[Mn-abs] Washington Seminar arrangements/Reservations

[Jennifer Dunnam via Nfbmn-news]

Here is a message from Diane McGeorge regarding the dates and hotel 
arrangements for this year's Washington seminar. Note that hotel 
reservations must be made by December 21, 2015. Minnesotans who would 
like help finding someone to room with or have other questions about 
arrangements should contact Judy Sanders 612-375-1625 or 
<mailto:jsanders.nfb at comcast.net>jsanders.nfb at comcast.net.  You may 
also feel free to contact me.

Here is Diane's message:

Message from Diane McGeorge Regarding 2016 Washington Seminar Reservations

This message is to advise you all that Washington Seminar will be 
held January 24-28, 2016, with the Great Gathering In taking place on 
Monday January 25. Additionally, I wanted to inform you that I will 
no longer be managing reservations for this event. With the Holiday 
Inn Capitol's progressive policy changes and renovations having been 
completed, it seemed like a natural progression that we turn the 
reservations over to the hotel. We no longer need to document special 
requests such as smoking or non-smoking rooms, refrigerators in rooms 
or request for rollaway beds since the rooms now have queen beds and 
can no longer accommodate rollaways. The reservation process has 
become very standard, requiring check-in and check-out dates only, 
just as you experience with national conventions. This process will 
allow you to have full control of your reservations and any changes 
you need to make.

You can now reserve a room at the Holiday Inn Capitol (550 C Street, 
SW, Washington, DC 20024) for Washington Seminar with check-in 
beginning Saturday, January 23, 2016, check-out by Friday, January 
29, 2016. The rate is $184.00 per night. This rate does not include 
DC sales tax, currently 14.5%. You may begin booking reservations 
directly online 
<http://ichotelsgroup.com/redirect?path=rates&brandCode=HI&regionCode=1&localeCode=en&GPC=N9B&hotelCode=WASSM&_PMID=99801505>here. 
You may also make reservations by calling (877) 572-6951 and 
referencing booking code N9B. Credit card information is needed at 
the time of reservation. Individual cancellation policy is 
seventy-two hours prior to your date of arrival to avoid a one 
night's room plus tax cancellation charge on the credit card 
provided. Please call (877) 572-6951 and reference your confirmation 
number. Please obtain a cancellation number when cancelling a 
reservation. The firm deadline date to make a reservation is Monday, 
December 21, 2015. Reservation requests received after the deadline 
date will be subject to availability and prevailing rate.

If you wish to hold a special meeting during Washington Seminar, 
please email Lisa Bonderson at 
<mailto:lbonderson at cocenter.org>lbonderson at cocenter.org just as you 
have done in past years. She and I will work with the hotel on the 
assignment of those meeting rooms. To ensure that you get the space 
you need, please let us know of your meeting space needs by Thursday, 
December 10, 2015.

Lisa and I will always be available to help you with any problems you 
might experience with this new system of booking of your hotel 
reservations, but we have worked closely with the hotel staff and 
they are looking forward to working with each affiliate or group 
wishing to make reservations.

See you in Washington!

Diane