<html><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html charset=utf-8"></head><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space;" class=""><span style="color: rgb(29, 33, 41); font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" class="">Many thanks to all who attended our seminar and business meeting.</span><br style="color: rgb(29, 33, 41); font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" class=""><span style="color: rgb(29, 33, 41); font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" class="">We had great presenters who had wonderful, informative and inspiring words to share</span><br style="color: rgb(29, 33, 41); font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" class=""><span style="color: rgb(29, 33, 41); font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" class="">We elected a new board of directors as well. The results of the election are as follows: President: Darian Smith, vice president: Dacia Cole, secretary: Chris Parsons, treasurer: jonathan franks, board members Tara Abella, Kyra Sweeney and Ronnie Bellomy.</span><br style="color: rgb(29, 33, 41); font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" class=""><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" class=""><br class=""><font color="#1d2129" face="helvetica, arial, sans-serif" class=""><span style="font-size: 14px;" class=""> a huge thanks goes to Jonathan Franks for handling financial duties at convention, Dacia Cole for handling the recruitment of volunteers, Kyra Sweeney and others for helping to sell Granola Bars.</span></font></span><div class=""><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" class=""><font color="#1d2129" face="helvetica, arial, sans-serif" class=""><span style="font-size: 14px;" class=""> I want to extend a special thank you to Corina Salinas, Hindley Williams, Juan Munoz and Mary Church for their work on the board as leaders in this division and as most recent past members of the board of directors.</span></font></span></div><div class=""><span style="font-size: 14px; color: rgb(29, 33, 41); font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" class=""> We would not be where we are today if it were not for their individual and collective contributions, and I for one very much appreciate it.</span></div><div class=""><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" class=""><font color="#1d2129" face="helvetica, arial, sans-serif" class=""><span style="font-size: 14px;" class=""> Chris Parsons has served in the capacity of Vice President since the formation of this division. This term she happily takes on the position the office of secretary. This does not change the nature of her work in the division much, but I wanted to take the opportunity to thank her for her tireless work as Vice President.</span></font></span></div><div class=""><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" class=""><font color="#1d2129" face="helvetica, arial, sans-serif" class=""><span style="font-size: 14px;" class=""> Thank you, Chris for what you have done and we look forward to the things you will contribute to help build this division.</span></font></span></div><div class=""><span style="color: rgb(29, 33, 41); font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" class=""> </span></div><div class=""><span style="color: rgb(29, 33, 41); font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" class=""> Anna Givens and Cindy Ray were individuals you likely met who have not taken leadership roles within the division who stepped up over the course of the week to help out.</span></div><div class=""><font color="#1d2129" face="helvetica, arial, sans-serif" class=""><span style="font-size: 14px;" class=""> I want to thank them both for their help.</span></font></div><div class=""><font color="#1d2129" face="helvetica, arial, sans-serif" class=""><span style="font-size: 14px;" class=""> </span></font></div><div class=""><font color="#1d2129" face="helvetica, arial, sans-serif" class=""><span style="font-size: 14px;" class=""> The Division had our trivia Night during the convention. It was a very lively music themed trivia night.</span></font></div><div class=""><font color="#1d2129" face="helvetica, arial, sans-serif" class=""><span style="font-size: 14px;" class=""> The contestants grouped up in teams of eight and had to guess correctly a given song from a given category based upon hearing a few seconds of a particular song being pumped through the speakers in the ballroom in which the game took place.</span></font></div><div class=""><font color="#1d2129" face="helvetica, arial, sans-serif" class=""><span style="font-size: 14px;" class=""> The winning team received $135as prize money. We look forward to an even larger turnout so that the winning team may win even more money..</span></font><font color="#1d2129" face="helvetica, arial, sans-serif" class=""><span style="font-size: 14px;" class=""> </span></font></div><div class=""><font color="#1d2129" face="helvetica, arial, sans-serif" class=""><span style="font-size: 14px;" class=""> We of course put on our second community service project as a part of national convention.</span></font></div><div class=""><font color="#1d2129" face="helvetica, arial, sans-serif" class=""><span style="font-size: 14px;" class=""> This year we participated in a habitat build where the members put up drywall.</span></font></div><div class=""><font color="#1d2129" face="helvetica, arial, sans-serif" class=""><span style="font-size: 14px;" class=""> much fun was had by all and we grew together as a federation family. The Golden Triangle Chapter of the NFB of Texas provided lunch, and I want to extend deep thanks to therefor doing this and for coming along and being the energy for this project.</span></font></div><div class=""><font color="#1d2129" face="helvetica, arial, sans-serif" class=""><span style="font-size: 14px;" class=""> I have to say that we all did pretty well without coffee, having traveled from across the country and having woken up early.