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</head> <body class="body template template--en-US" data-template-version="1.35.5" data-canonical-name="CPE-PT17831" lang="en-US" align="center" style="-ms-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; min-width: 100%; width: 100%; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"> <div id="preheader" style="color: transparent; display: none; font-size: 1px; line-height: 1px; max-height: 0px; max-width: 0px; opacity: 0; overflow: hidden;"><span data-entity-ref="preheader">Learn about our community, check out the latest news, and mark your calendar for upcoming events.</span></div> <div id="tracking-image" style="color: transparent; display: none; font-size: 1px; line-height: 1px; max-height: 0px; max-width: 0px; opacity: 0; overflow: hidden;"><img src="https://m9n59dabb.cc.rs6.net/on.jsp?ca=e94f7691-b188-41c5-bc6f-ffa5a9df3429&a=1134000289612&c=180aeb2c-de11-11ed-8aa5-fa163ec87d62&ch=180b65b6-de11-11ed-8aa5-fa163ec87d62" / alt=""></div> <div class="shell" lang="en-US" dir="ltr" style="background-color: #cccccc;"> <table class="shell_panel-row" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="background-color: #cccccc;" bgcolor="#cccccc"> <tr class=""> <td class="shell_panel-cell" style="" align="center" valign="top"> <table class="shell_width-row scale" style="width: 700px;" align="center" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tr> <td class="shell_width-cell" style="padding: 15px 10px;" align="center" valign="top"> <table class="shell_content-row" width="100%" align="center" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tr> <td class="shell_content-cell" style="background-color: #FFFFFF; padding: 0; border: 0px solid #0a4646;" align="center" valign="top" bgcolor="#FFFFFF"> <table class="layout layout--1-column" style="table-layout: fixed;" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tr> <td class="column column--1 scale stack" style="width: 100%;" align="center" valign="top">
<table class="image image--padding-vertical image--mobile-scale image--mobile-center" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tr> <td class="image_container content-padding-horizontal" align="center" valign="top" style="padding: 10px 40px;"> <img data-image-content class="image_content" style="display: block; height: auto; max-width: 100%;" width="595" src="https://files.constantcontact.com/c473fa70801/efffbe34-3420-411f-b97e-5ec7c31b7d5f.jpg?rdr=true" alt="MCB logo with the text: Quarterly Newsletter, Summer 2024"> </td> </tr> </table> <div class="spacer" style="line-height: 10px; height: 10px;"> </div>
<table class="text text--padding-vertical" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="table-layout: fixed;"> <tr> <td class="text_content-cell content-padding-horizontal" style="text-align: left; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; color: #000000; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.2; display: block; word-wrap: break-word; padding: 10px 40px;" align="left" valign="top"><h1 style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; color: #000000; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0;"><span style="font-size: 24px;">A Message from Commissioner Oliveira</span></h1></td> </tr> </table> <table class="text text--padding-vertical" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="table-layout: fixed;"> <tr> <td class="text_content-cell content-padding-horizontal" style="text-align: left; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; color: #000000; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.2; display: block; word-wrap: break-word; padding: 10px 40px;" align="left" valign="top"><p style="margin: 0;">As summer winds down and we embrace the beginning of fall, I hope you’ve all had a chance to enjoy some sunshine and relaxation. This time of year is always energizing for us at the Massachusetts Commission for the Blind, marking the start of a busy season filled with meaningful events and celebrations.</p></td> </tr> </table> <table class="text text--padding-vertical" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="table-layout: fixed;"> <tr> <td class="text_content-cell content-padding-horizontal" style="text-align: left; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; color: #000000; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.2; display: block; word-wrap: break-word; padding: 10px 40px;" align="left" valign="top">
<table class="image image--float-left scale image--mobile-scale image--mobile-center" align="left" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="mso-table-rspace: 5.75pt;"> <tr> <td class="image_container scale stack" align="left" valign="" style="padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px;"> <img data-image-content class="image_content" style="display: block; height: auto; max-width: 100%;" width="310" src="https://files.constantcontact.com/c473fa70801/c014178e-4398-4719-b7b3-bed1bd67de92.jpg?rdr=true" alt="Commissioner Oliveira smiles for a photo with members of the City of Lawrence's Commission on Disability"> </td> <td class="image_spacer hide" width="15" height="1" align="center" valign="top" style="height: 1px; line-height: 1px; padding: 0px;"> <img alt="" width="15" height="1" border="0" hspace="0" vspace="0" src="https://imgssl.constantcontact.com/letters/images/sys/S.gif"> </td> </tr> </table> <p style="margin: 0;">July was a month of important observances, including Disability Pride Month and the anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). I was honored to participate in a celebration at Lawrence City Hall, an event that underscored our ongoing journey toward greater inclusion and accessibility. Additionally, the end of June marked DeafBlind Awareness Week. This year commemorated the 40th anniversary of this national advocacy campaign, which has been held annually since 1984 when President Ronald Reagan issued a proclamation in recognition of this observance. The purpose of DeafBlind Awareness Week is to raise public awareness about people with combined hearing and vision loss.</p>
</td> </tr> </table> <table class="text text--padding-vertical" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="table-layout: fixed;"> <tr> <td class="text_content-cell content-padding-horizontal" style="text-align: left; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; color: #000000; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.2; display: block; word-wrap: break-word; padding: 10px 40px;" align="left" valign="top">
<p style="margin: 0;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif;">As we transition into September, we are excited for our Visions of Employment webinar. This event will offer valuable insights and resources for employers on supporting employees who are legally blind, including guidance on accommodations, training, and success stories. I encourage employers to join us and take advantage of this opportunity to enhance workplace inclusion.</span></p>
<p style="margin: 0;"><br></p>
<p style="margin: 0;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif;">Looking ahead to October, we will celebrate National Disability Employment Awareness Month and White Cane Awareness Month - both crucial to our mission. I hope to see many of you at our White Cane Awareness Month Celebration at the State House on October 18. More details can be found in this newsletter.</span></p>
<p style="margin: 0;"><br></p>
<p style="margin: 0;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif;">I am also thrilled to extend a warm welcome to Justine Muir, our new Deputy Commissioner. Justine brings a wealth of experience and enthusiasm to our team, and I am confident her contributions will be instrumental in advancing our shared goals.</span></p>
<p style="margin: 0;"><br></p>
