[NFBofSC] Positive Note 1741

[David Houck]

December 23, 2019

Memo To:  Executive Officers, Board Members, Chapter & Division Presidents &
Others

From:  Frank Coppel, President

Positive Note 1741

Greetings Fellow Federationists:

 

              We have an announcement from the December issue of the Braille
Monitor regarding the 2020 NFB National convention.  "It has been nearly
fifty years since the largest gathering of the organized blind has convened
in Houston, Texas, and our return in 2020 will be an event not to be missed.
The Hilton Americas-Houston hotel (1600 Lamar Street, Houston, TX 77010)
will serve as our convention headquarters hotel. Situated in the heart of
downtown Houston across the street from the beautiful twelve-acre Discovery
Green Park, the Hilton Americas is an ideal location for our annual event.
Ballrooms, breakout space, and sleeping rooms are all stacked in the same
tower housed on a single city block, simplifying navigation and minimizing
travel distances. In-room internet is complimentary to all attendees as is
access to the health club and swimming pool on the 23rd floor. There is an
array of dining options on the hotel's lobby level (including a Starbucks
for those of you requiring a caffeine fix) and many more choices within easy
walking distance from the Hilton's front door.

The nightly rate at the Hilton Americas-Houston is $105 for singles,
doubles, triples, and quads. In addition, the sales tax rate is 8.25
percent, and the hotel occupancy tax rate is 17 percent. To book your room
for the 2020 convention, call 1-800-236-2905 after January 1. For each room,
the hotel will take a deposit of the first night's room rate and taxes and
will require a credit card or a personal check. If you use a credit card,
the deposit will be charged against your card immediately. If a reservation
is cancelled before Monday, June 1, 2020, half of the deposit will be
returned. Otherwise refunds will not be made.

              We have also secured overflow space at the wonderful Marriott
Marquis Houston. The Marriott is only a three-block walk directly across
Discovery Green, or attendees can walk entirely indoors through the George
R. Brown convention center, connecting both hotels on the second level. You
will find many of the same amenities at the Marriott as well as a
Texas-shaped lazy river pool. The room rate at the Marriott Marquis is a
slightly higher $119 per night for singles, doubles, triples, and quads. To
book a room, call 1-877-688-4323 after January 1. The same deposit and
cancellation policies apply.

              The 2020 convention of the National Federation of the Blind
will be a truly exciting and memorable event, with an unparalleled program
and rededication to the goals and work of our movement. Please note that the
convention dates, July 14 through July 19, are later than those originally
announced this past summer in Las Vegas."  

              If you have not notified the Federation Center as to whether
you are planning to attend the Statewide Seminar on January 4, please do so
as soon as possible.  This will help us to determine the amount of food to
purchase for lunch.  Remember we will be conducting an auction throughout
the day to raise money for Rocky Bottom.  Be sure to bring items for the
auction such as, cakes, pies, cookies, gift baskets, and electronics.  Also,
please continue to sell your Houston Texas national convention bus tickets.
If you have not done so already, please mail your ticket stubs and money to
the Federation Center or bring them with you to the Seminar on Saturday,
January 4.  The drawing will take place at the conclusion of the Seminar.
The winning ticket will receive $300, the seller of the winning ticket will
receive $100 and the chapter selling the most tickets will receive $300.  

              It is not too early to begin submitting your state dues of $10
for 2020 to the state office (Federation Center).  You can either mail your
dues to the State Office or bring them with you to the Seminar on January 4.
When you submit your dues, please provide current contact information such
as, name, address, phone number and email address if applicable.  These
things do change and if we do not have accurate information, we cannot keep
you up to date on what's going on.  As I wrote in the Positive Note last
week, our national office is requiring each state affiliate to submit a list
of members and their contact information by January 15, 2020.  The deadline
to submit your NFB of SC state dues is January 31, 2020, so why wait!  

              The Christmas season is a very beautiful and special time of
the year.  I especially enjoy listening to Christmas music, being with
family and friends, eating wonderful food, and watching our six
grandchildren opening their gifts on Christmas morning.  Shelley and I would
like to take this opportunity to wish each and every one of you a very Merry
Christmas and let's all of us remember the "Reason for the Season".  

              The National Federation of the Blind 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.  

 

Final Thought:   Transforming our dreams into reality:  Don't let hindsight
be 2020 - It starts next Wednesday!

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