National Federation of Filipino American Associations

Introduction: We, at Region 8, have painstakingly provided additional links and information from the original organizer’s announcements from Region 7 so that you can plan your conference travels comfortably. Another tidbit for you: Greg B. Macabenta, NaFFAA National Vice Chair Emeritus, will be running for National NaFFAA Chair during this conference’s elections. We need your support to rally behind Greg — and to spread the word to our NaFFAA leaders in other regions as to why his leadership will help NaFFAA evolve magnificently through the upcoming changes and challenges. Check out the upcoming First NaFFAA Kabayanihan Awards for Community Service, Rodel and Greg’s brainchild!

NaFFAA’s National Chair, Alma Q. Kern, talks about NaFFAA and the Upcoming 8th NaFFAA Empowerment Conference.

Conference Fee: $195.00 Includes all conference materials, events, meals and gala night.
Gala Dinner only (for non-delegates): $80.00 per head.
Price per Display Table: Exhibitor/Vendor: $400 ea.; Non Profit organization $200 ea.

HERE ARE SOME UPDATES AS OF AUGUST 30, 2008!

A few REMINDERS and some information for immediate release:

1) Deadline for HOTEL REGISTRATION for 8NEC at Westin Hotel is September 2. Go to http://www.naffaa-pacnw.org/for hotel link or call Starwood Central Reservations 1-888-627-8513 and mention NaFFAA Empowerment Convention Room Block. Please make your hotel reservations quick!

The address for the 8th NaFFAA Empowerment Conference is:

The Westin Seattle
1900 - 5th Avenue
Seattle, WA 98101
(206) 728-1000
Check in: 03:00 PM
Check out: 12:00 PM

Our 891 smoke-free guest rooms and suites are designed to provide ultimate comfort and tranquility for our guests. All guest rooms offer High Speed Internet Access and flat screen televisions and feature The Westin Heavenly Bed® and Heavenly Bath®.

2) Deadline for 8NEC DELEGATE REGISTRATION is September 8. Go to http://www.naffaa-pacnw.org/for registration link. Please register for the conference now! See the schedule/program below.

3) Press release was sent out with official attendance of Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo (PGMA). Click here for the press release found at NaFAAR8.com. Following changes in schedule are:

a. Gala Night will be moved to Friday night with PGMA as Guest of Honor

b. Fellowship Night - will be held Saturday night at the Westin Hotel

Other events/schedule remain unchanged.

4) For those regions who have not sent in their ads, please email them soon to Virgie at ciscopalis@cablespeed.com and mail payments to NaFFAA c/o Filipino Community of Seattle, 5740 M L King Jr Way S, Seattle WA 98118.

5) Presentations for the Fellowship Night - Please coordinate with Marilyn Doromal (R4) and Ian Purganan (R7). We would like to see all regions participate!

6) We also have a golf tournament on September 25, 2008. If interested, visit www.partneringworks.org.
The Filipino Chamber of Commerce of the Pacific Northwest is handling this event. You can register on line.

General Information:

1) For transportation from airport to Westin Hotel (click here for SeaTac International Airport information): The Downtown Airporter is the least expensive transportation between the downtown Seattle hotels and the Seattle-Tacoma (SeaTac) International Airport. Charge is $15. Downtown Airporter by Gray Line (airport shuttle) serves the Airport outside Door 00 on the Baggage Claim (lower) level. Departs twice an hour from 5:30 a.m. - 11:00 p.m., with service to and from major downtown Seattle hotels: Madison Renaissance, Crowne Plaza , Fairmont Olympic, Hilton Hotel, Seattle Sheraton, Grand Hyatt, Westin Hotel and Warwick Hotel.

Downtown Airporter Service
206-626-6088
Recorded Schedule Information
206-624-5077 / 800-426-7532
Gray Line of Seattle Assistance
Departures from Downtown Seattle daily 5:00am-11:00pm
Departures from SeaTac Airport daily 5:30am-11:00pm

Additional downtown properties are served via Connector Service. (Note: Connector Service is available between 5:30 am and 9:00 pm to connect passengers to and from outlying locations to the Downtown Airporter Service. Please call 206-255-7159 one hour prior to needed pick up time for Connector Service. Please note, these numbers are to request Connector Service pick-up on the day it is needed ONLY.)