<p style="margin: 0;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif;">Thank you for your continued support and dedication. As we dive into this busy and exciting season, let’s carry forward the momentum of summer and embrace the opportunities ahead.</span></p>
</td> </tr> </table> </td> </tr> </table> <table class="layout layout--1-column" style="background-color: #33679c; table-layout: fixed;" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" bgcolor="#33679c"> <tr> <td class="column column--1 scale stack" style="width: 100%;" align="center" valign="top">
<table class="text text--heading text--padding-vertical" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="table-layout: fixed;"> <tr> <td class="text_content-cell content-padding-horizontal" style="text-align: center; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; color: #000000; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.2; display: block; word-wrap: break-word; font-weight: bold; padding: 10px 40px;" align="center" valign="top"><h2 style="font-family: Times New Roman,Times,serif; color: #000000; font-size: 24px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0;"><span style="font-size: 22px; color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif;">White Cane Awareness Day Celebration</span></h2></td> </tr> </table> </td> </tr> </table> <table class="layout layout--1-column" style="table-layout: fixed;" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tr> <td class="column column--1 scale stack" style="width: 100%;" align="center" valign="top">
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<p style="margin: 0;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Join the Massachusetts Commission for the Blind and </span><a href="https://m9n59dabb.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001XXPFKTu0sTRAwaW22qtpgJj8SB1FVLS1iS2TWmPZvIB8YWGj4dfH_8ID0eViebtB6XK_bV9_4yfO0t99OmADu6TeBOF5fE48t2kxVHnCYfCFAmJtT6nG2y7ogPLFnZ0teDc9hKjl1j0NJ1m3wDeE7WegT4zMyYUzHfmqPPax4GTcNvLAQeRt_rlPfNDk0fsbwk88jWrL9Hg=&c=jRTlFqVTda_mqI0ZFtZLit4zk85ISCE1M4_HxO3c_BUYCgJRM0BPDw==&ch=jnTeCTRPnC_DTuuT9HHw_VC1oh56A5EgVt1aKIKwWMZgy9ZCib_MqA==" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(51, 103, 156); text-decoration: underline; font-weight: bold;">Perkins School for the Blind</a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> to celebrate the independence of the white cane and help raise awareness of the White Cane Law in Massachusetts which requires drivers to identify and yield to pedestrians using a white cane or dog guide at street crossings.</span></p>
<p style="margin: 0;"><br></p>
<p style="margin: 0;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-weight: bold;">Date:</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> Friday, October 18, 2024</span></p>
<p style="margin: 0;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-weight: bold;">Time:</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> 10:00 A.M. to 1 P.M. (speaking event starts at 11 A.M.)</span></p>
<p style="margin: 0;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-weight: bold;">Location:</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> Massachusetts State House inside the Great Hall of Flags</span></p>
</td> </tr> </table> </td> </tr> </table> <table class="layout layout--1-column" style="table-layout: fixed;" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tr> <td class="column column--1 scale stack" style="width: 100%;" align="center" valign="top"> <table class="button button--padding-vertical" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="table-layout: fixed;"> <tr> <td class="button_container content-padding-horizontal" align="center" style="padding: 10px 40px;"> <table class="button_content-row" style="background-color: #33679c; width: inherit; border-radius: 0px; border-spacing: 0; border: none;" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" bgcolor="#33679c"> <tr> <td class="button_content-cell" style="padding: 10px 15px;" align="center"> <a class="button_link" href="https://m9n59dabb.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001XXPFKTu0sTRAwaW22qtpgJj8SB1FVLS1iS2TWmPZvIB8YWGj4dfH_4NKvhiyioUNACpaFcUXG24WmcENQMVjVP6Dl3anedARFfYdFBK8E3PiVq-MG7z8Iu2vAb4SdoAsotjk3sSuj_1v0HmZYvdJWzcugM4E-FSs4IzfJP5kUchkK9WW1NM-poGcb0kox5zABFGPZ_ZF9Jn5BEid0gA8Ny-qtV0WmzLQCaCBrQIivP7JMkNKt7LvkBF2UctCnoXcjGmMytzA6ME=&c=jRTlFqVTda_mqI0ZFtZLit4zk85ISCE1M4_HxO3c_BUYCgJRM0BPDw==&ch=jnTeCTRPnC_DTuuT9HHw_VC1oh56A5EgVt1aKIKwWMZgy9ZCib_MqA==" target="_blank" data-trackable="true" style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 18px; color: #FFFFFF; word-wrap: break-word; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">Register Now</a> </td> </tr> </table> </td> </tr> </table> </td> </tr> </table> <table class="layout layout--1-column" style="background-color: #33679c; table-layout: fixed;" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" bgcolor="#33679c"> <tr> <td class="column column--1 scale stack" style="width: 100%;" align="center" valign="top">
<table class="text text--heading text--padding-vertical" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="table-layout: fixed;"> <tr> <td class="text_content-cell content-padding-horizontal" style="text-align: center; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; color: #000000; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.2; display: block; word-wrap: break-word; font-weight: bold; padding: 10px 40px;" align="center" valign="top"><h2 style="font-family: Times New Roman,Times,serif; color: #000000; font-size: 24px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0;"><span style="font-size: 22px; color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif;">Visions of Employment Webinar</span></h2></td> </tr> </table> </td> </tr> </table> <table class="layout layout--1-column" style="table-layout: fixed;" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tr> <td class="column column--1 scale stack" style="width: 100%;" align="center" valign="top">
<table class="text text--padding-vertical" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="table-layout: fixed;"> <tr> <td class="text_content-cell content-padding-horizontal" style="text-align: left; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; color: #000000; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.2; display: block; word-wrap: break-word; padding: 10px 40px;" align="left" valign="top">
<p style="margin: 0;">Attention Massachusetts Employers!</p>
<p style="margin: 0;"><br></p>
<p style="margin: 0;">Unlock the potential of a diverse workforce with the 2024 Visions of Employment Webinar hosted by the Massachusetts Commission for the Blind!</p>
<p style="margin: 0;"><br></p>
<p style="margin: 0;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Date:</span> Thursday, September 12, 2024</p>
<p style="margin: 0;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Time:</span> 10 A.M. to 11 A.M.</p>
<p style="margin: 0;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Location:</span> Zoom (link provided upon registration)</p>
</td> </tr> </table> <table class="button button--padding-vertical" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="table-layout: fixed;"> <tr> <td class="button_container content-padding-horizontal" align="center" style="padding: 10px 40px;"> <table class="button_content-row" style="background-color: #33679c; width: inherit; border-radius: 0px; border-spacing: 0; border: none;" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" bgcolor="#33679c"> <tr> <td class="button_content-cell" style="padding: 10px 15px;" align="center"> <a class="button_link" href="https://m9n59dabb.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001XXPFKTu0sTRAwaW22qtpgJj8SB1FVLS1iS2TWmPZvIB8YWGj4dfH_5Vm8g75q4zymUB7jRvpKbOrPG4whRcfXLiTZf39YJJbMpx_VTmFcXUrNPJDZuM_UWW-plNVT-3K_sR9YGL87VYBB3Sp3byFDfcXDUYeG_Bs0TQgW9QtBdP8C6UF9jZhny7iLf_CAn5xHShtdMwcwHH61Ip3tz71XsWjSe_LSj9A&c=jRTlFqVTda_mqI0ZFtZLit4zk85ISCE1M4_HxO3c_BUYCgJRM0BPDw==&ch=jnTeCTRPnC_DTuuT9HHw_VC1oh56A5EgVt1aKIKwWMZgy9ZCib_MqA==" target="_blank" data-trackable="true" style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 18px; color: #FFFFFF; word-wrap: break-word; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">Visions of Employment Webinar Registration</a> </td> </tr> </table> </td> </tr> </table> </td> </tr> </table> <table class="layout layout--1-column" style="table-layout: fixed;" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tr> <td class="column column--1 scale stack" style="width: 100%;" align="center" valign="top">
