National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association Virginia Federation of Chapters PRESIDENT Kathy R. Arpa 2717 Bowling Green Dr Vienna, VA 22180 703-205-9041 Mkarpa@hotmail.com 1ST VICE PRESIDENT Leslie E. Ravenell 112 Stratford Circle Colonial Beach, VA 22443 804-224-3069 Nell8211@msn.com 2ND VICE PRESIDENT Patricia Taylor 22 Welford Lane Newport News, VA 23606 757-288-4870 Mspat1942@aol.com SECRETARY Betty Warren 112 Brentwood Circle Virginia Beach, VA 23452 757-498-0915 Blwarren12@verizon.net TREASURER Raphael Wong 20888 Prince Lowes Terrace Potomac Falls, VA 20165 703-948-0090 Wongr@ieee.org PAST PRESIDENT Richard J. Giangerelli 2710 Viking Drive Herndon, VA 20171 703-860-4490 NARFE1241@gmail.com SUBJECT: 2017 NARFE VFC Convention Bulletin # 1 DATE: October 15, 2016 Convention Dates: April 2-5, 2017 Registration Sunday April 2, 2017, 2-5PM; Monday, April 3 at 7:30 AM; Tuesday, April 4 at 7:30 AM Meet and Greet Reception Sunday, April 2, 2017 6:00 7:30 PM Opening Session: Monday, April 3, 2017, at 8:30 AM Welcoming Reception: Monday, April 3, 2017, at 5:30 7:00 PM Banquet: Tuesday, April 4, 2017, at 6:00 PM Closing Session: Wednesday, April 5, 2017 8:30 AM to Noon Hotel Information Hotel Name & Address: Doubletree by Hilton Williamsburg 50 Kingsmill Road, Williamsburg, VA 23185 Telephone: 1-757-220-2500 Room Rate: Group Name: Group Code: Check- in: Check-out: $89.00 per night, plus tax for king or two double National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association NAR (please when reserving room) Sunday, April 2, 2017 at 3:00 PM Wednesday, April 5, 2017 at Noon Cut-off dates Reservations must be made by March 15, 2017 NARFE Facing the Challenge The hosts for this Convention are all the chapters in Area I (Peninsula 682, Williamsburg 685, Middle Peninsula 1757, Northern Neck 1823), Area II (Metro 5, Tidewater 66, Virginia Beach 974, Eastern Shore 1175, Seaside 1827) and Area IV (Portsmouth 63, Churchland 1293, Chesapeake 1682, Brentwood 1697, and Suffolk 1743.
AGENDA DEVELOPMENT: The Program Committee would appreciate your suggestions for topics and speakers for the Convention. Suggestions from the 2016 convention evaluations are being considered. Please submit your suggestions no later than December 1, 2016 to Leslie Ravenell, Convention Coordinator at nell8211@gmail.com 2017 VFC CONVENTION THEME: Every VFC Convention has a special theme. The 2017 Convention Committee has chosen the following theme: VFC: Preserving Our Future! MEMORIAL SERVICE: A memorial service will be conducted at the Convention for members that passed away during 2016. Also, if you know of any member who passed away prior to January 1, 2017, who has not been recognized in a memorial service at a previous Convention, his or her name may also be included in the 2017 Memorial Service. Each chapter is requested to forward by February 1, 2017, a list of members to be recognized during the memorial service, to: Dr. Constance Bails, VFC Chaplain, 5326 Sandy Point Lane, Clifton, VA 20124-0942 or email to: ctbails@aol.com REGISTRATION & BANQUET: The registration and banquet information is listed on the enclosed 2017 VFC Registration Form (VFC 63-1). Please note the early bird special deadline. The form may be reprinted and is also available under Convention Documents on the VFC website at www.vanarfe.org. Please indicate your choice of entrée on your registration form. There is an additional $5 late registration fee for registrations postmarked after March 15, 2017. Banquet reservations received after March 28 may not be accepted. We cannot guarantee the names of late registrants will be included in the Convention Program Book. Each completed registration form, together with a check covering the cost of registration and/or the banquet, must be forwarded to: Alex Adkins, VFC Database Manager, 4113 Roenker Lane, Virginia Beach, VA 23455-5653. BANQUET SEATING: Reserved seating will not be available at the banquet. Attendees with special needs will be allowed early access to the banquet room. EARLY DEPARTURE FEE: The hotel will charge an early check-out ($50.00) to a guest s individual account. NO-SHOWS: No shows will be charged one night s room and tax for the date of arrival. ELECTION OF OFFICERS: The five officers on the VFC Executive Board (i.e., President, 1 st Vice President, 2 nd Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer) and the ten Area Vice Presidents will be elected at the 2017 VFC Convention. It is the responsibility of the VFC Nominating Committee to propose a slate of at least one candidate for each of the five officer positions on the VFC Executive Board. If there is only one nomination for a particular office, the VFC President can declare that the person is elected by acclamation, and no ballot vote will be required for that office. Otherwise, the officers will be elected by ballot vote by the Delegates-at-Large, Lead Delegates and the Proxy Delegates. A simple majority of all votes cast is required for election. The functions and responsibilities of these positions are listed in the VFC Organizational Handbook, which is posted on the VFC website at www.narfe.org. If any members are interested in being considered by the Nominating Committee, that member must submit a brief resume to: Bill Martin, VFC Nominating Committee Chair, 994 Warbonnet Trail, Mineral, VA 23117-2839. The resume does not have to be excessively wordy, but it does need to list those activities that support a member s qualifications to be considered for the position desired. It will need to include the individual s name, address, and phone number and email address. If you have any questions, please contact Bill Martin at 1-540-872-3345 or by email: bill@retiredusps.net by December 1, 2016. Also, at the Convention, any member interested in any of these offices who is in attendance at the Convention may be nominated from the floor.
