by Janet Dickelman
Many of you will be reading this article as you are packing for Minneapolis, the Land of 10,000 Lakes, which during convention week will be transformed to the Land of 10,000 Dreams!
For those of you who are still thinking about attending the convention, it isn’t too late! Don’t miss out on the outstanding general sessions, informative seminars and programming, the fabulous tours and the excitement of the exhibit hall. You can still book a room at the Hyatt, the home of the 55th annual conference and convention. Reservation details are shown at the end of this article. Conference and convention dates are July 1st through 9th. Read on for information for both convention attendees and for those of you who will be staying connected from home.
For those of you who are still thinking about attending the convention, on-site convention registration is just $25. If you are in the Minneapolis area and plan to come for just one day, you can purchase a one-day pass for $5.
Staying in Touch from Home
For those of you who will be unable to attend this year, there are many ways to be a part of the excitement!
ACB Radio
Stay connected with everything that is going on from the comfort of your home or office. Note: All times shown are Central time.
Be a part of the excitement of opening session, listen to all the speakers and follow ACB business and elections. General sessions begin Sunday evening, July 3, at 7 p.m., and run Monday through Thursday, 8:30 a.m. until noon, and Friday from 8:30 a.m. until 5 p.m.
Also on ACB Radio, hear what the candidates for ACB office have to say as they answer questions at the Candidates’ Forum Tuesday, July 5th at 5:45 p.m. Hear all the great performances from the Friends-in-Art Showcase on Tuesday evening at 8. Tune in and listen to ACB’s banquet, including the speaker, presentation of awards and announcement of “The ACB Braille Forum” raffle winners on Friday, July 8th at 7 p.m.
Once again this year, ACB Radio will be broadcasting one afternoon session live. All live broadcasts will be on ACB Radio Mainstream. Other ACB committee sessions will be recorded and broadcast later in the day on ACB Radio Live Event.
No computer? No problem! You can listen to ACB Radio over the telephone by calling (605) 475-8130. Remember that long-distance rates apply.
Convention Announce E-mail List
To subscribe to the convention announce list, just send a blank e-mail to [email protected].
Convention Newspaper
Keep up with what’s going on at the convention with “The Minneapolis Messenger,” our convention newspaper. It will be published Saturday, July 2 through Thursday, July 7th. The newspaper will be posted to the convention announce list.
Social Media
Follow the latest goings-on at the convention on Facebook and Twitter! To follow us on Twitter, go to www.twitter.com/acbnational. Or like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/AmericanCounciloftheBlindOfficial.
Coming to Minneapolis!
For those who will be in Minneapolis, make sure to visit the ACB Information Desk, where you will find material in braille, large print and computer downloads. Hotel orientation, local business information, and of course the convention newspaper are just some of the items that will be waiting for you. All information will be available in large print, braille and downloadable formats.
Whether you are in Minneapolis or staying connected with us from home, I hope you have a wonderful convention experience. Feel free to contact me any time during the convention. You can either leave a message for me at the Hyatt, or call my cell phone, (651) 428-5059. I look forward to seeing you in Minneapolis.
Hotel Details
Room rates at the Hyatt Regency Minneapolis are $89 single or double, plus tax. There is an additional $10 per night charge per person for up to four people in a room. Applicable state and local taxes are currently 13.4%. To make reservations by telephone, call Central Reservations at 1-888-421-1442, and be sure to mention that you are attending the ACB convention in order to obtain our room rate. To make reservations online, visit www.acb.org and follow the 2016 convention link.
Convention Contacts
2016 exhibit information: Michael Smitherman, (601) 331-7740, [email protected]
2016 advertising and sponsorships: Margarine Beaman, (512) 921-1625, [email protected]
For any other convention-related questions, contact Janet Dickelman, convention chair, at (651) 428-5059, or via e-mail, [email protected].