<table class="text text--padding-vertical" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="table-layout: fixed;"> <tr> <td class="text_content-cell content-padding-horizontal" style="text-align: left; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; color: #000000; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.2; display: block; word-wrap: break-word; padding: 10px 40px;" align="left" valign="top">
<p style="margin: 0;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif;">Join us to gain insights and resources for creating an inclusive workplace. Our Employment Services team will guide you through the support available throughout the hiring process for qualified candidates who are legally blind.</span></p>
<p style="margin: 0;"><br></p>
<p style="margin: 0;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif;">Hear firsthand from employers who have successfully integrated employees who are legally blind into their workplace and listen to inspiring stories from individuals who are legally blind about their employment journeys.</span></p>
<p style="margin: 0;"><br></p>
<p style="margin: 0;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif;">Empower your team and spread the word! Share this webinar with your network and help build a more inclusive workforce for all.</span></p>
</td> </tr> </table> </td> </tr> </table> <table class="layout layout--1-column" style="background-color: #33679c; table-layout: fixed;" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" bgcolor="#33679c"> <tr> <td class="column column--1 scale stack" style="width: 100%;" align="center" valign="top">
<table class="text text--heading text--padding-vertical" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="table-layout: fixed;"> <tr> <td class="text_content-cell content-padding-horizontal" style="text-align: center; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; color: #000000; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.2; display: block; word-wrap: break-word; font-weight: bold; padding: 10px 40px;" align="center" valign="top"><h2 style="font-family: Times New Roman,Times,serif; color: #000000; font-size: 24px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0;"><span style="font-size: 22px; color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif;">National Disability Employment Awareness Month</span></h2></td> </tr> </table> </td> </tr> </table> <table class="layout layout--1-column" style="table-layout: fixed;" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tr> <td class="column column--1 scale stack" style="width: 100%;" align="center" valign="top">
<table class="image image--padding-vertical image--mobile-scale image--mobile-center" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tr> <td class="image_container content-padding-horizontal" align="center" valign="top" style="padding: 10px 40px;"> <img data-image-content class="image_content" style="display: block; height: auto; max-width: 100%;" width="600" src="https://files.constantcontact.com/c473fa70801/4ed17a6a-3997-4128-8764-c785eb111e23.jpg?rdr=true" alt='2024 NDEAM poster shows a road leading to round photos of diverse disabled workers in various workplaces. Says “Access to Good Jobs for All, National Disability Employment Awareness Month, #NDEAM and dol.gov/odep."'> </td> </tr> </table> <table class="text text--padding-vertical" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="table-layout: fixed;"> <tr> <td class="text_content-cell content-padding-horizontal" style="text-align: left; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; color: #000000; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.2; display: block; word-wrap: break-word; padding: 10px 40px;" align="left" valign="top">
<p style="margin: 0;">October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM), and the Massachusetts Commission for the Blind encourages businesses and organizations across the Commonwealth to participate.</p>
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<p style="margin: 0;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Held annually, NDEAM educates about disability employment topics and celebrates the many and varied contributions of America's workers with disabilities. Although national in scope, NDEAM’s true spirit lies in the many observances held at the grassroots level. Employers of all sizes and in all industries can take part.</span></p>
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<p style="margin: 0;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">For specific ideas about how to support NDEAM, visit</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 102, 204);"> </span><a href="https://m9n59dabb.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001XXPFKTu0sTRAwaW22qtpgJj8SB1FVLS1iS2TWmPZvIB8YWGj4dfH_4NKvhiyioUNv3CnUGRp7aBHrHPg8rRy7vqYmkHfGvpJvkksFSKfresdLiebSw7XduGrAFQlYfyPRbqmnA7-b62O_YHt4koptMGjox5kVtLx_yPnfXzILgtxXnhg4EtzOKUBiKA-AgZH&c=jRTlFqVTda_mqI0ZFtZLit4zk85ISCE1M4_HxO3c_BUYCgJRM0BPDw==&ch=jnTeCTRPnC_DTuuT9HHw_VC1oh56A5EgVt1aKIKwWMZgy9ZCib_MqA==" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(51, 102, 204); text-decoration: underline; font-weight: bold;">dol.gov/NDEAM</a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">. Suggestions range from simple, such as putting up a poster, to comprehensive, such as implementing a disability education program. Regardless, all play an important part in fostering a more accessible and equitable workforce, one where all people are recognized for their abilities - every day of every month. </span></p>
</td> </tr> </table> </td> </tr> </table> <table class="layout layout--1-column" style="background-color: #33679c; table-layout: fixed;" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" bgcolor="#33679c"> <tr> <td class="column column--1 scale stack" style="width: 100%;" align="center" valign="top">
<table class="text text--heading text--padding-vertical" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="table-layout: fixed;"> <tr> <td class="text_content-cell content-padding-horizontal" style="text-align: center; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; color: #000000; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.2; display: block; word-wrap: break-word; font-weight: bold; padding: 10px 40px;" align="center" valign="top"><h2 style="font-family: Times New Roman,Times,serif; color: #000000; font-size: 24px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0;"><span style="font-size: 22px; color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif;">College Information Session</span></h2></td> </tr> </table> </td> </tr> </table> <table class="layout layout--1-column" style="table-layout: fixed;" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tr> <td class="column column--1 scale stack" style="width: 100%;" align="center" valign="top">
<table class="image image--padding-vertical image--mobile-scale image--mobile-center" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tr> <td class="image_container content-padding-horizontal" align="center" valign="top" style="padding: 10px 40px;"> <img data-image-content class="image_content" style="display: block; height: auto; max-width: 100%;" width="600" src="https://files.constantcontact.com/c473fa70801/b9db8368-5b40-40cd-ba07-75f8402b85fc.jpg?rdr=true" alt="Photo of a man reading braille with the text: College Information Session, Register Now"> </td> </tr> </table> </td> </tr> </table> <table class="layout layout--1-column" style="table-layout: fixed;" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tr> <td class="column column--1 scale stack" style="width: 100%;" align="center" valign="top">
