by Janet Dickelman
The ACB conference and convention is fast approaching. Many of you will be reading this article as you are packing for Missouri. Convention dates are June 29th through July 6th. Read on for information for convention attendees and those of you who will be staying connected from home.
New This Year!
This year, in addition to large print and braille, you can ask for the program on NLS cartridge (deposit required), have it emailed directly to you, or download it in two ways. To download it from the web, go to https://acb-convention.pinecast.co/. For the podcast feed, go to https://pinecast.com/feed/acb-convention. The program will also be available for download from our website or at the information desk.
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!
On-site convention registration is just $25, or if you are in the St. Louis 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 all the action!
With ACB Radio, you can 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 Saturday evening, June 30th at 7 p.m.; Sunday through Wednesday, 8:30 a.m. to noon, and Thursday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., and will be streamed live on ACB Radio.
Also on ACB Radio Live Event, hear what the candidates for ACB office have to say as they answer questions at the ACB Candidates Town Hall Meeting, Wednesday, July 4th at 7:15 p.m. Hear all the great performances from the Friends-in-Art Showcase on Monday evening at 7:30 on ACB Café.
ACB’s banquet, including the banquet presentation and musical offering by Michael Cleveland and Brian Allen, will be streamed on ACB Radio Mainstream and Live Event on Thursday, July 6th at 7 p.m.
Once again this year, ACB Radio will be broadcasting one afternoon session as a live broadcast. All live broadcasts will be on ACB Radio Live Event. 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 (518) 906-1820; please keep in mind that long-distance charges apply for these calls. You can also listen to ACB Radio using Alexa; just tell her “ACB Radio from TuneIn,” and the name of the menu you are looking for such as Mainstream, Café or Live Event.
Convention Announce Email List
To subscribe to the convention announce list, just send a blank email to [email protected].
Convention Newspaper
Keep up with what’s going on at the convention with “The Gateway Gazette,” our convention newspaper. It will be published Friday, June 29th through Wednesday, July 4th. 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.
Follow the convention via ACB Link on your iPhone; download and install ACB Link from the iOS app store. We will be sending out information and updates pertaining to the convention (for example, room changes). In addition, direct access to the ACB convention calendar and ACB Radio can be obtained from within ACB Link.
For those of you who will be at the convention, 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 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 St. Louis 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 by phone, (651) 428-5059, or via email, [email protected]. I look forward to seeing you in Missouri.