by Janet Dickelman
The ACB conference and convention is fast approaching. Many of you will be reading this article as you are packing for Rochester. Convention dates are July 5th through 12th. Read on for information for convention attendees and those of you who will be staying connected from home.
Attending Tours
All tours will depart from the 20th Street entrance of the convention center. If you arrive Thursday evening, July 4th, after 9 p.m. and are on the Friday morning tour, don’t worry. Your name will be on the tour list.
Conference and Convention Program
The program is available in large print, braille, NLS cartridge (deposit required), or emailed directly to you. You can also download the program from www.acb.org.
You can listen to the program on NFB Newsline (subscription required), or on Audio Now by calling (605) 475-8154.
The program will also be available during the convention for download at the information desk, located in the convention center.
If you plan to join us in Rochester but have not registered, there’s still time! On-site convention registration is just $25, or if you are in the Rochester 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 who are 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. All times shown are Eastern 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, July 6th at 7 p.m.; Sunday through Wednesday, 8:30 a.m. to noon, and Thursday from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. All general sessions 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 10th at 7:15 p.m. Hear all the great performances from the Friends-in-Art Showcase on Monday evening at 8 on ACB Café. ACB’s banquet, including the banquet presentation and musical offering by Ginny Owens, will be streamed on ACB Radio Mainstream and Live Event on Thursday, July 11th at 7 p.m.
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 (605) 475-8130; 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.
For those of you who are social media fans, you can follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/AmericanCounciloftheBlindOfficial, or on Twitter, @acbnational. The convention hashtag is #ACB19.
Convention Announce Email List
To subscribe to the convention announce list, send a blank email to [email protected].
Convention Newspaper
Keep up with what’s going on at the convention with “The Flower City Press,” our convention newspaper. It will be published Friday, July 5th through Wednesday, July 10th. The newspaper will be posted to the convention announce and other email lists.
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.
Digital Information
File Download Service: Would you like your newspaper, exhibit list, delegate list, or amendments in electronic format for your laptop or notetaker? Stop by the ACB Information Desk in Aqueduct A in the convention center in the morning; a volunteer will download all the latest files onto your thumb drive, SD card or compact flash card.
Follow the convention via ACB Link on your iPhone or Android device; download and install ACB Link from the iOS app store or Google Play 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.
Internet access: Complimentary wireless Internet is available in the guest rooms in both hotels.
Whether you are in Rochester 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 Rochester.