old when he was coached by the great magician in Santa Maria, California.  Merlin was only 9.

For 20 years these two have gone their separate ways and have each continued to entertain and amaze audiences.  Thanks to the social media and a known phenomenon called “Facebook”, Ralph Adams Junior and Hernandez had a chance to reconnect, and Merlin had a chance to continue his magic career.  So in December of 2011 Adams and Merlin made the long trek from Wendover, Nevada to Riverside, California so Merlin could join The 2012 Welk Illusions Show.

Merlin is enjoying all of the new excitement, and Hernandez made a special perch just for him to sit on bakcstage.  The show has run late a few times due to the large amounts of attention Merlin receives from the cast and crew pre-show.  After the show, Merlin enjoys meeting the audience and often tips his head so passers by can scratch it for him.

However, we dare not offend Merlin by dating him, or telling him all the kids are calling him “Rio”!!  It sure is tough to live through 3 generations of magic!!

Merlin will live another 40 – 60 years.  Welk Illusions can be seen at the Welk Resort Theatre in Escondido.  Show time is 7:00 p.m. and it is a family friendly show.

Anthony Hernandez has performed special showings and made donations of time and talent to such charities as the American Heart Association, Vince Ferragamo’s Special Olympics,  the Lace Cancer Foundation, the Grant Beckstrand Cancer Foundation, the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, but the one constant every year is the “Miracle on Sixth Street”.  Anthony is looking for a charity to contribute talent and time to in the North San Diego County area.

For questions or more info email jcarr@welkgroup.com

Welk Resorts - See the Welk Resorts Vacation Ownership Presentation to learn how to get a free gift while you learn about vacation ownership.

Welk Resorts - See the Welk Resorts Vacation Ownership Presentation to learn how to get a free gift while you learn about vacation ownership.

Welk’s Keys

** Created the longest-running musical variety show on TV, “The Lawrence Welk Show.”

** “All my life I have believed in the power of work. Now, at the age of 78, I believe in it more strongly than ever.”

Lawrence Welk was no one-note wonder.

He made his most memorable mark in entertainment with “The Lawrence Welk Show,” one of the most watched programs on TV.

But his business didn’t stop there.

After his advisers suggested he find investments to shelter some of his income from the tax collector, he figured out a lucrative way.

Welk lived near Los Angeles, and they took him on a tour of avocado groves and orange orchards.

Welk wasn’t having any of it. He had his heart set on buying a tiny mobile home park halfway between L.A. and San Diego.

“He certainly wasn’t a trained businessman. But he had wonderful gut feelings for certain things,” his son Larry Welk told IBD.

Land And Band

Lawrence Welk was an avid golfer and had seen an ad about the mobile home park and nine-hole golf course next to it, in Escondido. “He ended up buying that and building there, and that was the beginning of one of the most successful businesses we still run — the Lawrence Welk resorts,” his son said.

Lawrence Welk was only starting. He built a restaurant, theater and timeshare condos there, and expanded the golf course — all part of the anchor for the Welk Resorts chain. It winds all the way to Mexico, with Welk Resorts Sirena Del Mar in Cabo San Lucas landing the No. 11 spot on TripAdvisor.com’s 2011 list of the world’s top hotels.

That business harmony came from a man who excelled as a band leader and TV star because he loved music and people.

It was a long journey for Welk (1903-92) from his humble beginnings on a small farm in the upper Midwest to the top in television.

Welk’s parents were German immigrants who settled in Strasburg, N.D. His father built their house out of sod, and the family of 10 worked the land as farmers.

In his memoirs, “Wunnerful, Wunnerful,” Welk wrote: “My earliest clear memory is of crawling toward my father who was holding his accordion. I can still recall the wonder and delight I felt when he let me press my fingers on the keys and squeeze out a few wavering notes.”

