[Nfbwv-talk] MESSAGE & CONVENTION AGENDA FROM PRESIDENT SMYTHRe: Ramada Plaza Hotel Facilities

[Ed McDonald]

Greetings Felloe Federationists,



I am asking that First Vice-President Ed McDonald submit the following on my 
behalf as I am having computer problems.  Also, if you have sent me any 
E-mail messages over the past few days, please call me at 304-672-3445 or 
304-622-0626 to tell me about them if they are important.



I hope all of you are ready for the 2009 state convention of the National 
Federation of the Blind of West Virginia!!!  I believe it will be a good mix 
of business and fun.  I look forward to seeing all of you at the Ramada 
Plaza Hotel in South Charleston the weekend of September 11, 12, and 13!!



Please find below the agenda which will be printed in your preferred format 
and given to you when you pick up your registration packet at the 
convention.



Charlene



CONVENTION AGENDA



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"



The National Federation of the Blind of West Virginia welcomes you to the 
Fifty-sixth Annual Convention of the National Federation of the Blind of 
West Virginia (NFBWV).



National Representative: Anil Lewis

315 West Ponce de Leon Avenue, Suite 1020

Decatur, Georgia  30030

Phone: (404) 371-1000

E-Mail:  alewis at nfbga.org



National Association of Blind Students (NABS):  Karen Anderson

PHONE:  402-319-7645

E-MAIL:  kea_anderson at cox.net



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





  CONVENTION PLANNING COMMITTEE



President Smyth would like to thank all the members of the Kanawha Valley 
Chapter of the NFBWV who have worked hard to handle convention arrangements. 
Please know, you helped to make this year's convention possible.



          The NFBWV is also grateful to Brad Hodges, Sheri Koch, Ed 
McDonald, Barbara Olive, and Ann Shy-Payne for their assistance with 
convention agendas and menus (print and Braille) and for name tags.



          To the staff of the Ramada Plaza Hotel, "Thank you for your help 
with convention and banquet arrangements."



          Thank you also to others, whose names may have been inadvertently 
omitted, for their hard work.



          Support for the 2009 NFBWV Convention--including financial 
contributions, "grab bag" materials and souvenirs--was provided by the 
following:



Long-Time Federation Friend Oshel B. Craigo and the West Virginia Locations 
of Gino's Pizza and Spaghetti & Tudor's Biscuit World



American Foundation for the Blind

Huntington, WV



Blenko Glass

Milton, WV



West Virginia Division of Rehabilitation Services

Institute, WV





THE RAMADA PLAZA HOTEL



HOTEL DESCRIPTION



          The Ramada Plaza is built roughly in the shape of the print letter 
H with the vertical wings of the H running north and south and the crossbar 
of the H running east and west.



          The entrance to the main lobby is at the north end of the west 
wing.  A revolving door is situated in the center of this entrance with 
conventional doors on either side. Proceeding straight north from the main 
entranced, there is a small seating area with a square rug that has tables 
and chairs in the center of the lobby.



          NFBWV convention registration will be in the lobby on the west 
side near the Centennial Ballroom.  Most of the major convention activities 
will take place in the Centennial Ballroom.  The double doors leading into 
the Centennial Room are located along the west wall of the lobby, slightly 
north of the front desk; (that is, if you stand facing the front desk, the 
Centennial Room entrance will be slightly behind you, on the wall to the 
right.)  This room will be divided into 2 sections.  Our main meeting and 
banquet will be in Salons C&D.  Once inside the double doors, Centennial C 
and D are to the right.



          Just to the right of the front desk is a tiled corridor which 
continues southward.  The corridor contains a large floor to ceiling iron 
bird cage on the right (west side). The first large open carpeted area along 
the right-hand (west) side of this corridor, is the hotel bar and 
restaurant.  The restaurant offers a décor and menu with a rock music motif 
and serves a full complimentary breakfast buffet each morning from 6:00 a.m. 
to 10:00 a.m. Monday through Friday and 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. Saturday and 
Sunday.  The buffet bar is located at the south end of the restaurant.



