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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link="#0563C1" vlink="#954F72"><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal>Ohio,<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Below you will find an article that I wrote for the Summer Buckeye Bulletin on the 2018 Team Convention. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Why am I reposting this? Well, the address for our 2018 Team Convention had a number missing on the address. So, make the necessary corrections and review the content .<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Do not fear. President Payne is on top of this and nothing will stop us from ensuring that everyone who wishes to attend will do so.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>I apologize for any inconvenience!<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText> <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText>Note!<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText>Please direct all questions, comments and concerns to me; as this is my oversight!<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText>I have also included Barbara’s map of the hotel for your review as well!<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText>///<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText>The 2018 Convention of the National Federation of the Blind of Ohio <><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText>by Suzanne Turner<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText>Editor’s note: Suzanne Turner chairs the 2018 Convention Planning Committee. She has been busy for months preparing for our 2018 convention. Here is her report:<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText>The National Federation of the Blind of Ohio is pleased to present a snapshot of activities at its 72nd Annual Ohio affiliate convention, which will be held at the Holiday Inn, Cleveland/Strongsville Hotel, 15471 Royalton Road, Strongsville, Ohio 44133. For your convenience you Can reserve your room now. The cost is $82 a night plus 16.5 percent tax with free buffet breakfast for two. Any additional people in the room pay $5 each for the buffet breakfast. Note that all breakfast orders from the hotel menu are paid out of pocket. Please keep in mind that the cutoff date for making hotel room reservations is Thursday, October 11, 2018. The Holiday Inn Strongsville has created a personalized link for room reservations, which has code “FEB” added. This tool is extremely user friendly and will help to make sure your hotel stay is booked at the group rate. Please refer to the end of this article for the steps to book online. If you prefer, call reservations directly at 1-877-408-4913 and reference group code “FEB”. Be sure to let the hotel know if you need a wheelchair-accessible room or have any additional requirements related to your reservation. Transportation provided by the hotel’s shuttle within a three-mile radius is available. The Strongsville Mall is directly across the street. It includes a number of shops and restaurants. Panera Bread, Starbucks, and CVS Pharmacy are just up the road.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText>To register for the Team Convention, go to <a href="http://nfbohio.org/home/nfbo-72nd-annual-convention"><span style='color:windowtext;text-decoration:none'>http://nfbohio.org/home/nfbo-72nd-annual-convention</span></a> <<a href="http://nfbohio.org/home/nfbo-72nd-annual-convention"><span style='color:windowtext;text-decoration:none'>http://nfbohio.org/home/nfbo-72nd-annual-convention</span></a>>. Preregistering costs $15 but onsite is $20. The charge for the banquet is $40 and onsite is $45. Note, registration is a requirement for door prize eligibility and a number of other convention activities. Convention attendees (both local and out of town) are asked to register.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText>Our theme for 2018 is the Team Convention, “One Team, One Goal,” which is parallel to our belief, that the National Federation of the Blind is the only organization that believes in the full capacity of blind people, and has the power, influence, diversity, and determination to help transform our dreams into reality. We believe in blind people because we are blind people. Our democratically elected leaders and our diverse nationwide membership are made up of blind people, our families, and our friends. We are bound together by our belief that the blind are capable of achieving our dreams and living the lives we want and by the love and respect we have for one another and for all blind Americans. We support one another, act with courage and determination when we encounter barriers or experience setbacks, and engage in collective action to improve our lives.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText>The Convention Planning Committee is delighted to announce that attorney Denise Avant is our 2018 National Representative. Denise is the President of the NFB of Illinois, a member of the NFB national Board of Directors, and an active member of the American Bar Association. Denise comes highly recommended, experienced, and well informed.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText>The NFB of Ohio is the state’s oldest organization of blind people working together to change what it means to be blind. The 2018 Team Convention will inspire and empower you and will celebrate our accomplishments. Join us to learn more about issues confronting blind people today and walk away ready to advocate for change. Showcased at the Convention will be inspirational stories about the work of our movement, our history, and our philosophy of blindness. We are planning dynamic committee meetings, stimulating workshops, and thought-provoking agenda items.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText>Take a look at a few convention highlights:<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText>• Network with blind people across Ohio.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText>• Encourage blind people to expand their knowledge of resources and opportunities such as Braille, Accessibility, and Legislative Initiatives.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText>• Attend Workshops on Effective Strategies for Self-Advocacy, Trends in Transportation, and the Latest Developments in Technology.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText>• Attend the banquet with a memorable banquet address and the presentation of scholarships for blind college students.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText>• Visit the Exhibit Hall to explore the latest technology and low-vision products. Exhibitors will be open to shoppers and information gatherers on Saturday, November 3, 2018 from noon to 5:00 PM.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText>The opening gavel of the first general session will fall on Friday, November 2, with opening ceremonies promptly at 2:00 PM. We will have a series of speakers covering a wide range of topics, including a report from our president, our national representative, Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities (OOD), Regional Transit Authority (RTA), legislation, and health and wellness. Of course, Annette Lutz will have exciting door prizes as well.