When Welk was 13 he started earning money for the family playing that instrument. Four years later he asked for his own accordion. His father said OK, but made him promise to stay on the farm until he was 21 and give the money he made playing gigs to his dad to help the family. He agreed.

Music To His Ears

“On March 11, 1924, I woke up early in the morning,” Welk wrote. “I was 21 years old. . . . My father and I had a bargain, and we had each kept to the letter of the spirit of agreement. He had kept his word and I was free to go. Now it was up to me to prove that my dreams were more than dreams.”

Welk didn’t have any money and didn’t speak English very well. His family had mainly spoken German at home. Now language was just another challenge to whip.

“He was always a persevering kind of guy. I remember him saying, “From every adversity comes an achievement,’ ” said Adrian Edwards, director of guest services and special events at the Lawrence Welk Resort in Escondido.

Welk liked people and they liked him. Edwards says she started working for Welk as a waitress in 1965 and rose to her current spot.

On The Road

Welk put a band together for parties, playing jazz at first and later focusing on the music he knew best, German polkas and popular music standards. Sensing that people longed for wholesome entertainment, he tried to make the music and the show family-friendly.

By 1938, Welk’s band had grown to 10 pieces, playing in Pittsburgh at the William Penn Hotel and using the tag line “The Champagne Music of Lawrence Welk.”

Two years later the band landed at the Trianon Ballroom in Chicago and turned it into a 10-year stay.

But by then, post-World War II, the popularity of big bands, including Welk’s, was fading. He agonized over his musicians’ future, says Edwards.

“I used to just have to worry about my family,” he told her. “Now I have all these people working for me with families and they have to make a living.”

Welk decided to keep the band together, landing gigs all the way to the West Coast. In 1951 his agent arranged a late-night appearance on KTLA, a Los Angeles TV station.

That turned into a variety show, and in 1955 the ABC network picked it up for national viewing.

Ralna English, a singer on Welk’s show, recalls talking with him about their tough times and his upbeat attitude. “He had a career long before he came on TV and so did I. I started singing at 13. He came up playing in dives and so did I, and we worked hard,” she said. “But he was always positive. I never knew him to be negative. He always looked to the bright side.”

Welk was a serious musician, but he liked to clown around on the show. He was teasing singer Jo Ann Castle once and pulled on her ponytail, Ralna said, not realizing it was a detachable accessory. It came off in his hand. That got a big laugh from the audience, so he and Castle did that bit regularly.

Welk knew viewers wanted to see top talent, so he hired musicians such as clarinetist Pete Fountain and the Lennon Sisters, all of whom got their start with him.

Despite his easy manner with the show’s stars and production people, Welk could be a tough businessman. When ABC canceled the show in 1971, he went right to its sponsors and asked for their support. “They said, “We’ll stay with you,’ ” Ralna recalled.

Now shed of the network, Welk took the show into syndication, and it soon aired on TV stations coast to coast again.

In addition to Welk Resorts, he made other successful real estate investments. One of the earliest was a site near his L.A. home.

Welk looked for bargains, but also saw potential where others saw none. The site faced the ocean and had a gas station. He asked a friend to see if the owner would sell it. The pal returned with: “It’s probably too much money for that location, Lawrence.”

“Dad said, “You know, let’s not take every dollar off the table. It’s a fair price; let’s buy it,’ ” his son said.

He did and soon built a 21-story business building there, with beautiful ocean views. Today it’s called 100 Wilshire and it’s a landmark, the tallest building in Santa Monica. But that was just the start.

“He ended up buying all the property in the entire block between Wilshire and Arizona Avenue and built a 120-unit apartment house and the Wilshire Palisades building,” his son said.

Welk also was in tune with music publishing, stocking up on melodies. “He owned some phenomenal songs, including the Jerome Kern catalog,” Larry Welk said.

Kern wrote over 700 songs, including classics like “Ol’ Man River,” “Smoke Gets in Your Eyes,” and “The Way You Look Tonight.” Welk used the songs on his show while amassing a fortune that made him, says one source, the second-wealthiest performer after Bob Hope.

