[NFBNJ] National Convention Items Of Interest

joe ruffalo nfbnj1 at verizon.net
Mon Jun 11 00:37:58 UTC 2018


Greetings to all!
For those attending the national convention, please review and attend the 
conference call scheduled for Tuesday, June 19 at 8:00 PM.
Call: 605 468 8005
Code: 460994
For those not attending the national convention this year, please review and 
perhaps next year you can join us.
To all, take notice to the information pertaining to streaming portions of 
the national convention.

We care. We share. We grow. We make a difference
Joe Ruffalo, President
National Federation of the Blind of New Jersey
973 743 0075
nfbnj1 at verizon.net
www.nfbnj.org
Raising Expectations To Live The Life You Want!
Your old car keys can be keys to literacy for the blind.
Donate your unwanted vehicle to us by clicking
www.carshelpingtheblind.org
or call 855 659 9314
****


Convention Orlando Items Of Interest



Note: As of this writing, the agenda has not been distributed  however, keep 
looking at your in box as it should be available this week.

Brian will also forward in the body of an email.

When I learn of the date, time and room number for the affiliate open to all 
meeting to be held in Orlando, I will provide.

In addition, waiting for the table number for the affiliate location in the 
exhibit room.



Thanks Joe



**



Greetings to all members and those all attending the national convention, 
Orlando, Florida, 2018!



For those attending, please read and review the national agenda prior to the 
conference call for the 78th NFB convention held from Tuesday, July 3 
through Sunday, July 8, 2018. ,

The agenda should be available this week.

Also, keep checking the national website for the agenda.

Please visit, www.nfb.org/convention.

In addition, when available, the agenda for the national convention will be 
posted on Newsline.



Conference Call:

Date:Tuesday, June 19  2018

Time: 8:00 PM

Call: 605 468 8005

Code: 460994







Items of Interest:



It is my pleasure to announce that 195 The Globe, an online radio station,

has partnered with the National Federation Of The Blind to provide

convention coverage this year from Orlando Florida.



The events that 195 The Globe will be covering from convention are:

All general sessions

The board of director's meeting

The banquet

The Performing Arts Division talent show/showcase of talent  Plus other

special interviews and coverage to be announced.



The announcement was officially made on The Blind Side this week. You can

hear the recording of the announcement by going to

http://www.195theglobe.com/nfb18/StreamingCoverageAnnouncement.mp3



The fact that the globe, which is always streaming 24/7, is covering the

convention this year will make it easier for you to listen to the convention

stream if  you are unable to attend, since the globe is available not just

through the standard media players, but on Tunein and OOTunes. You can even

ask alexa or google to play 195 The Globe on Tunein, and that's another way

for you to listen to convention coverage too!



Please watch social media, the #nfb18 hash tag, and other lists for  more

information and times for these events to be streamed during this  year's

national convention.



Thanks to President Riccobono and members of the national office for  giving

us this opportunity to provide top of the line coverage of this  year's

convention.



If you have any questions about this, feel free to contact either David

Dunphy at ddunphy at 195theglobe.com <mailto:ddunphy at 195theglobe.com>  or our 
program director, and the man handling interview coverage, etc, Chris 
Nusbaum at cnusbaum at 195theglobe.com <mailto:cnusbaum at 195theglobe.com>   You 
may also contact any member of the globe management team by calling

951-456-2324

or visiting us on the web at

http://www.195theglobe.com



Sincerely,

David Dunphy, Station Owner

195 The Globe

Welcome To The Radio Revolution



****



To all first timers and those that wish to attend, please take notice on 
Rookie Roundup scheduled for Tuesday, July 3.  Please check the agenda for 
time and location.



****

 Transportation

Access Link and Access Lynx, procedures

Other transportation opportunities.



Here is the information for the  Access-Lynx in Florida.

call # 407-423-8747 for eligibility or call access-Link here in NJ and ask 
them to fax your information to the Access-Lynx in Florida. there Fax # is: 
407-849-6759

Hours of operation:  are Monday to Friday 8:00 am to 4:00 pm

This is for those who never registered with Florida Access-Lynx before.

If you had registered in the previous years, then chances are, you will be 
using the same ID # that you used in the pass.

Just to be sure call and confirm. They will need to know the date you will 
be arriving in Florida and the date you will be leaving.



