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2020 National Convention Rescheduled—Now What?

2020 National Convention Rescheduled—Now What?
By Brian J. Wagner
NAPS President

Over the past few months, the COVID-19 pandemic definitely has changed and challenged the way we live and conduct business under today’s new norm. As a result of the future uncertainty of this pandemic and in the best interests of NAPS and the safety and health of its members, Auxiliary and guests, the NAPS Executive Board rescheduled the 2020 National Convention. Now what? Here’s the scoop.

The 2020 NAPS National Convention has been officially rescheduled to Monday, Aug. 30, 2021, through Friday, Sept. 3, 2021. Although our 67th National Convention will not be held in 2020, we are grateful it will take place in 2021, with some creative coordination and logistics.

First, if you already have paid for a national convention registration for yourself, other members or guests, all are officially registered for the 67th National Convention in August 2021. If you already purchased a meal plan badge or extra banquet tickets, those will be ready for pickup at the national convention at the Gaylord Texan Resort in August 2021. There is no need to re-register or re-purchase meal items if you already have paid those respective fees.

However, if you want a refund now for your current national convention registration, meal plan and/or extra banquet tickets, send a written request to NAPS Headquarters. However, if you still plan to attend the national convention in August 2021, you will need to purchase these items all over again if you receive a full refund. It may be best to keep your current national convention registration and purchases as status quo if you plan to go.

Second, the 67th NAPS National Convention registration still is online only. It is open now with new deadline dates. The registration fee remains $250 on or before July 10, 2021. After July 10, 2021, the fee is $325. There will be no national convention registrations or payments accepted after July 24, 2021. You have at least a full year to register for the national convention. Please do not ask for a registration exception after July 24, 2021.

Third, if you already had room reservations at the Gaylord Texan Resort for August 2020, no worries. Through the efforts of our NAPS conference planner, Sheri Davies of ConferenceDirect, the Gaylord Texan Resort automatically canceled all August 2020 NAPS National Convention sleeping rooms. There is no need to call the Gaylord Texan to cancel your respective room reservation(s); this already has been done for you.

The new Gaylord Texan Resort reservation link for August 2021 will be open on the NAPS website on or before July 31, 2020. Members, Auxiliary and guests will need to make new sleeping room reservations with the Gaylord Texan Resort for August 2021, as all previous reservations for August 2020 were automatically cancelled. Members also may call the Gaylord Texan Resort directly for sleeping room reservations.

Fourth, national convention delegate credentials still are being accepted. Accordingly, please send them to NAPS Headquarters. They will be verified and filed for safekeeping until needed in August 2021.

Fifth, in my June 2020 Postal Supervisor article, I referenced the process for submitting national convention resolutions. That process has not changed. However, the new deadline for submitting resolutions is July 10, 2021. We are hopeful that NAPS state conventions will resume in 2021, giving states time to debate and submit national convention resolutions for August 2021.

Sixth, the deadline for submitting the names of deceased members has changed to July 10, 2021. Please email names to naps.rr@naps.org for those who have died since the end of the 2018 National Convention on Aug. 10, 2018, up to the July 10, 2021, deadline.

Seventh, national convention committee assignments were announced in April. Although the date of our 67th National Convention has changed, committee assignments will not. Those selected in April 2020 will remain on their respective committees unless they are unable to serve next August. In such cases, an alternate from that committee’s list will be selected as a replacement.

Eighth, Host Branch Committee Chair Robert “Texas Bob” Bradford already has rescheduled the National Convention Golf Tournament at the Cowboys Golf Club to Sunday, Aug. 29, 2021, at 9 a.m. We still are coordinating our national convention evening social events and tours for Wednesday’s (Sept. 1, 2021) free day. As details become available, we will update accordingly.

Ninth, all aspects of the national convention will be done with social distancing and the health and safety of our attendees in mind. This includes room setups and how meals are served.

Tenth, at the time of this writing, we are approximately 13 months away from the start of our rescheduled 67th NAPS National Convention in August 2021. NAPS Headquarters understands members still may have questions. We ask for your patience. NAPS will be messaging national convention rescheduling updates over the next year in The Postal Supervisor magazine and via the NAPS website.

There is no rescheduling of my July 2020 ice-cream-flavor-of-the-month recommendation: brownie cheesecake.