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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal>December 23, 2019<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Memo To: Executive Officers, Board Members, Chapter & Division Presidents & Others<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>From: Frank Coppel, President<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Positive Note 1741<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Greetings Fellow Federationists:<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> 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.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>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.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> 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.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> 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.” <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> 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. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> 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! <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> 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”. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> 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. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Final Thought: Transforming our dreams into reality: Don’t let hindsight be 2020 – It starts next Wednesday!<o:p></o:p></p></div></body></html>