2) If you have any free time left and interested in what Seattle can offer, please visit: http://savorseattletours.com/about.htm.

Eat your way through Seattle!

Savor Seattle specializes in guided walking food tours of Seattle’s tastiest restaurants, eateries, and artisan shops. Tantalize your taste buds with Pacific Northwest seafood, artisan hand-made cheese, microbrew beer, gourmet chocolate, fine wine, and much, much more.

Enjoy a taste of Seattle, while going behind the scenes to experience the exciting culture, history, and people that are the “heart and soul” of the Emerald City!

3) Click here for current information on Seattle’s weather.

4) Don’t miss Seattle’s landmark - The Space Needle - From the Westin Hotel, walk a few steps to Westlake Mall and catch the monorail from the 3rd level of the mall and it will take you (for a couple of dollars and make sure you buy a round trip ticket) to the Seattle Center where the Space Needle is located. For more information go to www.spaceneedle.com.

5) The Westin Hotel is conveniently located in downtown Seattle. It is the front door for downtown shopping and attractions, which include Seattle’s premier destinations Pacific Place Center and Westlake Shopping Mall, dining and the vibrant theater district. Westin is just steps away from the Pike Place Market (visit www.pikeplacemarket.org).

6) Scroll below to learn some fun facts about Seattle.

See you in Seattle!

Mariela Fletcher
NaFFAA R7 Vice Chair
NaFFAA 8th NEC Overall Conference Chair
Sept 26-28,2008, Westin Hotel, Seattle
www.naffaa-pacnw.org to register
Join NaFFAA now!
Unite & Empower…be proud…
You are Filipino!

Mariela Fletcher, CRS, ABR
(206) 963-8838; (888) 322-7576
Remax Metro Realty
www.marielafletcher.com

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8TH NaFFAA EMPOWERMENT CONFERENCE PROGRAMME
(as of August 30, 2008)Theme: “Forging A New Filipino American Agenda for the 21st Century”

Thursday, September 25, 20089:00AM REGISTRATION OPENS3:00PM NaFFAA Board Meeting / Other Networking GroupsGolf Tournament
Sight Seeing
Exhibits

6:00PM HOSPITALITY NIGHT
Hors D’oeuvres sponsored by NaFFAA Region 7

Friday, September 26, 2008

7:00AM REGISTRATION

8:30AM PARADE OF REGIONAL COLORS

8:45AM OPENING

National Anthems
Invocation by National Vice Chair Rozita Lee
Welcome by National Chair, Host R7 Chair, Filipino Chamber Pres, Conference Chair
Invited guests include:
WA State Governor Christine Gregoire
King County Exec Ron Sims, Mayor Greg Nickels

9:45AM PLENARY SESSION 1

NaFFAA National Chair’s Report
NaFFAA Regional Chair’s Report
*Filipino Chamber of Commerce

12:00 NOON LUNCH - KEYNOTE SPEAKER

1:00PM TO 2:15PM PLENARY SESSION 2 - PANEL DISCUSSION
“Small Steps, Big Results”

1:00PM TO 2:15PM WORKSHOPS 1

1.1 Healthy Active Lifestyle
1.2 PRA Retirement Program
1.3 Fund Raising 101
1.4 Navigating Change: Leadership in the 21st Century (Y)
1.5 Remembering Our Roots to Empower our Future Generation (Y)
1.6 Branding & Marketing - Chamber
1.7 Access to Capital - Chamber
1.8 Immigration & the US Workshop Shortage - Chamber

2:30PM TO 3:45PM WORKSHOPS 2

2.1 FilAm Democrats Caucus
2.2 FilAm Republican Caucus
2.3 FilAm Wellness Center - A Model for Health & Socio Cultural Empowerment; An Advocacy Campaign Thru Environmental Change
2.4 Talk Story: Our Voices, Our Future (Y)
2.5 PINAAY – Providing Information Network Among Asians and our Youth (Y)
2.6 IT Infrastructure for Small Business-Chamber
2.7 International trade Opportunities for the Small Business – Chamber
2.8 Supplier Diversity – Chamber