<table class="text text--padding-vertical" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="table-layout: fixed;"> <tr> <td class="text_content-cell content-padding-horizontal" style="text-align: left; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; color: #000000; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.2; display: block; word-wrap: break-word; padding: 10px 40px;" align="left" valign="top">
<p style="margin: 0;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif;">Attention High School Seniors Planning to Attend College!</span></p>
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<p style="margin: 0;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif;">Are you a high school senior thinking about college? Don't miss out on an incredible opportunity to learn from those who have been in your shoes!</span></p>
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<p style="margin: 0;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-weight: bold;">Event:</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif;"> MCB College Information Session</span></p>
<p style="margin: 0;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-weight: bold;">Date:</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif;"> Wednesday, October 23, 2024 </span></p>
<p style="margin: 0;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-weight: bold;">Time:</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif;"> 3 P.M. to 5 P.M.</span></p>
<p style="margin: 0;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-weight: bold;">Location:</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif;"> Via Zoom</span></p>
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<p style="margin: 0;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif;">Join us for a virtual session where you'll hear firsthand from current and former college students about their experiences. Learn how MCB can be your partner in navigating the college journey, from application to graduation.</span></p>
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<p style="margin: 0;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-weight: bold; font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif;">Parents and guardians are strongly encouraged to attend as well!</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif;"> This is a valuable opportunity to gain insights, ask questions, and connect with others who have successfully managed college life with the support of MCB.</span></p>
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<p style="margin: 0;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif;">Registration details will be available soon! Email </span><a href="mailto:mcbinfo@mass.gov" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline; color: rgb(51, 102, 204);">mcbinfo@mass.gov</a><span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif;"> if you would like to be added to the mailing list.</span></p>
</td> </tr> </table> </td> </tr> </table> <table class="layout layout--1-column" style="background-color: #33679c; table-layout: fixed;" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" bgcolor="#33679c"> <tr> <td class="column column--1 scale stack" style="width: 100%;" align="center" valign="top">
<table class="text text--heading text--padding-vertical" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="table-layout: fixed;"> <tr> <td class="text_content-cell content-padding-horizontal" style="text-align: center; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; color: #000000; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.2; display: block; word-wrap: break-word; font-weight: bold; padding: 10px 40px;" align="center" valign="top"><h2 style="font-family: Times New Roman,Times,serif; color: #000000; font-size: 24px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0;"><span style="font-size: 22px; color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif;">2024 Summer Internship Program</span></h2></td> </tr> </table> </td> </tr> </table> <table class="layout layout--1-column" style="table-layout: fixed;" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tr> <td class="column column--1 scale stack" style="width: 100%;" align="center" valign="top">
<table class="image image--padding-vertical image--mobile-scale image--mobile-center" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tr> <td class="image_container content-padding-horizontal" align="center" valign="top" style="padding: 10px 40px;"> <img data-image-content class="image_content" style="display: block; height: auto; max-width: 100%;" width="600" src="https://files.constantcontact.com/c473fa70801/6e38f461-611e-4b3b-9fa9-eaf20b78932d.jpg?rdr=true" alt="Graphic, photos of the event speakers"> </td> </tr> </table> </td> </tr> </table> <table class="layout layout--1-column" style="table-layout: fixed;" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tr> <td class="column column--1 scale stack" style="width: 100%;" align="center" valign="top">
<table class="text text--padding-vertical" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="table-layout: fixed;"> <tr> <td class="text_content-cell content-padding-horizontal" style="text-align: left; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; color: #000000; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.2; display: block; word-wrap: break-word; padding: 10px 40px;" align="left" valign="top"><p style="margin: 0;">We proudly concluded our 2024 Summer Internship Program with a closing ceremony held at the State House on August 14. This year’s program saw 45 interns joining the ranks, contributing to a remarkable milestone: approximately 900 interns have now participated since the program's inception in 2003.</p></td> </tr> </table> <table class="button button--padding-vertical" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="table-layout: fixed;"> <tr> <td class="button_container content-padding-horizontal" align="center" style="padding: 10px 40px;"> <table class="button_content-row" style="background-color: #33679c; width: inherit; border-radius: 0px; border-spacing: 0; border: none;" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" bgcolor="#33679c"> <tr> <td class="button_content-cell" style="padding: 10px 15px;" align="center"> <a class="button_link" href="https://m9n59dabb.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001XXPFKTu0sTRAwaW22qtpgJj8SB1FVLS1iS2TWmPZvIB8YWGj4dfH_4NKvhiyioUNWp3ugSuHLDQ80bG0ud2XX6SdpsbnIbVBxkS_F8DLzCScqd01U2p9HRSENFXrpUkLmlhOtXKUwIWiH7phIu-QuAjh3c4Ou1LOcs8d2sLjSxcS-Wv6UBAXpAv7Mf851ayTnBZ6w9TorCk-w33V9-dmTU5Ey2feKcyHSIHOTahWUGVF9xoK6HunlHkF2NOJwi3thp0ywOfzzVE=&c=jRTlFqVTda_mqI0ZFtZLit4zk85ISCE1M4_HxO3c_BUYCgJRM0BPDw==&ch=jnTeCTRPnC_DTuuT9HHw_VC1oh56A5EgVt1aKIKwWMZgy9ZCib_MqA==" target="_blank" data-trackable="true" style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 18px; color: #FFFFFF; word-wrap: break-word; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">Read our Summer Internship Program Recap</a> </td> </tr> </table> </td> </tr> </table> </td> </tr> </table> <table class="layout layout--1-column" style="background-color: #33679c; table-layout: fixed;" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" bgcolor="#33679c"> <tr> <td class="column column--1 scale stack" style="width: 100%;" align="center" valign="top">
