Monitor Miniatures

News from the Federation Family

Message from Diane McGeorge regarding 2019 Washington Seminar Reservations:

This message is to advise you that Washington Seminar will be held January 27 to January 31, with the Great Gathering-In taking place on Monday, January 28. 

You can now reserve a room at the Holiday Inn Capitol (550 C Street, SW Washington, DC 20024) for Washington Seminar for check-in beginning Friday, January 25, and check-out Friday, February 1.  The rate is $196.00 per night.  This rate does not include DC sales tax, currently 14.95 percent.  You may begin booking reservations directly online by clicking on the weblink below.  You may also make reservations by calling 877-572-6951 and referencing booking code NB8.  Credit card information is needed at time of reservation.  Individual cancellation policy is seventy-two hours prior to date of arrival to avoid one night's room plus tax cancellation charge on credit card provided.  If your departure date changes, you must inform the hotel seventy-two hours in advance of departure to avoid a $100 fee.  Please call 877-572-6951 and reference your confirmation number.  Please obtain a cancellation number when cancelling a reservation.  The firm deadline date to make a reservation is Friday, December 28, 2018.  Reservation requests received after the deadline date will be subject to availability and prevailing rate. 

 Following is the link to reserve your room: http://ichotelsgroup.com/redirect?path=rates&brand Code=HI&regionCode=1&localeCode=en&GPC=NB8&hotelCode=WASSM&_PMID=99801505

If you would like to hold a special meeting during the Washington Seminar, please email Lisa Bonderson at [email protected] just as you have done in past years.  She and I will work with the hotel on the assignment of those meeting rooms.  To ensure that you get the space you need, please let us know of your meeting space needs by December 7, 2018.

Lisa and I will always be available to help you with any problems you might experience with the booking of your hotel reservations. We have worked closely with the hotel staff, and they are looking forward to working with each affiliate or group wanting to make reservations.

See you in Washington!

The Ride to Vote: Use Lyft to Exercise Your Rights:

At Lyft we're working to improve lives by connecting people and their communities through the world's best transportation. This election day (Tuesday, November 6), we want to help people across America exercise their right to vote.

It is estimated that over 15 million people were registered but didn't vote in 2016 because of transportation issues. That's why we're committed to providing 50 percent off rides across the country and free rides to underserved communities that face significant obstacles to transportation.

More details on our plan:

Across the country, we'll give away 50 percent off promo codes with our partners that encourage voter turnout. We're thrilled to be working with Vote.org, Nonprofit VOTE, TurboVote, and more to help distribute codes to those who need them. We'll also have a product integration to help passengers find their polling location.

For underserved communities, we'll provide rides free of cost through nonpartisan, nonprofit partners, including Voto Latino, local Urban League affiliates, and the National Federation of the Blind.

We know that getting to the polls is only one part of the voting process. We're also committed to making it easier to register to vote and learn about important ballot initiatives. We're partnering with When We All Vote and National Voter Registration Day to ensure Lyft's passengers, drivers, and broader community are prepared for election day. We will:

• Remind Lyft passengers about voter registration deadlines using various social media and platform tools (e.g. push notifications)
• Give drivers voter registration handouts and key voter information at Hub locations
• Offer in-office voter registration for employees at our offices
• Offer comprehensive, online voter information through our partner organizations
• Encourage our community to make a plan in advance for Election Day, which has a proven impact on voter turnout rates

Your voice is important! We're excited to help make it heard in this year's elections.

NFB Pledge

I pledge to participate actively in the efforts of the National Federation of the Blind to achieve equality, opportunity, and security for the blind; to support the policies and programs of the Federation; and to abide by its constitution.