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Thank you.<br><br><br><a href="https://apps.apple.com/us/app/aol-news-email-weather-video/id646100661">Sent from the all new AOL app for iOS</a><br><br><p class="yahoo-quoted-begin" style="font-size: 15px; color: #715FFA; padding-top: 15px; margin-top: 0">On Tuesday, January 17, 2023, 10:11 PM, Suzanne Turner <smturner.234@gmail.com> wrote:</p><blockquote class="iosymail"><div id="yiv3101919836"><style><!--
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--></style><div><div class="yiv3101919836WordSection1"><p class="yiv3101919836MsoNormal">Ohio Members and Friends,</p><p class="yiv3101919836MsoNormal"> </p><p class="yiv3101919836MsoNormal">As promised below is the 2023 National Convention Bulletin and airport info.</p><p class="yiv3101919836MsoNormal"> </p><p class="yiv3101919836MsoNormal">Starting with the airport:</p><p class="yiv3101919836MsoNormal"> </p><p class="yiv3101919836MsoNormal">I spoke to the hotel and here is their account.</p><p class="yiv3101919836MsoNormal"> </p><p class="yiv3101919836MsoNormal">There are two airports, and it is your choice which one is your preference.</p><p class="yiv3101919836MsoNormal"> </p><p class="yiv3101919836MsoNormal">George Bush International is larger and further away from the hotel. It is around 45 minutes away.</p><p class="yiv3101919836MsoNormal"> </p><p class="yiv3101919836MsoNormal">William Hobby International is smaller and closer. It is 25-30 minutes away.</p><p class="yiv3101919836MsoNormal"> </p><p class="yiv3101919836MsoNormal"> </p><p class="yiv3101919836MsoNormal">Convention Bulletin 2023</p><p class="yiv3101919836MsoNormal"> </p><p class="yiv3101919836MsoNormal">Hilton Americas-Houston Convention Center Hotel</p><p class="yiv3101919836MsoNormal">There are plenty of reasons one might travel to Houston, Texas, the fourth most populous city in the United States. One might visit for the nearly three-week-long</p><p class="yiv3101919836MsoNormal">Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. The city’s vibrant arts scene boasts the largest concentration of theater seats outside of New York City. And no Houston</p><p class="yiv3101919836MsoNormal">resident would let a visitor forget that the city is home to the 2022 World Series Champion Houston Astros. There is little question that Houston has a</p><p class="yiv3101919836MsoNormal">great deal going for it. The city’s real draw, however, is that it will play host to the National Federation of the Blind’s 2023 National Convention.</p><p class="yiv3101919836MsoNormal"> </p><p class="yiv3101919836MsoNormal">It has now been more than fifty years since the largest gathering of the organized blind last convened in Houston, Texas, and our return in 2023 will be</p><p class="yiv3101919836MsoNormal">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</p><p class="yiv3101919836MsoNormal">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</p><p class="yiv3101919836MsoNormal">annual event. Ballrooms, breakout space, and sleeping rooms are all stacked in the same tower housed on a single city block, simplifying navigation and</p><p class="yiv3101919836MsoNormal">minimizing travel distances. In-room internet is complimentary to all attendees as is access to the health club and swimming pool on the 22nd floor. There</p><p class="yiv3101919836MsoNormal">are several 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</p><p class="yiv3101919836MsoNormal">walking distance from the Hilton’s front door.</p><p class="yiv3101919836MsoNormal"> </p><p class="yiv3101919836MsoNormal">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</p><p class="yiv3101919836MsoNormal">the hotel occupancy tax rate is 17 percent. To book your room for the 2023 convention, call 1-800-236-2905 after January 1 and ask for the “NFB Convention”</p><p class="yiv3101919836MsoNormal">block. 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</p><p class="yiv3101919836MsoNormal">use a credit card, the deposit will be charged against your card immediately. If a reservation is cancelled before Monday, June 1, 2023, half of the deposit</p><p class="yiv3101919836MsoNormal">will be returned. Otherwise refunds will not be made.</p><p class="yiv3101919836MsoNormal">We have also secured overflow space at the wonderful Marriott Marquis Houston. The Marriott is only a three-block walk directly across Discovery Green,</p><p class="yiv3101919836MsoNormal">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</p><p class="yiv3101919836MsoNormal">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</p><p class="yiv3101919836MsoNormal">for singles, doubles, triples, and quads. To book a room, call 1-877-622-3056 after January 1. Again, ask for the “NFB Convention” block. Similarly, the</p><p class="yiv3101919836MsoNormal">same deposit and cancellation policies apply.</p><p class="yiv3101919836MsoNormal"> </p><p class="yiv3101919836MsoNormal">The 2023 convention of the National Federation of the Blind will be a truly exciting and memorable event, with an unparalleled program and rededication</p><p class="yiv3101919836MsoNormal">to the goals and work of our movement. A wide range of seminars for parents of blind children, technology enthusiasts, job seekers, and other groups will</p><p class="yiv3101919836MsoNormal">kick the week off on Saturday, July 1. Convention registration and registration packet pick-up will also open on Saturday. Breakout sessions continue on</p><p class="yiv3101919836MsoNormal">Sunday along with committee meetings. Monday, July 3, will kick off with the annual meeting, open to all, of the Board of Directors of the National Federation</p><p class="yiv3101919836MsoNormal">of the Blind. National division meetings will follow the board meeting that afternoon and evening. General convention sessions will begin on Tuesday, July</p><p class="yiv3101919836MsoNormal">4, and continue through the afternoon of Thursday, July 6. Convention ends on a high note with the banquet Thursday evening so be sure to pack your fancy</p><p class="yiv3101919836MsoNormal">clothes. The fall of the gavel at the close of banquet will signal convention’s adjournment.</p><p class="yiv3101919836MsoNormal"> </p><p class="yiv3101919836MsoNormal">Remember that as usual we need door prizes from state affiliates, local chapters, and individuals. Once again prizes should be small in size but large</p><p class="yiv3101919836MsoNormal">in value. Cash, of course, is always appropriate and welcome. As a rule, we ask that prizes of all kinds have a value of at least $25 and not include alcohol.</p><p class="yiv3101919836MsoNormal">Drawings will occur steadily throughout the convention sessions, and you can anticipate a Texas-sized grand prize to be drawn at the banquet. You may bring</p><p class="yiv3101919836MsoNormal">door prizes with you to convention or send them in advance to the National Federation of the Blind of Texas at 1600 E Highway 6, Suite 215, Alvin, TX 77511.</p><p class="yiv3101919836MsoNormal"> </p><p class="yiv3101919836MsoNormal">The best collection of exhibits featuring new technology; meetings of our special interest groups, committees, and divisions; the most stimulating and</p><p class="yiv3101919836MsoNormal">provocative program items of any meeting of the blind in the world; the chance to renew friendships in our Federation family; and the unparalleled opportunity</p><p class="yiv3101919836MsoNormal">to be where the real action is and where decisions are being made—all of these mean you will not want to miss being a part of the 2023 National Convention.</p><p class="yiv3101919836MsoNormal">To assure yourself a room in the headquarters hotel at convention rates, make your reservations early. We plan to see you in Houston in July.</p></div></div></div><blockquote></blockquote></blockquote>
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