Still Playing

After changing networks several times, “The Lawrence Welk Show” airs weekly on public TV stations as reruns, with new commentary by the original stars.

Sixty years after it hit KTLA, it’s considered the longest-running musical variety show on TV.

Although he had an affinity for business, Welk focused on what he loved and knew best — making champagne music, as he called it.

“He did this from the heart. This was not to make money or to create an empire, but something he did for his audience. He wanted to please them,” English said.

Welk Resorts - See the Welk Resorts Vacation Ownership Presentation to learn how to get a free gift while you learn about vacation ownership.

Welk Resorts strongly believes in providing its owners with programs that enhance their vacation ownership experience. Points-based club programs are clearly among the most innovative changes within the vacation ownership industry in the last 20 years. The Welk Resorts Ownership Enrichment Group is committed to giving Welk owners a full understanding of all the benefits.

As a Welk Owner you may be contacted by the Ownership Enrichment Group to help you take full advantage of your vacation ownership. We hope you will take this opportunity to learn more about additional options that may be available to you.

Welk Resorts - See the Welk Resorts Vacation Ownership Presentation to learn how to get a free gift while you learn about vacation ownership.

For Marine Sgt. Justin Cory, his accommodations this week are a huge step up from pervious billets in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Cory is getting the VIP treatment at Welk Resorts this week, thanks to retired Marine Col. Bud Lewis (not the Carlsbad mayor). This Lewis, an Arizona resident, found himself with a timeshare week he couldn’t use.

He called fellow retired Marine, Maj. Glenn Ferguson to see if he could find a way for a service member, preferably a Marine, to be able to take advantage of the resort week. A call by Ferguson to the Wounded Warrior Foundation made it happen.

Cory was reached Thursday on the fifth home one of the resort’s golf courses. Welk officials set him up with free playing privileges, tickets to the resort’s Thursday show and a meeting with the star, Tom Netherton. He also got a tour of the resort and tickets to the San Diego Zoo Safari Park, among other goodies.

“It’s fantastic. This place is amazing,” said Cory, enjoying the week of R&R with his wife, Kayle and son, Patrick, 3. “This is very nice. We never get stuff like this, especially in the infantry. This is definitely a nice change of pace.”

Cory, an infantry squad leader, suffered combat injuries during deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan. He’s stationed with the Wounded Warrior Battalion in San Diego and is looking forward to getting back to his unit for a future deployment.

That is, if they can figure out a way to get him out of the resort.

“They’ll probably have to evict me from my villa. It’s got a kitchen, a washer and dryer and a Jacuzzi tub. I’ve never stayed anywhere like this before,” he said.

Welk Resorts - See the Welk Resorts Vacation Ownership Presentation to learn how to get a free gift while you learn about vacation ownership.

Welk Resorts Creates New Ownership Enhancement Department in Phoenix, Arizona

Phoenix, AZ (Welk Resorts Ownership Enhancement Department) March 22, 2010 — Welk Resorts is proud to announce the creation of its all-new Ownership Enhancement Department located in Pheonix, Arizona. This emerging department will take over the responsibilities of the Telesales Department and satisfy owner inquiries regarding upgrade of ownership points and conversions. Inquiries regarding points upgrades and conversions should be referred to the Ownership Enhancement Department at the number below.

The Welk Ownership Enhancement Department is excited to be located in Phoenix, Arizona. This department will work closely with the Owner Services Department to provide our Owners the best vacation experience possible.

This Department commenced business in Phoenix, Arizona on Monday, February 1, 2010. Please direct any questions to the Ownership Enhancement Department at 888.587.0064.
We are very excited to welcome this new team to Welk Resorts.

Welk Resorts - See the Welk Resorts Vacation Ownership Presentation to learn how to get a free gift while you learn about vacation ownership.