Welcome to Houston and the 41st annual convention of the American Council of the Blind. We have the great fortune of gathering together in two fine hotels this week: The Adam's Mark as our 2002 headquarters, and the Hilton Hotel, which is far more than just an overflow extension to ACB's exciting week of activities. These are certainly two of the finer hotels in which ACB has met in the past several years. This is in no small part due to the dedication and hard work of the staffs of each of these hotels to guarantee an organized and hospitable stay for the American Council of the Blind.

The theme of this year's convention, "People First", and the many fine speakers on the program will provide a stimulating and educational experience. Combined with the variety of social activities and tours in and around Houston, we can all count on a meaningful and exciting week.

I'd like to thank you for taking the initiative of coming here and for sharing your time with and your commitment to the American Council of the Blind. This is your organization, and your presence here helps make it even more so. Coming together in this way helps us to recreate and re-invigorate this great organization, not to mention ourselves. Together here this week, we are truly helping to reshape what it means to be blind.

ACB American Council of the Blind

AAVL Alliance on Aging and Vision Loss

ABLA American Blind Lawyers Association

ACBGEACB Government Employees

ACBL ACB Lions

ACB-LACB Listserv

ACBRAACB Radio Amateurs

ACBHSP ACB Human Service Professionals

ACBT ACB of Texas

ADA Americans with Disabilities Act

AFB American Foundation for the Blind

AIB Alaska Independent Blind

APH American Printing House for the Blind

BFLAGBlind Friends of Lesbians and Gays

BRL Braille Revival League

CCLVICouncil of Citizens with Low Vision

CFVI Council of Families with Visual Impairments

FIA Friends in Art of ACB

GDUI Guide Dog Users, Inc.

IVIE Independent Visually Impaired Enterprisers

LUA Library Users of America

NABS National Alliance of Blind Students

NABT National Association of Blind Teachers

NAPVINational Association For Parents of Children with Visual Impairments

NIB National Industries for the Blind

RSVA Randolph-Sheppard Vendors of America

RSVT Randolph-Sheppard Vendors of Texas

SASI Sight and Sound Impaired Committee

VIDPIVisually Impaired Data Processors International

VIVA Visually Impaired Veterans of America

WCC Women's Concerns Committee

Two airports serve the Houston area. They are Bush Intercontinental and Hobby. Both airports are about 25 miles from the convention hotels. Yellow Cab has agreed to a $50 flat rate fee from either airport to either hotel. Airport Express Shuttle buses are also available from both airports. Their ticket counters are located near Baggage Claim areas in both airports. The Airport Express Shuttles run once an hour. The cost is $24 one-way or $43 for a round-trip ticket. ACB volunteers will be located throughout the airports, especially during the first few days of convention week.

Express Shuttle USA, 950 McCarty Dr, Houston, TX 77029; 713-523-8888

In case of emergency, dial 0 on a hotel phone. 911 is the number to call in Houston in case of emergency. You should stay calm and speak distinctly, giving your name and exact location and a description of the emergency situation.

LOCAL HOSPITALS:
West Houston Medical Center
12141 Richmond Ave.
Houston, TX 77082
(281) 558-3444

Westminster Dialysis Center
12121 Westheimer, Suite 138
Houston, TX 77077
(218) 493-9046

The following pages give highlights of the telephone services and amenities in both hotels. More complete information is available at your hotel.

Local Calls: 9 + Number

Long Distance: 8 + 1 + Area Code +Number (Prices May Vary)

Credit Card/collect: 1 + 800 + Collect

Emergency: 9 + 911

Front Desk: 33

Auto Rentals: 2455

Airport Transportation: 2455

Bell Captain: 2456

Housekeeping: 32

Room Service: 31

Players: 2232

Tiffany Rose: 2231

Local Calls: 9 + Number Local Calls Are Charged at a Rate of $.54 per Call

Long Distance: 8 + 1 + Area Code + Number (Prices May Vary)

Credit Card/collect: 1 + 800 + Collect

Room to Room:
Floors 1 - 9 Dial 7 + 3 Digit Room Number
Floors 10 and up Dial 7 + 4 Digit Room Number

Emergency: 9 + 911

Front Desk: 245

Auto Rentals: 211

Airport Transportation: 211

Bell Captain: 211

Dry Cleaning: 0

Fax Services: 243

Flowers: 612

Hotel Operator: 0

Housekeeping: 670

Lost and Found: 670

Lounge: 635

Mail: 245

Movies: 245

Newspapers: 277

Room Service: 266

Rio Ranch Restaurant: 200

Mini Bar: 266

Because there are so many hotels, restaurants, places to shop, and other points of interest in Houston, we are including orientation information concerning only the convention hotels in this program. So that you won't have to carry both volumes of this program around with you all the time, you can pick up orientation instruction sheets at the Information Desk.

The Adam's Mark is a ten-story hotel with a large central atrium that extends from the ground floor to the roof. The lobby, restaurant, lounge, bar, gift shop and front desk are all located on the ground floor of the atrium. The elevator bank is at the rear of this area. The meeting rooms are located in two large corridors extending away from the atrium, one to the rear, and one to the right. The room floors begin on the third floor and extend through the tenth; the second floor houses offices. Vending machines for soft drinks and ice dispensers are located on each floor. Each floor also provides three stairwells that serve as emergency exits. A small exercise facility and pool are situated near the left rear of the lobby area. Much of the signage in the hotel is in raised lettering with Braille underneath.

The entrance is located in a covered portico and consists of a large, three-section revolving door that senses your approach and begins to turn counterclockwise. The sections are spacious, approximately twice the usual size. On either side there is a conventional glass door with a pull handle. Inside, the concierge desk is to the immediate left. The nearest end of the registration counter is about 15 to 18 paces from the beveled corner of the concierge desk, angling slightly to the left. If you stand with your back to the entrance, there is a spacious cocktail lounge on the right side of the lobby and a restaurant behind it. A gift shop is recessed into the left wall beyond the far end of the long registration counter. Directly ahead, near the far end of the registration counter and to its right, there is a large bronze sculpture on a raised marble base. It is a life-size rendering of a cowboy on horseback roping another horse. The rope leads from the second horse's bridle to the pommel of the cowboy's saddle, and all three figures are posed in the dramatic action style reminiscent of Remington's bronzes. It is entitled Checkmate and the artist is Herb Mignery. Behind the sculpture there is a seating area, and just beyond that is a glass wall partitioning off the bottom of the elevator bank.

To reach the elevators, keep the registration counter on your left and walk along it to the far end. The gift shop will be on your left and the back of the elevator lobby straight ahead. Six or seven steps straight ahead will bring you to a marble sill on the floor and a 6-foot high glass wall enclosing the bottom of two of the elevators. Keep this wall on your right and follow it to the corner to enter the elevator lobby. Around the corner to your right there are two glass elevators with a single call button between them. Many of the directions on this overview will cue off of these two elevators, which are on the atrium side of the elevator lobby. There are three more elevators a few steps across the hall; if you use any of these, you will need to reverse right and left when emerging from the elevators.

Inside the elevator, the button panel is on the right as you face the door. The buttons are arranged in two columns and are marked in Braille. The left column buttons are for odd-numbered floors descending from 9 at the top to one at the bottom; the buttons on the right are for even-numbered floors descending from 10 to 2. The open and close door buttons are to the left and right respectively below the floor buttons. The alarm button is at the bottom left.

Upon reaching your room floor, you will exit into an elevator lobby layout just like the one on the first floor. Stand with your back to the two glass elevators (on the atrium-side of the hallway). Room floors 4 through 9 are configured identically. There are some slight variations for floors 3 and 10 that will be described later.

Using the fourth floor as an example, rooms 401 to 423 are to the left, and rooms 424 to 479 are to the right. The rooms are marked in raised lettering with Braille underneath on small plaques about five feet off the floor. The three main room corridors are six feet wide. They have shoulder-high light fixtures jutting out five inches from the wall every two doorways. At the far end of each corridor is a door with a push bar leading to a stairway. A plaque to either right or left of the door is marked self-locking no re-entry, emergency exit only in raised lettering and Braille. Each corridor provides three closed wall panels containing fire extinguishers--near the beginning of the hallway, about halfway along it, and at the end near the emergency exits.

