Tuesday, January 4, 2011

Convention Plans Heating Up for June 2011

The holidays have come and gone, and the Convention, even though it is still over five months away, seems to be coming faster than a freight train! So many great plans are being made - this convention for people with hearing loss is a "must-attend event." Mark your calendar and start making your plans to be at Convention 2011 in the Washington, D.C. suburb, Arlington, Virginia (in a section called Crystal City), June 16 - 19. The convention hotel is the newly renovated Hyatt Regency Crystal Ciy (2799 Jefferson Davis Highway, Arlington, VA 22202).

Many of you may also be interested in attending the 2nd International Hearing Loop Conference - HLAA is co-hosting this event with the American Academy of Audiology (the "Academy") at the same location, June 18 - 20. I'll write again soon about the Loop Conference.

Here's a snapshot of Convention 2011 events:
Convention 2011:
Thursday, June 16th will be an action-packed day with the Exhibit Hall Grand Opening scheduled from Noon - 2 p.m. followed by an FCC panel lead by Karen Peltz Strauss, Deputy Bureau Chief of the Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau. We are very pleased to have Christopher Artinian, president and CEO of Morton's Restaurant Group as our keynote speaker. Don't miss the Get Acquainted Party Thursday evening, a chance to meet up with old friends and meet new ones. Note that the Exhibit Hall will remain open until 5 p.m.

Friday, June 17th will bring the research symposium, The Impact of Noise on Hearing Loss, sponsored by the Deafness Research Foundation (see the Convention page on our website for more details about the presenters). The afternoon will offer educational workshops on the topics of Advocacy and Government Affairs, Hearing Technology, Medical Issues, Relationships (with your Family, Friends and Employer), and Young Adults. Following the afternoon social in the Exhibit Hall, Wicked ticketholders will board a Chariots for Hire (our official transportation provider) bus for the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. If you are not attending Wicked, this is a great night to go sight-seeing.




Saturday, June 18th is Parents and Educators Day! In addition to the educational tracks above there will also be four workshops especially for parents and teachers of children with hearing loss. Details about all of the workshops will be posted soon on the Convention page. After the Exhibit Hall social in the afternoon, relax for a bit before the Saturday evening banquet, A Capital Celebration. This will be a special evening as we bid farewell to Convention attendees and welcome the attendees of the 2nd International Hearing Loop Conference (HLAA is co-hosting with the American Academy of Audiology).

Sunday, June 19th winds up the Convention with the Awards Breakfast where chapter members from across the country are honored for their hard work in their chapters and communities to help make a difference for people with hearing loss.

CEUs will be available from the American Academy of Audiology and the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association.

WOW! What a convention it promises to be! If you don't receive the biweekly e-News, sign up today at www.hearingloss.org.

See you in June!