Each officer elected will have an approved budget for expenses such as travel, lodging and meals for federation meetings as well as fulfilling other duties of the office. Each officer will be allotted some funds for travel to the 2017 VFC Convention. CHAPTER BANNERS: Each Chapter is encouraged to bring their chapter banner for display in the hotel. On the last day of the convention, all banners must be removed. CHAPTER SUPPORTERS: Sources of funding beyond the registration and banquet fees are required to fund the Convention. One of these sources is from the Chapter Members who become Convention Supporters. The names of all supporters will be listed in the program book which will be distributed to each attendee at the Convention. Chapter members are invited to show their support by contributing in one of the following categories: Super Angel ($25), Angel ($20), Cheerleader ($15), Booster ($10) and Supporter ($5) Supporter forms for individual members (VFC 63-2) and multiple supporters (VFC 63-3) are both enclosed and can also be found on the VFC website under Convention Documents, www.vanarfe.org We request that the names be typed to ensure proper spelling and recognition. Please send form and chapter or individual s checks by March 1, 2017, to: Hazel Braxton, Supporters Chair, 128 Braxton Court, Newport News, VA 23185. PROGRAM BOOK ADS: A another source of funding for the convention are the ads placed in the Convention Program Books by individuals and chapters who are not advertising a commercial operation or business. A completed form (VFC 63-7) must be sent, postmarked by no later than March 1, 2017 together with a copy of the ad and the appropriate payment to: Marilyn Riddle, Advertising/Sales Chair, 2505 Goodrich Darfey, Williamsburg, VA 23185. Email the ad to: mriddle@cox.net. An electronic copy of the ad should also be sent by this date to: Larry Mcilwee, Program Book Chair, Joseph.mcilwee@verizon.net. Another source of funding is from political incumbents or challengers and commercial businesses. A completed form VFC 63-8 must be sent, postmarked by later than March 1, 2017 together with a copy of the ad and the appropriate payment to: Marilyn Riddle, Advertising/Sales Chair, 2505 Goodrich Darfey, Williamsburg, VA 23185. Email the ad to: mriddle@cox.net. An electronic copy of the ad should also be sent by this date to: Larry Mcllee, Program Book Chair, Joseph.mcilwee@verizon.net. As an incentive to political incumbents or challengers and to commercial businesses, all ads that cost at least $196 are eligible to be posted on the VFC website through May 2017. As an incentive for Chapter members to sell these ads, the VFC will give the Chapter 10% of the amount they collect when that amount exceeds $499.00. A sample letter of introduction to use in obtaining ads is enclosed with this bulletin (VFC 63-4) and it may be revised, as needed. Since many organizations prepare their 2017 budgets in the fall, now is a good time to ask for an ad. EXHIBITORS: Another source of funding in addition to registration and ads are Convention Exhibitors. B.J. Thomas-McMillian is the Exhibitor Chair. If you have any suggestions, please email her at bjthommc@va.metrocast.net or call her at 804-580-8666. RESOLUTIONS: All members are invited to prepare resolutions for consideration at the Convention. A resolution can address any issue, operation or procedure of the VFC that is not specifically addressed by the VFC By-Laws and Constitution. The resolution must be submitted on VFC Resolution Form (VFC 63-5) which can be found under Convention Documents at www.vanarfe.org for receipt at least 75 days prior to the start of the Convention (February 2, 2017) and sent to: Betty L. Warren, Secretary, 112 Brentwood Circle, Virginia Beach, VA 23452-2301 or by email to her at blwarren12@verizon.net.
All submitted resolutions will be reviewed by the VFC Resolution Committee and will be voted on in a floor vote. A simple majority is required for approval of a proposed resolution. PROPOSED BY-LAWS AMENDMENTS: A proposed by-laws amendment may be submitted by any Virginia Federation Chapter Member for consideration at the Convention. The current VFC By-Laws can be found on the VFC website at www.vanarfe.org A By-laws amendment can address any issue, operation or procedure that is specifically addressed in the VFC By-Laws. A proposed By-Laws amendment must be submitted on VFC By-Laws Amendment Form (VFC 63-6) located under Convention Documents on the VFC website for receipt at least 100 days prior to the Convention (i.e., December 23, 2016) to both: Helen Willis, VFC Constitution & By-Laws Chair Betty L. Warren, VFC Secretary 867 Clayborne Lane 112 Brentwood Circle Midlothian, VA 23114-4385 Virginia Beach, VA 23452-2301 All submitted proposed by-laws amendments will be reviewed by the VFC Constitution and By-Laws Committee. They will be available for discussion at the 2017 VFC Convention and will be voted upon by ballot. A two-thirds majority of all votes cast is required for approval of a proposed by-laws Amendment. SILENT AUCTION & 50/50 DRAWING Look for information in Bulletin No. 2. 2016 VFC LEADERSHIP AWARD: Each year the VFC recognizes a member for their outstanding contributions to the VFC. The award criteria are listed on the VFC website. Please submit your nominations to Pat Taylor, VFC 2 nd Vice President, mspat1942@aol.com, or you may call her at (757) 599-5408. Thank you in advance for your support and participation. Additional Convention information will be updated and distributed in Bulletin No. 2 coming out in January 2017. Please direct any questions or comments to: Leslie E. Ravenell, Convention Coordinator or by email to: nell8211@gmail.com or call her at 804-224-3069. LESLIE E. RAVENELL 2017 VFC Convention Coordinator VFC 1 st Vice President Enclosures: 1. Form VFC 63-1, 2016 VFC Convention Registration 2. Form VFC 63-2, Invitation to Individual Members & Convention Supporters 3. Form VFC 63-3, Multiple Supporter Listing 4. Form VFC 63-4, Sample Letter of Introduction