<table class="text text--heading text--padding-vertical" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="table-layout: fixed;"> <tr> <td class="text_content-cell content-padding-horizontal" style="text-align: center; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; color: #000000; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.2; display: block; word-wrap: break-word; font-weight: bold; padding: 10px 40px;" align="center" valign="top">
<h2 style="font-family: Times New Roman,Times,serif; color: #000000; font-size: 24px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0;"><span style="font-size: 22px; color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif;">Employer Partnership Award: </span></h2>
<h2 style="font-family: Times New Roman,Times,serif; color: #000000; font-size: 24px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0;"><span style="font-size: 22px; color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif;"><span class="ql-cursor"></span>Riverside Community Care</span></h2>
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<table class="image image--padding-vertical image--mobile-scale image--mobile-center" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tr> <td class="image_container content-padding-horizontal" align="center" valign="top" style="padding: 10px 40px;"> <img data-image-content class="image_content" style="display: block; height: auto; max-width: 100%;" width="600" src="https://files.constantcontact.com/c473fa70801/1a11aa61-60bb-4999-b3e2-5a6ce0dabbeb.png?rdr=true" alt="Riverside Community Care: Employer Partnership Award Recipient, Congratulations! "> </td> </tr> </table> </td> </tr> </table> <table class="layout layout--1-column" style="table-layout: fixed;" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tr> <td class="column column--1 scale stack" style="width: 100%;" align="center" valign="top">
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<p style="margin: 0;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif;">We are thrilled to announce Riverside Community Care as the recipient of this year's Employer Partnership Award. This annual award recognizes outstanding employers who demonstrate a commitment to creating an inclusive and supportive work environment for people who are legally blind.</span></p>
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<p style="margin: 0;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif;">Our Employer Partnership Award celebrates organizations that have significantly contributed to enhancing employment opportunities for the blind community. Riverside Community Care has been a standout partner in this mission, consistently providing internships, job opportunities, accommodations, and support to qualified candidates.</span></p>
</td> </tr> </table> <table class="button button--padding-vertical" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="table-layout: fixed;"> <tr> <td class="button_container content-padding-horizontal" align="center" style="padding: 10px 40px;"> <table class="button_content-row" style="background-color: #33679c; width: inherit; border-radius: 0px; border-spacing: 0; border: none;" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" bgcolor="#33679c"> <tr> <td class="button_content-cell" style="padding: 10px 15px;" align="center"> <a class="button_link" href="https://m9n59dabb.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001XXPFKTu0sTRAwaW22qtpgJj8SB1FVLS1iS2TWmPZvIB8YWGj4dfH_26fM8qpJ5AYz_dqyuHL_LkcLoeLcyd5OuAMy4Oyk9wDhmcf4M99RUpgjwNcSdEHQEZeC5TtTY3Ua5tO_HZT1ohB00JGr4fllkf3zmD31r38Dk6Q4e0OStwmzBzWjfuDzoOge_MUN9u0Y1lN_GCgzt4f4yfqip5va5wfp3pK6DZe6gk48PaMh3a522NvCiRmGQP4E3lTDV4IeA6TxN9QILoh1qcsqzh-Y3itMF2qxrayO1qxvnwAXOI=&c=jRTlFqVTda_mqI0ZFtZLit4zk85ISCE1M4_HxO3c_BUYCgJRM0BPDw==&ch=jnTeCTRPnC_DTuuT9HHw_VC1oh56A5EgVt1aKIKwWMZgy9ZCib_MqA==" target="_blank" data-trackable="true" style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 18px; color: #FFFFFF; word-wrap: break-word; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">Read the Press Release</a> </td> </tr> </table> </td> </tr> </table> </td> </tr> </table> <table class="layout layout--1-column" style="background-color: #33679c; table-layout: fixed;" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" bgcolor="#33679c"> <tr> <td class="column column--1 scale stack" style="width: 100%;" align="center" valign="top">
<table class="text text--heading text--padding-vertical" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="table-layout: fixed;"> <tr> <td class="text_content-cell content-padding-horizontal" style="text-align: center; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; color: #000000; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.2; display: block; word-wrap: break-word; font-weight: bold; padding: 10px 40px;" align="center" valign="top"><h2 style="font-family: Times New Roman,Times,serif; color: #000000; font-size: 24px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0;"><span style="font-size: 22px; color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif;">Welcome Deputy Commissioner Justine Muir</span></h2></td> </tr> </table> </td> </tr> </table> <table class="layout layout--1-column" style="table-layout: fixed;" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tr> <td class="column column--1 scale stack" style="width: 100%;" align="center" valign="top">
<table class="image image--padding-vertical image--mobile-scale image--mobile-center" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tr> <td class="image_container content-padding-horizontal" align="center" valign="top" style="padding: 10px 40px;"> <img data-image-content class="image_content" style="display: block; height: auto; max-width: 100%;" width="600" src="https://files.constantcontact.com/c473fa70801/8a1148cb-c3c4-4af3-98db-82fb04b444f8.jpg?rdr=true" alt="A photo of Justine Muir and the text: Welcome Deputy Commissioner Justine Muir!"> </td> </tr> </table> <table class="text text--padding-vertical" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="table-layout: fixed;"> <tr> <td class="text_content-cell content-padding-horizontal" style="text-align: left; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; color: #000000; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.2; display: block; word-wrap: break-word; padding: 10px 40px;" align="left" valign="top">
<p style="margin: 0;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif;">Commissioner Oliveira is excited to welcome Justine Muir as the new Deputy Commissioner of the Massachusetts Commission for the Blind.</span></p>
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<p style="margin: 0;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif;">Justine joins us with more than 15 years of experience in the field of special education and vision rehabilitation. She most recently served as the Director of Pupil Services for the Ashburnham Westminster Regional School District. She held the same position for Littleton Public Schools and spent nearly a decade in Malden Public Schools. Her first job after college was as a Teacher for the Visually Impaired at the Carroll Center for the Blind. She also co-founded ViStars, a non-profit organization that provides after-school empowerment programs for students who are blind or have a visual impairment.</span></p>
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<p style="margin: 0;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif;">Justine earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Assumption University, a master’s degree in special education from UMass Boston, and a post-master’s academic certificate in educational leadership and administration from Fitchburg State University.</span></p>
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<p style="margin: 0;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif;">Justine brings a wealth of experience and a deep commitment to our mission and will be a tremendous asset to our team and the community we serve.</span></p>
