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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal>Dear Kansas Federation Family,<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>The time has finally come for our 2017 NFBK convention in beautiful Lawrence at the Doubletree by Hilton, which used to be known as the Holiday In Hotel and Convention Centre. This hotel has been the site of several conventions in recent years. The We of the Jayhawk Chapter enthusiastically wwelcome all of you and your guests to this great annual event. Our state president Tom Page has put together an amazing agenda and the convention planning committee has worked very hard over these past several months in hopes of making this year’s convention comfortable and fun. I hope the information below will be helpful in giving you a heads-up before you arrive at the convention site.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>•Rooms and lodging. All rooms in our block will be sugsidized down to $99 per room per night. We are aware that some of you have pre-paid for your rooms before you became aware of our treasury-sibsidized room rates. If you are one of the affected persons or families, make sure to inform the desk clerk when you come to check in. If the state affiliate is providing ffinancial assistance for you, a reservation has already been booked on your behalf.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>• Convention registration. You may register online or at the registration desk in the convention hall. In either case, the registration costs are as follows: registration fee: $5.00<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Saturday noon luncheon: $17.00<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Saturday evening banquet plated dinner: $25<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Grand total $47.00<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Note we are no longer charging $10 for those who wait to register at convention time. This change was voted by your NFBK state board at our teleconference meeting last Sunday. The forms and registration instructions are found on our web page at <a href="https://www.nfbks.org/">https://www.nfbks.org/</a>. At this point I would advise you to pay your registration fees via Paypal rather than sending a check to our treasurer by snail mail. Please use the Friends and Family link so we are not charged a transactional fee by Paypal. If you do not yet have a Paypal account, it is easy to create one by logging into <a href="https://www.paypal.com">https://www.paypal.com</a>. Once you are logged into your account, make your payment to treasurer@nfbks.org. This is the same address to use for emailing your completed convention registration form.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>• Friday evening hospitality. The hospitality room will be open at 5pm on Friday evening. Members of the Jayhawk chapter will be on hand to greet you and show you the way to food and beverages. Fresh vegies and a tasty dip will be provided along with some lip-smacking yummy hors d’oeuvres.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> •Other meals. Breakfast is included on Saturday and Sunday mornings during your hotel stay. There may be, in some cases, a meal or two that are not included as part of the convention package. TheBoulevard Grill in the Doubletree has excellent food and braille menus will be available. There are also numerous fast food poptions on 6<sup>th</sup> Street just a few blocks south of the hotel.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>• Accommodations for guide/service dog users. Unlike our national convention, the Kansas affiliate does not make prior arrangements for dog food delivery to the convention site at this time. Therefore, guide/service users will need to bring your service animal’s food to the hotel or otherwise arrange for delivery if it is logistically difficult for you to bring dog food.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>There is an abundance of grassy outdor space for guide/service animal relief areas on the south side of the hotel near the guest rooms, on the west side near the hotel lobby, and at the southwest corner by the convention center entrance. Such an abundance of dog relief areas should enable your dog to respond to your “outside” command very quickly and efficiently.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>• Indoor climate control procedure. Your 2017 convention committee does its very best to ensure your comfort throughout the convention including meetings and social activities in the convention ballroom area. However, the challenge is that we all seem to have our very individualized internal thermostats and tolerances for heat and cold. If you are uncomfortable either way, please find Tom Page, Donna Wood or Rob Tabor who will communicate your request for a change of room temperature to the hotel staff. We hope to keep temperature adjustments as few as possible.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> •Extended checkout time. Your 2017 state convention committee has arranged for a checkout time at 1:00pm on Sunday. The annual business meeting should be concluded in ample time to enable all of you to vacate your rooms and to settle up with the hotel. However, the extended checkout time has been provided for out of the abundance of caution.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>• Resolutions. The resolutions committee will meet on Friday eening at 7pm to study and take committee action on resolutions which will be discussed and voted durig our annual business meeting on Sunday morning. So if you have a resolution, please bring it to the committee for study and initial action as to whether to recommend it for passage. Your resolution must meet the following requirements:<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoListParagraph style='text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1'><![if !supportLists]><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>(a)<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span><![endif]>Must be in writing;<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoListParagraph style='text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1'><![if !supportLists]><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>(b)<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span><![endif]>Must contain at least one “whereas” clause and at least one “be it resolved” clause;<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoListParagraph style='text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1'><![if !supportLists]><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>(c)<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span><![endif]>Must clearly state and define a problem related to blindness practice or policy;<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoListParagraph style='text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1'><![if !supportLists]><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>(d)<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span><![endif]>Must propose an actionable remedy for the stated problem or concern.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoListParagraph style='text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1'><![if !supportLists]><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>(e)<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span><![endif]>Must be professional and businesslike in tone and must avoid usage of profanity, vulgarity, name-calling, lies,or false accusations.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>If you need assistance in drafting a resolution, please contact any of the following: state president Tom Page, Rob Tabor, Donna Wood, or Tom Anderson. All of us are grizzled veteran resolution draftsmen. Last and not least, I would remind chapter presidents to be sure to appoint a representative from your chapter to both the resolutions and nominating committees.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>I hope this covers the need-to-know info, and I look forward to seeing you at the convention.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Best regards,<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Rob Tabor | First vice president/convention co-chairman, National Federation of the Blind of Kansas<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>(785) 865-9959<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Rob dot Tabor at SBCGlobal dot net<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p></div></body></html>