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText>Friday evening will see a flurry of activities. First and foremost, our Hospitality Suite will open its doors at 5:30 PM. Your host will be the NFB of Lorain County, and they will make you feel relaxed and right at home. They are also planning some enjoyable activities for your visit. Snacks and beverages will be available for your comfort.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText>The At-Large Chapter and the Ohio Association of Blind Merchants Division will hold their annual business meetings that evening. The Nominating and Resolutions Committees meetings will also take place. Sign up for the One Touch Self-Defense Class and learn techniques to protect yourself. And of course the Ohio Association to Promote the Use of Braille (OAPUB) Division again will entertain us later that evening with one of their wonderful radio play readings. Admission will be $5 at the door. This is an event you will surely not want to miss as you show your support for Braille.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText>Saturday morning, November 3, we will begin with an OAPUB breakfast meeting at 7:00 AM. If Braille is important to you, be sure to sign up for the OAPUB breakfast meeting while you are registering. The Diabetes Action Network (DAN) will also have its breakfast meeting in the hotel restaurant at 7:00 AM. If you are interested in becoming a member of this division, you should seriously consider attending.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText>The gavel falls again promptly at 9:00 AM to continue general sessions. We will break at 12 noon for lunch. The Ohio Association of Guide Dog Users (OAGDU), the NFB of Ohio Seniors Division, and the Ohio Association of Blind Students (OABS) will conduct their annual business meetings from noon to 2:00. Boxed lunches will be available for meeting attendees who ordered them or for those who just want to get a lunch on the go. Be sure to order your boxed lunch when you register for the convention.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText>The afternoon promises provocative workshops on promoting leadership, membership building, and successful employment strategies. The Exhibit Hall will be quite exciting, with vendors attending such as Microsoft, FreedomScientific, and the American Printing House for the Blind (APH), to name a few. These and more vendors will be available to us from 12:00 noon to 5:00 PM demonstrating their high-tech and low-tech products for blind and visually impaired users. Chapters and divisions will also have the opportunity to hold fundraisers in this exhibit area.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText>Saturday night’s banquet will surely be the highlight of the convention. This is an opportunity for fellowship and for all of us to share a meal together. Our keynote speaker for the evening will be our national representative, Denise Avant. We will have our Gavel Awards ceremony to celebrate chapter and division accomplishments from the past year. The finale of the banquet will be the announcement of the 2018 scholarship winners and the annual auction. Be sure to order your banquet meal when you register for the convention. Don’t worry, the night is not over. Plans are in the works for an exciting after-banquet activity.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText>Sunday, November 4th is the day we relax a little, reflect on the past few days, and think about where we are headed in the future. Elections will be held for the officers and one member of the Ohio Board of Directors. All NFB members are eligible to vote if their dues have been paid.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText>Our Convention Planning Committee is committed to making your convention experience memorable and enjoyable. Therefore, our goal is to bring you the most up-to-date information on the convention. Please feel free to contact the committee chair with any questions, concerns, or requests for accommodations at <a href="mailto:SMTurner.234@gmail.com"><span style='color:windowtext;text-decoration:none'>SMTurner.234@gmail.com</span></a>.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText>Vice President Sheri Albers along with the Cuyahoga Chapter will be ready to greet you bright and early at 9:00 AM on Friday morning with your registration packets and agendas and to preview the weekend activities. Please bring all donated door prizes to the registration table as well.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText>Suzanne Turner is in charge of convention arrangements, and she and her committee will make sure that the hotel facility--which includes staff, accommodations, guide dog relief areas, meeting rooms, dining areas, and common areas--is as blind-friendly as possible. Volunteers will be available to assist and direct convention attendees to gathering points and conference rooms.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText>The Convention Planning Committee and Board of Directors will be on hand to welcome you, and we are excited and looking forward to seeing you at the 2018 Team Convention. Together, with love, hope, and determination, the members of the National Federation of the Blind transform dreams into reality. You can live the life you want.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText>Follow these steps for online registration:<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText>· Hold down CTRL and click National Federation of the Blind <<a href="https://www.holidayinn.com/redirect?path=hd&brandCode=HI&localeCode=en®ionCode=1&hotelCode=CLESV&_PMID=99801505&GPC=CLG&viewfullsite=true"><span style='color:windowtext;text-decoration:none'>https://www.holidayinn.com/redirect?path=hd&brandCode=HI&localeCode=en®ionCode=1&hotelCode=CLESV&_PMID=99801505&GPC=CLG&viewfullsite=true</span></a>> or right click on hyperlink and select OPEN hyperlink.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText>· The group block code FEB will already be included for your special rate.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText>· Enter arrival and departure dates.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText>· Enter first & last name and email address.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText>· Enter payment information.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText>· Once complete, a confirmation number will be generated.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText>· If an email address was entered, A confirmation will be sent to you.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText>· This link will not function properly when attempting to access it through a cell phone.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText>· A laptop or desktop computer is recommended.