          Continuing southward down the corridor across from the 
restaurant/lounge is a small open carpeted seating area with 2 chairs and a 
table on the left. The chairs and table face south. The south west corner of 
the seating area is a support post. Both the west and south walls are open. 
Just inside and to the right of the small seating area, as you face the two 
chairs, is a small room with vending machines.



          Continuing south past the bar entrance, you will come to an 
alcove, along the left-hand (east) side of the corridor where public 
restrooms are located. The women's restroom is on the left-hand side of the 
alcove; the men's is on the right.



          At the south end of this corridor are glass doors which lead to 
the pool solarium.  The NAPUB luncheon and the Friday night reception will 
be located in the solarium.  The solarium space has a textured stone floor. 
The pool is in the center of the solarium with tables and chairs at both the 
east and west end of the pool and lounge chairs along the south side of the 
pool.



          Returning to the north-south hall; immediately across from the 
south end of the bar/restaurant opening, on the left-hand (east) side of the 
hall, is the opening to the east-west tiled corridor through the center of 
the H.  After turning east into this hall, you will find a cabinet with a 
lamp on the right-hand wall.



          Beyond the small seating area on the left and the cabinet with a 
lamp on the right is a set of double glass doors which are usually kept 
open.  Just past the double doors, along the right-hand (south) wall, is a 
second glass door to the pool area.



          Back in the east-west corridor, traveling eastward, at the end of 
the hall, you will enter the east wing of the H which contains the hotel 
guest rooms.



          Two elevators are located side by side at the east end of the 
center corridor.   Facing the elevators, (just left along the east wall) is 
an alcove containing an ice machine.



          Fire exits are located at both the north and south ends of the 
guest room corridor.



          Ice, soda, and snack machines are located on each floor in an 
alcove to the right after exiting the elevators.



          This year's hotel guest room rates are $79 per night for up to 
four persons per room.  Check in time at the Ramada Plaza Hotel begins at 
3:00 p.m. on Friday, September 11, 2009.  Check out time is at 12:00 p.m. on 
Sunday, September 13, 2009.



          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 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 at this time.





Thursday, September 10, 2009



6:00 PM:  NFBWV BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING--Charlene Smyth, President; Clay 
Board Room; (To get to this room, go to the elevators that take you to the 
sleeping rooms, then turn right and go to the end of the hall, and the 
meeting room is the last room on the left.)





FRIDAY, September 11, 2009



9:00 AM-12:00 PM:  AGENCY PARTNERSHIP COMMITTEE MEETING--Ed McDonald, 
Chairperson; Centennial Room, Salons C-D



12:00-1:00 PM:  LUNCH BREAK



12:00-6:00 PM:  REGISTRATION; Main Lobby (The convention registration fee is 
$10.00 per person, which covers admission to all convention sessions 
including the reception.  The convention banquet fee is $25.00 per person.)



1:00 PM:  TOOLS, TIPS, AND TECHNIQUES FOR BEING A SUCCESSFUL BLIND YOUTH; 
Brook Board Room (To get to this room, use the elevators that take you to 
the sleeping rooms and go to the third floor.  After exiting the elevator, 
turn left and go clear down the hallway.  The meeting room is the last door 
on the left.)



Presented by the National Federation of the Blind of West Virginia



(A workshop for blind and visually impaired students)



1:00 PM:  WELCOME, OPENING REMARKS, ORIENTATION, & INTRODUCTIONS--Marcus 
Soulsby, Program and Youth Coordinator; Charlene Smyth, President, National 
Federation of the Blind of West Virginia



1:20 PM:  KEYNOTE REMARKS: WHAT NABS DOES--Karen Anderson, Board Member, 
National Association of Blind Students (NABS)



1:40 PM:  INITIATIVES, OPPORTUNITIES, PARTNERSHIPS, & OTHER ACTIVITIES 
BENEFITING BLIND STUDENTS--Anil Lewis, President, National Federation of the 
Blind of Georgia; Member, Board of Directors, National Federation of the 
Blind



2:00 PM:  THE 5 ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS FOR SUCCESS--Garrick Scott, Member, Board 
of Directors, National Federation of the Blind of Georgia



