July 22–24, 2010 at Elk Grove Village, Illinois (Chicago area)
Registration forms
Registration forms for the Chicago Con 2 Convention are available here in PDF format:
NAPA Convention Information 2010
NAPA Convention Registration form for 2010
Convention Room Rate Extended Until July 4
Barry Schrader emailed me just this evening (8:20 p.m. Eastern Time on June 30th) and asked me to get this late-breaking news out as soon as possible.
This extension is especially significant because we are within 5 room-nights of meeting our contracted 100 room nights with the hotel, which would qualify us for free meeting room space.
So if you have not yet made a hotel reservation, or maybe are just now deciding to attend, please do phone in your reservation to the Sheraton Suites Elk Grove Village by Sunday. The phone number is 1-800-325-3535. Ask for the NAPA convention rate.
IMPORTANT . . . YOU MAY NEED TO KNOW THIS WHEN YOU PHONE:
Barry says: “If the reservation people deny this, tell them that the Sales Manager Keith Bush has approved an extension through the 4th. We have had a few cases where the Reservation Department had told people the special rate is sold out ….” Be assured that it is not sold out, and if you run into this problem, insist on the operator checking with the Sales Manager, so that you get your room at the convention rate of $79 a night.
The 135th Convention will be held at the Sheraton Suites Elk Grove Village, Illinois, from July 22 to 24, 2010.
This convention will be unique in that it will be held concurrently with the American Amateur Press Association (AAPA).
Room rates of $79 have been negotiated by Barry Schrader, joint member of NAPA and AAPA, with assistance from Tom Dahlquist of the Northwest Chicago Convention and Visitors Bureau. Not only is this a very good rate, but every room is a two-room suite, and the hotel is only 10 miles from Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport, and only 2 blocks south of Exit 7 on I-90.
You can view the hotel’s website here, but members should not use the website to reserve rooms; instead, phone 1-800-325-3535 and identify yourself as being with the National Amateur Press Association. The special room rate will be in effect until June 30th, 2010.
More info will follow, of course, as program details become firmed up.
Thanks to Barry for all the contacts and trips into the Chicago area that he has made to come up with this outstanding convention site package for our two Associations.
—Bill Boys
Convention Schedule
Here is a DRAFT of the convention schedule. Bill Boys advises me that it is still subject to change.
| Update on Convention Registrations As of July 4th, here are the current registrations: 13 from dual members (both NAPA and AAPA): Arie Koelewyn Ken (& Carol) Faig Barry & Kay Schrader Mike O’Connor Jack Visser Guy Miller Gary Bossler Tom Whitbread George Hamilton Lee Hawes NEW* Tom Parson NEW Dave (& Liz) Tribby NEW Rich Hopkins 14 from members of AAPA only: Ivan Snyder Michael Langford William Justice Ron & Liz Hilton Jiyani Lawson Jack & Maurine Scott Joe Diachenko Sean Donnelly Sky & Johanna Shipley Stanislaus Pekala Jack Scott NEW Susan Petrone NEW Ed Carter NEW Peter Schaub 8 from members of NAPA only: Bill (& Ruth) Boys Harold Shive Stan Oliner David & Melody Warner Jake & Leah Warner NEW Michelle Klosterman NEW Lisa Brandstetter Holt NEW* Jon McGrew Convention Registration Needed Also Unaccustomed as we NAPA members have become in recent years to making a convention registration – as distinct from a room reservation – this year we owe it to Barry Schrader to make and mail in a convention registration (with payment). He needs this in order to plan our seats at the Chinese Dinner, our seats at the Fossils Appreciation Lunch, our seats on the Grayline Bus Tour of Chicago, and perhaps most importantly of all, our seats at the closing banquet. Mail registrations to Barry at 511 Roberts Rd., DeKalb IL 60115. By June 30, too. The registration form was in the May bundle. A copy may be printed from our website, www.amateurpress.org. Or I will be happy to email you the PDF form on request. Auction Items Coming In for the Convention Auction Barry Schrader reports that some nice items are arriving for the auction to be held at the Convention. He writes:“I just received four Hatch Show circus poster type broadsides, all signed limited editions, from them in the mail for the auction. I had requested a donation from them months ago, but it just came today. “Also got 8 of Harold Segal’s books from his widow, Gussie, and about 20 books from the Joe Curran estate. Gale Mueller sent in his woodcuts book, one of 53 copies; he signed it. So it looks like good things will be offered at the auction. I expect more in the days ahead. Barry” If you’ve got something to add to the auction but you aren’t planning to attend the convention, or would like to ship it on ahead even if you are planning to