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Your Weight Matters Inaugural Convention

Summer 2012

What if you could attend a convention that gave you all the information you needed to address your health and weight?

What if you found a convention that addressed all your questions about weight-loss surgery?

What if you could attend a convention held by the ONLY nonprofit organization whose sole focus is helping individuals affected by obesity?

If any of these questions have ever crossed your mind, the OAC’s Your Weight Matters Inaugural Convention has you covered. We’ve thought of everything and now want YOU to experience ALL the OAC has to offer.

The OAC is excited to embark on this endeavor, because this is our chance to let you experience the OAC for yourself and show you what we are about – solid and unbiased education, useful and hands-on tools, and empowerment that goes beyond what you’ve experienced before.

Whether you have been following us since we opened our doors seven years ago or are reading your first issue of Your Weight Matters Magazine, the OAC invites you to join us in our Inaugural Convention!

To kick-off our Inaugural year, we’ve titled the Convention “Explore. Discover. Empower.” This theme perfectly captures the essence of this annual event and sets the tone for what is to come not only this year, but the many years to follow. Our Convention is all about helping you seek-out the information you need, finding the answers you have been looking for when it comes to weight-loss and management, defying the status quo through discovering your voice through advocacy, and surrounding yourself not only with like-minded individuals, but renowned health professionals whose sole focus is to help you in your journey.

What you also will find different about the OAC’s Convention is that we literally have something for every individual who is struggling with their weight. Our overall message is to let individuals know that weight and health go hand-in-hand, and our goal is to cover fascinating general topics on weight issues for individuals at all stages. From those who are newly energized to take charge of their weight and health, to the post-bariatric surgery patient on a quest for more answers, our Convention promises to give you what you’ve been looking for in education, action and empowerment.

Convention Structure

The first-day of the Convention, Thursday, October 25, will serve as our Advocacy training day. The educational sessions will kick-off the morning of Friday, October 26 and run through Saturday, October 27. These two days will be jam-packed with a wide variety of educational topics, complete with general sessions in the morning and breakout sessions in the afternoon. What’s great about our breakout sessions is that we will offer two tracks – one specifically for the individual looking for in-depth health, wellness and weight management information, and the second for those interested in topics relating specifically to bariatric surgery. Both evenings will also include social events that you won’t want to miss – it promises to be a memorable time!

The Convention will also include a “Lunch with the Experts” session where you can sit one-on-one with an “expert” to learn about a specific topic of interest. There will be more than 10 topics each day to choose from, so there is bound to be something of interest to you.
View the Convention Program Agenda by clicking here!

Registration open – Register Today!

Registration Registration for the OAC’s Inaugural Your Weight Matters National Convention is NOW OPEN! Be sure to take advantage of the early-bird discount savings where you can enjoy a significant savings by registering early (up to 25%). Registering early not only saves you money, but if you are one of the first 100 Convention registrants, you will automatically be entered to win a FREE 3-night stay at the Hilton Anatole during the OAC’s Inaugural Convention! Once the OAC receives the first 100 registrants, we will randomly draw one lucky winner to receive our grand prize complimentary hotel stay. Once you register, the OAC will send you a confirmation email, letting you know if you are among the first 100 to sign-up. Don’t delay, signing-up early has ALL the perks to enjoy – Register Today!

Convention pricing is as follows:

Full Event Registration – BEST VALUE!
Includes: Access to all Educational sessions, official Convention T-shirt, souvenir canvas tote bag, Convention Program Book, ability to pre-register for the OAC’s Advocacy Training Session (Thurs.), two breakfasts (Fri. and Sat.), ticket to Event Welcoming Ceremonies Dinner (Fri.), and ticket to OAC’s 1st Annual Awards Dinner (Sat.). Lunch NOT included.

OAC Members

$95 – Full Event Registration (before Aug. 31)

$125 – Full Event Registration (Sept. 1 – Oct. 12)

$135 – Onsite Registrants

Non-OAC Members

$115 – Full Event Registration (includes a one-year OAC membership) – before Aug. 31

$145 – Full Event Registration (includes a one-year OAC membership) – Sept. 1 – Oct. 12

$155 – Onsite Registrants (includes a one-year OAC membership)

One-day Registration:
Includes: Access to educational sessions, souvenir canvas tote bag, and Convention Program Book. Meals, social events and official event T-shirt NOT included.

One-Day Registration Fee

$25/day – before Aug. 31

$35/day – Sept. 1 – Oct. 12

$50/day – Onsite Registrants

Lunch with the Experts Sessions ($15/day):

If you have ever wanted to have some one-on-one time with an expert in a field/topic you are interested in, then you will definitely want to consider registering for one of our Lunch with the Experts sessions. On Friday and Saturday, the OAC will feature Lunch with the Experts, a session where attendees will have the opportunity to interact in a small group with an expert on the topic of their choice. This is a great opportunity to ask some specific questions you’ve always wanted to ask and learn from others interested in the same topic. There are 14 different lunch table topics (see Program Agenda for topics), with spots for eight attendees at each table. The Lunch with the Experts sections is a separate fee from Convention registration ($15/day).