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText>*****<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText>Get to Know the Holiday Inn Strongsville Cleveland <><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText>by Barbara Pierce<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText>Though parking is available near the sleeping rooms at this motel, you will probably first park on the east side of the facility. The main entrance is near the check-in desk, close to the south end of the meeting room block. Imagine that the meeting room area is roughly a square with an add-on section on the north side at the northeast corner. The sleeping rooms form a print T that lies south of the meeting rooms with the stem running north-south and beginning halfway back the south side of the east-west hallway, which begins at the front door and stretches west to the Simmering Pot Restaurant at the west end of the hall.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText>The check-in desk is near the front door and on your left as you walk toward the Simmering Pot. Just past the desk on the left is the base of the sleeping-room T. You will find the three sets of elevators in this sleeping-room area. Convention registration will be located near the check-in desk in the lobby part of the east-west hall.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText>As you walk west toward the Simmering Pot, on your left you will pass the check-in desk, the hall leading to sleeping rooms and elevators, and Vinny’s Lounge, where dinner is served as well as drinks during the evening. On the north (right) side of the hall are three corridors leading into the meeting-room area. The east-west hall is tile, and the three south-north meeting-room corridors are carpeted, as is the hallway leading to the sleeping rooms.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText>Just after you step into the hotel, you can turn right into the first meeting-room corridor. It is called the sales corridor because the sales and catering offices are on the right of the hall as you walk north. The Aspen Room is the first door on the left of this hall. There are restrooms on the right just north of the sales office. A pair of drinking fountains is just to the north of the men’s room. There is a low, wheelchair fountain and then a taller one. Neither reaches the floor, so they are a bit of a hazard since a cane will slide under them. After the fountains is a door to the outside, which is one of the dog relief areas as well as a seating area for smokers. There are two sets of doors to pass through to get out. There is a permanent trash receptacle outside, and the hotel staff will probably place a couple of others out there for your convenience. Please use them when picking up after your dog.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText>On the west side of the hallway is a door into the Mulberry Room, which is our general session room. This door is located at the north side of the head table. There is another entrance on the south wall of the Mulberry Room at the west end, which means it is located at the back of the meeting room.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText>Returning to the sales hallway, the hall stops at the north end at a door into the Chessnut Rooms A and B. These will be breakout rooms, especially on Saturday. These two meeting rooms are the add-on space at the north end of the meeting-room square.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText>Returning to the east-west hallway, where the check-in desk is located, and walking west past the sales and catering corridor, you come to the second corridor leading north. This is opposite the check-in desk. Walking north in this carpeted hall, you pass the west door into the Aspen Room. If you stay to the right walking north, you will walk straight into the back door to the Mulberry room referred to above. Just to the left of that door is the door to the Sycamore Room, and west of that room is the Cypress Room. These two rooms are the hospitality room on Friday night.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText>On the west side of the south-north corridor is a door into the Board Room, and around the corner in the east-west corridor that passes the Cypress Room is another door into the Board Room. If you walk further west in this hall, you will cross the third of the north-south hallways. Just beyond this hall you will find a door on the south side of the hall, which leads into the Juniper Room. There is a second door into this room which is on the south end of the room and leads to the east-west hallway just outside the Simmering Pot Restaurant. There are restrooms on the east wall of the third north-south hall, as well as the Butternut Room, which lies between the restrooms and the main east-west hallway. When you leave the carpeting, walking south, you will know that you are back in the main east-west hall. When you cross this hall, you will enter Vinnie’s Lounge. The Simmering Pot Restaurant is on your right at the west end of the hall, and the front door of the hotel is to your left.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText>When you begin walking east toward the check-in desk, you will pick up the carpeting leading south into the sleeping-room area. This is the stem of the T. All of the elevators are on the stem: the first two pairs of cars are on the left, and the third, single elevator is on the right, almost at the junction of the stem of the T with the cross piece. The left or east arm of the cross piece is shorter than the west arm. The sleeping rooms all have ADA signs. Even-numbered rooms are on the right, and odd-numbered rooms are on the left. Large circular mirrors with thick frames are hung at shoulder height alternately right and left in the hall, so be careful not to hug the walls as you walk, or you could locate the mirrors the hard way. There are ice and soft drink machines near all the elevators. On floors one and six there are rooms with a coin-operated washer and dryer. These are located just after the second elevator bay. There are three sets of elevators on the stem of the T. The first two sets go all the way to the sixth floor; the last elevator goes only to floor five. That elevator is located on the right (west) side of the hall almost at the cross piece hall, and there are only five floors of rooms on the cross piece.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText>A door leading to a dog-relief area on the west side of the corridor is across the hall from the second set of elevators. This is a large grassy area, and trash receptacles will be placed outside the door for your convenience. Remember to take your room key card with you in order to get back into the hotel.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText>I will conclude with my usual plea: do not just read through this article once and then feel frustrated because you do not have a perfect map of the hotel in your mind. Read through it carefully several times. Consciously construct the map in your mind. Making maps is one of the skills of blindness, but it takes practice to do it quickly. Use this article as a way of developing the skill.<o:p></o:p></p></div></body></html>