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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal>Fellow Members and Friends,<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>It was great seeing so, so many of you last weekend at our National Federation of the Blind of Connecticut state convention. It was a great time to gather, share, celebrate our hard work fundraising for our affiliate, and make important plans for the future.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Whether you were there for the full discussion or are following it virtually or even just new to it, I am e-mailing to ask that each of us and our families and friends contact our state legislators, our assembly representatives and senators. They are going into special session this week to respond to all that is going on at the Federal level, including lapsed funding for supplemental nutrition assistance. We need to urge our state assembly representatives and senators to preserve and ensure full funding for special education for our blind (and all disabled) children, vocational rehabilitation for adults with disabilities seeking jobs, and our older blind that our Bureau of Education and Services for the Blind serves. We need to ensure that we are not left out or behind.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Your ask can be simple in either a phone call or e-mail:<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>“My name is [name] and I live in [name of your town]. I urge you in the special session this week to ensure full funding for special education of blind and disabled children, vocational rehabilitation for disabled adults, and services to older individuals who are blind.”<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>If I can help in any specific way, please let me know.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Thank you in advance for coming together on this and taking action,<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Nathanael Wales<o:p></o:p></p></div></body></html>