2:20 PM:  SCHOLARSHIPS, YOUTH SLAM, & OTHER NFB PROGRAMS FOR YOUNG 
PEOPLE--Charlene Smyth, NFBWV Acting Scholarship Chairperson; Marcus 
Soulsby, NFBWV Youth Outreach Coordinator



2:40 PM:  REHABILITATION SERVICES FOR WEST VIRGINIA COLLEGE STUDENTS--Sheri 
Koch, Program Supervisor, Services for the Blind and Visually Impaired, WV 
Division of Rehabilitation Services



3:00 PM:  TWO TRUTHS, ONE LIE--Marcus Soulsby and Karen Anderson



3:30 PM:  QUESTIONS & DISCUSSION



4:00 PM:  ADJOURN



4:00- 5:00 PM:  IPHONE UPDATE AND INFORMATION--Brad Hodges, Tech Project 
Associate; American Foundation for the Blind Tech of Huntington; Centennial 
Room, Salon D



4:30 PM:  MEMBERS AT LARGE CHAPTER MEETING--Karen McDonald, President; 
Centennial Room, Salon C



6:00-8:00 PM:  COMPANY AUCTION--Sheri Koch, Coordinator; Mike Lamp, Master 
of Ceremony/Auctioneer; Centennial Room, Salon C-D



8:30-11:00 PM:  RECEPTION-- Sponsored by the Kanawha Valley Chapter of the 
NFBWV and the American Foundation for the Blind; Pool Area; this includes 
assorted cheeses, vegetable trays, chicken strips, and other finger foods.



9:00 PM:  ROYAL COURT CORONATION; Afterwards, the pool area will be open 
till 11:00 pm.  There will be fun for all.



9:30 PM:  RESOLUTIONS COMMITTEE MEETING--Ed McDonald, Chairperson; Location 
To Be Announced





SATURDAY, September 12, 2009



8:00-8:45 AM:  REGISTRATION (See Barbara Olive)



8:45 AM:  GENERAL SESSION; Centennial Room, Salons C-D



* CALL TO ORDER--Charlene Smyth, President, NFBWV



* INVOCATION



* PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE--Led by John Koch, Veteran and Kanawha Valley Chapter 
Member



* NFB PLEDGE--Led by Roland Payne, Kanawha Valley Chapter



NFB PLEDGE



I pledge to participate actively in the effort of the National Federation of 
the Blind to achieve equality, opportunity, and security for the blind; to 
support the policies and programs of the Federation; and to abide by its 
constitution.



* GREETINGS FROM THE South Charleston Convention and Visitors Bureau--Bob 
Anderson, Director



* ANNOUNCEMENTS AND CONVENTION ARRANGEMENTS--Sheri Koch, President, Kanawha 
Valley Chapter of the NFBWV



9:15 AM:  NATIONAL REPORT-Anil Lewis, NFB National Board Member



10:00AM:  PRESIDENT'S REPORT--Charlene Smyth, President, NFBWV



10:30 AM:  NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF BLIND STUDENTS (NABS)-Karen Anderson, 
NABS Representative



10:55 AM:  YOUTH ACTIVITIES IN GEORGIA--Garrick Scott, Director; Youth 
Programs for the Georgia Affiliate



11:20 AM:  PAC PLAN--Marcus Soulsby; NFBWV PAC Coordinator



11:25 AM:  COMMERCIAL--Mary Ann Saunders, President; Huntington Area Chapter 
of the NFBWV



11:30 AM:  FROM WEST VIRGINIA, TO THE NFB, AND BEYOND--Dr. Charles Edwin 
Vaughan, Professor Emeritus, Department of Sociology, University of 
Missouri-Columbia



* QUESTIONS



* SPLIT THE POT



* RECESS



12:00-2:00 PM: LUNCH BREAK



* NAPUB LUNCHEON AND MEETING--Karen McDonald, Chairperson; Pool Side



2:00 PM:  GENERAL SESSION; Centennial Room, Salons C-D



2:05 PM:  UPDATE ON SERVICES FOR THE BLIND, WV LIBRARY COMMISSION, AND 
NEWSLINE--Donna Calvert, Director of Special Services and Jill Mooney, 
Newsline Coordinator



