<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=""><div class=""><div style="margin: 0px; font-size: 15px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;" class=""><span style="font-kerning: none" class="">Dear Community Service Division,</span></div><div style="margin: 0px; font-size: 15px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; min-height: 18px;" class=""><span style="font-kerning: none" class=""></span><br class=""></div><div style="margin: 0px; font-size: 15px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;" class=""><span style="font-kerning: none" class=""> Recently the board discussed ways we might keep the membership informed of the many things we are doing to further the work of the federation through our Community Service Division.</span></div><div style="margin: 0px; font-size: 15px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;" class=""><span style="font-kerning: none" class=""> We decided we wanted to start pushing out monthly updates in order to keep folks informed.</span></div><div style="margin: 0px; font-size: 15px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;" class=""><span style="font-kerning: none" class=""> It is also our hope that you feel free to reach out to us with any suggestions or ideas you might have.</span></div><div style="margin: 0px; font-size: 15px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;" class=""><span style="font-kerning: none" class=""> So with no further delay, I give you updates from our board memers, as they have been submitted.</span></div><p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 15px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; min-height: 18px;" class=""><span style="font-kerning: none" class=""> </span><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></p><div style="margin: 0px; font-size: 15px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; min-height: 18px;" class=""><span style="font-kerning: none" class=""></span><br class=""></div><div style="margin: 0px; font-size: 15px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; min-height: 18px;" class=""><span style="font-kerning: none" class=""></span><br class=""></div><div style="margin: 0px; font-size: 15px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;" class=""><span style="font-kerning: none" class="">Chris Parsons gives us an update on what her committee has been up to:</span></div><div style="margin: 0px; font-size: 15px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;" class=""><span style="font-kerning: none" class="">Web Site/Blog</span></div><div style="margin: 0px; font-size: 15px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;" class=""><span style="font-kerning: none" class="">The blog has seen a few new posts over the past month, including an entry from Jonathan Franks about serving with the Special Olympics, a recap of the division’s activities at this year’s National Convention in Orlando, and an announcement about the division’s new service awards program. If you haven’t checked them out yet, we invite you to do so at <a href="http://www.nfbcommunityservice.org/blog" class=""><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; color: rgb(4, 99, 193); -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(4, 99, 193);" class="">http://www.nfbcommunityservice.org/blog</span></a>. We have some exciting entries in the works, including one about the project we did with Habitat for Humanity of Greater Orlando during this year’s National Convention, so be on the lookout for that. If you have any ideas for entries you’d like to see on the blog or if you’d like to write one yourself, send me an e-mail at <a href="mailto:blog@nfbcommunityservice.org" class=""><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; color: rgb(4, 99, 193); -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(4, 99, 193);" class="">blog@nfbcommunityservice.org</span></a>.</span></div><p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 15px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;" class=""><span style="font-kerning: none" class=""> </span></p><div style="margin: 0px; font-size: 15px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;" class=""><span style="font-kerning: none" class="">On the Web site front, the Events page now contains the dates/times on which each of the division’s committees will meet each month, so feel free to check that out and join a committee you’re interested in.</span></div><div style="margin: 0px; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;" class=""><span style="font-kerning: none" class=""> KyraSweeney Writes:</span></div><div style="margin: 0px; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; min-height: 13px;" class=""><span style="font-kerning: none" class=""></span><br class=""></div><div style="margin: 0px; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;" class=""><span style="font-kerning: none" class=""><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>In October, the Membership Committee worked on planning the next conference calls in our #What’sInItForYou series, a set of discussions focused on what blind people can gain through participation in community service. The first of these calls took place in September, and was a collaboration with the National Association of Blind Students. In the next three calls of this series, we plan to discuss how guide dog users, the blind in communities of faith, and blind rehabilitation professionals can benefit from service and volunteerism.</span></div><div style="margin: 0px; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; min-height: 13px;" class=""><span style="font-kerning: none" class=""></span><br class=""></div><div style="margin: 0px; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;" class=""><span style="font-kerning: none" class=""><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>The Membership Committee is also creating a survey to gather feedback from our members and anyone who has participated in our activities. Please stay tuned for this survey, which will be sent out in late November/early December, and start thinking about ideas and suggestions for the division.</span></div><div style="margin: 0px; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; min-height: 13px;" class=""><span style="font-kerning: none" class=""></span><br class=""></div><div style="margin: 0px; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;" class=""><span style="font-kerning: none" class=""><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>The Membership Committee’s meeting time is the second Monday of the month at 5 PM eastern time. We are always looking for new committee members, so please join us!</span></div><p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; min-height: 13px;" class=""><span style="font-kerning: none" class=""> </span><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></p><div style="margin: 0px; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;" class=""><span style="font-kerning: none" class="">From Ronnie Bellomy:</span></div><div style="margin: 0px; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; min-height: 13px;" class=""><span style="font-kerning: none" class=""></span><br class=""></div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;" class=""><span style="font-kerning: none" class="">Our last outreach call was on Monday October 17th and here is a recap of what we accomplished and our next steps. </span></div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;" class=""><span style="font-kerning: none" class="">The External Outreach committee has established a good list of youth based service organization. Kyra said she would do some digging to find contact information for one or two that we could not find. We have created a template for contacting these organization that hopefully will allow members of our division to plug into or partner with their organizations. </span></div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;" class=""><span style="font-kerning: none" class="">The outreach committee in conjunction with the members committee discussed a scholarship call targeting the flag schools that will fall around mid-January. Contacting the organizations in each school would be twofold in that; while we are contacting them for the scholarship call, we are establishing a connection between our division and their organization. The focal point being the importance of community service leading to scholarship. Our committees are currently establishing a list of flag universities that include the community service centers and the disability service offices. </span></div></div><div class=""><span style="font-kerning: none" class=""><br class=""></span></div><br class=""><div class="">
<div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space;" 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: @NFB_CSD,@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: <a href="http://www.facebook.com/CommunityServiceDivision" class="">www.facebook.com/CommunityServiceDivision</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; 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>
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