[Vabs] Fwd: richmond seminar, reservation deadline approaching

[Corbb O'Connor]

Hi students!

I'm sorry that many of you could not make our conference call --  
details will come later, I promise. I'm heading off to bed, but wanted  
to be sure to send you this message before Seville got upset with me!  
Richmond Seminar, for those who aren't familiar, is a great way to  
experience how legislation and advocacy works on the state level. If  
you're heading to Washington Seminar, I'd suggest going to Richmond as  
well (they're on two separate weeks). Plus, the Affiliate picks up the  
tab for your hotel room...if you book soon! Contact Seville or Dr.  
Schroeder with questions...or me!

Best wishes--
Corbb O'Connor
VABS President

-----
Corbb O'Connor
The George Washington University '10
B.A. Political Communication & Economics

Begin forwarded message:

From: "seville allen" <ceoallen at verizon.net>
Date: January 5, 2009 8:58:07 PM EST
To: <ceoallen at verizon.net>
Subject: richmond seminar, reservation deadline approaching

January 11 is our deadline for room reservations for Richmond  
seminar.  Make
your reservation if you haven't already done so for January 25.  Room  
rates
until January 11 are $89, if you reserve a room after January 11, you  
cannot
be guaranteed our Virginia affiliate rate and may have to pay the
difference.
Call 804-788-0900 to reserve your room.
After you make your room reservation, please let me know you are  
coming to
Richmond to join us for our general assembly visit.  You will be  
placed on a
team.

Thus far eight rooms are reserved and this includes people from three
chapters Potomac, Fredericksburg and Charlottesville.

Below is the message sent out in December.  If you are a chapter  
president,
please urge chapter members to come, if you plan to come, just  
register at
the hotel and let me know you are coming.


Reminder!!! January 11 is the deadline for making hotel reservations  
for our
Richmond seminar and NFBV board meeting.
Please remind chapter members and remember, the more of us who are  
there,
the more fun and more opportunity to get our issues in front of our  
elected
officials.

The board meeting is from 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm.  We will visit our general
assembly members January 26.
Make reservations for January 25 and bring money to join fellow
Federationists for dinner Sunday evening January 25; for breakfast  
Monday
January 26 and lunch on the 26 if you want to eat and review issue  
responses
before leaving Richmond for home.  Note, too, that the ninth street
cafeteria is no longer open so we will be finding a new place to eat,
preferably another Randolph-sheppard location.

This year's issues:
Creative thinking for SOQ formula and older blind funding;
Add requiring NCLB Braille certification to the already existing  
Virginia
code for teaching Braille; such a certification was not available when  
the
current code was enacted.
We will oppose any attempt to merge disability agencies--no legislation
proposed yet, but the GA members always can use a reminder. And,  we  
thank
Senator Whipple and the GA for supporting our idea that hybrid cars  
and all
electric vehicles need a minimum sound standard.

Richmond information is forwarded below, call and write fellow chapter
members:
.... . .

The NFBV Board meeting is scheduled for 1:00 pm January 25.  Following  
the
board meeting, we will finalize plans for our visit to the Virginia  
General
Assembly the following morning--8:00 am, to visit our elected assembly
members.

This year our issues include:  SOQ formula; restoring DBVI's older blind
program; adding certification in Braille for those who teach it to the
Virginia code; opposing any attempt to merge the disability agencies and
thank you to the GA for supporting the needd for hybrid and electric
vehicles to emit a minimum sound.

Make hotel reservations at the Crown Plaza hotel downtown, 555 E. Canal
Street, Richmond, va 23219;  phone:  804-788-0900

Room rates are $89 plus 13 percent tax.  Make your reservation for  
January
25.
Our block of rooms will be held until January 11.  Please make  
reservations
before January 11, after January 11, you may not get the $89 rate  
imbursable
from the affiliate.

Parking at the hotel will be $15 per night.  The hotel provides a free
shuttle to nearby restaurants of Shocoe slip and to the general assembly
building.  The hotel also has a restaurant in the building.

Plan to join fellow Federationists for our Richmond Seminar in  
Richmond. The
only cost to you is for meals--dinner with Federationists Sunday evening
January 25; breakfast Monday morning January 26 and lunch Monday before
leaving for home following our visit to the General Assembly.
Transportation to and from Richmond, as well as hotel room will be
reimbursed by the affiliate.

If you have not yet been to a Richmond Seminar, here is what you can  
expect:


Attending the NFBV Board of Directors meeting Sunday, January 25 between
1:00 and 5:00 pm in the Raleigh/drake rooms at the Crown Plaza Hotel,
downtown, 555 E. Canal Street, Richmond

Finalizing teams for the visit to the General Assembly; each  
federationist
will be part of a team of Federationists visiting members of the General
Assembly; you will most likely be on a team from your geographic area  
and
visit members of your region.  Each team will have the issue sheet and  
louis
Braille literacy campaign pins, along with colonel books for  
distribution to
offices visited.

Make reservations as soon as possible and before January 11.  Also  
notify
Seville Allen that you are attending so you will be assigned to a  
team. Any
questions, please ask  by sending email to

Seville Allen at
Ceoallen at verizon.net or calling
703-243-0107

***
The hotel tells us:

For hotel detail visit www.crowneplaza.com/ric-downtown . Also, take a
minute and tour our backyard www.richmondriverfront.com/ 
canalwalk.shtml . We
are the perfect location for your next meeting,. The Crowne Plaza  
Richmond
Downtown is located in downtown Richmond, nine (9) miles from the  
Richmond
International Airport, minutes from Interstates 95 and 64 and adjacent  
to
the Downtown Expressway.  Located on the Banks of the James River on the
Canal Walk and all of the attractions of Shockoe Slip's unique dining  
and
nightlife area within walking distance.