Time is running out fast to reserve your seat on the bus to convention. Bellow is a copy of the announcement we sent out previously regarding the bus.

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The National Federation of the Blind of Nebraska will be providing a bus to this year’s National Convention in Detroit, Michigan. The bus will depart Lincoln on Thursday, July 2, 2009, at 6:15 am. There will be a second pick up point, in Omaha, at the college of St. Mary, at approximately 7:15 am. The bus should arrive in Detroit at approximately 9:00 pm that same evening. The trip, including a lunch break, and other breaks should be approximately 14 hours. During convention, the bus will be available for some breakfast, dinner, and possibly shopping excursions, if a reasonable number of passengers are interested. There is also an optional visit to the Henry Ford Museum planned for Thursday, July 9th. Following the convention, the bus will depart early on the morning of Friday, July 10th, and arrive in Nebraska that same evening.

The price for the round trip, including a farewell dinner on the night of July 9th, will be $175.00 per person. In keeping with the company policies of Fontenelle Tours, any reservations cancelled before June 15, 2009, are fully refundable: however, there will be a $50.00 fee for any reservations cancelled after this date. The optional visit to the Henry Ford Museum and Greenfield Village, will be priced at $40.00 per person. These excellent rates for travel are made possible through the assistance of your state affiliate of the National Federation of the Blind of Nebraska, and the generosity of Fontenelle Tours.

All reservations are to be made through Fontenelle Tours, and the dead line for making your reservation is June 1, 2009 Reservations will be on a first come, first serve basis, and it is critical that we have a minimum of 35 passenger reservations by this date, otherwise, the bus will have to be cancelled. Your reservation is confirmed upon receipt of your payment, and payment may only be through check, money order, or payment order authorization. Fontenelle Tours does not accept credit cards. When making your reservations, please indicate the type of payment, and whether you are having your travel expenses paid through the Nebraska Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired. Clients of the Commission should discuss these details with their counselors prior to making their reservations. Commission staff members should also make their own personal reservations directly through Fontenelle Tours. Payment Order Authorizations must be for the full amount of $175.00.

There is only seating for 50 passengers available, and therefore, to insure yourself a seat, please make your reservations early. Some seats may still be available after the deadline, due to cancellations, so you are certainly encouraged to check if you are running late in making your reservations, but remember that the bus filled up very quickly last year. Also, Fontenelle Tours can make room reservations directly for you, for an additional fee.

Please contact Fontenelle Tours at the address and phone number below.

Fontenelle Tours
4624 Navajo Street - Suite 15
Council Bluffs, IA 5150-8383
1-877-366-9596

The bus will depart Lincoln at 6:15 am, on Thursday, July 2, 2009, from the parking lot located in front of the Nebraska Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired office, located at 4600 Valley Road, Suite 100. Should you need directions to this location, please contact Jeff Altman in the evenings at (402) 489-9458, or call the Commission in Lincoln, during regular business hours, at (402) 471-2891.

For those departing from Omaha, at approximately 7:15 am, the pick up point will be, the College of St. Mary.

The college campus is located at the corner of 72nd street and Mercy Road in Omaha. We depart from the south east corner down by the soccer field.

Off of 72nd street, turn east on Mercy Road,

In about one block on your left (North) will be the entrance marked by a large sign.

The entrance road ends in a large circle, go right (east) off of the circle.

Go through the first parking lot to the east most lot down by the athletic field fence. That is where we can leave cars and load the bus.

Those individuals riding the bus, will need to make their own arrangements to meet the bus in either Lincoln, or Omaha. If you are a client of NCBVI, please talk with your counselor to see if assistance with transportation to the pick up points, or any additional over night lodging, is possible, should your financial situation be of concern.

We are looking forward to a wonderful trip, and another great convention. Please join us, and make your reservations as soon as you can.