[Nfbwv-talk] 2009 NFBWV Convention Memo

Wed Jul 15 22:06:05 UTC 2009

If anyone would like this in a Word format, please let me know.

CONVENTION MEMORANDUM

NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND

OF WEST VIRGINIA

September 11, 12, and 13, 2009

Ramada Plaza HOTEL 

400 Second Avenue 

South Charleston, WV  25303 

"VOICE OF WEST VIRGINIA'S BLIND"

President, NFB of West Virginia: Charlene Smyth 

220 Buena Vista Avenue 

Clarksburg, WV 26301 

Phone: (304) 622-0626

E-Mail: cs.nfbwv at verizon.net 

          NFBWV Chapter presidents and NFBWV Board Members, please make sure this information is shared with all your chapter members.  Unfortunately, I did hear from some chapter members last year who stated they had not been made aware of convention plans.  

          The 56th annual convention of the National Federation of the Blind of West Virginia (NFBWV) will take place on September 11, 12, and 13, 2009, at the Ramada Plaza Hotel located in South Charleston, West Virginia.  

          The convention registration fee is ten dollars per person and the banquet registration fee is twenty-five dollars per person no matter the person's age.  

          The guest room rates will be $79 per night up to four people per room.  This does include a free full breakfast buffet each morning.  The cut off date for getting room rates at $79 per night is August 27, 2009 and after that date, the rates can range anywhere from $89 to $139 per night.  When making reservations, be sure to let the hotel know you will be attending the convention of the National Federation of the Blind of West Virginia so you can receive the reduced room rates.  Reservations must be made directly with the Ramada Plaza Hotel by calling (304) 744-4641.  When you make your reservations and when you register at the hotel, you must submit a credit card for securing the room as well as for the hotel to keep on hand for any incidentals that might be billed to your room such as phone calls, room service, etc.  Please be aware that a $30 registration fee will be required at check in, and will be applied to your final bill or reimbursed to you upon check out.  

          NOTE:  The Ramada Plaza Hotel strongly suggests that check cards are not used since it takes longer for your funds to be cleared for use on your part.  

          If reservations are made by a chapter rather than by an individual, chapters can use their FEIN number that will exempt them from some taxes.  NOTE:  You must use something official to identify your chapter such as a chapter check in order to receive tax exemption.  

          Please be aware that the official check in time is not until 3:00 p.m. on Friday, September 11, 2009.  If your room happens to be clean and ready before that time, the hotel may allow you to check into your room.  

          Check out time on Sunday, September 13, is at noon.  We are working on trying to get this extended until 1:00 p.m.  

          If available, refrigerators and microwaves can be requested at no cost.  These are on a first-come first-serve basis so no guarantees can be made that you will get one.  

          If you do not want to accidently order a movie by hitting the wrong button on your television's remote control, you should request at the front desk that this option be turned off for your room.  

          There are no charges for local phone calls.  

          To learn more about the Ramada Plaza Hotel, go to their website at www.ramadacharleston.com.  

          Plans have been made for an NFBWV registration table with the location to be announced later.  

          If we do not require a huge amount of storage space for door prizes and so forth, the hotel can provide storage space.  The Door Prize Committee requests that door prizes not be wrapped, but that a brown paper bag accompanies each door prize.  Any door prizes as well as company auction items can be submitted when you check in at the convention registration table at the hotel.  

          Speaking of Company Auction, every member is requested to obtain at least one new item to be auctioned off the evening of Friday, September 11th.  It is recommended that items be obtained that anyone would want to own, use, or have in their home.  Please be aware that if you are able to obtain nice but smaller items that might not be suitable for the auction, we will put them in a basket along with other items for which we will be selling raffle tickets throughout the convention.  When you have obtained an item, please E-mail the name of the item, a description of the item, the approximate value of the item, and who donated it to Charlene Smyth at cs.nfbwv at verizon.net and to Sheri Koch at sheri.l.koch at wv.gov.  It is felt that this is one fund-raiser everyone can assist our affiliate in to raise the funds necessary to keep our projects and initiatives going.  Also, everyone is helping to make it a success and taking some of the pressure off those normally involved in fund-raising.  

