CONVENTION MEMORANDUM

NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND

OF WEST VIRGINIA

September 10, 11, and 12, 2010

McLure Hotel

1200 Market Street

Wheeling, WV 26003

"VOICE OF WEST VIRGINIA'S BLIND"

President, NFB of West Virginia: Charlene Smyth

220 Buena Vista Avenue

Clarksburg, WV 26301

Phone: (304) 672-3445 or (304) 622-0626

E-Mail:cs.nfbwv@verizon.net


          The 57thannual convention of the National Federation of the Blind of West Virginia (NFBWV) will take place on September 10, 11, and 12, 2010, at the McLure Hotel located in Wheeling, West Virginia.


          The convention registration fee is ten dollars per person, and the banquet registration fee is twenty-five dollars per person no matter the person's age.


          The guest room rates will be $79 per night up to four people per room. A king room is $89.00 a night which includes a refrigerator and a microwave.


          If you wish to bring a pet, you must let them know this at the time of reserving your room as there are specific rooms for those who have pets, and this requires a $25 non-refundable deposit per stay. The hotel gives a one dollar coupon that can be used on weekends to purchase a drink and a Danish. This coupon can also be used, along with four dollars, for the breakfast

buffet.


       The cutoff date for getting room rates at $79 per night is August 10, 2010 and after that date, the rates can range anywhere from $109.99 to $119.99 per night. When making reservations, be sure to let the hotel know you will be attending the convention of the National Federation of the Blind of West Virginia so you can receive the reduced room rates. Reservations must be made directly with the McLure Hotel by calling

(304) 232-0300. When you make your reservations and when you register at the hotel, you must submit a credit card for securing the room as well as for the hotel to keep

on hand for any incidentals that might be billed to your room such as phone calls, room service, etc.


          If reservations are made by a chapter rather than by an individual, chapters can use their FEIN number that will exempt them from some taxes. NOTE: You must

use something official to identify your chapter such as a chapter check in order to receive tax exemption.


          Please be aware that the official check in time is not until 3:00 p.m. on Friday, September 10, 2010. If your room happens to be clean and ready before that time, the hotel may allow you to check into your room.


          Check out time on Sunday, September 12, has been extended to 1:00 p.m.


          If you wish to cancel your room, you must cancel no later than 4:00 p.m. the prior day. If you fail to cancel as required, you will be charged one night's lodging.


          For ten dollars a day, you can rent a refrigerator and a microwave.


          There is an automatic luggage handling fee of $3.00 per person "round trip" which includes arrival and departure.


          If you do not want to accidently order a movie by hitting the wrong button on your television's remote control, you should request at the front desk that this

option be turned off for your room.


          There are no charges for local phone calls.

          To learn more about the McLure Hotel, go to their website at www.mclurehotel.com .

.

          Plans have been made for an NFBWV registration table to be set up in the lobby.


          The hotel will provide a locked closet for door prizes and so forth. The Door Prize Committee requests that door prizes not be wrapped, but that a brown paper

bag accompany each door prize. Any door prizes as well as goodies or items for the Company Auction

can be submitted when you check in at the convention registration table at the hotel.


          Speaking of Company/Goodies Auction, every member is requested to obtain at least one new item or homemade food item to be placed for auctioned. It is recommended that items be obtained that anyone would want to own, use, or have in their home. Please be aware that if you are able to obtain nice but smaller items that might not be suitable for the auction, we will put them in a basket along with other items for which we will be selling raffle tickets throughout the convention.

When you have obtained an item, please make a list containing the name of the item, a description of the item, the approximate value of the item, and who donated it

and then E-mail it to Sheri Koch, Company Auction Chairperson, sheri.l.koch@wv.gov . It is felt that this is one fund-raiser everyone can assist our affiliate with

to raise the funds necessary to keep our projects and initiatives going. Also, everyone is helping to make it a success and taking some of the pressure off those normally involved in fund-raising.


       The restaurant is not owned by the hotel, and they will provide a copy of the menu this summer so we can put it in Braille and large print. There are places to eat

within walking distance.


          Sorry, but the hotel does not have a courtesy van, nor does it have a swimming pool.


          Parking is available free of charge.


          On Friday evening, the Sightless Workers' Guild of the NFBWV will host the reception and Royal Court Coronation. They invite you to come join them for

good fellowship and an assortment of delicious refreshments. 


          We would very much appreciate all chapter presidents and/or board members

forwarding to us the names of those who will be attending the convention so the name tags can be completed in advance. Also, indicate whether the individuals are voting or nonvoting members and whether the individual reads regular print, large print, or Braille. This information should be submitted to Barbara Olive at

bolive@verizon.net or via phone at (304) 768-5513. 


          If you wish to pre-register for the convention and banquet, your check should be made payable to the NFBWV and mailed to Marcus Soulsby at 4709 MacCorkle Avenue SE; Unit 3-E; Charleston, WV 25304. You can contact Marcus via phone at

(304) 925-3896 or via E-mail at msoulsby@suddenlink.net .


          For those attending the NAPUB Meeting, Chairperson Karen McDonald will be in communication with you regarding this.


          For those also attending the Agency Partnership Committee Meeting, room rates and other hotel information are the same as previously mentioned. For those assigned to serve on the Agency Partnership Committee, please make arrangements through

Ed McDonald by contacting him via E-mail at

ed@eioproductions.com or call him at (304) 788-0129.


          If you have anything that needs to be considered by the Resolutions Committee, please submit it to Chairperson Ed McDonald at 151 South Mineral Street; Keyser, WV 26726; PHONE: (304) 788-0129; E-MAIL:

ed@eioproductions.com . Submissions should be sent to Ed no later than August 10, 2010. Anything submitted

after this date will be considered for next year's convention. The Resolutions Committee will write and complete all resolutions by August 30, 2010 with a copy submitted to the NFBWV president.


          If you have nominations for Federationist of the Year, please submit them to Barbara Olive at bolive@verizon.net or via phone at (304) 768-5513.

All submissions should be sent to Barbara no later than

August 10, 2010. Names received after this date will not be considered.

          If you have any nominations for other awards and honors, please submit them to the chairperson of the Awards and Honors Committee, Sheri Koch, at 5111 Staunton Avenue SE; Charleston, WV 25304; PHONE: (304) 925-2942; E-MAIL: sheri.l.koch@wv.gov . Nominations should be submitted to Sheri no later than August 10, 2010. Nominations received after this date will not be considered.


          If you or anyone you know would like an NFBWV scholarship application or

additional information, please contact the chairperson of the Scholarship Committee, Debbi Williamson at 1430 Magnolia Court; Cumberland, MD 21502; PHONE: (301) 777-3017; E-MAIL: debbi107@atlanticbb.net .


          If you have any questions or need to forward information, please do so by contacting me using the contact information provided at the beginning of this memo. 


          We hope that all of you are able to attend this year's convention. We look forward to meeting and visiting with you.