[PHOTO/CAPTION: The Galt House at night]

[PHOTO/CAPTION: The Galt House at night]

Braille Monitor

December

2004

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Convention

Bulletin 2005

The

Galt House at night

It is time to plan

for the 2005 convention of the National Federation of the Blind. This year we

will return to Louisville, Kentucky, home of the Kentucky Derby and site of

the memorable 2002 and 2003 NFB conventions.

We will again experience

the hospitality of the Galt House Hotel and the Galt House East Tower. Once

again our hotel rates are the envy of all. For the 2005 convention they are

singles, doubles, and twins $59, and triples and quads $64. In addition to the

room rates there will be a tax, which at present is 13.95 percent. No charge

will be made for children fifteen and under in the room with parents as long

as no extra bed is requested.

For 2005 convention room

reservations you should write directly to the Galt House Hotel, 140 N. Fourth

Street, Louisville, Kentucky 40202, or call (502) 589-5200. You can make reservations

for either the Galt House Hotel (known familiarly as the Galt House West) or

the Galt House East Tower (called the Galt House East) by calling this number.

The restaurants and outdoor pool are located on the west side of the facility

and will all be in operation during our convention. The East Tower contains

a number of suites consisting of a bedroom, bath, and living room with a refrigerator

and wet bar. The hotel will want a deposit of $60 or a credit card number. If

you use a credit card, the deposit will be charged against your card immediately,

just as would be the case with a $60 check. If a reservation is cancelled prior

to June 1, 2005, $30 of the $60 deposit will be returned. Otherwise refunds

will not be made.

The West Tower has twenty-five

floors, and the East Tower has eighteen. Guest-room amenities include cable

television, coffee pot, iron and ironing board, hair drier, and dataport.

The Galt House has two

restaurants--the River Grill, which is moderately priced, and the Flagship,

a revolving restaurant on the roof, which provides one of Louisville's finest

dining experiences, with prices to match. See later issues of the Monitor

for information about tours and other attractions in the Greater Louisville

area.

The 2005 convention of

the National Federation of the Blind will be a truly exciting and memorable

event, with an unparalleled program and rededication to the goals and work of

our movement. Make plans now to be a part of it. The schedule this year is back

to our usual one. Preconvention seminars for parents of blind children and other

groups and set-up of the exhibit hall will take place on Saturday, July 2, and

adjournment will be Friday, July 8, at 5:00 p.m. Convention registration will

begin on Sunday, July 3, and both Sunday and Monday will be filled with meetings

of divisions and committees, including the Monday morning annual meeting of

the board of directors of the National Federation of the Blind, which is open

to all.

General convention sessions

begin on Tuesday, July 5, and continue through the afternoon of Friday, July

8. The annual banquet will take place on Thursday evening, July 7. To assure

yourself a room in the headquarters hotel at convention rates, you must make

reservations early. Remember that an ambitious renovation program will remove

150 rooms in the West Tower from our block this year, so, if you want to be

in the headquarters hotel, make your reservation early. The hotel will be ready

to take your call or deal with your written request by January 1.

Remember that as usual

we need door prizes from state affiliates, local chapters, and individuals.

Once again prizes should be small in size but large in value. Cash, of course,

is always appropriate and welcome. As a general rule we ask that prizes of all

kinds have a value of at least $25 and not be alcoholic. Drawings will occur

steadily throughout the convention sessions, and you can anticipate a grand

prize of truly impressive proportions to be drawn at the banquet. You may bring

door prizes with you or send them ahead of time (identifying the item and donor

and listing the value in print and Braille) to Kevin Pearl, 2716 Hillside Terrace,

Louisville, Kentucky 40206‑2513.

The best collection

of exhibits, featuring new technology; meetings of our special interest groups,

committees, and divisions; memorable tours arranged by the host Kentucky affiliate;

the most stimulating and provocative program items of any meeting of the blind

in the world; the chance to renew friendships in our Federation family; and

the unparalleled opportunity to be where the real action is and where decisions

are being made--all of these mean you will not want to miss being a part of

the 2005 national convention. We'll see you in Louisville in 2005!

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