Freedom From Religion Foundation2008 - 31st Annual Convention |
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31st FFRF Convention Schedule
Schedule subject to minor changes
October 10 - 13, 2008
Hyatt Regency Hotel
151 E Wacker Dr.
Chicago, Illinois
Friday, Oct. 10
(Dinner on your own)Crystal Ballroom (Street Level — Green, West Tower)
| 5:30 p.m. | Registration opens |
| 7:00 p.m. |
Welcome Kay Staley Freethinker of the Year Army Spec. Jeremy Hall Atheist in Foxhole Award "Godless" Dan Barker, FFRF Co-President, at the piano and podium |
Booksigning for Dan Barker's new book, "Godless: How an Evangelical Preacher Became One of America's Leading Atheists"
Complimentary dessert and hot beverages
Saturday, Oct. 11
Regency A (Gold Level, West Tower — Two Flights Below Street Level)
| 8:00 a.m. |
Nonprayer Breakfast Hot and hearty plated breakfast of orange juice, scrambled eggs, bacon & sausage, potatoes, breakfast breads and pastries, coffee and tea. Vegetarians will receive vegetarian replacement for meat. $30. Must be ordered in advance. |
Return to Crystal Ballroom (Street Level — Green, West Tower)
| 9:30 a.m. |
Welcome Dan Barker and Annie Laurie Gaylor, FFRF Co-Presidents |
| 9:45 a.m. |
Webster Cook Thomas Jefferson Student Activist Award |
| 10:15 a.m. | Jim McCollum Champion of the First Amendment Award "The Right to Go to Hell" |
| 10:45 a.m. | Jeff Sharlet, journalist "The 'F' Word: Fascism, The Family, and the Secret Fundamentalism at the Heart of American Civil Religion" |
Booksigning to follow for Jeff Sharlet's The Family: The Secret Fundamentalism at the Heart of American Power.
| noon to 2 pm | Lunch/Sightseeing (on your own) |
Return to Crystal Ballroom (Street Level — Green, West Tower)
| 2:00 p.m. |
Eleanor Clift, Newsweek's Contributing Editor "Two Weeks of Life - Reflections on Religion and Politics" |
| 3:00 p.m. |
Daniel C. Dennett Emperor Has No Clothes Award |
Booksignings for Eleanor Clift's Two Weeks to Live and Prof. Dennett's Breaking the Spell: Religion as a Natural Phenomenon
(Ballroom must be vacated by 4:30 p.m.)
Banquet Dinner
Columbus Hall — Gold, East Tower Go to bronze level. Walk through Concourse, go down escalator. (Elevator available for handicapped but still have to walk or wheel through Concourse.)
Additional chairs will be added after the dinner for convention registrants who are dining elsewhere, but wish to return for the program.
| 6:30 p.m. | Full-course dinner featuring Caesar salad, dinner rolls and butter,herb-crusted chicken breast with mushroom polenta, and Opera Cappuccino Triangle with Cappuccino Anglaise, coffee or tea. With"chef's choice" vegetarian option. $50. Must be ordered in advance. |
| 8:00 p.m. |
Drawing for clean, pre-"In God We Trust" currency Children, teens present asked to volunteer for drawing Scott Dikkers, editor-in-chief, The Onion Speech and presentation of irreverent headlines! |
Sunday, Oct. 12
Crystal A Ballroom (Street Level — Green, West Tower)
| 9:00 am |
Annual membership meeting Open to current FFRF members Agenda includes minor bylaws changes to voted on as well as reports by staff, election of board, chapters individual activism, and advisory vote on future conventions sites |
| Adjourns by noon | Board of Directors Meeting Agenda includes election of treasurer |