2011 Convention Updates

AFA Field Leaders, Convention Committee members and staff have been hard at work over the past year to explore ways to improve the AFA National Convention. As a result, we have several exciting new announcements regarding the Convention this September. First, there will be an additional training session offered for any current or prospective field leaders in attendance. This session will take place at the Gaylord National Hotel from 9:00 – 11:30 a.m. on Saturday. The topics and presenters are currently being organized and will be listed at a later date.

Patricia Schlitt, wife of AFA Chairman Sandy Schlitt, is organizing additional activities for the spouses and delegates this September. Please see the accompanying article with the tentative schedule for more details.

As determined by the Congressional Engagement Committee, AFA national headquarters will not host a Congressional Morning Reception during this year’s conference. However, we will be providing issue briefs and transportation via a scheduled bus service on Tuesday morning, September 20, for AFA members who would like to meet with their respective Congressional delegations. Additional information on logistical support will be provided in the near future. For questions, contact mbearzotti@afa.org.

We are excited to change things up a bit with the Saturday night Field Awards Dinner and offer a new event on the Spirit of Washington dinner cruise boat we’re calling the “AFA Awards Celebration Dinner Cruise.” Due to time constraints, we will not be able to present awards at this venue as we have in the past so we will have most or all of the awards presented after an abbreviated Delegate Information Session on Saturday afternoon. The cost for this dinner cruise will be the same as the tickets have been for the Field Awards Dinner in recent years. In the next month, we will be sending out detailed information on all of these changes as well as other pertinent information for delegates. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact khahn@afa.org.

Finally, the AFA staff has worked tirelessly with the Gaylord to get a further discounted rate for our delegates. We need your support in booking this rate so we can negotiate a similar deal for future years. For Friday, Saturday, and Sunday nights, the hotel has agreed to a $149 rate plus tax (roughly $173 with tax). The hotel is only offering us 175 rooms at this rate so don’t delay in making your arrangements. Starting Monday night, the rate will revert back to the government per diem rate of $211 plus tax (roughly $245 with tax). Included in both rates is the resort fee, which covers high speed internet in your room, 2 bottles of water in your room each day, fitness center access, newspaper, and local/toll free telephone calls. (For those of you that have already made your hotel reservations through our reservation system, the AFA staff will update your reservation so you can take advantage of this great offer.) If you have any questions about your hotel reservations, please contact Sarah Piggott at spiggott@afa.org.

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