by Janet Dickelman
The American Council of the Blind conference and convention is fast approaching. Later this month I’ll begin posting convention previews to the e-mail lists. They will also be aired on ACB Radio. The convention previews provide details regarding programming, tours, hotel materials and menus as well as information about the surrounding Sparks area. If you received updates for the 2016 convention, you need not subscribe again to the convention announce list.
If you didn’t, send a blank e-mail to [email protected] to join the list.
Convention dates are June 30th through July 7th; the place to be is the Nugget Casino and Resort in Sparks, Nev.
Registration Details
It is almost time to register for the 2017 American Council of the Blind conference and convention. Online registration will open on May 24th and close on June 20th. Registration prior to the convention is easy and saves time. Plus, the earlier you register, the better chance you have of booking tours and attending workshops that have limited availability.
Thanks to our generous corporate sponsors, convention registration will be $15 pre-registration and $25 at the convention. A one-page mailer will be distributed providing registration details prior to the opening of registration. If your e-mail address is in ACB’s database, you will receive the mailer via e-mail; otherwise, it will be sent to you via U.S. mail. The information will also be posted on the acbconvention, leadership, and ACB-L e-mail lists.
Once registration opens on May 24th, there are several ways to register for the convention: online, via telephone, or by requesting a paper form.
Register online by visiting www.acbconvention.org. If you registered online last year, the username and password you created can be used again. The profile you created with your contact information will be saved; please make certain to review your profile to make sure your contact information is current. If not, you may update your profile.
You can also register via telephone. When you call the registration line, 1-800-866-3242, you will be asked to leave a message with your contact information. We’ll need your name, telephone number, the best times to reach you and your time zone. One of our registration experts will return your call as quickly as possible. Please keep in mind that individuals completing registration forms are volunteers. The registration cadre is very conscientious but, due to the high volume of calls, it may take them a few days to get back to you.
Paper registration forms WILL NOT automatically be sent unless requested. If you would like a paper registration form, request it before May 1st by calling (612) 332-3242. Forms will be sent via first-class mail when pre-registration opens on May 24th.
Registration at the Convention
Registration in Reno will open on Friday, June 30th. Those who are taking the museum tour on Friday morning will be on a list; you will be able to pick up your tour ticket when you board the bus.
Friday, June 30th through Sunday, July 2nd, registration will be open from 8 to 11 a.m. for pre-reg pick-up only. Only those who registered prior to June 20th may obtain their registration packets. Last year this was a great time saver for those of you who completed pre-registration.
After 11 a.m., registration will be open for pre-registration pick-up and for people who have not yet registered.
Monday through Thursday registration will be open all day for both pre-registration pickup and initial registrations.
Hotel Details
All rooms at the Nugget have refrigerators and safes. Room rates at the Nugget Casino Resort are $89 (single or double occupancy) with an additional $10 per person for up to four people per room. The tax rate is currently 13.5%. There is also a $2 per day tourism tax added to each room. When you book your reservation, one night’s stay will be charged to your credit card.
Included in the room rate is the hotel resort fee, which covers:
· Round-trip shuttle transportation to and from Reno-Tahoe International Airport
· Complimentary wireless Internet in guestrooms
· Daily complimentary bottled water, 2 bottles per room per day
· Unlimited use of the year-round atrium pool
· Unlimited use of the fitness center
· Full service concierge
· Valet and self-parking in the secured covered parking structure
To make reservations via telephone, call 1-800-648-1177 and ask for group code GACB17. You may also make reservations online by going to www.acb.organd following the 2017 conference and convention link.
Convention Contacts
2017 exhibit information: Michael Smitherman, (601) 331-7740, [email protected]
2017 advertising and sponsorships: Margarine Beaman, (512) 921-1625, [email protected]
For any other convention-related questions, contact Janet Dickelman, convention chair, at (651) 428-5059 or via e-mail, [email protected].