by Janet Dickelman
Excitement is in the air! Airline and hotel reservations are being made. Committees and affiliates are putting the final touches on their programs. The convention and host committees are working tirelessly to make sure there are plenty of volunteers to assist throughout the convention, compiling information about the area, finalizing tours and getting ready for the big event.
Online registration is now available for sponsors, exhibitors and advertisers. Don't miss out, be a part of it all! Visit www.acb.org and follow the link for the 2014 conference and convention to find out all the details about being an exhibitor, sponsor or volunteer, then complete the easy online registration form.
The place to be is the Riviera Hotel in Las Vegas, Nev. It all begins on Friday, July 11th; the fun will last through Saturday, July 19. Below is some information that will help you get started in your convention adventure.
Pre-registration will open on Friday, May 30, 2014 and will run through Sunday, June 29. You can register online, or leave a message and receive a call back, and your registration will be taken over the phone. A one-page mailer will be distributed prior to the opening of registration providing registration details. The information will also be posted on the acbconvention, leadership, and ACB-L e-mail lists. The announcement will contain registration dates and details for on-line registration and the toll-free number for those who wish to register by phone.
Paper registration forms WILL NOT automatically be sent unless requested. If you would like a paper pre-registration form, request it from ACB's Minneapolis office by calling (612) 332-3242 before May 1. Forms will be sent via first-class mail when pre-registration opens May 29th.
Convention week is packed with outstanding workshops, seminars, exhibits, and programs. Whether you are a teacher or rehabilitation counselor; if you are looking for a new job; if you use technology; if you can use new tips and ideas to improve your professional or everyday life, the 2014 ACB conference and convention is where you want to be.
Begin planning your week with ACB. Below is an overview of the week's schedule. As of this writing (in late February) affiliates and committees are still planning their programs so there will be much, much more to come. If you haven't already, subscribe to the convention announce list to receive updates and the latest convention information. To save space, most groups are mentioned only on their first day of programming. ACB affiliates and many committees hold events throughout the convention. ACB committees not mentioned in this list have program information that is not yet available.
Friday, July 11
ACB tours
Saturday, July 12
ACB pre-convention board meeting
Tech user groups and product spotlights (through Wednesday)
Exhibits (open through Wednesday)
Guide Dog Users, Inc. suite opens
ACB Information Access seminar
Keys to the Convention seminar (repeats on Sunday)
Welcome to Las Vegas Party (sponsored by the Nevada host committee)
Students' welcome party
ACB Lions Milly's Place Pin Swap
Sunday, July 13
ACB Brenda Dillon Memorial Walk
Teachers' breakfast and meeting
Special meetings for attorneys, blind vendors, information technology specialists, and guide dog users
ACB board of publications meeting
Diabetics' lunch and workshop
Mixers held by ACBGE, people with low vision (CCLVI), Friends-in-Art (FIA), and Blind LGBT Pride
ACB opening keynote general session at 7 p.m.
Monday, July 14
General sessions (mornings through Thursday and all day Friday)
Independent Visually Impaired Entrepreneurs (IVIE) breakfast and meeting
Kids' Explorer Club and Teen Blast (Fun for kids and teens through Friday)
Multicultural concerns lunch and program
Special meetings and activities for library users, guide dog users, Alliance on Aging and Vision Loss, women's concerns, special education task force, rehab task force, sight and sound impaired committee
ACB Recreation Zone (healthy and fun options)
Afternoon tours (different venues every day through Thursday)
Evening activities include ACB Families bingo, CCLVI game night, RSVA auction and karaoke, FIA prose and poetry reading.
Tuesday, July 15
Special programming for braille users and supporters of braille
Employment Issues Task Force
FIA Showcase of the Performing Arts
Wednesday, July 16
Legislative and National Education & Legal Defense Service (NELDS) workshops
ACB Auction
Thursday, July 17
ACB membership seminar and board of publications workshop
Affiliate presidents' meeting
Friday, July 18
ACB all-day business session
ACB banquet
Saturday, July 19
ACB post-convention board meeting
Final ACB tours
Reservation Details
Room rates at the Riviera are $87 (single and double) plus $10 per additional guest. Room taxes are currently 12%. You will be charged for one night's stay when you make your reservation. Make telephone reservations by calling 1-800-634-6753, or online by visiting the ACB web site at www.acb.org and following the 2014 conference and convention link.
Convention Contacts
Stay in touch by joining the ACB convention e-mail list. Send a blank e-mail to [email protected].
2014 exhibit information: Michael Smitherman, (601) 331-7740, [email protected]
2014 Advertising and sponsorships: Margarine Beaman, (512) 921-1625, [email protected]
For any other convention-related questions, contact Janet Dickelman, convention chair, by phone, (651) 428-5059 or via e-mail, [email protected].