Alarm pulls are also located at the end of each hallway and roughly halfway down. These corridors are not connected in a continuous loop; therefore to reach the elevators from your room you must retrace your steps. There is an extra charge for Internet service or PlayStations in the rooms that have them.

To reach rooms 401 through 423, turn to your left. Keeping contact with the atrium wall on your left, walk about 5 steps to a stucco wall jutting out in front of you. Keep this wall on your left for a few steps and it will move you into the corridor, leading left. A vertical band of marble will mark the entrance into the corridor. Continuing to keep the wall on your left, you will reach a large double door. It is a service compartment. Room 401 is directly across the hall, to your right. Continue to the corner of the wall. Rooms 402, 403 and 404 are entered through a small alcove to the right. The corridor turns left, leading to rooms 405 through 423. Odd numbered rooms are on the left, even on the right. Near the end of the hall, rooms 421 and 423 are in an alcove on the left, and 422 at the very end on the right. The emergency exit door is at the end of the corridor and leads to a stairwell.

To reach rooms 424 through 479 from the elevators, cross the lobby to the elevators opposite the atrium and turn to your right. Room 424 is just to the right of these elevators. Continue to follow along this wall past room 424 as the hallway turns right, then left. About ten feet ahead you will come to an alcove. A door in the left wall of the alcove leads into a small room with two soda machines on your left and an ice dispenser on your right. The machines dispense Coca Cola products, and the charge is $1. The bill slot, the selection buttons and the change receptacle are all located in a vertical column on the right of the machine face. The ice dispenser is directly behind you when you are facing the soda machines. There is a small trash-can to the right of the ice machine.

Maintaining contact with the wall on your left, continue down the corridor away from the elevators. The hallway narrows and you may come to a stucco wall. Move to the right a few paces to continue. Rooms 425, 426 and 427 are all on the left. Just past room 427 you will come to an intersection. Rooms 428 through 460 are located in the corridor straight ahead; rooms 461 through 479 are in the intersecting corridor to the right.

Continuing straight ahead, rooms 428, 429 and 430 are all on the left side of the corridor. There are no guest rooms on the right in this part of the hall. The unlabeled doors on the right are for staff only. The fourth room on the left is 431, and room 432 is directly across the hall on the right. For the remainder of the hallway odd numbered rooms will be on the left and even on the right. The emergency exit at the end of this corridor is in the left wall. It has no stairway but crosses to another door a few feet ahead.

To find rooms 461 through 479, turn right from the elevator lobby, keeping the atrium wall on your right follow along it to its end. The hallway narrows at a stucco wall and you will need to move toward your left. Continue straight ahead until you reach the intersecting corridor, and then turn right. In this hallway the odd numbered rooms are on the right and evens are on the left. Rooms 477 and 479 are in a small alcove near the far end of the hallway on the right.

The third floor is laid out the same way as the other floors with one exception: there is a Presidential Suite between rooms 333 and 339. It is designated 335, so there is no room 337. On the 10th floor, the layout of rooms 1001-1023 and all other odd-numbered rooms is the same as that already described for the fourth floor. But room 1032 is a double room, so there is no room 1034. The same is true of room 1070, which is located at the end of the corridor on the left. Rooms 1062 (the Carillon Suite) and 1068 (the Marker Suite) are hospitality suites with no sleeping accommodations. The even numbers in this corridor run only through 1070.

Using the glass elevators (on the atrium side of the elevator lobby), proceed to the first floor. Turn to your left and locate the stucco wall of the elevator bank on your left. Keeping this wall on your left walk ahead to a perpendicular stucco wall. Follow it to your right and then forward to the glass wall of the gift shop. When the gift shop wall angles out toward your right turn 90 degrees to your right. You are now facing a wide stairway that goes four steps down. There are wooden handrails on the right and left. It is separated from another stairway to the left by a central rectangular pillar.

A wheelchair ramp is located to the right of the glass elevators. Cross the hall, turn to your right and follow along the wall until you reach the corner. There is an elevated shoe-shine stand facing away from you. The entrance to the ramp is just beyond it to the left.

From the bottom of the stairs, turn right to reach the Richmond rooms 1, 2 and 3. The doors are located on the left wall, and the plaques are on the left of the doorways. If you used the ramp, the Richmond rooms will be on your right in reverse order.

The hotel's convention entrance and most of the meeting rooms are located in the area straight ahead from the wide stairway across from the glass wall of the gift shop. (If you used the ramp, you will need to pass the three Richmond Rooms to reach the main corridor, then face right.) The information desk will be located on the left side of the 24-foot wide corridor, and a large rectangular support pillar is centered near the bottom of the stairs. The Executive Board-room is across the hall just right of the bottom of the stairs, and the Diplomat Board-room is further to the right on this wall. Just past the Diplomat Board-room there are two entrances to the men's rest-room and one entrance to the women's rest-room.

Continuing down the main corridor there are two water fountains located on the left side of a small alcove across the corridor from the second entrance to the men's rest-room. Just past the women's rest-room there is a small seating area on the left and a telephone alcove, also on the left. Inside there are two house phones on the right wall and 3 pay phones on the left. On the far end of the left wall is another pay-phone that is wheelchair accessible. None are marked in Braille. The cost for the pay phones is 50 cents. A large freestanding hexagonal kiosk across from the telephone center contains a floor map and various advertising displays.

The corridor widens to the left just past the telephone alcove. The business center and convention entrance are located on your left. The tour busses will leave from and return to this entrance. The business center accepts major credit cards for the use of the amenities provided. The registration area is about 10-15 feet inside the convention entrance on the left as the corridor returns to its original width.

Just beyond the hexagonal kiosk a corridor leads to the right. Grand Ballroom Salons F, G and H are on the left wall, and Briarpark Salons1, 2, and 3 on the right wall. Each is marked in raised lettering and Braille on plaques about 5 feet off the floor. The Grand Ballroom plaques are to the left of the doors, and Briarpark plaques are to the right. You are entering the side of these rooms, with the podium on your right for the Grand Ballroom Salons and on your left for the Briarpark salons. At the end of this corridor is a large set of double wooden doors; this is a service entrance from the kitchens and also an emergency exit.

Continuing down the main corridor past the convention entrance and registration area on the left, you will pass Grand Ballroom Salons F, E, D and A on the right, (here you enter at the rear) and Westchase Salons 4, 3, 2, and 1 on the left. There is another seating area on the left between the convention registration area and the Westchase Ballroom Salon 4. These Grand Ballroom plaques are to the right of the doors, and the Westchase plaques are on the right hand wall perpendicular to the door. There is a seating area at the end of this corridor near the entrance to Westchase Ballroom Salon 1. Convention offices will be located in Westchase salons 1 and 2. The registration office will be in Westchase salon 3, and Westchase 4 is the pressroom.

The corridor turns right and leads to Grand Ballroom Salons A, B, and C; all are on the right. You enter at the side of these rooms. There is an emergency exit on the left wall, a set of double doors with push bars. A second service entrance is at the end of the hall. The Grand Foyer and Grand Pavilion, where exhibits will be set up, are located in a separate wing that extends to the left of the main hotel entrance (not the convention entrance). To reach this area, return to the lobby and walk toward the entrance, keeping the registration counter on your right. When you reach the end of the counter turn 45 degrees to your left and cross to the concierge desk just inside the main entrance. Follow the desk to its edge and turn 45 degrees left. Cross the entrance area. You will pass a low curb separating a decorative area on your right; continue in this direction until you reach a wall on the right. Maintain contact with this wall on your right. Pass the first door. The next doorway leads into an alcove containing the accessible rest-rooms, more telephones and an ATM machine. Continue down this corridor. There is a wheelchair ramp on the left wall leading to the Tiffany Rose Lounge. Further ahead a small hallway to the left leads to the Rose Garden Room. At the end of the corridor a set of double wooden doors leads you into the Grand Foyer, which is very large. There are four entrances into other meeting areas in the left wall. The first is the Meadow glen Room followed by three entrances to the Grand Pavilion. Centered in the wall at the far end of the Grand Foyer there are four glass doors leading outside.