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<table class="text text--heading text--padding-vertical" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="table-layout: fixed;"> <tr> <td class="text_content-cell content-padding-horizontal" style="text-align: center; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; color: #000000; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.2; display: block; word-wrap: break-word; font-weight: bold; padding: 10px 40px;" align="center" valign="top"><h2 style="font-family: Times New Roman,Times,serif; color: #000000; font-size: 24px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0;"><span style="font-size: 22px; color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif;">MCB Community Update</span></h2></td> </tr> </table> </td> </tr> </table> <table class="layout layout--1-column" style="table-layout: fixed;" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tr> <td class="column column--1 scale stack" style="width: 100%;" align="center" valign="top">
<table class="image image--padding-vertical image--mobile-scale image--mobile-center" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tr> <td class="image_container content-padding-horizontal" align="center" valign="top" style="padding: 10px 40px;"> <img data-image-content class="image_content" style="display: block; height: auto; max-width: 100%;" width="600" src="https://files.constantcontact.com/c473fa70801/f5f3a555-338f-42e5-8ab6-912d5be765b5.png?rdr=true" alt="MCB logo with the text: Community Update"> </td> </tr> </table> </td> </tr> </table> <table class="layout layout--1-column" style="table-layout: fixed;" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tr> <td class="column column--1 scale stack" style="width: 100%;" align="center" valign="top">
<table class="text text--padding-vertical" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="table-layout: fixed;"> <tr> <td class="text_content-cell content-padding-horizontal" style="text-align: left; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; color: #000000; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.2; display: block; word-wrap: break-word; padding: 10px 40px;" align="left" valign="top">
<p style="margin: 0;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif;">Learn more about Deputy Commissioner Muir in the August episode of the MCB Community Update, premiering this Friday!</span></p>
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<p style="margin: 0;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif;">July's episode of the </span><a href="https://m9n59dabb.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001XXPFKTu0sTRAwaW22qtpgJj8SB1FVLS1iS2TWmPZvIB8YWGj4dfH_1BiZotLIDRTj-vyBK_rewgk8yvEQyihH8BiD4HN7XnpGkn0GdknTRmJbdWbXBz68XFdAGHAKXVGltXZvZ2qp2JatCNF1VsZKexh5RzQwtfkqBIFEHahFmlV5iuhP4rUlfSgXlsEjSeZ&c=jRTlFqVTda_mqI0ZFtZLit4zk85ISCE1M4_HxO3c_BUYCgJRM0BPDw==&ch=jnTeCTRPnC_DTuuT9HHw_VC1oh56A5EgVt1aKIKwWMZgy9ZCib_MqA==" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(51, 102, 204); font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; text-decoration: underline; font-weight: bold;">MCB Community Update</a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif;"> is now live! </span></p>
<p style="margin: 0;"><br></p>
<p style="margin: 0;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-weight: bold;">Guest:</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif;"> Karen Hatcher, Older Independent Blind Program Director</span></p>
<p style="margin: 0;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif;"> </span></p>
<ul>
<li style="color: rgb(51, 102, 204); font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold;"><a href="https://m9n59dabb.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001XXPFKTu0sTRAwaW22qtpgJj8SB1FVLS1iS2TWmPZvIB8YWGj4dfH_4NKvhiyioUNhL4cFmJntls-SYS1YQ66Gju3EqDbNC2AgWUUOhx5hRaP_KT8o9Z0PLJx8ugU3A6CgSWXGrZa1jEJ5DazvRfLAEe-KTVlgstQILxMBAMtuZEr4xAztUMBJaylNmSHwLNHlpcMvwa2MuYyMVHVdTFjUk2EeCLkGJlqoiL5BGZF7YgRGnXHP-xRTiA58XYE1QQUG4rcjyTxv2pDuLZkBBdIYwN4Ns3D5x_oCMbZCVhrX2c0vwoGXWQJTLBct9tRFNBIAkt-7S_lLp7mm7WbhWhY7a66PbID4-JFIHaFRzjGtE3LWYyscoTYnWySrgnMYBpbawX-oqhiwPW9__WvkNv5AJrj5DGcXlWvLATcqbBPUR1cjbCqHwYib7Q01bdh33rHbYhuXzkrzqwvkmffJr8j9hKNILRP1p_EY1BHdhpAckvXs0WnzjP0uytV_hII3ka06KduikAL7pDsiHDN-OCBohLEibPuj9FpWc5c1OAu0bTtGWdDjMWgAJinEy4zR16nq2WBKRq5pn-C4YlbGM2lbUzdm0E62gLYgP77NVQ_YKoR3HkA-erXWvhyweuoIFZoj7tncFe9jYNhPcOYbp6I4FypTRQGNJASoW9nxPm-E9TN82GvVxt4a1yZjI1o5olmNlRvXVcdfsq8qt8MaboSW5k160AsOlYG4ug0REgY2ajvjLQ_xTR_QGvUYJzItiKD1QfYFGugFTyl819Ry6sDWoEoH6ZDafxdD7HxJp3npAsWhxQU7z0qITej-lRsQbVFqx2MGy-pmpuJDBeDcl33tw==&c=jRTlFqVTda_mqI0ZFtZLit4zk85ISCE1M4_HxO3c_BUYCgJRM0BPDw==&ch=jnTeCTRPnC_DTuuT9HHw_VC1oh56A5EgVt1aKIKwWMZgy9ZCib_MqA==" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="font-size: 16px; color: rgb(51, 102, 204); font-weight: bold; font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; text-decoration: none;">Watch on YouTube</a></li>
<li style="color: rgb(51, 102, 204); font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold;"><a href="https://m9n59dabb.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001XXPFKTu0sTRAwaW22qtpgJj8SB1FVLS1iS2TWmPZvIB8YWGj4dfH_4NKvhiyioUN0q-qbmvn20FBe2UQIEgAXxGizPhwKKsqPFhy0QUiFBPXK3isO47JAEY8K-jhqbVmHybo0lGf97TY4cwRy_F_VQFd8DZRQuo15hH1rNGtpVL4DFUXt6I8Q5QCez_bKiOOWYMTwF2J4P8HOkAucx4S1n3CQhdkG9BSpWdVW6VKi6-2tcPE-LFUtKfPPbDHWIkvcGnnHo4rES8kdT2M_lAmUps6GAnqkMf2yI5pHcbp91xNxiVgV2nLegpzEh9QvLIFT5kO047YB2JWPnUNZjbMV6VjrnnP0fMfe9FtTY9wGjlfy_CjjQaxTmce204_FUV-ZM6o1PcqY2I28n85UXpXSkqDPLvCYU3JFt-WdgrUlxFbHLrD67cGynKkcc1gaCjEU3_b4CuY9E78pWPMVr64keTqrg7PBNzfbpX2le8SpaeS8uwqxJTecqhImLPvdd9ppRjog95V5exqYInZJdahJ72k-43fm2JBOY_uDJ3GTTWL1SPaRZ7L41-TsKuip8Mm5PWvTpy1P7YOpsBKKR2l7TMRYEKQXZh5B8SU8MiieFX5ZC4hCs4su_7lqd8iBQfH89S4knQIYbu92_V72DO2EY99o-JJbmyblmoDpezLd4mzLH9KdJ-uAbyatUrC7qpKeXGWOBVfcsdsueh3VlsF4ZZCclihilPZjPXSBOgjWxFgr84LuMFBMldHWCTPIyfc44Ifk-1MiPGAP9__iwceCZg1QFZgHJEKZRplLFsZia4JJDMLeX4SZ5dmoZW9AAknZcbWnfeWbfS1SVpZrDFk_G57Ug50sfEmrS479hi2GE5uPCMVfW1iYW9wzK_4N_cm&c=jRTlFqVTda_mqI0ZFtZLit4zk85ISCE1M4_HxO3c_BUYCgJRM0BPDw==&ch=jnTeCTRPnC_DTuuT9HHw_VC1oh56A5EgVt1aKIKwWMZgy9ZCib_MqA==" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="font-size: 16px; color: rgb(51, 102, 204); font-weight: bold; font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; text-decoration: none;">Listen on Spotify</a></li>
<li style="font-size: 16px; color: rgb(51, 102, 204); font-weight: bold;"><a href="https://m9n59dabb.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001XXPFKTu0sTRAwaW22qtpgJj8SB1FVLS1iS2TWmPZvIB8YWGj4dfH_4NKvhiyioUNZo_shc5DE4BvmkfsZAS617_uwKNB5NGGRuZYZxsS2mOjoDeVEAdNbClNGaeRWKhf_5hJfX3B1IquDvOlDlsimSyLc1dTFVrgnbz49CDAnPM6-mM7h_Mqwf7pezPWgzq1M9cErhvOiHRKPqQxCmGI98ya_BSQ-fWzmkz4Q2cauuaM_UqHUmgCZkEFu8XmciRfPZJj1XCmJmNGB0GrO0JoKRXX9GG96u8bAxTxGWog_Df4kshUaTkklBUWTJdd6icsE6S_6jnyiGtdsbWxiAZaa9qCvbJel_bxu6JyDa3SvoyVM8TvY4i-VZT_Ke-1SdOHw8Yrkzw_VV4_U3RK4zprxjY2TU9CSXc-frOsV1yd6HIaJs_yB8-SvLOteYTR7qFtQ6KJ9_NvVrewgKNQGly3yBsL9na7LoVyP2T1_WSgNHCPbBq_Yzh6wntRg0hm-1Dd3aFkXikA2XNO7JpFcsngql329nokybjgPhIOJtLnbra6d2AEKg489wktVOd896eSEk4CVMjtXlv1AEVD9b3qOm85LDXazJDXWNyVDGDgAk4HmqdK3lPbqhPBKXCDE3RXzJyZN0Hd9WxZorMGTtvQ4rAAwsZIU6wTbe36097oqlGQy4PMdZszS8i9BxJ3BnB_dQK7gHC7_cQUWbCMfXvR8l3NFxRo63PJ46lhu-GjGK-jEO2FR6TtJjHBVt7cZbX_mh9z9qXfkzEAWeTtJ2FMKJ4PB_3woEsPwaVc9d1vIyFm515Oiyvys9_nsKIMizdO2BBjUkt50K4wALRFGV1bsClJDt4rZvObsQXGg0X2SYm2vSQp2MOYOzW2ejqIm5FzJjlljlDlGlcy01Bl--AhiHYLeYVLG54jAqL_JMYxNaUd27vvO0-bVAUdWFYRPYSRadaQhSAE7oybRskQRPzU_w==&c=jRTlFqVTda_mqI0ZFtZLit4zk85ISCE1M4_HxO3c_BUYCgJRM0BPDw==&ch=jnTeCTRPnC_DTuuT9HHw_VC1oh56A5EgVt1aKIKwWMZgy9ZCib_MqA==" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="font-size: 16px; color: rgb(51, 102, 204); font-weight: bold; font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; text-decoration: none;">Listen on Apple Podcasts</a></li>
</ul>
<p style="margin: 0;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif;"> </span></p>