Lunches are reserved on a first-come first-served basis, and you will have the ability to select your top three choices of lunch topics on each day. We anticipate the lunch topics to fill quickly, and onsite registrations for Lunch with the Experts are not available. This session includes lunch and access to the expert of your choice.

Convention Exhibit Hall

The OAC’s Convention will be complete with a professional Exhibit Hall open during the two days of educational sessions. The Exhibit Hall will be host to more than 30 companies displaying products and services of value to Convention attendees. The OAC is taking great pride in selecting only the companies and organizations whose missions are in line with the OAC and our Convention.

Special Events

Advocacy Training – Thursday, October 25, 2012
On Thursday, October 25, the OAC invites you to take part in our Advocacy Training Session, “Spend a Day on Capitol Hill.” This eye-opening session takes place from 12 pm – 5 pm and will help you understand just exactly what government policymakers do during their time in Congress or the State Legislature by teaching you the basics of policy development. More importantly, beyond understanding the nuts and bolts of a how a bill becomes a law, this training seminar will immerse you in four hours of in-depth advocacy training to help you educate policymakers about the vision and mission of the OAC and why Washington, DC and State Legislatures across the country need to start treating obesity with the urgency, action and respect it deserves!

This session is limited to the first 100 convention attendees with a desire to become formally trained advocates and learn how to talk to elected officials and effectively fight critical advocacy issues. There is no charge to participate in the OAC’s Advocacy Training. Annual Convention registration is required to participate in this session. Pre-registration is on a first-come, first-served basis. Lunch will be served.

Dallas Walk from Obesity
Sunday, October 28, will mark the culmination of the Convention, giving our attendees the opportunity to join in the Dallas Walk from Obesity that will be hosted directly on the hotel grounds. If you haven’t attended a Walk, this will be the perfect time for you to experience this movement and see power in numbers truly in action.

Attendees can register for the Dallas Walk when registering for the OAC Convention. You can also register for the Dallas Walk from Obesity on the official Walk Web site at www.walkfromobesity.com. The Walk will begin at 8 am on Sunday, October 28 and will be held in the park at the Hilton Anatole. For complete details on the Dallas Walk from Obesity, please visit the Dallas event page on the Walk Web site.

Lodging and Travel Details

The Lone Star State is playing host to the OAC’s Your Weight Matters Inaugural Convention. No other Texas city can offer the experience of elegance, warmth and Americana as Dallas.

Lodging
The Hilton Anatole spares no expense in offering its guests the highest level of accommodations. Guests will find they have been swept into the ultimate in luxury without paying the high price tag. From a legendary art collection featuring one of the last remaining pieces of the Berlin Wall, to a state-of-the-art exercise facility and relaxation and rejuvenation spa, the Hilton Anatole promises to offer you everything you could ask for and much more. All educational sessions and social events will take place at the Hilton Anatole. Overnight guests booking in the OAC room block will receive complimentary onsite self-parking.

Make Your Hotel Reservations Early
The OAC encourages you to make your room reservations early as the hotel block is already more than 75 percent sold. The room block is filling quickly, so don’t delay – make your reservations today! If you have any issues when making your hotel reservations, please contact the OAC.

Reserve Your Room by Phone:
To make your reservations by phone, please call (800) HILTONS (800-445-8667) and use the code “OAC” to receive the preferred rate of $129.

Reserve Your Room Online:
To make your hotel reservations online, please click here. This rate is for single/double occupancy. These rates are effective until the room block closes (or sells out, whichever comes first). Rates are subject to applicable taxes.

Travel
Airline Discounts The OAC has partnered with American Airlines to offer OAC Convention attendees a 5 percent discount off regular airfare when traveling to the Convention. To take advantage of the discount, visit www.aa.com and complete the flight information on the homepage. Before advancing, you must click “More Flight Search Options” and you will then be prompted on the next page to enter in your Promotion Code. Please use the designated Promotion Code, “24H2BW,” to receive the discounted rate. To make flight reservations by phone, please contact American Airlines at (800) 433-7300 and be sure to give them the above listed Promotion Code when booking.

Car Rental Discounts
For those with car rental needs, the OAC has negotiated a discounted rate with Avis for all OAC Convention attendees. Discounts range from 5 percent – 25 percent. To make your car rental reservations and take advantage of the discount, please contact Avis at (800) 331-1600 and provide the Avis Worldwide Discount (AWD) Number: D510868. You may also use the discount when making your reservations online by clicking here.

Stay Up-to-Date on the Latest Convention News

Since this is the OAC’s first-ever National Convention, we will have many exciting announcements along the way! If you want to receive breaking new alerts about the OAC’s Inaugural Convention, we would be happy to add you to our Convention e-mail list so you are the first to know! By signing up for these alerts, you will only receive information about the OAC’s Inaugural Convention and your information will not be added to any other OAC list or shared with any third party. To sign-up for the alerts, click here.

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