[NFB-Conventions] Announcing the 68th NFBNYS Convention

[David Andrews]

>
>Greetings NFBNY
>
>Please find, below my signature, the full text 
>of our 2024 convention letter as well as a more 
>formal formatted copy on letterhead attached to this email.
>
>With Love, Hope, and Determination
>Aubrey Bird
>President
>National Federation of the Blind of New York State, Inc.
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>Â
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>You Are Cordially Invited to Attend
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>The 68th Annual Convention of the
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>National Federation of the Blind of New York State
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>“Stronger Together”
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>The National Federation of the Blind of New York 
>State will hold its sixty-eighth annual 
>convention in Rochester, from Thursday September 
>19 through Sunday the 22nd, 2024. Please join us 
>as we continue to build a network of expertise 
>and encouragement among blind New Yorkers and 
>work together to make a positive difference in 
>the lives of blind people across New York State.
>
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>Who Are We?
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>The NFB of NYS is an organization of blind and 
>low vision New Yorkers who believe that, with 
>the appropriate training, attitude, and 
>opportunities, blind people can live the lives 
>we want.  NFB of NYS brings blind people 
>together to empower and learn from one another 
>and to celebrate our achievements as we work 
>together to improve the lives of the blind of New York.
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>Our Convention Agenda
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>All in-person convention events will take place 
>at the Holiday Inn – Downtown at 70 State Street 
>in Rochhester, NY. It is our pleasure to welcome 
>Kevan Worley, who has previously served as first 
>vice president of our Colorado affiliate and 
>president of the NFB Blind Merchants 
>Division.  We will be privileged to hear him 
>share information about the ongoing work of the Federation nationwide.
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>The theme of this year’s convention will be 
>“Stronger Together”.  Our presenters and 
>panel discussions will explore the importance of 
>personal empowerment channeled into collective 
>action. Our workshops and seminars will 
>highlight ideas and tools that will allow us to 
>raise our own expectations as individuals and 
>strive collectively to raise the expectations of 
>the blind in society.  We hope that everyone 
>will come away from this year’s Convention 
>motivated by our collective strength and excited 
>to tackle the work of the Federation together in each of our communities.
>
> From Sunday, September 15, through Wednesday, 
> September 18, our divisions and committees will 
> meet in the evenings via Zoom to discuss issues 
> pertinent to parents of blind children, guide 
> dog users, blind parents, seniors, diabetics, 
> and more.  These meetings are interactive and 
> open to all convention attendees, so please join us!
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>This year, we are excited to pilot a new 
>convention format, designed to make each day of 
>the convention as engaging and interactive as 
>possible.  Some agenda items will be familiar 
>to returning attendees. However, the overall schedule has changed.
>
>On Friday morning, we will continue our 
>tradition of hosting a town-hall style meeting 
>with Julie Hovey, Associate Commissioner of the 
>New York State Commission for the Blind.  We 
>will then host a town hall meeting with the 
>Rochester Genesee Regional Transit Authority, 
>pioneering a practice of empowering all blind 
>New Yorkers with information about individual 
>transit authorities in our convention’s host 
>cities each year.  We encourage all attendees 
>to drop by the exhibit hall to shop at our 
>affiliate table and meet our convention 
>sponsors. Everyone is also welcome to attend our 
>board meeting luncheon. Â Afterward, we will 
>come together for the first general session of 
>the convention, where we will hear reports from 
>our affiliate president, our national rep, and 
>other speakers expanding upon our convention 
>theme.  In the evening attendees are welcome to 
>register for the hospitality dinner, and 
>everyone is welcome later for our open hospitality event.  Â
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>On Saturday morning, the second general session 
>of the convention will provide us with the 
>opportunity to hear presentations on topics that 
>are important to blind people across New York 
>State and the nation. Attendees can register for 
>a plated lunch before attending any of the 
>afternoon break-out sessions, which will include 
>hands-on demonstrations and small-group 
>discussions around topics of interest to blind 
>New Yorkers.  Later, in the afternoon, an open 
>meeting of our appointed resolutions committee 
>will be held at which they will review, edit, 
>and finalize the draft resolutions.  Those 
>resolutions approved by the committee will be 
>voted on by the entire convention on Sunday 
>morning.  All convention attendees are welcome 
>to observe this open meeting, the business of 
>which will be conducted by the committee members.
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>The excitement will continue during our Saturday 
>Evening banquet, with an address by our keynote 
>speaker, Kevan Worley of Colorado, along with 
>door prize giveaways.  The banquet will come to 
>a dramatic close with the presentation of affiliate awards.
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>On Sunday morning we will hold our annual 
>business meeting to chart our course for the 
>coming year. We will also consider the 
>resolutions that the Convention deems vital for 
>our future as we review and update our 
>organization’s policy goals. We will hear 
>Chapter, Division, and Committee reports from around the State.
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>We will go forth, secure in the knowledge that 
>we are stronger together and collectively 
>possess the power to raise expectations and 
>change what it means to be blind in New York State. Â
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>Registration, Room Reservations, and Refreshments
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>To register for our convention, please visit 
><http://nfbny.org/convention/>nfbny.org/convention/ 
>and complete our online registration 
>form.  Hotel reservations must also be 
>completed via the online registration form, 
>rather than by contacting the hotel directly, so 
>that registrants will receive the special 
>convention room rate of $119.99 per night. Â 
>Tickets for breakfasts, lunches, the hospitality 
>dinner and banquet can also be purchased via the 
>same online registration form.  Â
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>This year, we are pleased to offer a special 
>discounted meal plan which will include tickets 
>for all 7 convention meals (3 breakfasts, 2 
>lunches, the hospitality dinner and the 
>banquet), a $145 value, for only $130!  You can 
>select options for these hot, plated meals 
>during the registration process.  If desired, 
>individual meals can be purchased for those not 
>wishing to take advantage of the meal plan.  Â
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>Registration will entitle you to chances for our 
>door prizes, allow for timely announcement of 
>convention updates, and will help offset the 
>costs of the convention.  We also are offering 
>a virtual component to our conference this 
>year.  You may register online at the same link 
>and select the virtual registration form.  You 
>will be able to participate in discussions and be eligible for door prizes.
>
>Please call the office at 585-739-6473.  with 
>any questions regarding this year’s convention.
>
>Our convention is shaping up to be a tremendous 
>event.  Join us to share in the excitement!  I 
>look forward to seeing everyone there.
>
>Aubrey Bird
>
>President, NFB of New York State
>
>Â
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