<p style="margin: 0;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif;">The MCB Community Update is a monthly webinar and podcast produced by </span><a href="https://m9n59dabb.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001XXPFKTu0sTRAwaW22qtpgJj8SB1FVLS1iS2TWmPZvIB8YWGj4dfH_0LgH937GPfDYD3T9yCv-9zs2Jv476di9q1IMioMpnSRVLyS_45wpW5xP5VXWpBOr5KNEFl14lUUgANYMu3vUl7Er9oApf6a2tmJqAXeXzDd3flyATXYX6k=&c=jRTlFqVTda_mqI0ZFtZLit4zk85ISCE1M4_HxO3c_BUYCgJRM0BPDw==&ch=jnTeCTRPnC_DTuuT9HHw_VC1oh56A5EgVt1aKIKwWMZgy9ZCib_MqA==" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(51, 102, 204); font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; text-decoration: underline; font-weight: bold;">Audible Local Ledger</a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif;"> Executive Director Eric Joseph who interviews staff members about the latest happenings at MCB.</span></p>
<p style="margin: 0;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif;"> </span></p>
<p style="margin: 0;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif;">The webinar version is posted on YouTube. The podcast version is distributed to the </span><a href="https://m9n59dabb.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001XXPFKTu0sTRAwaW22qtpgJj8SB1FVLS1iS2TWmPZvIB8YWGj4dfH_-tHpRKFeQSlDxHQys0KEJWKn6D1RSy1mtJ_7NZdV7UrT36gkgTbI5IQrDA0-OAsv6jt6ogS8q2qkeZsi_TGVnNI57Ji5e_rY6tAR_tR3_tvBMcfutE_C-qQkmcjBIhoHT2Xt8GLC-Btbm-DOqUQKjbk1EKnjCnlZ8czDdT6gjzpWQ0zRfZgpWIFZFSRhq1ZXmU_7nl7LgO656YbccJjNC0pOXRHzppDc3kABhN4lcuWmQJ2zv3yzghI6XwJ2HaelbxeORXuz3CH4Tm6eYNdd1WjV26q80uRWmK0KYH7MyDb-7kpxSAU6lYO1HRRkIAuz8HPvTcwXov5A8v6dWF4mu-lhbEH8gDk4BUfqgq4tnZZDCSt5cEavyTDrboYO1SgBBj-cZRO5m3dvKx6cFLX1_fcCcYMm6br0acL_efmNQQ0h3A-vQNLXcINcid8upPdlatnNNm0ZclnCdbpIJtui2D68POZe16wMUXomhoKXMtwHC9d-pUfIVrp07skXTKumsajJ-uavsJwPODe7i_zt6Z1WGr0ez7pK5qDSqp0SKIsEB1Y5r461UKQt6_SkTrrfYk7eBWGzSXtcoLUZG8iPPDADkxk5_zioUNze5kdxZTxK1sOREH_bTQM8Kp-Xd0sw-hNQ6r80JHI0cZ4XS1omuWRRH3l6Rtr__KEmSvqgGpq3eJ06A9NEHoyDHLWYGST71pv48qgucYbMUUeG47v__--YT89bnUvx4X3HRmx_9d_ctmnxiv-If8TudViN5X_BfkwoPwovZItYOV6eGOP4diNkKOEH7HuhjHuzdNlHoMWQTO0pqS7zM8NXm0qt5hVXA==&c=jRTlFqVTda_mqI0ZFtZLit4zk85ISCE1M4_HxO3c_BUYCgJRM0BPDw==&ch=jnTeCTRPnC_DTuuT9HHw_VC1oh56A5EgVt1aKIKwWMZgy9ZCib_MqA==" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(51, 102, 204); font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; text-decoration: underline; font-weight: bold;">Massachusetts Audio Information Network</a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif;"> member radio stations for broadcast and is available on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.</span></p>
<p style="margin: 0;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif;"> </span></p>
<p style="margin: 0;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif;">A new episode is posted on the last Friday of each month.</span></p>
<p style="margin: 0;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif;"> </span></p>
<p style="margin: 0;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-weight: bold;">September's Guest:</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif;"> John Oliveira, Commissioner</span></p>
</td> </tr> </table> </td> </tr> </table> <table class="layout layout--1-column" style="background-color: #33679c; table-layout: fixed;" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" bgcolor="#33679c"> <tr> <td class="column column--1 scale stack" style="width: 100%;" align="center" valign="top">
<table class="text text--heading text--padding-vertical" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="table-layout: fixed;"> <tr> <td class="text_content-cell content-padding-horizontal" style="text-align: center; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; color: #000000; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.2; display: block; word-wrap: break-word; font-weight: bold; padding: 10px 40px;" align="center" valign="top"><h2 style="font-family: Times New Roman,Times,serif; color: #000000; font-size: 24px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0;"><span style="font-size: 22px; color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif;">The Carroll Society Awards</span></h2></td> </tr> </table> </td> </tr> </table> <table class="layout layout--1-column" style="table-layout: fixed;" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tr> <td class="column column--1 scale stack" style="width: 100%;" align="center" valign="top">
<table class="image image--padding-vertical image--mobile-scale image--mobile-center" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tr> <td class="image_container content-padding-horizontal" align="center" valign="top" style="padding: 10px 40px;"> <img data-image-content class="image_content" style="display: block; height: auto; max-width: 100%;" width="600" src="https://files.constantcontact.com/c473fa70801/0e48b398-9a0e-4495-9499-9e8aab703295.jpg?rdr=true" alt="The Carroll Society Awards 2024 with photos of the five award recipients "> </td> </tr> </table> </td> </tr> </table> <table class="layout layout--1-column" style="table-layout: fixed;" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tr> <td class="column column--1 scale stack" style="width: 100%;" align="center" valign="top">
<table class="text text--padding-vertical" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="table-layout: fixed;"> <tr> <td class="text_content-cell content-padding-horizontal" style="text-align: left; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; color: #000000; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.2; display: block; word-wrap: break-word; padding: 10px 40px;" align="left" valign="top">
<p style="margin: 0;">Every year, The Carroll Center for the Blind and the Massachusetts Commission for the Blind recognize outstanding employees who are blind or have a visual impairment through the annual <a href="https://m9n59dabb.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001XXPFKTu0sTRAwaW22qtpgJj8SB1FVLS1iS2TWmPZvIB8YWGj4dfH_4NKvhiyioUNO7uT8KvxZl4zeR1ARMegMdQbG-HkRklRdpR0Bp8T6WVyzvfVBehl8Qli_Sy2q2j9e7CIIKEGBbMFzCYFi3hUvZY_yRkx-ubuD_2g0C-GIpR78kbIzzNbYV_LMOUee7g7cBRkBOXZYrhQ5FjUCllylKzp_12-b172WqbQOoLpJhFgqtz8MU0rzlD4nq06PByiwvnrZwZY-zyqjTnJlNCgbK5JA56Lf7RJchcxJN-0_R8hBjXppxTh-MMJA9JsLlDWxQGql0SsTdJQvH5FpE8qGA==&c=jRTlFqVTda_mqI0ZFtZLit4zk85ISCE1M4_HxO3c_BUYCgJRM0BPDw==&ch=jnTeCTRPnC_DTuuT9HHw_VC1oh56A5EgVt1aKIKwWMZgy9ZCib_MqA==" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: #3366CC; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;">Carroll Society Awards</a> Ceremony. These awards recognize employees who have made significant contributions to their companies by their outstanding ability and job performance.</p>
<p style="margin: 0;"><br></p>
<p style="margin: 0;">Congratulations to the 2024 winners:</p>
<p style="margin: 0;"><br></p>
<p style="margin: 0;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-weight: bold;">Carroll Society Membership</span></p>
<ul>
<li style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif;">Jason Allen, New England Low Vision & Blindness</span></li>
<li style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif;">Katie Crocker, Polus Center for Social & Economic Development</span></li>
<li style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif;">Frank Antonucci, Secretary of the Commonwealth</span></li>
<li style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif;">Kevin Trainor, Bay State Property Management</span></li>
</ul>
<p style="margin: 0;"><br></p>
<p style="margin: 0;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-weight: bold;">Thomas J. Carroll Award for Employment “Blind Employee of the Year”</span></p>
<ul><li style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif;">Lorna DesRoses, Archdiocese of Boston</span></li></ul>