There are two sets of rest-rooms. One is between the convention/meeting wing and the main lobby; the other, which is wheelchair accessible, is between the Grand Foyer/Grand Pavilion wing and the Tiffany Rose Lounge.

Closest to the meeting rooms: Just to the right of the Diplomat Board-room there are two entrances to the men's rest-room. There is one entrance to the women's rest-room just to the right of the second men's entrance. All three entrances are identified by plaques marked in Braille and raised lettering on the right of the doorways about 5 feet off the floor. There are no doors; you just walk in. The two men's entrances converge in a single passage and through another doorway. There are washbasins to both the right and left. Hand dryers and paper towel dispensers are mounted on the wall at the ends of the sink counters. Straight ahead, the stalls are located on the right and urinals on the left.

The entrance to the women's rest-room is offset to the right from the hall doorway and opens into a small foyer with lamps and chairs on the left and a large mirror on the right-hand wall. At the far end of this room the floor changes from carpet to tile. The sinks are arranged in an L shape to the right, with hot-air dryers and paper towel dispensers at each end of the L. The stalls are located to the left of the sink area and there are 10 on each side.

Closest to the dining facilities and the Grand Foyer: The second set of rest-rooms is located in an alcove in a corridor leading left from the main entrance with the cocktail lounge area behind you. Pass the first door on your right; the alcove is the second doorway on your right. Just inside and to the right there is a house telephone, and an ATM machine a few steps ahead. Three pay phones are located on the left wall.Just beyond them there is a door designated women's handicap rest-room and a second door marked unisex handicapped toilet room. Beyond this door there are two water fountains in the left rear corner. The door to the men's rest-room (also accommodating wheelchairs) is across from the water fountains in the right rear corner of the alcove. Unlike the rest-rooms in the convention wing, these do have doors. The handles are on the left for the men's and the unisex; there is a push panel on the left for the women's rest-room.

The women's rest-room opens to a small lounge area on the left, and a mirror over a counter on the right. Ahead there is another door with the handle on the right. Pull it open. There are sinks to both right and left with air dryers and towel dispensers between them. The stalls are on both sides of a long narrow room ahead. The wheelchair accessible stalls are at the far end.

The men's rest-room opens into a small foyer; there is another door on the left. Passing through, the sinks are located in front. The towel dispenser is to the right of the sinks. The air dryer is behind you on the left of the doorway. Turn left to reach the urinals on the right and the stalls on the left.

The unisex rest-room also has two consecutive doors. The second leads into a household-type bathroom with one commode on the left. It does have grab bars. The sink is on the right and has a soap dispenser at right. A facial tissues dispenser is on the wall to the right of the sink. The paper towel dispenser is just inside the door behind you on the left. There is no air dryer. The door has a push- button lock in the handle. There is room to accommodate a wheelchair.

The health club is located between the gift shop and the convention/meeting wing. It is open between 5 am and 11 pm daily. You will need your room card to enter. Follow the stucco wall of the glass-elevator bank to the glass wall of the gift shop. Follow this wall, keeping it on your left. Continue to follow it until it meets another stucco wall at a right angle. Turn right and follow this wall about three steps to the door. This outer door is unlocked and opens into a narrow hallway. Several feet ahead on the left there is a small room with six large video-game machines and a bill changer. A few steps further lead to a locked glass door to the exercise and pool area. The hours are the same. Glass containers are prohibited and there is no lifeguard on duty. The card slot is on the right of the door about 4 feet off the floor.

Inside there is a carpeted area with one Stair-master, three stationary bicycles fanned out from the left and three treadmills along the wall opposite the door. The pool deck is on a lower level behind the exercise area. There is a ramp connecting the two at left, and stairs behind the stationary bicycles. The pool has one end indoors and one end outside, with a narrow connection between them. There is a jacuzzi on the left side of the end of the pool closest to the door. The women's locker room is on the left just inside the door, and the men's is also on the left further down.

The Westchase Hilton is located at 9999 Weathermen at the intersection of Weathermen and Briar Park, just east of the Adam's Mark. It includes twelve floors plus a penthouse. The registration desk marks the center of the lobby, with long wings extending back to the right and left. Most of the guest facilities, such as the gift shop, a telephone bank, health club, first floor rooms and the elevator bank are in the wing to the right. On the left there is a bar/lounge area just to the left of the revolving door down 3 steps from grade level. Further left this hallway leads to an outdoor swimming pool,meeting rooms, a set of public rest-rooms and the Rio Ranch Restaurant.

The entrance is located in a covered portico and consists of a large, three-section revolving door that senses your approach and begins to turn counterclockwise. The sections are spacious, approximately twice the usual size. On the right there is a conventional glass door with a pull handle. Inside, the registration desk is straight ahead about 15-20 paces. It is large enough to accommodate 3 or 4 clerks.

To reach the elevators, keep the registration desk on your left. Follow the wall around the corner to your left. You will pass a telephone bank containing two pay telephones. A small gift shop is across the corridor on the right. Continuing down this hallway the floor changes from tile to carpet. There are large pictures on the wall, some of which have lights attached to the top of the frame. Maintain contact with the wall on your left. There are vertical square pipes on this wall at roughly ten-foot intervals. When you reach the third one, turn slightly right, about 45 degrees. The elevator bank is about 25 paces ahead and the floor will change back to tile. There are three elevators. The call buttons are located between them next to a large panel that warns you to use stairs instead of the elevators in case of fire (in 7 languages but no Braille!).

Inside, the button panel is to the right facing the doorway. The lobby button is a large ellipse located at the center on the bottom row; the alarm button is a smaller round button to the left. Above them, two more large ellipses mark the open and close door buttons, to the left and right respectively. The room floor buttons are small and round; they are grouped in the next three rows above. From left to right the first row of small buttons is for floors 2, 3, and 4. The middle row is for 5, 6 and 7 and the third row is for floors 8, 9 and 10, always reading from left to right across the row. Above the third row is another row of buttons for the 11th and 12th floors and the penthouse. These are restricted floors that require a special key card. All of these are marked in Braille.

Room Floor Layout: Most of the guest rooms are on floors 2 through 10. All of these floors are laid out the same way. There are a few guest rooms on the first floor that will be described separately. The corridors are about 6 feet wide. Light fixtures are about 6 feet off the floor. There are medium-sized framed pictures located at intervals along the walls that jut out a few inches; they are about 4 1/2 feet off the floor.

Using the seventh floor as an example, stand with your back to the elevators. Across the corridor is a small cabinet with a lamp on the left and a house telephone on the right. To reach rooms 700-712, turn right from the elevators. The room doors are recessed into alcoves on each side of the hallway spaced about 20 feet apart. They are usually arranged in pairs, with two doors on the right and two on the left. The doors on the right begin with room 700 and count up (702, 703 etc.); those on the left begin with 712 and count down. Near the end of the hall a vending machine dispensing Coca Cola products is recessed into the right-hand wall. The selection buttons are on the right of the machine face. The charge is $1.25 and the bill slot is at the top right. The ice machine is just right of the soda machine. The ice drops from a tube dispenser in the center at about knee level. There is a small shelf beneath the dispenser for your container. Push a large round button slightly above and to the right of where you put the container to receive ice. To the left of the soda machine there is an emergency exit not marked in Braille, a fire extinguisher/hose recessed into the wall, and a fire alarm pull. Across the alcove is service elevator D. Directly across the hall from the Coke machine is a service door.

To reach rooms 713-723, turn left from the elevators. There is another fire alarm pull on the wall just left of the cabinet across from the elevators. Proceeding down this hallway, rooms 713 and 714 are in an alcove on the right, and room 723 on the left. The next alcove contains rooms 715 and 716 on the right, and rooms 722 and 721 on the left. Next are 717 and 718 on the right, and 720 on the left. Room 719 is straight ahead at the end of the hallway. To the left is a fire alarm pull, a fire extinguisher panel, an emergency exit and a service door.

