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A Message from the ACOM President

Dear ACOM Members,

Our thoughts and prayers are with all ACOM members in areas affected by Hurricane Katrina. The camaraderie and fellowship in our association and in our industry is so apparent by the many emails that are being sent around, inquring about people's safety and sharing information.

As many of you may have seen, in hard-hit New Orleans, the CVB web site reports that all of the staff there are thought to be safe, yet it is estimated that more than 90% of the CVB staff will have sustained major home damage or outright loss of their homes. They are in the process of establishing an alternate temporary office in Baton Rouge, with a skeleton staff, but most work will be handled by their Washington and Chicago offices. The Convention Center appears to have fared well.

We are eager to hear news from other affected areas, so please email us if you have any new information to share.

How to help now
The best way to assist these communities right now is through cash donations to meet basic needs. Those who want to help can make a donation to the American Red Cross at www.redcross.org or by calling 1 800-HELP NOW. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has also published a list of specific charities for cash donations, available at http://www.fema.gov/news/newsrelease.fema?id=18473.

According to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), cities that wish to offer physical assistance in the relief effort are encouraged to work through their state departments of emergency management which have been designated by DHS to help coordinate offers of assistance. For a press statement from DHS regarding first responder assistance, visit http://www.fema.gov/news/newsrelease.fema?id=18470.

If you have any information you would like to share with the membership, please contact me at janicet@pcvb.org or Lynn McCullough, Executive Director at info@acomonline.org. We will share with you any new information about members and colleagues as it becomes available.

Best regards to all,

Janice Telstar, CMP
President
Association for Convention Operations Management

©2004 Convention Industry Council
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A Message from the ACOM President

Dear ACOM Members,

Our thoughts and prayers are with all ACOM members in areas affected by Hurricane Katrina. The camaraderie and fellowship in our association and in our industry is so apparent by the many emails that are being sent around, inquring about people's safety and sharing information.

As many of you may have seen, in hard-hit New Orleans, the CVB web site reports that all of the staff there are thought to be safe, yet it is estimated that more than 90% of the CVB staff will have sustained major home damage or outright loss of their homes. They are in the process of establishing an alternate temporary office in Baton Rouge, with a skeleton staff, but most work will be handled by their Washington and Chicago offices. The Convention Center appears to have fared well.

We are eager to hear news from other affected areas, so please email us if you have any new information to share.

How to help now
The best way to assist these communities right now is through cash donations to meet basic needs. Those who want to help can make a donation to the American Red Cross at www.redcross.org or by calling 1 800-HELP NOW. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has also published a list of specific charities for cash donations, available at http://www.fema.gov/news/newsrelease.fema?id=18473.

According to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), cities that wish to offer physical assistance in the relief effort are encouraged to work through their state departments of emergency management which have been designated by DHS to help coordinate offers of assistance. For a press statement from DHS regarding first responder assistance, visit http://www.fema.gov/news/newsrelease.fema?id=18470.

If you have any information you would like to share with the membership, please contact me at janicet@pcvb.org or Lynn McCullough, Executive Director at info@acomonline.org. We will share with you any new information about members and colleagues as it becomes available.

Best regards to all,

Janice Telstar, CMP
President
Association for Convention Operations Management