<html xmlns:v="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:m="http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/2004/12/omml" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40"><head><meta http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=us-ascii"><meta name=Generator content="Microsoft Word 15 (filtered medium)"><style><!--
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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link="#467886" vlink="#96607D" style='word-wrap:break-word'><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Aptos><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Yes, you heard that correctly. We are looking forward to this year’s state convention coming the third weekend in October. Many of the plans for the convention are already in place and we are working hard on many others that need to be considered now.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p><p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Aptos><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p><p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Aptos><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>One of the things that has long been on the list of many of us for our convention the subject of transportation to and from the convention. Public transportation options are certainly not what they once were so we need to be more creative. In today’s climate for example there is only one bus going each way from southeast Iowa to Des Moines. It arrives in Des Moines from the east late in the afternoon and leaves Des Moines at around 8 in the morning. This year’s convention, if you are going to attend everything from Friday morning for the seniors meeting until noon on Sunday after the business meeting is over you would need to come in on Thursday and go home on Monday. Routings for other parts of the state aren’t much better either. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p><p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Aptos><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p><p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Aptos><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Yes, many people will make their own arrangements and that is excellent. What we are proposing would possibly give those who don’t have their own transportation and option that should cut their stay by at least one night<o:p></o:p></span></font></p><p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Aptos><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p><p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Aptos><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>If there is interest in doing something like this our thoughts at the moment would look like this. If two or three people would be willing to travel together the cost of hiring a driver and vehicle to make trips on agreed schedule to get people there and back home after the convention is over. It appears if we were to use the cost of a bus ticket as a price for this service it would take probably three people to go together . For example, if someone from Burlington, Washington, or Muscatine were wishing to attend the price could be roughly $150 to $180 per person. The bus ticket from Burlington roundtrip to Des Moines is approximately $150 and you still have transportation cost from the Des Moines bus depot to the hotel and back. Our service would go directly to the hotel. Remember to do this we would need to hire drivers to make the roundtrip both days or we would need to find ways to cover their cost for staying for the whole weekend. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p><p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Aptos><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p><p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Aptos><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>If you have any thoughts on such arrangements please contact me by phone at 515 334-7231 or by email at <o:p></o:p></span></font></p><p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Aptos><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><a href="mailto:bray@nfbi.org">bray@nfbi.org</a><o:p></o:p></span></font></p><p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Aptos><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p><p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Aptos><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>We of course are willing to look at any options that would be workable. The sooner we start talking about this the better so it can be arranged.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p><p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Aptos><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p><p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Aptos><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>There are plenty more pieces of information coming in the next week or so about the convention. Let us plan how we can have the biggest and best convention that we have had in many years.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p><p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Aptos><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p><p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Aptos><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Bob Ray,<o:p></o:p></span></font></p><p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Aptos><span style='font-size:11.0pt'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p></div></body></html>