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Sherbrooke?!

Posted: Sat Aug 17, 2013 6:36 am
by tzootsi
Since we live about 2 1/2 hours south of Sherbrooke, we might be interested in attending the CCSVI conference. I'm confused about tickets - is there a $100 fee per attendee? Is the first day (9/28) free?

Since I am somewhat familiar with Sherbrooke and the surrounding area here's a brief travel guide for prospective visitors:

First off, the end of September is foliage season, so the hillsides and parks will be ablaze with reds, oranges and yellows. A spectacular time to be in this part of the world.
This is French Quebec, so a French / English dictionary is a good idea. nearly all signage, menus, radio & tv, etc is in French.

Sherbrooke is a medium sized city, a commecial hub for Quebec. No world class sights or attractions, so there are few tourists. I believe the Delta is on the busy commercial boulevard leading to the downtown. Perhaps the most interesting part of the city is the small downtown historic district centered around rue Wellington - a handful of interesting restaurants, shops, etc. If the weather permits, lots of outside dining and bistros. Sherbrooke has a beautiful lake right in the city, ringed by a very pleasant paved bike trail, great for biking, strolling, and motorized wheelchairs. Another fun spot is the farmer's market at the train station at the head of the lake. lots of local produce, maple syrup, wine, cider, cheese, etc. There is often live music. I think there is a scenic train ride you can take from this station.

If you have access to a car, there is lots to see in the surrounding countryside. Magog is a very scenic little lakeside resort town just south of Sherbrooke. The Abby St Benoit on the lake is an extremely picturesque spot, looks like something you'd see in the mountains of France. There is a cluster of wineries that can be visited. One is between Sherbrooke and Magog. Most are centered around the tiny town of Durham.

If you are making this trip a vacation, Montreal (one of my favorite cities anywhere), is about an hour west of Sherbrooke. Quebec City, perhaps the most scenic City in North America, is about 2 1/2 hours northwest of Sherbrooke.

I would be glad to answer any other travel related questions.

Re: Sherbrooke?!

Posted: Sat Aug 24, 2013 5:11 pm
by Cece
Due to the generosity of donors, the National CCSVI Society has some funds available to help people offset the cost of a conference ticket.

If you are unable to pay the full ticket price for yourself or your caregiver, contact NCS Board member Landon Schmidt (landon@nationalccsvisociety.org) and he will confidentially, fairly, and respectfully distribute available funds to those in need.

ASPE, our conference partner, is also helping its members from the Sherbrooke region with conference costs. Contact René McKay for more details at rene.mckay@spestrie.ca.

CCSVI...Voices of Progress offers great value to conference attendees. For $100, attendees will receive:

- almost 10 hours of CCSVI education over 2 days featuring 14 speakers presented in both English and French (details on how we are doing this to be announced soon!)

- Sunday refreshments and luncheon

- a professionally recorded and produced conference DVD set

- conference package including education materials, sponsor items and samples, and discounts for local restaurants, transportation, and maps from Destination Sherbrooke

- opportunity to buy raffle ticket to win special gift from Dr. Zamboni

- opportunity to bid on several donated gifts from other sponsors

- many oppourtunities to interact with speakers and other conference attendees

See below for ticket information, including how you can contribute to our patient sponsorship fund by sponsoring a patient ($100) or topping off your conference ticket price (any $ amount):

https://voicesofprogress.eventbrite.ca/
Yeah it looks like ticket prices are $100 and that this includes the first day which is a patient day. But you can contact them if you might qualify for funds that have been donated. When you go to buy a ticket, it offers the option of sponsoring a patient.

I would go if I were anywhere close! No such luck.