[il-talk] Convention Bulletin

[Patti Gregory-Chang]

 NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND OF ILLINOIS

2009 CONVENTION BULLETIN





BOLDLY BRAILLE: Literacy - Paving the Path for Tomorrow





On October 9th, 10th, and 11th, enthusiastic Federationists will assemble in 
Chicago to renew our dedication in the pursuit of security, equality, and 
opportunity for all blind people.



The site for our convention will be the Holiday Inn O'Hare, 5615 N. 
Cumberland Avenue, Chicago, Illinois. Telephone: (773) 693-5800. Room rates 
are $73 per night plus applicable taxes. Please indicate you are with the 
NFBI to get this special rate. Room reservations must be made by September 
9th. After that date, reservations will be accepted only on a space 
available basis.



This year's convention will kick off with the NFBI Senior Fair on Friday, 
October 9th. The time for this event is 11:00 AM to 2:30 PM. Seniors losing 
vision will be introduced to a variety of alternative techniques, gadgets, 
resources, and services to help them live more independently.   Those 
attending the Senior Fair need to register by September 18th. The cost is 
$10, which includes a box lunch. Questions about the NFBI Senior Fair should 
be directed to Kelly Doty at (847) 390-1738 or kelly at dls.net.



Friday evening will offer an all-you-can-eat pizza buffet from 5:30 to 6:30 
for a cost of $17. The Resolutions Committee will meet at 7:00, followed by 
a chance to show off your talent during IABS Idol.



The Resolutions Committee will be chaired by George Villa, who is calling 
for resolutions by September 18, 2009. He may be contacted at 
gvilla at wideopenwest.com or (630) 416-3875. Those wanting to perform during 
the IABS Idol should contact Alyson Slaughter at (618) 304-8449 or 
ALYAMC at aol.com.



Our general session will convene on Saturday, October 10th at 9 AM. 
Reflecting our strong commitment to Braille, much of our convention will be 
focused on Braille and the role it plays in the success of blind 
individuals. We are honored to have Dr. Abraham Nemeth, the inventor of the 
Nemeth Braille Code for mathematical and scientific notation, address our 
members. Also, an expanded version of our usual "Braille is Beautiful" 
segment will be part of our Saturday agenda.



Our parents of blind children group will meet for approximately two hours, 
immediately after lunch. Parents will discuss what things are working for 
them, concerns they have, and how the NFB and its resources relate to their 
children.



Continuing with our youth movement, during our convention we will hear from 
several young people who attended NFB Youth Slam, a science academy for high 
school students that took place this summer. Our internship recipient will 
speak about her experiences. Saturday's events will culminate with our 
annual banquet, featuring an energizing address from our National 
Representative and the much-anticipated scholarship awards.



Sunday morning's business session will include the president's report, the 
treasurer's report, voting on resolutions, and election of two board 
members. Adjournment is scheduled for

12:15 PM on October 11th.



Advance registration for the convention made before September 25th is $5. 
Registration after that date or at convention will be $15. The registration 
form and fees for pizza buffet, breakfasts, luncheon, and banquet should be 
sent before September 25th to Kelly Doty, 1433 Ashland Street #403, Des 
Plaines, IL 60016. The registration form is available at 
www.nfbofillinois.org.  Checks or money orders should be made payable to NFB 
of Illinois.  Please do not send cash.



We will again host a breakfast for students at 7 AM on Saturday, during 
which time our student chapter conducts a business meeting. A Spouses and 
Significant Others breakfast will be held on Sunday morning at 7:30 AM.  The 
cost for each breakfast will be $10.



We will have a luncheon for all those interested in young adult issues on 
Saturday at noon.  The cost will be $15. The banquet on Saturday night will 
start at 7 PM and tickets will cost $30.



Those with special dietary needs for any of the meals should contact Bob 
Gardner at (309) 755-8085 or rgardner4 at gmail.com.  The deadline for such 
requests is September 15th.



Kids' Kamp (childcare) will be available on Saturday from 8:45 AM to 5:15 PM 
and again from 6:45 PM until 15 minutes after the banquet ends. Kids' Kamp 
is free to all children under 12 who are registered for the convention. A 
separate release form must be filled out at time of registration.



For those needing financial assistance to attend the convention, contact 
President Patti Chang no later than September 1st at (773) 307-6440 or 
pattichang at att.net.  The form to fill out for financial assistance from the 
James Chappell Memorial Fund is available on our web site at 
www.nfbofillinois.org or one will be mailed to you upon request.



Federation conventions change the lives of blind and sighted people alike! 
Don't miss out on this opportunity for change! Join us for our best 
convention yet!

Patti Gregory-Chang
President, National Federation of the Blind of Illinois
pattichang at att.net
www.nfbofillinois.org 
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