[nfbwatlk] SPRING CONFERENCE

[kris Lawrence]

Mike,

Thanks for the update. Olympia is always a great location.

As for the Vancouver site. Do what you can. Sounds like you are still 
accepting ideas for other locations as long as people have done some 
initial groundwork? Groundwork such as checking out rates, 
transportation, and whether or not the hotel has conference rooms 
available? Maybe the next Board Meeting should be at a local campground 
to practice our survival skills in the great outdoors? <g> I can get 
free tent camping spots at Thousand Trails!

But seriously, good job on the rates and we'll keep looking around.

Kris

Mike Freeman wrote:
> Fellow Federationists:
>  
> We have arranged a spring conference. It won't be quite as fancy as usual but should fill our needs. It will be for members of the Board of Directors of the NFB of Washington and for presidents of chapters of the NFB of Washington. It will be held all day Saturday, April 26, 2008 and the morning of Sunday, April 27, 2008, at the Ramada Inn Governor House, 621 S Capitol Street, Olympia, WA, Telephone (360) 352-7700. The meetings will be public and all are invited (nay, urged) to attend. Room rates are $70.00 per night plus tax, any number of occupants.
>  
> The conference will consist of at least one philosophy session to discuss NFB fundamentals and any other philosophical items people may be interested in as well as a Board of Directors meeting to discuss future affiliate projects including, most especially, efforts to raise funds and to gain members. I will be pleased to entertain other ideas of subjects for the agenda.
>  
> Members of the Board of Directors and chapter presidents will be expected to attend; others are welcome to attend. AS is customary, Board members and chapter presidents will receive financial assistance. Gary and I will make room reservations for Board members and chapter presidents and will contact Board members and chapter presidents to make arrangements as needed.
>  
> There will be lunch and dinner provided on Saturday and the Governor House has a complementary breakfast so breakfasts are taken care of.
>  
> To the extent that people feel able, we will be glad to receive contributions to offset the cost of meals and rooms.
>  
> To the NFB of Washington Student division: it may appear as if I am reneging on my promise to have an affiliate-sponsored event for students at the spring conference. I assure you that this was not my intent and that the negotiating circumstances of the conference were such that the schedule outlined above was necessary to get rates with which the affiliate can live. I will promise you this: we will assist with events such as you are already scheduling in the Seattle area and for our fall convention, I will be glad to have a seminar on Friday devoted exclusively to student issues. So students should start planning the agenda now.
>  
> As for the fall convention, Gary and I have tried several venues and the deals offered us weren't acceptable. However, I am conferring with sales people at the Red Lion Inn at the Quay here in Vancouver, Washington, and think I can get a good deal for a weekend in October or early November.
>  
> In preparation for the philosophical discussion, I request that anyone attending the conference read at least the following two NFB speeches which can be obtained from the NFB Independence Market and electronic copies of which I will endeavor to send as message attachments: "Blindness; Discrimination, Hostility and Progress" and "Blindness; the Triple Revolution"; both are by Kenneth Jernigan.
>  
> If we work this right, perhaps we can had an old-fashioned NFB revival such as many of you want. And if people want to sing, we can bother everyone in the hall as there's a piano. (grin)
>  
> So let's put our thinking caps on and come up with good philosophical discussion ideas and also projects (financial and otherwise) for the affiliate in the coming year.
>  
> Michael Freeman, President
> National Federation of the Blind of Washington
>
>   
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