</span></font></div><div class=""><font color="#1d2129" face="helvetica, arial, sans-serif" class=""><span style="font-size: 14px;" class=""><br class=""></span></font></div><div class=""><font color="#1d2129" face="helvetica, arial, sans-serif" class=""><span style="font-size: 14px;" class=""> I promise that as the board recovers from convention we will be in touch with all of our membership to see what the division should do and who wants to help the division do it.</span></font></div><div class=""><font color="#1d2129" face="helvetica, arial, sans-serif" class=""><span style="font-size: 14px;" class=""> Until then please be in touch via the list serve or <a href="mailto:president@nfbcommunityservice.org" class="">president@nfbcommunityservice.org</a>.</span></font></div><div class=""><font color="#1d2129" face="helvetica, arial, sans-serif" class=""><span style="font-size: 14px;" class=""> </span></font><font color="#1d2129" face="helvetica, arial, sans-serif" class=""><span style="font-size: 14px;" class="">. for </span></font><span style="color: rgb(29, 33, 41); font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" class=""> . </span></div><div class=""><div class=""><span style="color: rgb(29, 33, 41); font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" class=""> We look forward to working together to build this division and the Federation. Let's get involved! Let's go build the Federation</span></div></div><br class=""><br class=""><div class="">
<div class=""><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; margin: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="">Darian Smith</div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; margin: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="">President, National Federation of the Blind Community Service Division</div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; margin: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class=""><br class=""></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; margin: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="">Web: <a href="http://www.nfbcommunityservice.org" class="">www.nfbcommunityservice.org</a></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; margin: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class=""><br class=""></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; margin: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="">Twitter: @NFBCSDivision,@goldengateace</div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; margin: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class=""><br class=""></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; margin: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="">Facebook: search for “National Federation of the Blind Community Service Division"</div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; margin: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class=""><br class=""></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; margin: 0px; color: rgb(71, 135, 255); -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class=""><span style="text-decoration: underline;" class="">E-mail: <a href="mailto:president@nfbcommunityservice.org" class="">president@nfbcommunityservice.org</a></span></div><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; margin: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class=""> </p><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; margin: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="">(415)215-9809</div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; margin: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class=""><br class=""></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; margin: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class=""><span style="font-size: 16px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;" class=""> </span></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; margin: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); min-height: 14px;" class=""><br class=""></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; margin: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="">The National Federation of the Blind knows that blindness is not the</div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; margin: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="">characteristic that defines you or your future. Every day we raise the</div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; margin: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="">expectations of blind people, because low expectations create obstacles</div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; margin: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="">between blind people and our dreams. You can live the life you want;</div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; margin: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="">blindness is not what holds you back.</div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; margin: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class=""> “We need your service, right now, at this moment - our moment - in history. I'm not going to tell you what your role should be; that's for you to discover. But I am going to ask you to play your part; ask you to stand up; ask you to put your foot firmly into the current of history” — Barack Obama </div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; margin: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class=""> Help drive change for the blind .</div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; margin: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="">Donate your car to the National Federation of the Blind today!</div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; margin: 0px; color: rgb(87, 86, 214); -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(87, 86, 214);" class="">For more information, please visit: <a href="http://www.carshelpingtheblind.org/" class=""><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(71, 135, 255);" class="">www.carshelpingtheblind.org</span></a> or call 1-855-659-9314</div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; margin: 0px; font-size: 18px; font-family: Times; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="">“</div></div>
</div>
<br class=""></body></html>