Good Morning and Happy Friday!

We’re going into the last week to submit names to the Nominating Committee – the deadline is next Friday, May 1st.  Positions open to nomination are president-elect, treasurer, secretary, and five at-large seats.  If you are interested in becoming more active in the future direction of NATLE, or know someone who should be, click here for the nomination form.  All nominees will receive a follow-up questionnaire, due May 8th.

NOTE!  The riverboat tour is now an integral part of the Annual Meeting in Chicago set to sail on Saturday, July 25th (4:30p to 7:30p).  Our friends at Supio are sponsoring the activity to reduce any ticket cost (~$25-$30).  Families and guests are welcome to join us for this guided and catered excursion along the Chicago River.  The dock is a 2-minute walk from the Hyatt!  On this private cruise, we’ll explore amazing architecture, skyline vistas, stories, and more, discovering why no other city is like Chicago.  This will be an interactive experience to learn about the “ugly buildings” (this includes the House of Blues where we’ll be for the AAJ Opening Reception later!) and the City’s underbelly.  We’ll also have the whole boat and we’ll go rain or shine.  Reserve your spot(s)!

Register for our Annual Meeting in Chicago (July 25-27) to get in on the Early Bird rate by the end of TODAY!  Once you complete the NATLE registration process, you will automatically be added to a NATLE-member only (no vendors), listserv for Chicago registrants to help with any pre-con (and during-con!) arrangements. AAJ’s registration page is open and the confirmation contains a link to the hotel reservation site.  Don’t wait on registering and reserving a room – NATLE does not have a secret cache of rooms for fence-sitters! 

We’re bringing back the in-person Leadership Symposium for a full-day on Friday, Nov 6.  This is the day before the NATLE Governmental Affairs Conference in Tucson, November 7-9.  Leadership consultant, Jes Averhart, has provided a proposal to facilitate this valuable program designed specifically for executive directors, TLA staff, and volunteer leaders.  Help us spread the word by notifying your president and/or president-elect.  The Westin La Paloma is expanding our room block to include Thursday, Nov 5.  (If your volunteer leadership can only attend the Symposium and not the GAC, there will be a Symposium-only registration option.)  Help us right-size the room block and let us know how many rooms you’ll need for Thursday, Nov 5.

That’s the NATLE Weekly Wrap.  Have a great weekend!

P.S. In case you’re still here…I didn’t have any luck with Facebook Marketplace when I was in the thick of moving Dad’s 35 year's of stuff from New Hampshire to Vermont in 2022.  Craigslist was marginally better and helped me rehome a few of the big items like beds and area rugs that he wouldn’t need in his new place.  Lately, though, it has been the reverse.  Craigslist has been stagnant, but Marketplace is hot.  The light at the end of the tunnel is still dim, but there’s a tiny bit more wiggle room to park in my garage.