<html><head><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"></head><body dir="auto"><div dir="ltr">Good morning Kansas federation family,</div><div dir="ltr"><br></div><div dir="ltr">You may recall that Joe Ruffalo, national board member and former president of the New Jersey affiliate, was originally assigned to be the presidents national representative to our state convention back in November. We were later informed that Joe had fallen seriously ill and Gary wunder was assigned to be our national representative. Below you will find a forwarded posting of an update on Joe‘s condition with information as to how we can all express our love and support to Joe through his family. Meanwhile, Susan and I wish you a happy new year and a much better 2021.</div><div dir="ltr">Best regards,</div><div dir="ltr">Rob Tabor | first vice president National Federation of the blind of Kansas</div><div dir="ltr">(785) 865-9959</div><div dir="ltr">Rob.tabor@sbcglobal.net</div><div dir="ltr"><br><br>Begin forwarded message:<br><br></div><blockquote type="cite"><div dir="ltr"><b>From:</b> Linda Melendez via Chapter-Presidents <chapter-presidents@nfbnet.org><br><b>Date:</b> December 31, 2020 at 6:56:54 AM CST<br><b>To:</b> NFB Chapter Presidents discussion list <chapter-presidents@nfbnet.org><br><b>Cc:</b> Linda Melendez <lindamelendez220@gmail.com><br><b>Subject:</b> <b>[Chapter-Presidents] Update on Joseph Ruffalo</b><br><b>Reply-To:</b> NFB Chapter Presidents discussion list <chapter-presidents@nfbnet.org><br><br></div></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div class="gmail_default" style=""><span style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif"><span class="gmail_default"></span></span><span style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif">Greetings</span><span style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif"> </span><span class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif">My Federation Family</span><span style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif">:</span><br></div><div><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_signature"><div dir="ltr"><div class="gmail-adn gmail-ads" style="padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-left:0px;display:flex"><div class="gmail-gs" style="margin:0px;padding:0px 0px 20px;width:574.343px"><div class="gmail-"><div id="gmail-:3wp" class="gmail-ii gmail-gt" style="margin:8px 0px 0px;padding:0px"><div id="gmail-:3wd" class="gmail-a3s gmail-aiL"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div class="gmail_default"><font face="tahoma, sans-serif"><br></font></div><div class="gmail_default"><font face="tahoma, sans-serif">Listed below is a medical update shared with the NFBNJ regarding Joe Ruffalo. I want to share it with all you as I know Joe is loved across the country by all; please feel free to share as you see fit.</font></div><div class="gmail_default"><font face="tahoma, sans-serif"><br></font></div><div><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div><font face="tahoma, sans-serif"><span>Warmly,<br>Linda Melendez, <span>President</span><br>National Federation of the Blind of New Jersey<br>732-421-7063<br></span><span>Email: </span><a href="mailto:president@nfbnj.org" target="_blank"><span>president</span>@nfbnj.org</a><span></span><span><br><i>Website: </i></span><a href="http://www.nfbnj.org/" target="_blank"><i><span style="color:rgb(5,99,193)">www.nfbnj.org</span></i></a><i><span><br>Facebook: </span></i><a href="https://m.facebook.com/NFB-NJ-353099574776238" target="_blank"><i><span style="color:rgb(5,99,193)">https://m.facebook.com/NFB-NJ-353099574776238</span></i></a><i><span><br>Twitter: </span></i><a href="https://twitter.com/nfbnewjersey" target="_blank"><i><span style="color:rgb(5,99,193)">@NFBNewJersey</span></i></a><i><span><br>YouTube: </span></i><a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKEDbjGsCYHMlwd4gqpBPjg" target="_blank"><i><span style="color:rgb(5,99,193)">NFBNJTransformDreams</span></i></a><i><span><br>Live the life you want.<br></span></i><br><span>The National Federation of the Blind of New Jersey is a community of members and friends who believe in the hopes and dreams of the nation’s blind. Everyday we work together to help blind people live the lives they want.</span><br></font></div><div><font face="tahoma, sans-serif"><span><br></span></font></div><div><font face="tahoma, sans-serif"><span><span class="gmail_default">****<br></span></span></font><div class="gmail_default"><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;line-height:normal;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial"><b><span style="color:black"><font face="tahoma, sans-serif">Request for distribution by Janie Degenshein, NFBNJ Affiliate Board Member</font></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;line-height:normal;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial"><span style="color:black"><font face="tahoma, sans-serif"> </font></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;line-height:normal;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial"><font face="tahoma, sans-serif"><span style="color:black">This is the first of many updates I wish to share with our NFBNJ family about my brother Joe Ruffalo. </span><span style="color:black">Joe is in need of quiet rest at this time but </span>knows<span style="color:black"> that he feels the love and warmth of your prayers and thoughts. </span><span style="color:black">I wish to personally thank those that have reached out to me via email, text, or phone calls to share your heartfelt wishes. </span><span style="color:black">Over the next few weeks, there will be other updates we wish to share with our entire NFBNJ family.</span></font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;line-height:normal;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial"><span style="color:black"><font face="tahoma, sans-serif"> </font></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;line-height:normal;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial"><span style="color:black"><font face="tahoma, sans-serif">Below, my nephew, Joe's son shares his thoughts with you. If for any reason the method of sending well wishes is unworkable for you, just send an email to Janie Degenshein at <a href="mailto:jdegen16@comcast.net" target="_blank">jdegen16@comcast.net</a> and I will personally share them with my brother.