<div dir="ltr">Becky & Maryanne,<div>Becky, you are correct about approving money for Washington Seminar but Maryanne 's agenda item is for voting on expense / travel grant for National convention.</div><div><br></div><div>Looking forward to seeing you at our 1-17 meeting.</div><div><br></div><div>Mary</div></div><br><div class="gmail_quote gmail_quote_container"><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_attr">On Wed, Jan 7, 2026 at 4:23\u202fPM Becky Ireland <<a href="mailto:rmirdi@aol.com">rmirdi@aol.com</a>> wrote:<br></div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex"><u></u>
<div>
<p><br>
</p>
<div>On 1/6/2026 3:49 PM,
<a href="mailto:maryanne.melley@gmail.com" target="_blank">maryanne.melley@gmail.com</a> wrote:<br>
</div>
<blockquote type="cite">
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:16pt">Dear
Federation Family,<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:16pt"><u></u> <u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:16pt">Attached and
below is the agenda for our January 17<sup>th</sup> board
meeting in Hartford.<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:16pt"><u></u> <u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:16pt">January
17, State Board Meeting<u></u><u></u></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:16pt">151 New
Park Avenue<u></u><u></u></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:16pt">The
Hartford Room<u></u><u></u></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:16pt">Hartford,
CT 06106<u></u><u></u></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:16pt">Roll Call<u></u><u></u></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:16pt">NFB
Pledge<u></u><u></u></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><u><span style="font-size:16pt">Reports<u></u><u></u></span></u></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:16pt">Treasurers
Report \u2013 Cheri Duquette<u></u><u></u></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:16pt">ABPVI \u2013
(Advisory Board Persons with Visual Impairments) \u2013 Kristen
Dockendorf<u></u><u></u></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:16pt">SRC -
(State Rehabilitation Council) \u2013 Deb Reed<u></u><u></u></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:16pt">BCAC \u2013
Melissa Thompson<u></u><u></u></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:16pt">PAC Plan
\u2013 (Pre-Authorized Contribution) \u2013 Melissa Thompson<u><u></u><u></u></u></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><u><span style="font-size:16pt">New
Business<u></u><u></u></span></u></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:16pt">2026
State Convention \u2013 Maryanne Melley<u></u><u></u></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:16pt">Washington
Seminar Update \u2013 Mary Silverberg<u></u><u></u></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:16pt">Protect
Education, Employment, and Independent Living Programs<u></u><u></u></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:16pt">Access
Technology Affordability Act<u></u><u></u></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:16pt">Blind
Americans Return to Work Act<u></u><u></u></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:16pt">Birdies
for Charity \u2013 Merly Ballesteros<u></u><u></u></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:16pt">Vote on
Subsidy for National Convention \u2013 Board Discussion <u></u><u></u></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:16pt">Kenneth
Jernagan Scholarship </span></b><span style="font-size:16pt"><a href="https://nfb.org/form/convention-scholarship" target="_blank"><b>The Kenneth Jernigan Convention
Scholarship application is open</b></a><b>. Application
deadline is April 15, 2026.<u></u><u></u></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:16pt"><u></u> <u></u></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:16pt">National
Academic Scholarship </span></b><span style="font-size:16pt"><a href="https://nfb.org/programs-services/scholarships-and-awards/scholarship-program" target="_blank"><b>Students can now apply for the
2026 scholarship program.</b></a><b> The application
deadline is March 31, 2026.<u></u><u></u></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:16pt">Chapter
News<u></u><u></u></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:16pt">April
Board Meeting<u></u><u></u></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:11pt"><u></u> <u></u></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11pt"><u></u> <u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14pt">Best regards,<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14pt"><u></u> <u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14pt">Maryanne Melley<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14pt">President<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14pt">National
Federation of the Blind of Connecticut<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14pt"><a href="mailto:maryanne.melley@gmail.com" target="_blank">maryanne.melley@gmail.com</a><u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14pt">860-212-5549<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14pt"><u></u> <u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14pt">A dream does not
become reality through magic: it takes sweat, determination
and hard work<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p>
</div>
</blockquote>
<pre cols="72">Hi Maryanne,
I hope you had fun over the holidays. Rich and I enjoyed the holiday season.
Thank you for the agenda. I just wanted you to know we don't have to vote on a subsidy for the Washington Seminar. The Board already approved a $800 travel expenses/grant for the seminar at our November business meeting. If you have any questions, please let me know. Stay safe and well. --
Warm Reg4rds,
Becky Ireland
Secretary of the Central CT Chapter, NFB of CT, and CTAGDU
860-384-8451
<a href="mailto:rmirdi@aol.com" target="_blank">rmirdi@aol.com</a>
"Just because a man lacks the use of his eyes doesn't mean he lacks vision" Stevie Wonder</pre>
</div>
</blockquote></div>