2011 CDH Conference in June in Orlando!

[Crystal Benitez]

I don't know if this will handle the traveling problem but San Diego CA has an amazing Hospital - Rady Childrens Hospital, and there are very inexpensive hotels around. Also very near to the hospital there is the attractions of Sea World, San Diego Zoo and San Diego Wild Animal park and they offen offer Deals every year where you can buy a pakage deal that includes all three parks and hotel accomidations!! Also the weather is great and it is not high altitiude!! I would love to help!! If so needed!!

[TracyLanders]

Cleveland also has the rock 'n roll Hall of Fame. I was supposed to go to college there but didn't because of finances. But that was one place I was REALLY excited to visit!

Oh yeah, and upstate NY has the Baseball of Fame for fans. That's a very cool place!

[Dawn Torrence Ireland]

Tracy, yes please add you and Karla to the committee!!!

Ok.... we have to stick to these...

* Near a hospital with a PICU / NICU (as in within 10 minutes by ambulance)

* Not at a high altitude (that takes out Colorado, Wyoming, Tennessee and a lot of other states. I know some cherubs who live there can handle the altitudes but a lot can't and we don't want to take a gamble with any of the visiting cherubs' lungs!)

* Clean, non-smoking, no pet rooms (in other words - allergens free!)

* Free breakfast (we are all about saving families $$$$$ rather than going to fancy hotels or nicer hotels without food. TX was a mistake on breakfast).

* Affordable conference rooms (we need 2 rooms - 1 for the conference, 1 for the kids. Are they going to let us eat in there? Will they make us buy pizza from them instead of letting us bring it in?)

* Free parking (a must)

* In a tourist area with things to do near the hotel for families (key word... FAMILIES. That means LOTS to do, not 1 or 2 things. Families have afternoons free to sight see... no one wants to be bored half the day because there is nothing to do. And we need AFFORDABLE stuff too!)

* In a family friendly area (safe neighborhood, safe city, etc - that leaves out Baltimore and Pittsburgh. haha. Kidding! Well, half kidding, I'm from Maryland, I know Baltimore. The last thing we want is families afraid to leave the hotel!)

* Hotel rooms under $100 a night (non-negotiable. The economy is bad, people are on budgets. Getting CDH info and support should not be a huge financial burden if we can help it).

* Near an airport (preferably with a shuttle to the hotel).

[Dawn Torrence Ireland]

And by a show of hands.... how many of you are on the West Coast and will attend? Because a few years ago we thought about doing it on the West Coast before and only 2 families showed interest and none could/would help that lived there. We could ask tons of East Coast families to go to the West Coast because of 2 families there. I know that's not fair to WC families but we have to work to help the most families as possible.

How many of you have been to conferences for other charities? I have been to some for Shane's other issues (sight and hearing), I know Kara has been to one to... anyone else? Because you'd see... we bend over backwards to try to make it fair, fun and affordable compared to most. We don't book a fancy hotel in an expensive city to put on airs about the charity, not taking into account the families at all like some. We aren't "all business" like others. We have the ONLY CDH conference in the world that offers what we do for research, awareness and support. Even the researchers who come always compliment us for our family friendly conference compared to the others they go to. We don't want to change that formula... it works.

[Crystal Benitez]

I will attend and will help!! I know that is not enough!! No matter where it is this year I am going to try to go!! I was actually really excited about Florida.

[KarlaHolt]

I am willing to travel to the west coast (not every year). My brother is in San Jose, CA.

Don't foget that many families like to hang out at the hotel pool! I want to meet people and spend time with the families and kids because who knows if I will get to see them again. I don't think we need a ton of stuff to do, especially if you are only visiting for the conference.

[Dawn Torrence Ireland]

Karla, you weren't here at the Durham conference.... it was HORRIBLE!!!! There was NOTHING for families to do! We had the conference, Angel Ball and Golf Tournament all the same weekend... big mistake. Too much going on, it was great for members but it was craziness. But in the afternoon after the conference.... nothing to do. Lots of bored kids, it was very hot, etc. We have Duke, some good museums and Raleigh and Chapel Hill nearby but still.... no family thinks "Let's go on vacation to Durham!". For most families this is their one and only family vacation for the year (if not several years)... we can't make them chose between going to CHERUBS conference or going somewhere fun.... we want them to have both.

San Diego could be an option. I've been to a conference there and out for several others reasons there. Broke my heart to hear they were tearing down Old Town.

[KarlaHolt]

I'm not saying the only thing should be a pool. I'm just saying we don't need tons of things. 3-4 family attractions should be enough. In Texas, we didn't do much during the conference. We hit most of the tourist stuff after (we stayed for 10 days). I think it depends on many families are going to extend their trip. Not everyone can do that. We're talking about filling Friday and Saturday afternoon if people are leaving on Sunday, right?

[karahess]

Ooooo - yeah, Chuck and I really wanted to go to this years Apraxia Conference (neurological speech disorder that Adam has). It was in Pittsburgh so that would only be 2 1/2 hours away for us. Turns out they wanted about $200 a night at a swanky hotel plus parking fee. There was a gosh awful seminar fee of around $100 a person. Yep, not per couple, but per person. They required you to have materials for the conference and that was an additional fee. Each person had to have it. Couples could not share. There was no child care and children were not permitted in the conference room at all for any reason. Roundtable discussions were done at a dinner that you had to pay for on your own. It wasn't cheap!

It was just ridiculous all the fees involved and regulations! There was no way we were going to that! You know what . . . . it really made me appreciate even more all the hard Dawn puts into our conferences and how she strives to keep the cost down for members. Let's be more appreciative!

[TracyLanders]

Dawn,

Another place people can check out after the conference this year, if you don't already know about it, is Old Town in Kissimmee. It's just a few blocks of shops, arcades, restaurants, and a section with rides and carnival games. It's an awesome place, no admission fee or parking fee. My family goes there every time we go to Disney. I'll definitely be hitting it up in June!