Mears Motor Shuttles

Need an easy, inexpensive way to get from the airport to the hotel and back

again? Consider using a Mears Motor Shuttle. Mears is offering a discount of

$4 off the round-trip price with the NFB Mears Shuttle coupon

<https://nfb.org/images/nfb/documents/pdf/575053-national%20fed%20of%20the%2

0blind%20mears%20 coupon.pdf> . Follow the instructions on the coupon to

reserve your shuttle in advance or simply present the coupon at any of the

four Mears Motor Shuttle ticket counters located on level 1 of the Orlando

International Airport terminal. Call 800-759-5219 with questions.



Taxi:

Most major airports have taxi locations outside the departure door. Not sure 
of the cost however, it will be somewhat more expensive than the other 
options.

For those that have Uber or Lyft, this is another possibility.

In addition, GoGo Grandparents. GoGo is an automated hotline that lets 
people use Uber and Lyft without needing a smartphone. Uber and Lyft are 
available nationally; when you use GoGoGrandparent, we'll send you whichever 
one is cheapest at the time that you make your request for a ride. Their 
prices are typically up to 40 percent less than the cost of a cab.



      Using GoGo is simple: callers call from a number they have registered 
with us and hear a menu of options. They can press 1 for a car to be sent to 
pick them up from their home, 2 for a car to be sent to pick them up where 
we dropped them off last, or 0 to speak with an operator for a custom pickup 
location. Once the driver arrives, they tell the driver where they want to 
go. When you make a request, a car shows up at your door within fifteen 
minutes, typically less. To register free of charge, please call (855) 
464-6872 or visit www.gogograndparent.com/register.



****



Hotel reservations

After you have checked into your room, please call the front desk to inquire 
to connect with Joe’s room. You will be leaving a voice message with your 
room number and your cell number on my room’s answering machine. I hope to 
have a message on my hotel voice mail highlighting some items of interest 
that should be important to a smooth convention.

Note: I will not be arriving until late afternoon or early evening on 
Sunday, July 1. Please place your call to my room no later than 10:00 pm. On 
Sunday. If not available to leave the information, please call on Monday 
morning after 10:00 am.

If you arrive after Monday, do the same as described above.

Cell Numbers:

To all attending the national convention, we will ask for your cell numbers 
to share with all attending the convention. Brian Mackey will compile the 
listing. We  need your cell numbers no later than Monday, June 25.  Once he 
receives, he will forward to all attending the national convention by 
Thursday, June 28.  Please provide your cell numbers as some may have 
changed.



****



First Timers Guide

For all you first time convention goers and to all conventioneers, there is 
now a First-Timer's Guide to the Convention of the National Federation of 
the Blind. It is available in audio, and as a webpage. Both versions can be 
found at https://nfb.org/convention. On the same page is other convention 
information including the schedule and full agenda.



***



As of this writing, there will be a meeting open to all on Thursday, July 5.

I am waiting for the date, time and location.  When I receive, I will 
discuss during the conference call.

Bring your banquet tickets as we need to exchange for a table number.

Judy will be exchanging all banquet tickets for table assignments early on 
Friday, July 6. I will explain the procedure.



****



NFBNJ Exhibit Room information and Assignments:

If you wish to review what is available for sale, all posted announcements 
highlighting the exhibit room will be displayed at 
https://nfb.org/convention/exhibits

This will allow for filtering based on the following categories: affiliate, 
division, exhibitor, or sponsor.



Mac Biggers has provided a schedule for all to consider volunteering approx. 
two hours in the exhibit room to sell producs that will benefit the state 
treasury.



Please review the agenda before committing to a date and time to work the 
table.



NFBNJ 2018 National Convention Items for Sale



Item 1:  NFBNJ Calendar Raffle - Purchase a date to win up to $500.00 in

Cash or National Gift Cards, 2 NFB Logo Wine Glasses and one Apple

Certified 10 foot lightning charger cable. There are 365 dates to choose

from and only one person can purchase a date. Individuals can purchase one

date for $10 or 3 dates for $25 in a raffle style drawing to win.



Item 2:  Sell one for $25.00 - Apple MFI Certified] 10ft Lightning Cable,

iPhone Charger - Toughest and Durable 8pin Charging Cord White. Compatible

with all lightning devices; wall jack not included.



Item 3:  Sell one for $10.00 or two for $15.00 NFB Logo Wine Glasses - 8

oz. Napa Wine Glasses; blazoned with the NFB National logo in a stunning

black silhouette packed in a sturdy cardboard box for traveling.



Item 4:  Sell for $20, $30 for 2ties with Logo in Red, Cranbury, Blue and

Gray

A price list in Braille and print will be available at the exhibit table.

After you have reviewed the agenda, please contact Mac with your preferred 
date and time or times prior to the conference call.

Mac can be reached at 801 916 9753 or macbiggers at yahoo.com.

During the conference call scheduled for Tuesday, June 19 at 8:00 PM, we 
will review any remaining time slots. Remember: review the agenda before 
confirming your time slot withal.

The NFBNJ table number will be announced  shortly.

Note: We will ask all working the table to arrive fifteen minutes prior to 
the start time of your shift.

We will have a price guide in Braille and large print at the NFBNJ exhibit 
table.

Important Exhibit Hall Dates:



*                  July 3: Exhibit hall setup noon-4:30 p.m.

Mac, if needed, several hours to setup.  I usually bring the ties and place

on the chair under the table.



*                  July 4: Sponsor-only exhibit preview 9:00-11:00 a.m.,

exhibit hall open 11:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.

11:00 to 12:30 pm: Joe and Judy Ruffalo



12:30 to 2:30 pm



2:30 to 5:00 pm





*                  July 5: Exhibit hall open 8:30 a.m.-5:00 p.m.

8:30 to 10:30 am



10:30 am to 12:30 pm



12:30 to 2:30 pm



2:30 to 4:45 pm

Note: I have requested a location, time and the date of July  5 to conduct

the annual affiliate meeting

This meeting, open to all, time requested is 5:15 pm to 6:50 pm.

Details will be forthcoming.



*                  July 6: Exhibit hall open noon-1:45 p.m., 7:00-9:00 p.m.



12:00 to 1:45 pm



7:00 to 9:00 pm



*                  July 7: Exhibit hall open noon-1:45 p.m.,



exhibit breakdown 1:45-3:00 p.m. and 5:00-8:00 p.m.



***



In  addition, Mrs. Maurer is requesting volunteers to assist with the 
Independence market.  After reviewing the national agenda, making 
arrangements to assist at the state affiliate table, please contact Mrs. 
Maurer at 410 659 9314 ex. 2272 or email at   pmaurer at nfb.org



****



It is recommended that you call or search on your carriers website within a 
24 hour period to confirm your departure time.  Judy and I check the day 
before and the day of the scheduled flight.



***



Paying for hotel room at convention:

The following is from the June 2017 issue of The Braille Monitor.



                  How to Pay for Your Hotel Stay in Orlando

                                by Tony Cobb



      From the Editor: For a long time Tony Cobb was a fixture in our 
national convention hotel lobby, and his kindness, wisdom, and experience 
helped to make the convention better for all of us. Here is a reminder we 
try to run each year to prevent the heartache that comes from an overdrawn 
checking account when one is not familiar with the practices of major hotel 
chains. The words below come from the wisdom of those years of service, and 
it is with gratitude that we reprint them:



      Here is some advice about paying for your hotel stay: every year at 
our national convention we have serious trouble with use of debit cards or 
cash payments at hotel check-in, and, having worked to solve these problems 
for years, I can tell you they can nearly ruin the convention week for those 
experiencing them. Planning to attend our national convention should 
therefore include thinking seriously about how to pay the hotel, and I 
cannot urge you strongly enough to avoid using cash or a debit card as your 
payment method. Doing so may seem convenient, but you should not do so. If 
you do not have a credit card of your own to use, prevail upon a close 
friend or family member to let you use one just for convention. Here's why:

      If you are paying in actual currency, most  hotels  will  want  enough 
cash up front at check-in to cover your room and tax charges for the  entire 
stay, plus a one-time advance incidentals deposit to cover meals,  telephone 
calls, internet service, and other things you may charge to your  room.  The 
unused portion of the incidentals deposit may be returned  at  check-out  or 
by mail after departure. Understand,  however,  that,  if  your  incidentals 
charges exceed the incidentals deposit credited,  you  are  responsible  for 
payment of the full balance at checkout. The total can end up being  a  very 
large sum indeed.