          Banquet favors can be left with the Sales Office, and the hotel staff will put them on the tables when setting up for the banquet.  

          The hotel's restaurant/lounge, Rock and Eat, hours are as follows:  Breakfast Monday through Friday from 5:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.  Dinner is served from Monday through Saturday from 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.  If the lounge is busy, it will stay open as late as midnight.  If the lounge is not busy, it can close as early as 10:00 p.m.  Only breakfast is served on Sundays.  Please be advised that the restaurant is not normally open during lunch, but they will open for us with a limited menu and the selections are not known.  

          The hotel has a van that will pick up hotel guests who will be flying in to the local airport to attend the convention.  You will need to make arrangements with the hotel for this van service and inform them of your arrival and departure times.  

          The hotel has an indoor swimming pool that is open from 6:00 a.m. until midnight.  The hotel also has a hot tub.

          Parking is available free of charge.  

          Pets are allowed at a cost of $25 per night and your sleeping room will be one of the rooms located on the smoking floor.  

          On Friday evening, the Kanawha Valley Chapter of the NFBWV will host the reception and Royal Court Contest.  They invite you to come join them for good fellowship and an assortment of delicious refreshments such as punch and finger foods like chicken tenders, meatballs, veggies, cheese, etc.  Again, this is a reception and not a dinner.  

          For those attending the NAPUB Meeting, Chairperson Karen McDonald will be in communication with the hotel regarding this.  Karen will then advise you accordingly.  

          We would very much appreciate all chapter presidents and/or board members forwarding to us the names of those who will be attending the convention so the name tags can be completed in advance.  Also, indicate whether the individuals are voting or nonvoting members and whether the individual reads regular print, large print, or Braille.  This information should be submitted to Barbara Olive at bolive at verizon.net or via phone at (304) 768-5513 and to Ann Shy at Barbara.shy1 at verizon.net or via phone at (304) 743-5114.  

          If you wish to pre-register for the convention and banquet, your check should be made payable to the NFBWV and mailed to Marcus Soulsby at 4709 MacCorkle Avenue SE; Unit 3-E; Charleston, WV  25304.  You can contact Marcus via phone at (304) 925-3896 or via E-mail at msoulsby at suddenlink.net.  

          For those also attending the Agency Partnership Committee Meeting, room rates and other hotel information are the same as previously mentioned.  For those assigned to serve on the Agency Partnership Committee, please make arrangements through Ed McDonald. 

          If you have anything that needs to be considered by the Resolutions Committee, please submit it to Chairperson Ed McDonald at 151 South Mineral Street; Keyser, WV  26726; PHONE:  (304) 788-0129; E-MAIL:  ed at eioproductions.com.  Submissions should be sent to Ed no later than August 15, 2009.  Anything submitted after this date will be considered for next year's convention.  The Resolutions Committee will write and complete all resolutions by August 26, 2009 with a copy submitted to the NFBWV president.  

          If you have nominations for Federationist of the Year, please submit them to Charlene Smyth at cs.nfbwv at verizon.net or 220 Buena Vista Avenue; Clarksburg, WV  26301.  Charlene can be contacted via phone at (304) 622-0626.  All submissions should be sent to Charlene no later than August 15, 2009.  Names received after this date will not be considered.  

          If you have any nominations for other awards and honors, please submit them to the chairperson of the Awards and Honors Committee, Sheri Koch, at 5111 Staunton Avenue SE; Charleston, WV  25304; PHONE:  (304) 925-2942; E-MAIL:  sheri.koch at wvdrs.org.  Nominations should be submitted to Sheri no later than August 15, 2009.  Nominations received after this date will not be considered.  

          If you or anyone you know would like an NFBWV scholarship application or additional information, please contact the chairperson of the Scholarship Committee, Debbi Williamson at 1430 Magnolia Court; Cumberland, MD 21502; PHONE:  (301) 777-3017; E-MAIL:  debbi107 at atlanticbb.net.  

          If you have any questions or need to forward information, please do so by contacting me using the contact information provided at the beginning of this memo.

          We hope that all of you are able to attend this year's convention.  We look forward to meeting and visiting with you.