by Terry Pacheco and LeRoy F. Saunders
The 39th annual ACB national and affiliates convention is just weeks away! From that first moment on Saturday, July 1, when our host affiliate, the Kentucky Council of the Blind, presents us with the keys to Derbytown until that last convention-related event seven days later when you bid friends old and new farewell, you will be swept up in a whirlwind of exciting choices to make, people to meet and know, products to examine, games to learn and play, parties to attend, meals to share and enjoy, and information to gather and absorb!
When you arrive in Louisville, you will find that the Galt House is a convenient hotel that presents a myriad of exciting choices of its own. There are a gym and a pool, an English pub, a River Grill, gift shops, a beauty salon, a top-of-the-town restaurant (which, we hear, offers an astounding number of different kinds of bourbon — in addition to delicious dining fare), nicely appointed rooms and suites. The Galt House is right on the Ohio River. Some of you may be able to hear the sounds of riverboats and the music from a riverside calliope from your windows. Conventioneers will be staying in both the east and west towers. Most convention-related activities will be held on the second floor of the east tower (with a few exceptions on the third floor). The towers are straight across the street from each other, and you can easily travel from east to west or vice versa by using a connecting elevated walkway, or by going outside and crossing the street. There’s a registration desk in the lobby of each of the Galt House Towers. Specific directions for finding your way around the hotel will be included in your program, which you will receive in the format of your choice when you arrive at the convention. The program will also contain instructions for locating guide-dog relief areas and lists of hotel amenities and convention offices. Even before you board your plane for Kentucky, you will be able to look through this program and get an idea about all the sights and sounds which await you in Kentucky by visiting the convention link on the ACB web site (http://www.acb.org). Of course, there will be ACB staff persons, members of the convention committee, hotel personnel, and a host of volunteers, all there to help us find our way around and offer assistance when needed.
What to Expect
Here’s a quick overview. On Sunday night, the convention will open officially, and you will be able to hear from ACB President Paul Edwards; Executive Director Charlie Crawford, and our keynote speaker, Dr. Frederic K. Schroeder, who is Commissioner of the Rehabilitation Services Administration in the U.S. Department of Education. After the official gathering, you can wind down and make connections with old friends at the CCLVI Cyber Swing and the NELDS folk festival. Then get ready for a week that offers access to information — provided by speakers, vendors, and networks of your friends who can share experiences and offer advice; a seminar on starting and growing your own business; a workshop on making the special-education laws work for you and your children; Americans with Disabilities Act clinics; tours that include the American Printing House, the famous distilleries of Kentucky bourbon, and an art gallery filled with the works of visually impaired artists; and opportunities for fun in the Recreation Zone and Accessible Computer Game Room!
Don’t Delay!
June 9th is the last day to guarantee your room rate of $65 (plus tax) at the Galt House Hotel. The nationwide toll-free number you should call is (800) 626-1814. You have probably already received your Conventionscope and pre-registration package in the mail. This year, an exciting alternative to completing the traditional printed pre-registration form is a link to online registration at http://www.acb.org.
Please return your completed electronic or large-print forms by June 16 to assure your participation at all the activities you want to attend. If you need additional pre-registration forms, or an informational copy of the package on disk or cassette, please call the ACB national office at (202) 467-5081, or (between 2 and 5 p.m.) at (800) 424-8666.
This year, you may want to help defray some of our convention costs by becoming a gold or silver ACB convention sponsor. Details about these possibilities are included in the Conventionscope.
July 1 is just around the corner! We know it’s hard to narrow down your choices with so many exciting options on our convention menus, and only a maximum of 24 hours in each convention day! But we also know that, whichever choices you make, the 39th national ACB convention will be an event you won't want to miss!