FIRST FLOOR LAYOUT To reach guest rooms on the first floor, proceed to the elevator bank. As you face the elevators a sign behind you states that rooms 112-123, the Ambassador Suite and the Chancellor Suite are down the hall to your right. Turn right and walk down the hall. The floor changes from tile to carpet. The Ambassador Suite is first on the right, slightly recessed from the hall. It has a large double wooden door. Room 123 is across the hall in an alcove. The Chancellor Suite is further down the hall on the left. It too is slightly recessed and has a large double wooden door. Rooms 116 and 115 are in an alcove on the right side of the corridor. At the end of the hall, room 120 is in an alcove on the left, room 119 (a conference room) straight ahead, and rooms 117 and 118 in an alcove on the right. A service door is on the left just past room 120 and an emergency exit is located to the left of room 119. (Opening this door, a second door straight ahead leads outside, and stairs from the upper floors are on the left.) To the left of the emergency exit door there is a fire extinguisher in a panel set flush with the wall. Apparently there are no rooms numbered 112, 113, 114, 121 or 122. Rooms 101-111 are located in the hall to the left when facing the elevator bank. Room 111 is behind you across the hall from the left- hand elevator and slightly to the left. Put the doorway of the left-hand elevator on your right and follow the wall around the corner to an intersecting wider corridor on the right; this leads to conference room 124 on the right and a building exit. Pass this intersection and continue down the hall from the elevators. All of these room doors are recessed into alcoves on either side of the hall, usually with two doors each. First you will reach rooms 110 and 109 on the left, and 101 and 102 on the right. The next alcove on the right has 103 and 104, with the Fitness Center across the hall on the left. Near the end of the hall room 105 is on the right, with an ice dispenser and soda machine to the left of 105's door. A service elevator is straight ahead. A short hall to the right of this elevator leads to a hotel service area on the left, and an emergency exit on the right. (This one has a push bar door and is attached to an alarm.)

The hall to the left of the service elevator intersects about 15 feet away with a large corridor leading from the main entrance area to the restaurant around at the back of the hotel. At the intersection the floor changes, briefly, from carpet to tile, then back to carpet again.

There are two sets of rest-rooms on the first floor. One small pair is located in a short dead-end corridor to the right of the registration counter near the gift shop. Walk around the corner from the registration counter, keeping it on your left, to the telephone bank at the beginning of the hallway leading to the guest elevators. Turn right and cross the hall to the gift shop doorway. Turn right again and, keeping the wall on your left, move to the corner. The entrance to the men's bathroom is around the corner and the women's is straight ahead. There is a water fountain just left of the door to the women's rest-room. Both have push-panel doors.

Women's Rest-room: As you enter, there is one sink to the left. The soap is in a freestanding bottle dispenser. There is a paper towel dispenser on the wall to the right of the sink in addition to a stack of paper towels on the counter. Two stalls are located to the right of the sink.

Men's: The washbasin is just inside behind the door on the right, with the paper towel dispenser on the right. The urinal is just to the left of the washbasin, and the stall to the left of the urinal.

A second, larger set of rest-rooms is located near the hotel entrance to the Rio Ranch restaurant. From the restaurant doorway walk straight ahead about 45 feet. The men's rest-room will be on your right where the hall narrows; there is a plaque to the right of the door. The women's entrance is in the wall you are facing; here the plaque is to the left of the door.

Inside the women's rest-room, there is a baby-changing station on the wall to the left. To the right, there is a counter with 4 sinks along the right-hand wall. Soap dispensers are set into the counter to the right of the sinks, and the paper towel dispenser on the wall at the left end of the counter. Beyond the left end of the counter there is another entrance from a hotel corridor that leads to the convention wing. The stalls and more sinks are behind you when you face the third sink from the right hand end of the counter. Turn around 180 degrees and walk through the narrow entrance to this area. The stalls are located to your left, and all along the opposite wall straight ahead, with a wheelchair accessible stall on the far right. There are 12 in all. Another 4-sink counter is immediately to the right. The paper towel dispenser is in the wall at the far end between the sink counter and the handicapped stall.

Inside the men's rest-room, there are four sinks on the left. Two paper towel dispensers are on the wall behind you when facing the sinks. In the center of this wall is a narrow entrance to the room with the urinals and stalls. The stalls will be on the opposite wall, the three urinals to the right and three to the left. At the far end of the sink counter is another entrance from a hotel corridor that leads to the convention wing.

The Hilton has an outdoor swimming pool as well as a separate indoor health club with exercise machines. You do not need your room card for the swimming pool. To reach the pool from the elevators, step out and turn right. Proceed down the hallway leading to rooms 101-111 to the service elevator, and turn left. Where this corridor intersects with another, cross it and turn left again. (This is the same hallway that leads to the restaurant if you turn right.) Keep the glass wall on your right. In just a few steps you will reach a glass door leading outside. Although you can reach the pool deck from here, the primary entrance is further down the hall and has better footing. To reach it, continue past this door, following along the glass wall past two large, square wall pillars covered in wallpaper jutting out from the right. Where the floor changes from carpet to tile, turn right to reach the door to the pool deck. The sign says that the door is unlocked from 10 am to 10 pm.

Outside there is a concrete pebble stone landing with no handrails. Six steps down lead to the spacious pool deck. There are several lounge chairs on the deck and a covered deck area on the right with more tables and chairs. The rectangular pool appears to be about 20 yards long. There is no diving board. The depth at the near end is 8 feet; at the far end the depth is 3 feet. At the right side of the shallow end three wide steps lead down into the water but there are no handrails.

About 10-15 feet to the right of the shallow end of the pool is a small square jacuzzi set flush into the deck with no handrails. It is 3 feet deep with a wide ledge around all four sides. The control is on a wooden fence beyond the shallow end of the pool to the right. Two signs give safety warnings: do not spend more than 15 continuous minutes in the jacuzzi, and people who are on medications, pregnant, diabetic, have heart conditions or high or low blood pressure should not use the whirlpool without a doctor's consent. The pool is open from 10 am to 10 pm, no lifeguard on duty. Children under 12 must be accompanied by an adult, no running or diving, and no pets. Swimming attire in pool area only, no glassware in pool area, pool restricted to hotel guests.

The Fitness Center is located in the corridor containing rooms 101-111. You will need your room card to gain access. From the elevators turn right. Pass the intersecting corridor that leads to the guide dog relief area on the right. Keep contact with the wall on your right. Pass the first room alcove (for rooms 101 and 102). When you reach the second alcove (rooms 103 and 104) turn left and cross the hall to the Fitness Center entrance. It is recessed slightly into the corridor wall. The wood-frame door has 5 rows of 3 small glass panels top to bottom. To the right and left of the door there are similar window panels. The card slot is on the right side of the door. Inside straight ahead there is a weight machine with four stations of various kinds. There are Stair-masters, treadmills and stationary bicycles to the right and left. Several TV monitors hang from the ceiling and there is a dry sauna around the corner to the right of the door. There are no locker room facilities here, but there are towels in open bins just inside the door on the right. On the left there are two large drawers (one above the other), presumably for used towels.

An ATM machine is located in the lobby on the left as you walk from the elevators. It is not marked in Braille. Just to the right of the gift shop doorway (near the small set of rest-rooms) there is a large kiosk-type machine selling AT&T prepaid phone cards. It is not marked in Braille either. It accepts Visa, Master Card, Discover/Novus and JCB bank cards or cash. The card slot is on the right with the bill slot below. Cards are sold in denominations of $10, $20, $30, and $50.

The Adam's Mark Hotel is located about one tenth of a mile from the Hilton toward the southwest on Briar Park. From the Hilton's main entrance, proceed to the left following the curb along the driveway. The first break in the curb on your left is for a sidewalk that leads around the exterior of the hotel. Pass this opening and pick up the curb again. When it breaks again, turn slightly right and cross the driveway. Picking up another curb on your left, continue along this curb walking toward Briar Park. You will step over a drainage grate flush with the pavement. When the curb ends you will reach a sidewalk on the east side of Briar Park, but you are not yet at the corner. The Adam's Mark is on the west side of Briar Park a couple of hundred yards to the south. Briar Park has brisk though moderate traffic and a central median. Since there is no pedestrian crosswalk directly in front of the Adam's Mark, we recommend crossing at the traffic light at Briar Park and Weathermen.