      If you use a debit card, however, you  are  really  at  a  potentially 
painful disadvantage. The hotel will put  a  hold  on  money  in  your  bank 
account linked to the debit card to cover  the  estimated  balance  of  your 
stay-that is, for the entire week's room and tax  charges  plus  a  one-time 
incidentals deposit to cover meals, movies, and so on charged to your  room. 
You should be aware that the hold can therefore be a considerable amount  of 
money and that you will not  have  access  to  that  amount  for  any  other 
purchases  or  payments  with  your  card.  (Hotels   sometimes   also   put 
authorizations on credit cards, by the  way,  but  those  are  not  often  a 
problem unless they exceed your card's credit limit.)

      Holds can remain in effect for three to  five  days  or  even  a  week 
after you check out. If you have  pre-authorized  payments  from  your  bank 
account, for example your monthly mortgage payment, or if you try to make  a 
purchase with your debit card and it's refused, the hold from the hotel  can 
cause you trouble or result in very large overdraft fees  for  payments  you 
thought you had money in your account to cover. I have seen  this  hit  some 
of our members in the form of hundreds of dollars in overdraft fees.

      This means that, if you use  a  debit  card,  you  would  have  to  be 
certain you have a high enough balance in your  checking  account  when  you 
come to convention to cover  any  debit  card  holds.  This  is  a  perilous 
practice since charges may exceed your estimate by  a  considerable  amount. 
(Some frequent travelers even open a separate  checking  account  used  only 
for debits like these.) Remember, a hold is  going  to  be  placed  on  your 
debit card regardless of how you end up paying the bill,  and  the  hold  is 
not necessarily released right away, even if you pay with a credit  card  or 
cash when you check out of the hotel.

      Planning  ahead  in  this  area  can  ensure  an  untroubled  week  at 
convention, leaving you free to enjoy fully the  world's  largest  and  most 
exciting meeting of the blind. Come enjoy this  fine  hotel-using  a  credit 
card, I hope.



****



Here are a few places that will deliver food or other items.

A:  one is Amazon Prime now. This service is free to anyone who has a Amazon 
prime account. First must down load the app called prime now.Then go into 
the app and restaurants or food items that you would like to shop for.  Then 
once in your cart you choose the next available time to deliver. Once you 
get a time and they will deliver you must pick up items from the bells stand 
is usually where they deliver to. Sonia Biggers used this service last year 
at convention.

B:  that delivers food items not restaurants is called Instacart. This 
service has three different ways of paying for the service. First one is 
each time you order they will charge you a service/delivery fee. Second is a 
monthly fee. where you pay so much and you can shop as much as you want with 
no service/delivery fees. Third option is you pay this service once a year 
and you can shop with them as much as you want with no service/delivery 
fees. How this service works is you put your address or zip code of where 
you are and it will tell you if it is available in that location. Currently 
this service will deliver items from the following stores. BJ, Costco, 
Costco business center, Petco,  CVS pharmacy,  Publix, Publix specialty and 
Organics, Publics Liquors, Total Wine and more, Abc Fine wine and spirits, 
Whole food. How to order items is you go to the app put in address or zip 
code of where you are then see what store are available in that area. Then 
you pick a store you want to shop from. You can only shop at one store per 
order. Once you pick the store you want you click on the store and shop for 
all of the items you want. When you are done shopping you  check out. Once 
you check out you choose what time they have available to deliver your order 
to you. Then you click the submit button to order your items.

C: there are several applications that you can use to order take out food 
outside of the hotel. Some of them are Uber eats, Grubhub, prime now, 
DoorDash and Bite Squad.



****



Notes and Tips:

Special Note: When paying for meals in restaurants, ask if tips are 
included.

To save time, when you order and wen you ar served, ask for your check and 
make payment.  This will save valuable time.  In the past, if you received 
your check when you finish your meal, it could take 20 to 30 minutes to make 
payment.



If shopping at the local grocery store, bring a suitcase with wheels as if 
you are walking, grocery items become quite heavy, such as water, soda and 
or milk.

·        If you are packing a bathing suit, also pack a large ziplock bag. 
This will keep other items in your suitcase dry when traveling home.

·        Bring suntan lotion.  It is rumored that Florida is hot during the 
summer! GRIN!

·        This is a large hotel with much walking and therefore, a good pair 
of walking shoes are suggested.

·        In case of emergency, know where the stairs are located.

·        This is your convention and make sure that you attend and 
participate in what is offered and bring back to your local 
chapters/divisions as we continue to build the Federation.






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