* QUESTIONS



2:30 PM:  NEWSLINE ONLINE--Brad Hodges, Member; Huntington Area Chapter of 
the NFBWV



2:50 PM:  MARCH FOR INDEPENDENCE AND LOUIS BRAILLE BICENTENNIAL 
COMMEMORATIVE SILVER DOLLAR--Charlene Smyth, President; NFBWV



* QUESTIONS



3:10 PM:  UPDATES ON YOUTH SLAM--Marcus Soulsby, SLAM Pod Mentor



* QUESTIONS



3:30 PM:  REPORT FROM THE WEST VIRGINIA SOCIETY FOR THE BLIND AND UPDATE ON 
THE RANDOLPH-SHEPPARD PROGRAM AND UPDATE ON REHABILITATION SERVICES FOR THE 
BLIND FROM the WEST VIRGINIA DIVISION OF REHABILITATION SERVICES--Sheri 
Koch, Program Supervisor



* QUESTIONS



4:00 PM:  REPORT FROM THE AMERICAN FOUNDATION FOR THE BLIND TECH OF 
HUNTINGTON--Joe Strechay, Career Connect Project Associate and Brad Hodges, 
Huntington Tech Project Associate



* QUESTIONS



4:30 PM:  FORTY YEARS OF FEDERATIONISM--Ed McDonald, First Vice-President; 
National Federation of the Blind of West Virginia



* SPLIT THE POT



5:00 PM:  RECESS



6:30 PM:  BANQUET--Ed McDonald, Master of Ceremonies; Centennial Room, 
Salons C-D



* INTRODUCTION OF GUESTS AND RECOGNITION OF ROYAL COURT WINNER--Ed McDonald



* INVOCATION--Michael Lamp



* AWARDING OF SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENT--Joyce Porter, Acting Chairperson; NFBWV 
Scholarship Committee



* FEDERATIONIST OF THE YEAR AWARD--Charlene Smyth, Chairperson



* AWARDS AND HONORS--Sheri Koch, Chairperson, NFBWV Awards and Honors 
Committee



* KEYNOTE ADDRESS--Anil Lewis, NFB National Board Member



* Kanawha Valley CHAPTER RAFFLE--Barbara Olive



* Harrison County CHAPTER RAFFLE--Sandy Cain



* SPLIT THE POT



9:00-11:00 PM:  DANCE AND FUN--Jack O'Shae Music, DJ, Sponsored by the 
Kanawha Valley Chapter; Centennial Room, Salons C-D





 SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2009



8:30-9:00 AM:  DEVOTIONS AND MEMORIAL SERVICE--Buck Saunders; Centennial 
Room, Salons C-D



9:15 AM:  GENERAL SESSION; Centennial Room, Salons C-D



* CALL TO ORDER--Charlene Smyth, President, NFBWV



* RESOLUTIONS COMMITTEE REPORT--Ed McDonald, Chairperson



* AGENCY PARTNERSHIP COMMITTEE REPORT--Ed McDonald, Chairperson



* LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE REPORT--Roland Payne, Chairperson



* WVNAPUB REPORT--Karen McDonald, Chairperson



* SCHOLARSHIP COMMITTEE REPORT--Joyce Porter, Acting Chairperson



* UPDATE ON WEBSITE DEVELOPMENT--Marcus Soulsby, Webmaster



* BRIEF FINANCIAL SUMMARY--Marcus Soulsby, NFBWV Treasurer



* NATIONAL REPRESENTATIVE--Anil Lewis



* AMENDING OF NFBWV CONSTITUTION--Ed McDonald, Chairperson; Judiciary 
Committee



* CHAPTER REPORTS



* MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE REPORT--Charlene Smyth, President



* THE NFBWV AND YOU--Charlene Smyth, President



* OLD BUSINESS



* NEW BUSINESS



* FINAL ANNOUNCEMENTS AND CLOSING REMARKS



* SPLIT THE POT



11:30 AM:  ADJOURN