Turn to your right and walk north to the traffic light at Briar Park and Weathermen. There are wheelchair ramps, but at the time these instructions were compiled, the crosswalk buttons were only for crossing Weathermen, not Briar Park. At the corner, turn left (west) and cross Briar Park. When you reach the other side, turn left again (south) and proceed south along Briar Park. The Adam's Mark Hotel entrance is roughly a tenth of a mile south of the Briar/Briar Park intersection.

First you will come to the entrance to the Carillon Shopping Center on your right. It includes several restaurants. The entrance includes a large driveway with an entrance sign and planter bed. Continuing south on Briar Park, the sidewalk jogs around a light pole just before you reach a service drive into the rear of the shopping center. Pass this entrance, and a third driveway leading into the north end of the parking lot of the Adam's Mark Hotel. Continue along the sidewalk. There is grass to either side. A large decorative planting area with a non-grass groundcover is centered about halfway to the main driveway then there is more grass. At the driveway turn right and follow the curb on your right. When it breaks, continue in the same direction, passing the entrance to a parking area on your right. Pick up the curb again in about 20 steps. There may be cars parked here (taxis, etc.). If not, find a post on the right about four feet high. Turn slightly left and cross the driveway toward the doorway of the hotel. The driveway widens and circles around a central planting area that anchors the outer end of the covered entrance portico. When you reach the curb of this planting area, keep it on your left and follow it as it curves left. Then cross the driveway to the entrance on your right.

The guide dog relief area is located outside the convention entrance to the right. This entrance has a conventional four-section revolving door with double side-doors. Follow the curved driveway to your right for about 10-15 feet. You will reach a grassy area to the right of the walkway.

The relief area for the dogs is outside the entrance just beyond room 124 on the first floor. Stepping out of the elevators, turn right and follow the right-hand wall around the corner to a wider intersecting corridor on the right. The exit will be straight ahead. A sliding glass door opens automatically as you approach. There are decorative planting beds on each side of the doorway with grassy areas adjacent to the beds. As you walk out, the surface underfoot changes from concrete to a large outdoor-carpet-type mat, then back to concrete again. Sidewalks lead both left and right along the grass.

Animal Emergency Clinic
1111 West Loop, South
Suite 200
Houston, TX
713-693-1100

The hospital is open Monday through Thursday nights, 6:00 PM to 8:00 AM and 24 hours on weekends and holidays. The cost of an emergency visit is $75 plus diagnostic and treatment. The hospital accepts out-of-state checks and all major credit cards.

If you have already ordered dog food through GDUI, you may pick it up in their suite between 1:00 and 4:00 PM, Saturday, June 29.

Certified professional canine/equine massage therapist and member of the International Massage Association, Carla Campbell will be offering relaxing, full-body massages for your dog at the 2002 Houston convention! Like us, our dogs suffer from built-up physical and emotional tension. As well as causing pain and discomfort, a build-up of muscle tension impacts a dog's ability to concentrate causing many dogs to become anxious, hesitant, and distractible or to tire quickly. Massage can provide the extra boost some dogs need to help them stay comfortable, relaxed and focused in the fast-paced, chaotic convention environment. Time out for a massage can be calming, release muscle tension, prevent injury and help our dogs work and feel their best. Sessions will last approximately fifteen minutes and costs fifteen dollars. Longer sessions for older dogs, dogs with chronic joint problems or arthritis or dogs that simply need a little extra TLC may be arranged by appointment. Carla will be available each day, Sunday through Thursday, from 9:00am until noon in the GDUI suite. Why not give your dog a special treat that you will both appreciate! Ten percent of all profits will go to GDUI.

The ACB Convention Information and Volunteer Desk is located in the Grand Ballroom Foyer, near the Briarpark Rooms. Restaurant guides and other helpful information will be available there. It will be open daily from 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM.

Volunteers will also be available at the airports at the early and latter parts of the week. Several volunteers will accompany each tour, but individual sighted-guidance is not available.

The Convention Office is located in Westchase 3, between the Registration Office and the Press Room. Contact this office for convention information other than registration and ticket purchases. It is open each day of the convention from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM or until early evening functions have begun.

The Registration Office is located in Westchase 4, opposite the Grand Ballroom. The registration office will be open as follows:

Thursday, June 27, (Pre-registration pick-up only) 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM

Friday, June 28, 11:00 AM - 8:00 PM

Saturday and Sunday June 29 - 30, 8:00 AM - 7:00 PM

Monday, July 1, 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM

Tuesday through Thursday, July 2, 3, and 4, 8:00 AM - 2:00 PM

Friday, July 5, 8:00 AM - 10:00 AM

In order to receive a program and to purchase any event tickets, each individual must register, and pay the administrative fee. No administrative fee will be charged for name badge and voter certification.

Registration packets include a convention identification badge, program, tickets, and other materials. Wear your ID badge at all times, as it will admit you to the exhibit area, hospitality room, and many other events. In addition, it will permit certified attendees to vote. A daily visitor's badge is available at the Exhibit Hall entrance at no charge.

If you are pre-registered for the convention, your packet will be waiting at the Registration Office. You may not pick up any packets other than your own. If you have not pre-registered, if you need an additional meal, or tour tickets, or if there is an unresolved problem with your registration, go to the Registration Office.

ACB will make NO refunds for the convention administrative fee, sweepstakes donation, or any unwanted tickets. Refunds will be issued ONLY for affiliate registration fees, meals, events, and tours provided that:

1. The individual has pre-registered; and

2. The individual requests the refund in writing to: Jim Olsen, AMERICAN COUNCIL OF THE BLIND 120 South 6th Street, Suite 1005 Minneapolis, MN 55402-1839, or calls (612) 332-3242, on or before June 14, 2002; and

3. The individual does not attend any part of the convention. In case of illness during the convention, which requires you to return home or to be hospitalized, refunds will be issued only for the meals, events, and tours yet to take place. (If the guarantee meal count has been given to the hotel, no refund for that meal function will be given.)

ACB will not replace tickets that are lost during the convention. All ticket packets are checked before they are distributed at the convention, and tickets that are lost or misplaced must be purchased again.

If you have purchased a ticket that you would like to resell, leave it at the convention Registration Office along with your name and room number. Tickets are resold on a first-come, first-served basis, and only if the event tour in question is currently closed or no unsold tickets remain. If you are trying to purchase a ticket for an event or tour that is sold out, you should check daily in person at the Registration Office. If you have not pre-registered and a tour or event was sold out before your pre-registration form was received, a refund will be issued. ACB is not responsible for notifying you if you have tried to buy a ticket through pre-registration for an event or tour that is already sold out. Your name will be put on a waiting list in the event of cancellations.

The Official ACB Press Room is located in Westchase 1 and 2, across from the Grand Ballroom and next to the Convention Office.

The Press Room produces a daily newspaper, dial-in ConventionEar service, and provides large-print and Braille duplication service for a fee.

The convention newspaper The Lone Star Ledger, accepts advertisements. For-profit businesses will pay $100 for an ad for three days or $35 per day. Non-profit organizations and ACB affiliates will pay $10 per day for a 100-word ad, which will run three days. Individuals will pay $5 per day for an ad, which will run for three days. These fees will entitle the advertiser to announce his/her product in both the daily paper (available in print and braille) and on the dial-in convention news service.

The dial-in ConventionEar provides recorded announcements about additional activities and information that could not be included in the program or the Lone Star Ledger, for example, meeting room and time changes, and special meal service information. Messages run 24 hours a day and are updated daily.

The Lone Star Ledger is available daily from Saturday, June 29 to Thursday, July 4. The Press Room will be taken down on Thursday, July 4. The 2002 convention will feature newspapers between Saturday and Thursday. Don't forget, you can sign up for daily home delivery of the Ledger. Home delivery of the Lone Star Ledger will be provided by members of the National Alliance of Blind Students for a cost of only $10.

