[NFBV-Announce] Updated link for Democracy in Action : Please Join us for the 2024 Richmond Seminar (January 15/16)

Wed Nov 29 16:49:21 UTC 2023

Unfortunately, the hotel link provided was erroneous. The updated hotel link
is:

https://www.marriott.com/event-reservations/reservation-link.mi?id=170015880
1263
<https://www.marriott.com/event-reservations/reservation-link.mi?id=17001588
01263&key=GRP&app=resvlink> &key=GRP&app=resvlink

the cut off date for hotel reservations is Friday, January 5 and our
negotiated rate is $149 plus applicable taxes.

We apologize for any inconvenience.

From: Bonnie O'Day, NFB of Virginia  Richmond Seminar Legislative Director

bonnoday at gmail.co <mailto:bonnoday at gmail.co> m

703 965-2501

Please join us for our Richmond Seminar to ensure our voice is heard in the
Virginia General Assembly. 

Dates to Remember

*	Dates of Richmond Seminar are Monday January 15 (Martin Luther King
Jr Day) and Tuesday January 16. Attend the board meeting on January 15 to
hear about our legislative priorities. Meet with General Assembly members on
the morning of January 16. 
*	Let Bonnie O'Day know that you are attending by December 15, 2023.
Reach her at bonnoday at gmail.com <mailto:bonnoday at gmail.com>  or 703
965-2501. Bonnie will benefit from your home address so we can look up your
legislators.  Also let your chapter president know, as they will be
arranging transportation.
*	Make your reservation at the Richmond Delta Hotel by Friday January
5. You can make them on line at 

https://www.marriott.com/event-reservations/reservation-link.mi?id=170015880
1263
<https://www.marriott.com/event-reservations/reservation-link.mi?id=17001588
01263&key=GRP&app=resvlink> &key=GRP&app=resvlink

or by calling 804 788-0900  

Please ask for the NFB rate of $149 plus applicable taxes. 

Details below.

Whether you have attended many Richmond Seminars, or this will be your first
one, we strongly encourage you to attend and participate in representative
democracy in action. We are planning for an exclusively in-person Richmond
Seminar.

When: 

Monday, January 15, Martin Luther King Day. We will hold an important NFBV
Board Meeting to discuss legislative issues and get organized. On Tuesday,
January 16, we will meet with our Senators and Delegates.

How it Works: 

Please attend the NFBV Board Meeting on Monday to learn about the issues.
Plan to stay overnight at the Delta Marriott Richmond on Monday night and
enjoy an evening of conviviality with your NFBV family. You will be assigned
a team to meet with legislators on Tuesday, sharing our issues and answering
the questions of legislators and their staff. The affiliate will reimburse
transportation and hotel expenses. The National Federation of the Blind of
Virginia can reimburse these expenses through the generosity of the many
donors to the Charlie Brown Memorial Fund. We are grateful for these
contributions which honor Charlie's commitment to ensuring we all have a
voice in advocacy for the rights of blind people in Virginia.

Where it All Happens: 

Our board meeting is scheduled for 1:00 PM Monday afternoon, January 15.  We
are still making final arrangements for a meeting place and we will let you
know when we have finalized them. On Monday night, we will stay at the Delta
Hotel by Marriott, 555 East Canal Street, Richmond, VA 23219.

On Tuesday morning, we will be going to the offices of the General Assembly
in the new General Assembly Building, 201 North Ninth Street. Our meetings
are typically between 8:00 AM and 11:30 AM. Your team will likely have 10
appointments during this brief time window. Your team leader will facilitate
the process, but everyone will play a role on the team. By Noon, we are
gathering back up to return home. It is quick, exciting, and the legislators
and their staff are happy we came to speak with them. 

The Issues:

The issues we will bring to Richmond are still under consideration but will
most likely include:

*	Improving the accessibility of technology used by K-12 students,
college students, state employees, and users of Virginia government
resources,
*	Accessible prescription medication labeling
*	Additional funding for the Department for the Blind and Vision
Impaired Rehabilitation Program 
*	Other issues as they arise.

We will present the final list of issues and fact sheets at the board
meeting on Monday, January 15. 

What You Need to Do:

We have bills being drafted that will need co-sponsors. Chapter Presidents
should contact their General Assembly members in their local offices before
the end of the year. All Chapter members are encouraged to participate in
these meetings. A meeting with our elected legislators in their home
districts will go a long way in establishing the recognition that is needed
for our visit to Richmond. If you need assistance identifying your delegate,
need help in setting up a meeting, or do secure a meeting and need
additional information about our issues, please contact Bonnie O'Day (my
contact information is below.).

Let me, Bonnie O'Day, know you will be attending the Richmond Seminar by
December 15. We are asking you to reply early this year. Many of you have
different delegates and senators due to redistricting, and it will take
additional time to put together the teams. Also copy your chapter president,
as chapter presidents will arrange cost effective transportation for their
chapter members. Individuals are expected to share hotel rooms and must
obtain hotel reservations themselves at the NFB of Virginia rate. We
reimburse based on having two people share a room, so we ask you to plan for
a roommate. If you need assistance finding a roommate, please call/text
Domonique Lawless: (615) 904-4225, no later than Saturday, December 30 to
allow matches to make their reservation by the hotel deadline of January 4.
You can also email Domonique but please put Richmond Seminar Roommate
request in the subject line and email her at: dlawless86 at gmail.com
<mailto:dlawless86 at gmail.com> .

You may choose to reserve a room by yourself, but as has always been the
case, the affiliate will reimburse only 50% of the room reservation. 

Please make your own reservation on-line at the Delta Hotels by Marriott
Richmond Downtown at:

https://www.marriott.com/event-reservations/reservation-link.mi?id=166793204
8046
<https://www.marriott.com/event-reservations/reservation-link.mi?id=16679320
48046&key=GRP&app=resvlink> &key=GRP&app=resvlink 

You may make your reservations at any time, but they must be made by January
4. If you have problems making reservations or have any other issues with
the hotel, please contact our Operations Coordinator, Joe Orozco via email
at jsorozco at gmail.com <mailto:jsorozco at gmail.com> . A form requesting
reimbursement for transportation and your hotel stay is attached to this
email, or can be downloaded from the affiliate site:
https://nfbv.org/treasurer at the bottom of the page.

Finally, if you are interested in being a team leader, please reach out to
Bonnie O'Day directly and provide your full name, city or county of
residence, email address, and phone number. If you have any questions,
please contact Bonnie O'Day at 703 965-2501 or email her at
bonnoday at gmail.com <mailto:bonnoday at gmail.com> 

I look forward to seeing you in Richmond!

Bonnie O'Day

NFB of Virginia  Richmond Seminar Legislative Director

bonnoday at gmail.co <mailto:bonnoday at gmail.co> m

703 965-2501

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