3:50PM to 5:20PM NaFFAA BUSINESS
ByLaws Amendment

3:50PM FilipinoVillage.com -Global Village Online

4:15PM TO 5:30PM Filipino Chamber - Networking Session
Cocktails - No Host Bar

6:30PM RECEPTION WITH PRESIDENT ARROYO

7:00PM GALA NIGHT - AN EVENING WITH PRESIDENT ARROYO
National Anthems
Invocation
Welcome Remarks: National Chair Alma Q Kern
Remarks by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
Dinner
Entertainment: FYA Drill Team; Angelo Pizarro; Live Band and Dancing
Emcee: (ABS-CBN/TFC) Gel Santos-Relos

8:30PM Youth Fun Night

Saturday, September 27, 2008

9:00AM TO 10:15AM WORKSHOPS 3

3.1 Education: National Study on K-12
3.2 Filipino Voter’s Drive
3.3 Health & Domestic Violence
3.4 Empowerment Through the Filipino Language
3.5 Empowerment to Address Cancer Disparities
From Advocacy to Filipino Vagina Monologue
3.6 IRS: EIC Initiative & VITA Program
3.7 Medical Missions: Its Relevance & Effectiveness in the Philippines
3.8 Teamwork: Developing Effective Teams (Y)

10:30AM Youth Field Trip & Lunch (All Youth)

10:30AM PLENARY SESSION 3 – PANEL DISCUSSION ON “FORGING A NEW FILIPINO AMERICAN AGENDA FOR THE 21ST CENTURY”

12:00NOON LUNCH

1:30PM “POWER OF YOUR VOTE AND VOICE” (Speakers)

2:45PM TO 4:00PM WORKSHOPS 4

4.1 College Access & Success for Filipinos
4.2 The Many Faces of Human Trafficking
4.3 Equity & Justice for FilAm WWII Veterans
4.4 Acupuncture & Alternative Medicine: Its Relevance in Today’s Health Care
4.5 Media as Change Agent: Media as A Tool to Empower Global Filipinos
4.6 NASA Space Shuttle Orientation
4.7 On Civil Rights & Discrimination
4.8 How To be A “Techy” Non-Techie with Internet & Technology Tools for Effective Communications

4:00PM Filipino Village.com - Global Village Online

4:15PM TO 6:15PM NaFFAA BUSINESS
Open Forum & Elections

7:00PM FELLOWSHIP NIGHT - “NaFFAA’s GOT TALENT”
Dinner at Westin
Contest by Regions
Ceremonial Turnover
Remarks: Incoming National Chair
Awards/Announcements

Sunday, September 28, 2008

9:00AM Interfaith Service – Westin Hotel

10:00AM Mass at St James Cathedral

11:00AM APPRECIATION Brunch & CLOSING (Filipino Community of Seattle)

(revised 8.28.08 subject to change)

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GO TO THE NEXT PAGE FOR MORE INFORMATION ON:

- Some Fun Facts and Tidbits about Seattle

Some Fun Facts and Tidbits about Seattle

* The word’s first Starbucks opened in the Pike Place Market in 1971 and is still brewing up beans at the site.
* The world’s first espresso cart was established below the Seattle Monorail terminal at the Westlake Center in 1980.
* Seattle has more two-wheeled commuters than any other American city. It could be due to the 30 miles of bike-pedestrian trails, 90 miles of signed bike routes and 16 miles of bike lanes on city streets.
* Seattle sells more sunglasses per capita than any other major city in the nation.
* Seattle does not lead US cities in annual rainfall - that’s just a rumor perpetuated by wily residents. At 37 inches per year, that’s less than Miami (56 inches), New York (42 inches) and Boston (41 inches) to mention only a few.
* The Space Needle is fastened to its foundation with 72 bolts, each of which is 9m (30 feet) long – must be a record.
* Artists put the “see” in Seattle, where visitors encounter innovative and approachable public art, often in unexpected places. Some 190 galleries and 14 museums offer feasts for the senses and gallery walks thrive in almost every neighborhood.
* Unique cultural museums bring Seattle’s roots to life – Wing Luke Asian Museum, is the only Pan-Asian American museum in the United States and a Smithsonian-affiliate.
* Seattle has the country’s highest percentage rate of residents with a college degree and one of the highest rates of home Internet access.