The ACB Press Room Manager must approve duplicating requests. Copies are made in the Press Room at a cost of 10 cents per page. All payments made for duplication must be delivered to the Registration Office. In the event that this office is closed, money should be given to a designated representative in the Convention Office.

All rooms are available Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday afternoons from 12:00 until 1:30. Please contact the Convention Office if you wish to reserve a room. Please keep your meeting within the allotted time frame, as other groups will be using the room immediately after you.

Houston is famous for its Cajun and Creole cuisine. The Magnolia Bar and Grill is probably the most well-known of these establishments but Pappadeaux, Brennan's and numerous others are equally deserving of your attention. Houston's large Asian population has blessed it with some of the best Chinese, Japanese, Thai, and Vietnamese cuisine anywhere. These restaurants are scattered throughout the city in the usual places, but for something a little more authentic, you might try one of the smaller establishments in Chinatown, just to the east of Downtown. Houston's thriving Chinatown, certainly the largest in the state, is a great destination in itself. Houston also affords excellent choices in traditional Southern cuisine, its own brand of Tex-Mex, Indian, Italian, Caribbean, Texas barbecue, and plain old American steaks and seafood. If you're not careful, the only thing wider than your dining choices will be your waistline!

In addition to the restaurants and lounges in both of the hotels, there are also dozens of eating establishments within close proximity to the convention hotels. Many shops and businesses are also accessible. Extensive lists of these local merchants are available at the Information Desk. Stop and pick one up! You'll find great places to enjoy any free time you find during the week.

The Adam's Mark offers a variety of dining and entertainment choices under one roof. Deco, a casually elegant restaurant, features the best in contemporary American cuisine and an extensive wine list. Tiffany Rose, the lively lobby lounge, offers live entertainment nightly, as well as cocktails, appetizers and desserts. Players Sports Bar captures big-screen sports action in a casual atmosphere, serving your favorite refreshments, appetizers and sandwiches.

A restaurant, cocktail lounge and a small sports bar are all located on the main floor in the lobby area. From the glass elevators, turn right and follow the wall of the elevator bank behind you to the corner. Cross about 15 steps to a planter and turn right. Keeping the wall on your left proceed along the wall to the entrance of the Deco Restaurant. There is a display cart just before the entrance. A hostess desk is located in the middle of the entrance passageway.

The spacious Tiffany Rose Lounge is just to the right of the Deco Restaurant. Follow the planter wall past the restaurant entrance, keeping it on your left. You will come to a stairway with brass railings on both sides. There are round tables with upholstered chairs three to a table. Other features include a grand piano, a small dance floor to the left and a bar area at the back. A sign reminds patrons that they must be at least 21 to enter. There is also a wheelchair ramp that enters at the rear from the corridor to the Grand Foyer and Grand Pavilion, across from the accessible rest-rooms. A small sports bar called Players is recessed into the wall behind and to the right of the concierge desk, a few steps from the main entrance end of the registration counter.

The Hilton has one restaurant, the Rio Ranch, which serves breakfast, lunch and dinner. It features interesting southwestern/regional Texas food.

The Rio Ranch is located in the left wing of the hotel from the main entrance. To reach it from the elevators, step out and turn right. Proceed down the hall, passing the intersecting corridor on the right that leads to the guide dog relief area, then passing rooms 101 through 110 as described above. At the end of this hall face the service elevator and turn left. Proceed to a large intersecting corridor about 15 feet away. A strip of tile on the floor marks this intersection. Turn right at the intersection and proceed down a long corridor--nearly 80 feet. At the end the floor changes from carpet to tile and the opposite wall contains a waist-high wooden credenza. Turn left, keeping this wall on your right. After a few steps it angles right. When it angles right a second time, turn 45ø left and the entrance to the Rio Ranch is about 20 steps ahead. The floor changes from carpet to hardwood.

To return to the elevators from the restaurant, keep contact with the wall on your right as you leave. You will pass a small seating area with 2 chairs and a table, then a glass door leading outside. The wall will guide you slightly left, steering you into the long corridor where the floor changes from carpet to tile. You may pass a large plant. The glass wall is recessed about 4 inches deep with vertical frame strips; keep it on your right. The flooring changes from tile to carpet and the wall angles right. There is a vertical pipe just inboard of every 6th vertical frame strip. At the fifth vertical pipe turn left and cross to the intersecting hallway. Follow along the right-hand wall to the corner and turn right. This hallway will lead you back to the elevators, passing the Fitness Center on your right, and the alcoves for rooms 101 through 111. The elevators are ahead on your left just past room 111 where the floor changes from carpet to tile.

To reach the main entrance from the Rio Ranch, follow the right-hand wall from the restaurant as above. Just past the 5th vertical pipe you will reach another glass door leading outside. (It leads across the lawn to the rear of the outdoor pool deck.) Pass this door and continue to follow the wall, passing 2 more vertical pipes, until you reach the second of two large, square wall pillars covered in wallpaper jutting out from the wall. A few steps later the floor changes from carpet to tile; the main entrance to the pool deck is on your right. Turn 45ø left. There may be 3 large plants on the right. Just beyond the plants there are two entrances to the sunken lounge on your right separated by two more large wall pillars. Keeping the lounge/bar area on your right, the main entrance will be straight ahead. You will cross a large square of carpet with a seating area on the left. When the floor changes back to tile, you are about 15 steps from the large floor mat in front of the main doorway.

Would you like to make some new friends or greet old ones while enjoying a delicious dinner? Join the Membership Committee as we dine in nearby restaurants. Sign up at the information desk for the restaurant of your choice by 12:00 noon. All charges are the responsibility of the individual diner.

Bank of America is providing an accessible ATM in the Exhibit Hall during Exhibit hours. There also is an ATM located in the handicapped rest-room/telephone alcove near the front of the lobby to the left of the main entrance. It accepts most major credit cards but is not designed for people who are visually impaired. There is a $2 use charge in addition to the usual fees. We are working on getting an additional accessible ATM in place for the week, but it has not been finalized at this time. Watch the Lone Star Ledger for an announcement if it becomes available.

The Youth Activities Center (YAC), located in the Adam's Mark Hotel across the hall from General Sessions in Briarpark 1, and staffed by ACB volunteers, will be open to convention attendees ages 7-14, between 8:15 AM AND 12:15 PM. Registration will be open from 12:00-2:00 pm on Sunday, June 30 and thereafter, during YAC operating hours. The registration fee is $5.00 per participant.

A game table, reading corner, craft area and other lively activities are in the works for YAC attendees to enjoy each morning. A Pizza/Fun Night is being planned in conjunction with the banquet Friday night.

7:00 AM Pre-Convention Tour to Galveston, return midnight

8:00 AM ACB Convention Office Westchase 3

11:00 AM ACB Registration Office, open until 8:00 PM Westchase 4

6:30 PM GDUI Volunteer Training Richmond 1

7:30 PM Convention Committee Meeting Richmond 2 and 3

9:00 PM ACB Hospitality Grand Ballroom F, G, and H

8:00 AM ACB Registration Office, open until 7:00 PM Westchase 4

8:00 AM ACB Board of Directors Breakfast Richmond 2 and 3

8:30 AM ACB Pre-Convention Board of Directors Meeting Richmond 2 and 3

9:00 AM RSVA Pre-convention Board and Committee Meeting RSVA Suite 1003

9:00 AM RSVT Meeting Diplomat

10:00 AM Houston City Tour, return 3:00 PM

10:00 AM FIA Beginning/Intermediate Knitting Executive Board Room

10:30 AM ACB Information Access Committee Briarpark 2 and 3

1:00 PM Exhibits Open until 6:00 PM Grand Pavilion

1:00 PM Public Relations Committee/Board of Publications Seminar Briarpark 2 and 3