attend, send it to Barry Schrader, 511 Roberts Lane, DeKalb IL 60115-4940. Bring Copies of Your Journal to Display at the Convention One or more tables will be set up in the hospitality suite to display any of your amateur journals that you’d like to show to those in attendance. Convention: Lists of Eateries, Other Attractions Nearby Barry Schrader sends the following helpful info for convention-goers (and those still making up their minds):“Very near to the Sheraton Suites Elk Grove Village one finds restaurants of all types. “For a low cost meal you drive north on Arlington Heights Road a half mile to the corner with Algonquin Road, turn left and a Denny’s is just behind the Shell Station on Algonquin. Remember how Scotty loved Dennys? “Or by going 1.2 miles north of our hotel on Arlington Heights Road there is a Walgreen Drug Store on the corner with Golf Road. Turn right onto Golf and there is an IHOP in the first block and the next traffic signal brings you to a McDonalds. A Jewel-Osco supermarket and pharmacy is on the opposite corner from Walgreens. A more upscale pancake house is Elly’s across the street from McDonalds. There is also a Geribaldi Pizza across the street from IHOP. “For dining adventure on Friday night you can take a carload to the Medieval Times for dinner while watching a live jousting battle, just a couple miles west of our hotel off the Route 90 Northwest Tollway on Roselle Road. “To reach the big Woodfield Mall with nearly 300 stores, leave the hotel driveway and go left around Northwest Point Boulevard. When you reach Arlington Heights Road at the traffic signal, turn left on Arlington and go to Higgins Road traffic light. Turn right on Higgins and go 2.5 miles to the entrance of the mall on the right onto Martingale Road. “If you want to take a further drive to Chicago proper you can try Hot Daug’s for a Chicago-style dog and duckfat fries at 3324 N. California Avenue in Chicago. Looking for Chicago style pizza, then try Great Lake at 1477 W. Balmoral Avenue in Chicago. And for a great classic burger head for Kuma’s Korner at 2900 W. Belmont Avenue in Chicago. You can find a hundred other good eating places around the area, just decide what tickles your taste buds. “Across Arlington Heights Road from our hotel is a county forest preserve and next to that is a fenced Elks preserve where you can see these magnificent animals in their native habitat. Almost like being on the Miller farm in Wisconsin! “For those driving to ChicagoCon2 take the Route 90 Northwest Tollway exit marked Arlington Heights Road (cost is 50 cents to exit) and go south to the first corner which is Northwest Pointe Boulevard, turning left across traffic (no light) there and watch for the Sheraton driveway on the left to the hotel.” For the convention, train travel might be an option to consider Thanks to an inquiry from Leah Warner, Barry Schrader has researched the issue and we have learned that there is a relatively convenient connection from the station where Amtrak arrives in Chicago (Union Station) to Ogilvie Transportation Center four blocks away, to catch Union Pacific Northwest trains to Arlington Heights, which is only five miles from the convention hotel. From there a taxi can be taken to the Sheraton Suites in Elk Grove Village. The following website offers Chicago-area train schedules, route maps, and other useful information: http://metrarail.com/content/metra/en/home/maps_schedules/metra_system_map.html—Bill Boys NEW registration method, as of January 12th Something new for this year’s convention is that the hotel has set up a special website for attendees to get information on the hotel and to register, and at the convention rate of $79 a night. Click on this link: Nat’l & American Amateur Press. I have just made my own reservations using this website and it worked just fine. Incidentally, I also learned that they allow guests to have a dog in the room— good for us, since we travel with one of our Golden Retrievers. Of course, if you prefer, you can also register by telephone: 847-290-1600.—Bill Boys Convention shuttle from/to O’Hare Airport Yes, there will be a convention shuttle from and to O’Hare Airport. Thanks to Stan Oliner for asking. The cost is $19 one way, airport to hotel, or reverse. The phone number to call is (847) 875-5341, Rainbow Transportation. But this is just FYI— you don’t need to jot it down right now. It’ll be in the pre-convention publicity.—Bill Boys Chance of seeing the Oprah show during the convention Barry Schrader just sent this in, which might be of interest to family members who come along but aren’t interested in the Convention: There might be a chance to get tickets for the Oprah Show in Chicago next July. They hold random drawings to fill the audience and everyone has an equal chance. They apparently run the show throughout the summer months. Look here to check for tickets.—Bill Boys |
Driving directions: