[nfb-talk] 2010 Convention of the National Federation of the Blind of Iowa

Sat Aug 14 10:56:04 UTC 2010

August 10, 2010

Greetings to my Federation Family:

It's time for the 2010 National Federation of the Blind of Iowa convention!
Our convention will be held Friday, September 17 through Sunday, September
19 at the luxurious Marriott Des Moines Downtown hotel, 700 Grand Avenue,
Des Moines, IA  50309.  Call (515) 245-5500 by 5:00 PM September 5 to book
your room at our great convention rate:  $75.  Mention the National
Federation of the Blind of Iowa convention.  Rooms will go quickly-make your
reservation soon!  Call Tai Blas, Convention Coordinator, (515) 710-4402,
with questions.

Pre-register and save up to $5 on convention registration and each
convention meal!  Complete the attached pre-registration form and mail it by
September 12, with your check payable to the National Federation of the
Blind of Iowa, to Michael D. Barber, 2721 34th Street, Des Moines, IA
50310.  Call (515) 284-1569 with questions.  

Convention Highlights

.	Start your convention experience right with our informative and
educational nonvisually-accessible cell phones seminar from 1:00 to 5:00 PM
on Friday, September 17 at the hotel.  Do you have a cell phone?  Can you
use all its features?  Does it work with a cell phone screen reader?  What
is a cell phone screen reader?  What does an accessible cell phone cost?  Is
any cell phone accessible "out of the box?"  Join us for answers to these
questions and more! . Stay for the pizza supper that follows!  Your
pre-registration form and $20 fee must be received no later than September
12 to attend the seminar.  Seats are limited, and will fill quickly!
Register today!
.	Curtis Chong chairs the resolutions committee.  Mail resolutions in
final written form by September 3 to Curtis Chong, 3663 Grand Avenue,Unit
606, Des Moines, IA  50312, or submit them electronically to
curtischong at earthlink.net. You may also bring resolutions in final written
form to the committee meeting Friday evening at 7:00 PM.
.	Accessibility.net and Vision Helpers, GW Micro, The Michael Hingson
Group, and others will exhibit accessible products Friday evening, before
the Saturday morning session, during the noon hour Saturday, and 5:00 to
6:30 PM Saturday.
.	Friday evening hospitality, 8:00 PM to 12:00 Midnight, will feature
tasty treats, karaoke DJed by our own Al Bickell, and a cash bar.  Come
share your talent and be entertained!
.	Attend the President's  all-you-can-eat buffet breakfast Saturday
morning at 7:15 for $15, then stay for the NFBI Board meeting at 8:00 AM.
All are invited to attend.
.	We are delighted to welcome a very special speaker to our luncheon
Saturday at noon. Mr. Michael Hingson, a long-time Federationist, is the
blind man who successfully led his colleagues from the 78th floor to safety
as the World Trade Center Twin Towers collapsed on September 11, 2001.  His
story is personal and riveting!  Don't miss it!  Mr. Hingson demonstrated
the very first Kurzweil Reading Machine in the 1970s, when it weighed 400
pounds and came in three large pieces.  He now sells the KNFB Reader, a cell
phone with software that snaps pictures of printed pages and speaks them.
Pay only $20 to join us for this fabulous luncheon!
.	Parnell Diggs, National Federation of the Blind Board member, 2011
Imagination Fund Committee Chair, and President of the South Carolina
affiliate, is this year's National Representative to our convention.  Don't
miss his enthusiastic national report during the Saturday morning session.
Other notable speakers at this year's convention include Patrick Clancy,
Superintendent of the Iowa Braille and Sight Saving School Statewide Vision
Services; Patty Lind, Director of the Iowa Able Foundation; and Aaron
Cannon, one of our own from Iowa City with an inspiring story to tell.
Don't miss a minute of our great convention sessions!
.	Our national representative, Parnell Diggs, will inspire us with his
address at our Saturday evening banquet.  Iowa Senator Matt McCoy, who
helped assure Newsline funding through 2011, and Congressman Leonard
Boswell, who has cosponsored several NFBI-supported bills, will also attend.
One lucky member will win the 50/50 drawing at the banquet.  Tickets cost $1
each, 6 for $5, and you must be present at the banquet to win.  Secure your
seat at the festivities for just $30 and add your voice to our celebration!
.	On Sunday morning, we will remember those who are ill or have passed
on.  Cindy Ray will lead our memorial service.  If you know of someone who
is ill or has left us this year, please contact Cindy at (515) 334-7231 or
cindyray at qwest.net.
.	Learn what fellow Federationists are accomplishing as we hear
chapter and division reports on Sunday morning.
.	Five officers and four board members will be elected during our
Sunday morning session this year.  A nominating committee, April Enderton,
Chair, Curtis Chong and Ted Hart, will review all nominations before
convention.  To be considered for nomination, contact April Enderton at
(515) 282-0049 or endertona at wildblue.net.

April Enderton, President of our Des Moines chapter, is 2010 door prize
chairperson.  April is known for finding great prizes, and she can use your
help!  Send door prizes to April Enderton, 7758 SE 36th Street, Des Moines,
IA 50315, or bring them to April at convention 

This year's convention will be a huge success!  Please join us and do your
part to make it so!

Cordially,

Michael D. Barber, President
National Federation of the Blind of Iowa

PRE-REGISTRATION FORM FOR 2010 
NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND OF IOWA CONVENTION
Complete the form below and mail it with your check payable to the National
Federation of the Blind of Iowa, before September 12, 2010, to:
Michael D. Barber, 2721 34th Street, Des Moines, IA  50310
NAME:
ADDRESS:
CITY:                               STATE:            ZIP:
PHONE #: (   )    -              E-MAIL:
My enclosed check for $_______ covers the following costs: 
Check all costs that apply in Column 1 below; indicate need for vegetarian
luncheon and/or banquet meals:
COST FOR	PAID NOW 	PAID AT 
CONVENTION 
___Convention Registration	$10	$15
___Saturday President's Buffet Breakfast	$15	$20
___Saturday Luncheon
___Vegetarian	$20	$25
___Convention Banquet
___Vegetarian	$30	$35
___Nonvisually Accessible Cell Phones Seminar	$20	Fee not payable
at the door
Maximum Total Cost	$95	$95