2:00 PM FIA Beginning Crochet Executive Board Room

3:00 PM Women's Concerns Committee Learn about the Mammacare Project Briarpark 1

3:00 PM RSVA Pre-Convention Board Meeting Richmond 1

4:00 PM CCLVI Pre Conference Board Meeting Diplomat

5:00 PM First Timers' Seminar - Meadowglen

5:00 PM VIDPI Board Meeting VIDPI Suite

6:30 PM ACB Scholarship Winners' Dinner (By invitation) Grand Ballroom G

7:00 PM NELDS Folk Festival Briarpark 1, 2, and 3

7:00 PM Catholic Mass Grand Ballroom A and B

7:00 PM FIA Board Meeting FIA Suite

8:00 PM ACB of Texas Welcomes You Dance Grand Ballroom E

8:00 PM ACB Resolutions Committee Suite 521

9:00 PM NABS Welcome Party ACB Presidents Suite 1068

9:00 PM RSVA Mixer RSVA Suite 1003

9:30 PM ACBL Milly's Place/Pin Swap ACBT Suite 903

7:00 AM LUA Board Meeting LUA Suite

8:00 AM ACB Registration Office, open until 7:00 PM Westchase 4

8:00 AM NABT Breakfast Grand Ballroom H

8:00 AM NABS Board Breakfast for ACB Scholarship Winners (By invitation) Grand Ballroom G

8:30 AM RSVA Program Richmond 3

8:45 AM BFLAG Board Meeting BFLAG Suite

9:00 AM Exhibits Open until 6:00 PM Pavilion

9:00 AM ACB Employment Task Force Seminar - Richmond 1 and 2

9:00 AM Jewish Service Grand Ballroom C

9:00 AM ACBL Board Meeting Diplomat

9:00 AM CCLVI Program Grand Ballroom F

9:30 AM VIDPI Program Meadowglen

10:00 AM Houston City Tour, return 3:00 PM

10:00 AM ACB Board of Publications Meeting - Executive Board Room

10:00 AM Women's Concerns Committee, Relationships: Friends and Significant Others Grand Ballroom C

10:00 AM Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Service Grand Ballroom A and B

10:00 AM Interdenominational Services Briarpark 2 and 3

10:00 AM NABS Business Meeting NABS Suite

10:30 AM NABT Program NABT Suite

12:00 PM Youth Activities Center Registration Briarpark 1

12:30 PM GDUI Area and Hotel Orientation Briarpark 2 and 3

1:00 PM ACB Credentials Committee Richmond 3

1:00 PM FIA Art Parlor Foyer 3

1:00 PM NABS Program Executive Board Room

1:30 PM ACB Constitution and Bylaws Committee Meeting Diplomat

1:30 PM ABLA Program Richmond 1

1:30 PM NABT Program NABT Suite

2:00 PM BFLAG Social Executive Director's Suite 1062

2:00 PM APH Adult Products Research Reception Rose Garden Room

2:30 PM Newsreelers Get Together Richmond 2

3:00 PM ACBGE Mixer ACBT Suite 903

4:00 PM First Timers' Seminar Briarpark 1

4:00 PM GDUI Board Meeting Diplomat

4:00 PM CCLVI Mixer ACB Presidents Suite 1068

4:00 PM FIA Mixer/Showcase Sign-up FIA Suite

4:30 PM Freedom Scientific OpenBook Focus Group Foyer 2

5:30 PM GDUI Program Briarpark 2 and 3

6:00 PM FIA Chorus Rehearsal FIA Suite

7:00 PM 2002 ACB ANNUAL CONVENTION OPENING SESSION Grand Ballroom

10:00 PM ACB Resolutions Committee Suite 521

10:00 PM RSVA Mixer RSVA Suite 1003

10:00 PM ACB Hospitality Westwind Room at Hilton

10:00 PM CCLVI Music the Way You Like It Dance Rose Garden Room

7:00 AM AFB Breakfast Meadowglen

7:00 AM IVIE Breakfast Richmond 1

8:00 AM Youth Activities Center Briarpark 1

8:00 AM ACB General Session Grand Ballroom

8:00 AM ACB Registration Office, open until 5:00 PM Westchase 4

11:00 AM Exhibits Open until 6:00 PM Grand Pavilion

12:30 PM Space Center Houston Tour, return 5:30 PM

12:30 PM RSVA Luncheon Richmond 1 and 2

12:30 PM Sports Fanatics Luncheon Meadowglen

1:00 PM FIA Art Parlor Foyer 3

1:00 PM NAPVI/CFVI Program Richmond 3

1:00 PM GDUI Program Briarpark 2 and 3

1:00 PM NABS Program Executive Board Room

1:30 PM FIA MIDI Workshop FIA Suite

1:30 PM Museum of Natural Sciences Tour, return 5:45 PM

1:30 PM CCLVI Program Grand Ballroom A

1:30 PM ABLA Program Grand Ballroom B

1:30 PM Multi-cultural Committee Program Grand Ballroom F

1:45 PM IVIE Program Taking Care of Business Grand Ballroom G

2:00 PM APH Adult Product Research Focus Group Foyer 2

3:00 PM NABS Program Grand Ballroom C

3:15 PM IVIE Seminar Grand Ballroom H

3:15 PM FIA Showcase Auditions/Rehearsal FIA Suite

4:00 PM Recreation Zone Meet in Lobby

4:30 PM NAPVI Reception To Be Announced

4:45 PM LUA Wine and Cheese Reception ACB Executive Director's Suite 1062

5:00 PM GDUI Round-Table Discussion Diplomat

5:00 PM ACB Constitution and Bylaws Executive Board Room

6:00 PM AFB CareerConnect Reception Richmond 1 and 2

6:00 PM ACB Nominating Committee Meadowglen

6:00 PM ACB Speakers Reception ACBT Suite 903

6:30 PM RSVA Auction Preview and Cocktail Party Grand Ballroom F, G, and H

7:00 PM Alaska Independent Blind Hospitality ACB President's Suite 1068

7:00 PM GDUI School Updates Briarpark 2 and 3

7:30 PM WGBH DVS Movie Night Shrek Grand Ballroom A, B, C, and D

8:00 PM Gospel Sing Rose Garden Room

8:00 PM ACB Resolutions Committee Suite 521

9:00 PM FIA Prose and Poetry Reading Rose Garden Room

9:00 PM GDUI 30th Anniversary Celebration Richmond 1,2,3

9:00 PM VIDPI Mixer ACB Executive Director's Suite 1062

9:00 PM NABS Game Night Briarpark 1

9:00 PM RSVA Karaoke Night Grand Ballroom F, G, and H

9:00 PM ACB Hospitality Westwind Room at Hilton

9:00 PM Multi-Cultural Mixer ACBT Suite 903

9:00 PM BFLAG Support Group BFLAG Suite

10:00 PM FIA Final Chorus Rehearsal FIA Suite

7:00 AM Guide Dogs for the Blind Breakfast Briarpark 2 and 3

7:00 AM NIB Breakfast Richmond 1, 2, and 3

8:00 AM ACB General Session Grand Ballroom

8:00 AM Youth Activities Center Briarpark 1

8:00 AM ACB Registration Office open until 2:00PM Westchase 4

11:00 AM Exhibits Open until 6:00PM Pavilion

12:30 PM AAVL Luncheon and Program Richmond 2

12:30 PM ABLA Luncheon, Program, and Business Meeting Richmond 1

12:30 PM ABLA Luncheon, Program, and Business Meeting Richmond 1

12:30 PM FIA Sandwich Bash Lunch and Business Mtg. FIA Suite

1:00 PM Houston Lighthouse Taping for the Blind Tour, return 5:15 PM

1:00 PM FIA Art Parlor Foyer 3

1:00 PM NABS Second Business Meeting Diplomat

1:00 PM GDUI Program Grand Ballroom F and G

1:00 PM CCLVI Program Grand Ballroom H

1:00 PM RSVA Affiliate Presidents Meeting RSVA Suite 1003

1:30 PM VIDPI Program Grand Ballroom A and B

1:30 PM BRL Program Briarpark 2 and 3

3:00 PM FIA Meet the Artists Foyer 3

4:00 PM Recreation Zone Rose Garden Room

5:00 PM Kurzweil User Group Meeting Foyer 2

5:00 PM GEB Wine and Cheese Reception Meadowglen

5:00 PM ACB Constitution and Bylaws Executive Board Room

5:30 PM RSVA Dealer Orientation Richmond 1

6:00 PM ACB Speakers Reception ACB Presidents Suite 1068

6:00 PM Scholarship Winners' Reception Westwind Room at Hilton

6:30 PM ACB International Guests Grand Ballroom F

7:00 PM GDUI Jeopardog Briarpark 2 and 3

7:00 PM RSVA Casino Night Richmond 1, 2, and 3

7:45 PM ACB Scholarship Committee Meeting Westwind Room at Hilton

8:00 PM FIA Showcase of the Performing Arts Grand Ballroom A, B, C, D

8:00 PM ACB Resolutions Committee Suite 521

9:00 PM ACB Hospitality Westwind Room at Hilton

7:00 AM Seeing Eye Graduate Breakfast Richmond 1, 2, and 3

7:00 AM Women's Concerns Committee Breakfast Rolls and Role Models Briarpark 2 and 3

7:00 AM RSVA Post-Convention Board Meeting RSVA Suite 1003

8:00 AM ACB General Session Grand Ballroom

8:00 AM Youth Activities Center Briarpark 1

8:00 AM ACB Registration Office, open until 2:00PM Westchase 4

9:00 AM Exhibits Open until 1:00PM Grand Pavilion

12:30 PM ACBL Annual Luncheon and Business Meeting Briarpark 2 and 3

12:30 PM GDUI 30th Anniversary Luncheon Richmond 1, 2, 3

1:00 PM Holocaust Museum Tour, return 5:15 PM

1:00 PM NABS Program Diplomat

1:30 PM FIA Program Grand Ballroom H

1:30 PM NABT Program Grand Ballroom C

1:30 PM CCLVI Program Grand Ballroom G

1:30 PM AAVL Program Grand Ballroom F

3:00 PM NABT/FIA Teacher and Writers: Applying Writing to Teaching Without Scotch Tape Grand Ballroom B

3:00 PM ACB Presidents Meeting Front Pavilion

3:30 PM GDUI Program Richmond 1 and 2

4:30 PM AAVL Musical Mixer ACB Executive Director's Suite 1062

4:30 PM BrailleNote User Meeting Grand Ballroom C

5:00 PM GDUI Grooming, Gear, and More! Suite 462

5:00 PM ACB Constitution and Bylaws Committee Executive Board Room

5:30 PM George Ranch BBQ and Tour, return 11:30PM

6:00 PM ACB Speakers Reception ACB Presidents Suite 1068

7:00 PM ACB-L and ACBRadio Reception Briarpark 2 and 3

7:00 PM CCLVI Team Trivia and a Horse Race to Remember Meadowglen

7:30 PM GDUI Street Smarts Richmond 1 and 2

8:00 PM ACB Resolutions Committee Suite 521

9:00 PM ACB Hospitality Briarpark 2 and 3

7:00 AM California Council of the Blind Breakfast (Members only) Richmond 2 and 3

7:00 AM Washington Council of the Blind Breakfast (Members only) Briarpark 3

7:00 AM ACB of Ohio Breakfast (Members only) Briarpark 2

7:30 AM FIA Board Meeting FIA Suite

8:00 AM ACB Registration Office, open until 2:00PM Westchase 4

8:00 AM ACB Youth Activities Center Briarpark 1

8:00 AM ACB General Session Grand Ballroom

10:30 AM ACB Break-out Groups
A. Information Accessibility Meadowglen
B. Way Finding Front of Grand Ballroom
C. Employment Issues Front Pavilion
D. Building Healthy Relationships Briarpark 2 and 3

12:30 PM Space Center Houston Tour, return 5:30PM

12:30 PM ACBGE Luncheon and Meeting Richmond 3

12:30 PM VIDPI Luncheon and Program Richmond 1

12:30 PM VIVA Luncheon and Program Richmond 2

1:00 PM Museum of Fine Arts Tour, return 5:15 PM

1:30 PM FIA Stand-up Acting FIA Suite

1:30 PM BFLAG Program Session Briarpark 3

1:30 PM AAVL Program Briarpark 2

3:00 PM ACB Membership Committee Meeting Front Pavilion

3:30 PM AIB Are You Congenitally Blind? Meadowglen

5:00 PM FIA Round and Harmony Sing FIA Suite

5:30 PM Mac Hatter's Texas Tea Party ACB Executive Director's Suite 1062

6:00 PM ACB Speakers Reception ACB President's Suite 1068

6:00 PM ACB Resolutions Committee Suite 521

7:00 PM Women's Concerns Committee, Fashion Update Briarpark 3

7:30 PM ACB Board of Publications Sponsors Candidates' Forum Grand Ballroom

9:00 PM NABS Comedy Club Richmond 1, 2, and 3

8:00 AM ACB General Session Grand Ballroom

8:00 AM ACB Youth Activities Center Briarpark 1

8:00 AM ACB Registration Office, open until 10:00 AM Westchase 4

5:00 PM Life Members' Reception ACB President's Suite 1068

6:00 PM ACB Cocktail Hour Grand Ballroom Foyer

7:00 PM ACB 41st Annual Banquet and Entertainment Grand Ballroom

10:00 PM CCLVI Farewell to Texas Dance Rose Garden Room

8:00 AM ACB General Session Grand Ballroom

10:30 AM Diabetes Seminar Meadowglen

10:30 AM ACB Legislative Seminar Front Pavilion

1:30 PM ACB Board of Directors Meeting Richmond 2 and 3

7:30 PM The Great Caruso Dinner Theater Tour, return 11:30PM

7:00 PM Entertainment: Anita Bonanno, Houston, TX

7:30 PM Opening Session: Christopher Gray, ACB President, San Francisco, CA

Invocation: Rev. David Drinnon, Associate Pastor, Second Baptist Church, Houston, TX

First Talking Signs Giveaway

Presentation of the Colors

National Anthem

ACB Song

Welcome to Texas: Chris Prentice, ACB of Texas President, Plainview, TX

7:45 PM ACB President's Address: Christopher Gray

8:15 PM "A Song in Our Hearts": Linda Braithwaite, Former Soloist with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and President of the Utah Council of the Blind, Salt Lake City, UT

8:45 PM Award Presentations: Teddie-Joy Remhild, Awards Committee Chair, Burbank, CA and Kathy Megivern, ACB Board of Publications Chair, Flossmoor, IL

9:00 PM Life Membership Presentations - Jim Olsen, ACB Chief Financial Officer, Minneapolis, MN and Christopher Gray, ACB President

9:30 PM Credentials Report: Judi Cannon, Credentials Committee Chair, Quincy, MA

9:45 PM Roll Call of Affiliates: Donna Seliger, ACB Secretary, Des Moines, IA

8:00 AM Entertainment: Donna Whiteside, Houston, TX

8:30 AM Invocation: Pastor Michael Bedevian, Senior Pastor, Bethany UME Church, Houston, TX

8:35 AM Second Talking Signs Giveaway

8:40 AM "Life as a Visually Impaired Foreign Correspondent:" Ms. Arie Farnam, Freelance Journalist and Former ACB Scholarship Winner

9:15 AM A Proclamation from the Mayor of Houston

9:20 AM Our International Guest, Ms. Jia Yang, Vice-president, China Association of the Blind, Beijing, China

9:50 AM The Digital Talking Book "How Blind People Will Read Tomorrow": Frank Kurt Cylke, Director, and Michael M. Moodie, Research and Development Officer, National Library Service, Washington, DC

10:15 AM Break

10:30 AM ACB Business including Final Credentials and Constitution and Bylaws Committee Reports: Judi Cannon and Ray Campbell, Chairs, respectively

11:00 AM Affiliate Highlight - Council of Citizens with Low Vision International: "Blind Skills for People With Low Vision"; Pat Beattie, CCLVI Governmental Relations Chair, Alexandria, VA

11:10 AM "The Impact of Blindness on Sleep Disturbance": Harvard School of Medicine, Division of Sleep Research, Boston, MA

11:40 AM Greetings from the Texas Commission for the Blind: Terry Murphy, Commissioner, Austin, TX

11:55 AM Announcements

12:00 PM Adjourn