[NFB-Conventions] FW: Reminder: 2019 State Convention Information - Hotel Reservations Due and Registration Closes October 12, 2019 - One Week Left

[president at nfbmd.org]

Please find information about the 2019 NFBMD State Convention below, including online registration information, hotel reservation information, and sponsor and exhibitor requests.  You may also visit our website at http://nfbmd.org/convention for the most up-to-date information.  Please note that hotel reservations and online convention registration must be completed by October 12, 2019.

 

Celebrating Our Stories, Defining Our Future!

 

Get ready for a weekend of fun and fellowship.  Come and be part of celebrating our accomplishments and planning for the future!

 

*	Date: November 8 to 10, 2019
*	Place: Crown Plaza Baltimore Downtown Inner Harbor,
105 W Fayette Street, Baltimore, MD 21201
*	Meet our keynote speaker, Carla McQuillan, a member of the National Board of Directors, and president of the NFB of Oregon.
*	Explore opportunities through special workshops for parents and teachers of blind children, blind merchants and entrepreneurs, and students. Check out our technology workshops and more.
*	Examine new products at the exhibit hall on Friday.
*	Help us raise expectations for ourselves and for officials who manage services for the blind.

 

 

Highlights from Last Year

 

Can a blind person be a chemist?  How do blind and sighted spouses make relationships work?  What is an Able Account, and why should you get one?  At last year’s convention, we met and heard from blind persons who are experts in these areas and more. To refresh your memory, go to http://nfbmd.org/convention/2018/highlights.  What interesting stories from blind people will we hear at the 2019 convention?

 

Benefits of Convention Networking

Do you want to meet seniors who are living the lives they want despite losing their vision later in life?  Do you want to meet blind people who are successfully employed in everything from electrical engineering to clerical work?  Do you want to meet blind people who own and operate their own businesses?  By networking at the convention, you will meet all these people and more.

 

Banquet and Keynote Speaker

The banquet on Saturday evening is the highlight of every convention.  Our keynote speaker, Carla McQuillan, has been actively involved in the National Federation of the Blind for more than 30 years.  She operates a Montessori preschool program consisting of three separate preschools.  She also runs NFB Camp at National Convention and leads our National NFB Braille Enrichment for Literacy and Learning (BELL) program.  You will not want to miss her inspirational address.  We will also award scholarships and recognize a variety of achievements at the banquet. 

 

 

The National Federation of the Blind knows that blindness is not the characteristic that defines you or your future.  Come to the convention to find out how you can make sure that blindness does not hold you back. 

 

NFB Maryland state convention Information

*	Date: November 8 to 10, 2019
*	Place: Crown Plaza Baltimore Downtown Inner Harbor,
105 W Fayette Street, Baltimore, MD 21201

 

You may reserve your room by calling the Crown Plaza at 410-347-5707.  Convention Room Rates:  Standard Room - $85 per night. Tax on sleeping rooms is 15.5%.  These room rates start on Thursday, November 7, 2019.  The deadline for making room reservations is October 12, 2019. 

 

Below are the prices for the various convention activities (prices are per person unless otherwise stated):

*	Pre-registration = $20 until October 12, 2019; $25 on-site
*	Banquet ticket = $40 until October 12, 2019; $45 on-site
*	Parent or Senior Luncheon ticket = $22 until October 12, 2019; $25 on-site
*	Friday boxed lunch = $16 until October 12, 2019; $20 on-site
*	Picnic & a Play tickets = $18 until October 12, 2019; $20 on-site
*	Transportation from New Carrollton Train Station = $35 until October 12, 2019; this covers round-trip travel
*	Childcare = $30 per child and $50 per family for the entire weekend  

 

 

Registration Information:

2019 NFB of Maryland state convention online registration <https://nfbmd.org/convention/register> 

2019 NFB of Maryland state convention childcare online registration <https://nfbmd.org/convention/childcare> 

 

Financial Assistance Application for State Convention Now Available

Individuals who wish to request financial assistance to attend the 2019 NFB of Maryland State Convention must complete and submit a Financial Assistance Application Form.  Individuals are encouraged to first check with their local chapters and divisions to see what financial assistance may be available.  If a member’s chapter does not have a financial assistance program, or if there is still unmet financial need, members may complete and submit the form to the State affiliate no later than October 1, 2019.  More information about the NFBMD Financial Assistance Application Form is available at http://nfbmd.org/financialassistance.  For questions, please contact me at 443-426-4110 or at President at nfbmd.org <mailto:President at nfbmd.org> .

 

Seeking Resolutions for the State Convention 

The Convention is the supreme authority of the National Federation of the Blind, and this too is true of the affiliates.  One of the most important charges of the Convention is to consider and vote on resolutions that come before it; those resolutions become the policy of the organization.  To that end, individuals interested in submitting resolutions should send them to NFBMD Resolutions Chairman Jesse Hartle by email at jesse.hartle63 at gmail.com <mailto:jesse.hartle63 at gmail.com>  by October 19, 2019.

 

Seeking Convention Sponsors and Exhibitors

We are seeking sponsors for our 2019 NFB of Maryland State Convention.  There are various levels of sponsorship, and the various levels include different benefits.  Entities and individuals interested in serving as an NFBMD Convention sponsor should contact Anil Lewis at alewis at nfbmd.org <mailto:alewis at nfbmd.org>  to request additional information.

 

We are also seeking exhibitors for our Friday Exhibit Hall.  Individuals and entities interested in exhibiting should also contact Anil Lewis at alewis at nfb.org <mailto:alewis at nfb.org>  to request additional information.

 

We hope to see you at our 2019 NFBMD Convention!

 

Ronza Othman, President

National Federation of the Blind of Maryland

443-426-4110

 

The National Federation of the Blind of Maryland knows that blindness is not the characteristic that defines you or your future. Every day we raise the expectations of blind people, because low expectations create obstacles between blind people and our dreams. You can live the life you want; blindness is not what holds you back.