</font></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;line-height:normal;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial"><span style="color:black"><font face="tahoma, sans-serif"><br></font></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;line-height:normal;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial"><span style="color:black"><font face="tahoma, sans-serif"> </font></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;line-height:normal;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial"><span style="color:black"><font face="tahoma, sans-serif">****</font></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;line-height:normal;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial"><span style="color:black"><font face="tahoma, sans-serif">Thank you all for reaching out concerning my dad, Joe Ruffalo. As many of you may know he has been suffering from terrible pain for some months now. His most recent bout has kept him in the hospital since December 7th. During that time, it was diagnosed that he has cancer. We are still waiting for all the details, but early indications are that it is not a common type of cancer.</font></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;line-height:normal;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial"><span style="color:black"><font face="tahoma, sans-serif"> </font></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;line-height:normal;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial"><span style="color:black"><font face="tahoma, sans-serif">Dad has always been a fighter and is in good spirits, although very tired. I know many of you want to reach out and wish him well. The family, my mom, brother Jim and I, as well as his brother’s and sister’s appreciate this outpouring. For the time being I am asking that you do not call him. It is not that he doesn’t want to hear from you, but he needs to rest and quite frankly I have woken him up far too many times myself.</font></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;line-height:normal;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial"><span style="color:black"><font face="tahoma, sans-serif"> </font></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;line-height:normal;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial"><span style="color:black"><font face="tahoma, sans-serif">In lieu of phone calls, I have created a special website and email address where you can send him well wishes. Feel free to share a funny story or moment, an accomplishment or something positive about your life. Dad loves to hear that. My aunt Jane Degenshein and I will be reading these to him on a frequent basis. We may not be able to respond directly to everyone, but rest assured he will get your message.</font></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;line-height:normal;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial"><span style="color:black"><font face="tahoma, sans-serif"><br></font></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;line-height:normal;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial"><font face="tahoma, sans-serif"><span style="color:black">Website: </span><a href="http://wishjoewell.com/" target="_blank">wishjoewell.com</a></font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;line-height:normal;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial"><font face="tahoma, sans-serif"><br></font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;line-height:normal;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial"><span style="color:black"><font face="tahoma, sans-serif">email: <a href="mailto:wishjoewell@gmail.com" target="_blank">wishjoewell@gmail.com</a></font></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;line-height:normal;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial"><span style="color:black"><font face="tahoma, sans-serif"><br></font></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;line-height:normal;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial"><span style="color:black"><font face="tahoma, sans-serif">We ask that you keep both him and my mom in your thought sand prayers. Currently this is all we need and ask of you.</font></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;line-height:normal;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial"><span style="color:black"><font face="tahoma, sans-serif"><br></font></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;line-height:normal;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial"><font face="tahoma, sans-serif"><span style="color:black">Thank you all from the bottom of my heart,</span><span style="color:black"> </span></font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;line-height:normal;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial"><font face="tahoma, sans-serif"><span style="color:black">Joey Ruffalo</span><br></font></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height:14.95px"><font face="tahoma, sans-serif"> </font></span></p></div><div><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div dir="auto"></div><font color="#888888" face="tahoma, sans-serif"></font></div></div></div></div></div><div class="gmail-yj6qo"></div><div class="gmail-adL"></div></div></div><div class="gmail-hi"></div></div></div><div class="gmail-ajx"></div></div><div class="gmail-gA gmail-gt gmail-acV" style="border-bottom-left-radius:0px;border-bottom-right-radius:0px;border-top:none;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial"><div class="gmail-gB gmail-xu" style=""><div class="gmail-ip gmail-iq" style="padding:16px 0px;border-top:none"></div></div></div><div dir="auto"></div><font color="#888888"></font></div></div></div></div></div>
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