[NHLakesChapter] Upcoming convention

Mon Jan 6 17:10:29 UTC 2025

Thank you so much Sheryl, Fred and Randi

For the research you've done so far about our upcoming convention. I appreciate you giving us an update and asking for feedback from our group. Thank you Jean and !Andrew for sharing your thoughts. I’m hoping to share my thoughts as well.

I agree wholeheartedly with the need for gathering for a greater amount of time in order to have the ability for us to learn more information as a group when we are together. This is also so important for us to make personal connections with each other, so we can be a stronger group of NFB difference makers.

I know that it can take some time to connect with group sales departments at different hotels. I am happy to help make some phone calls, and maybe there's someone else out there willing to do so as well. 

They're definitely are additional costs involved withholding an overnight convention. With student events that I have worked on, I’ve learned that many hotels will discount or give conference space and/or meals if we have a good number of us renting rooms. While talking with NFB members from other states, I have also heard some great suggestions for some quick and easy fundraisers, and some other ways to bring revenue into our Affiliate. One thing that we could do would be to reach out for some sponsors to help us fund our convention. I am happy to make phone calls for that, and maybe others are as well. we have money in the bank to make this happen, and there are a bunch of different ways we can replenish that money and then some.

I was one of a handful of people that did book room space the night before our September convention. It was a fun adventure, and it had other benefits as well. It was much less stressful and tiring to have a one-way commute one day and then the commute back home the next. It was also a great chance to enjoy some downtime And social time with fellow members and even an invited guest! If our Affiliate is able to provide some financial support, hopefully a great number of us can make it work. If we start inviting others to join us, they can help us to increase the number of hotel rooms we book as well.

We are a small Affiliate, and the more we invest our time and talents in our Affiliate the more chances we have to grow. The more we grow, then the more we can do to support each other and educate others about our abilities and the NFB. I invited two sighted friends to join us in September, and they both have told me multiple times how much they learned by spending that short amount of time with us. Wouldn't it be great for each of us to reach out and invite others to come to our convention as well. Our number of booked hotel rooms can grow, public awareness would grow, and our membership might grow a little too. It felt a little awkward asking at first, but I’m so glad I did!

Having more than a one day convention does cost more, but I definitely think the benefits outweigh the costs. I hope we can work together to make a great experience for many to come together to learn and enjoy :-)

Dana

From: NHLakesChapter <nhlakeschapter-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of Jean Shiner via NHLakesChapter
Sent: Sunday, January 5, 2025 9:06 PM
To: 'NFB of New Hampshire Lakes Region Chapter List' <nhlakeschapter at nfbnet.org>
Cc: jean.shiner at comcast.net
Subject: Re: [NHLakesChapter] Upcoming convention

Hi Everyone,

Here are my thoughts about the convention.  I think a two day convention should be the first choice.  It would give us more time to cover more things.  We could have speakers, hold a longer business meeting and everyone throughout the state could get together in a more casual way.  If we know in advance the cost it might give some time to save up the money.  

The most important thing is the community building.  This cannot be done as well in a one-day event.  We meet monthly for about an hour to cover business.  We don’t drive.  So when we get together we need to make the most of it.  Community building, bonding and getting to know each other can make working together an even stronger experience.  

I hear that those that want to could stay either the night before or the night after the convention.  I think it is important for as many of us as possible should stay over night.  Maybe the board could permit a subsidy for people requesting it.  

Those are my thoughts.   Thanks.

All The Best,

Jean Shiner

From: NHLakesChapter <nhlakeschapter-bounces at nfbnet.org <mailto:nhlakeschapter-bounces at nfbnet.org> > On Behalf Of randi62 via NHLakesChapter
Sent: Saturday, December 21, 2024 8:23 AM
To: NFB of New Hampshire Lakes Region Chapter List <nhlakeschapter at nfbnet.org <mailto:nhlakeschapter at nfbnet.org> >
Cc: randi62 <randi62 at comcast.net <mailto:randi62 at comcast.net> >
Subject: [NHLakesChapter] Upcoming convention

Good morning good folk of the NFB!

Happy first day of Winter ❄️ 

Sheryl, Fred and I would like to give you all an update on where we are with the convention planning. It's been a month of tracking people down- unsuccessfully.

Most of the hotels/ event centers have not returned communications with us. And the few that have seem to be booked out on the weekend that we want. There is one that has been very receptive.  The biggest hurdle with them is that they are expensive. Expensive for convention space and overnight rooms. Plus we haven't seen their catering offerings yet. Also we would have to move our location to Laconia.

We are continuing to look for another option but are also considering if having a one day convention would once again be a good idea for our small state. We wouldn't be the only ones leaning towards one day conventions. Maine and Vermont both do that as they're also small affiliates.

We are continuing to reach out to Hotel / event centers to see if we can get communication and better pricing!! But we do need to button this down as quickly as possible so we can move on to the next stage of booking speakers, etc.

If we have to go back to a one-day convention, and people were looking for an overnight adventure, you could always stay at the hotel we land on the night before or the night of if you needed to but we wouldn't book a block of rooms. Some people have done that in the past.

If you have strong feelings one way or another, please reach out here on listserve. We are doing our best to accommodate all the needs of the affiliate.

Thanks, 

Randi, Sheryl and Fred 

Convention Committee 

Sent from my Verizon, Samsung Galaxy smartphone

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