</td> </tr> </table> <table class="button button--padding-vertical" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="table-layout: fixed;"> <tr> <td class="button_container content-padding-horizontal" align="center" style="padding: 10px 40px;"> <table class="button_content-row" style="background-color: #33679c; width: inherit; border-radius: 0px; border-spacing: 0; border: none;" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" bgcolor="#33679c"> <tr> <td class="button_content-cell" style="padding: 10px 15px;" align="center"> <a class="button_link" href="https://m9n59dabb.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001XXPFKTu0sTRAwaW22qtpgJj8SB1FVLS1iS2TWmPZvIB8YWGj4dfH_4NKvhiyioUNPQDjBAcX0y4CCM2nQPl9a84_HXyRZdpBbIdeRIknLhW1dTHcsYwwzxVnVBBj43IN43Y2a2zydYt1Ehr3-SpGZD1rAHcnZPc3&c=jRTlFqVTda_mqI0ZFtZLit4zk85ISCE1M4_HxO3c_BUYCgJRM0BPDw==&ch=jnTeCTRPnC_DTuuT9HHw_VC1oh56A5EgVt1aKIKwWMZgy9ZCib_MqA==" target="_blank" data-trackable="true" style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 18px; color: #FFFFFF; word-wrap: break-word; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">Watch the 2024 Carroll Society Award Ceremony</a> </td> </tr> </table> </td> </tr> </table> <table class="text text--padding-vertical" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="table-layout: fixed;"> <tr> <td class="text_content-cell content-padding-horizontal" style="text-align: left; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; color: #000000; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.2; display: block; word-wrap: break-word; padding: 10px 40px;" align="left" valign="top"><p style="margin: 0;"><span style="font-size: 17px;">Recipients are chosen because, despite their vision loss, they are exemplary employees and contribute to the overall culture of both their business and community. Despite the employment barriers people with disabilities face, inductees have proven their commitment to making a difference by serving as both leaders and examples for others. Each new Carroll Society inductee demonstrates the passion, professionalism, and excellence to change the perception of what it means to be blind in the workplace.</span></p></td> </tr> </table> </td> </tr> </table> <table class="layout layout--1-column" style="background-color: #33679c; table-layout: fixed;" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" bgcolor="#33679c"> <tr> <td class="column column--1 scale stack" style="width: 100%;" align="center" valign="top">
<table class="text text--heading text--padding-vertical" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="table-layout: fixed;"> <tr> <td class="text_content-cell content-padding-horizontal" style="text-align: center; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; color: #000000; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.2; display: block; word-wrap: break-word; font-weight: bold; padding: 10px 40px;" align="center" valign="top"><h2 style="font-family: Times New Roman,Times,serif; color: #000000; font-size: 24px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0;"><span style="font-size: 22px; color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif;">New: Booklet of Services & Programmatic Brochures</span></h2></td> </tr> </table> </td> </tr> </table> <table class="layout layout--1-column" style="table-layout: fixed;" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tr> <td class="column column--1 scale stack" style="width: 100%;" align="center" valign="top"><div class="spacer" style="line-height: 10px; height: 10px;"> </div></td> </tr> </table> <table class="layout layout--1-column" style="table-layout: fixed;" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tr> <td class="column column--1 scale stack" style="width: 100%;" align="center" valign="top">
<table class="text text--padding-vertical" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="table-layout: fixed;"> <tr> <td class="text_content-cell content-padding-horizontal" style="text-align: left; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; color: #000000; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.2; display: block; word-wrap: break-word; padding: 10px 40px;" align="left" valign="top">
<table class="image image--float-left scale image--mobile-scale image--mobile-center" align="left" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="mso-table-rspace: 5.75pt;"> <tr> <td class="image_container scale stack" align="left" valign="" style="padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px;"> <img data-image-content class="image_content" style="display: block; height: auto; max-width: 100%;" width="242" src="https://files.constantcontact.com/c473fa70801/31dfc514-5cdb-4896-8fb5-f6e7dae4624f.png?rdr=true" alt="MCB Booklet of Services cover"> </td> <td class="image_spacer hide" width="15" height="1" align="center" valign="top" style="height: 1px; line-height: 1px; padding: 0px;"> <img alt="" width="15" height="1" border="0" hspace="0" vspace="0" src="https://imgssl.constantcontact.com/letters/images/sys/S.gif"> </td> </tr> </table> <p style="margin: 0;">We are thrilled to announce the release of our newly updated Booklet of Services and a series of programmatic brochures. These resources are designed to provide comprehensive and accessible information about the array of programs and services available through the Massachusetts Commission for the Blind.</p>
<p style="margin: 0;"><br></p>
<p style="margin: 0;">Our Booklet of Services offers a detailed overview of the various programs and services we provide. It includes essential information on eligibility criteria, the registration process, and accessing benefits. This booklet is an invaluable resource for Massachusetts residents who are legally blind, their families and caregivers, as well as professionals working in the field.</p>
<p style="margin: 0;"><br></p>
<p style="margin: 0;">In addition to the booklet, we have developed a set of detailed programmatic brochures. Each brochure highlights specific aspects of our services.</p>
<p style="margin: 0;"><br></p>
<p style="margin: 0;">These resources are now available both in print and online. To request physical copies, please call us at <a href="tel:617-626-7586" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="text-decoration: underline; font-weight: bold; color: #3366CC;">617-626-7586</a> or email us at <a href="mailto:mcbinfo@mass.gov" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="text-decoration: underline; font-weight: bold; color: #3366CC;">mcbinfo@mass.gov</a>, including your name and mailing address. Alternatively, you can <a href="https://m9n59dabb.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001XXPFKTu0sTRAwaW22qtpgJj8SB1FVLS1iS2TWmPZvIB8YWGj4dfH_4NKvhiyioUN7Srx9PpaifFnu3nriTf4_t3Nole8OZhwnS6Bwe19erl-WKg50YG72tdoXbpJKq21mxgIBUN5mgxBD87_5kgVio-T03_bfxQYUp0hcBmezhd0yWcFLkKvf1KDEYGYCG2hEpVmswxD9jnT4EyJP8FwCql4lA2RTTmH8Sru1WW4mvY=&c=jRTlFqVTda_mqI0ZFtZLit4zk85ISCE1M4_HxO3c_BUYCgJRM0BPDw==&ch=jnTeCTRPnC_DTuuT9HHw_VC1oh56A5EgVt1aKIKwWMZgy9ZCib_MqA==" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="text-decoration: underline; font-weight: bold; color: #3366CC;">download the digital versions</a> directly from our website.</p>
<p style="margin: 0;"><br></p>
<p style="margin: 0;">We hope these materials will assist you in navigating our services and connecting with the support you need.</p>
</td> </tr> </table> </td> </tr> </table> <table class="layout layout--1-column" style="background-color: #33679c; table-layout: fixed;" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" bgcolor="#33679c"> <tr> <td class="column column--1 scale stack" style="width: 100%;" align="center" valign="top">
<table class="text text--heading text--padding-vertical" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="table-layout: fixed;"> <tr> <td class="text_content-cell content-padding-horizontal" style="text-align: center; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; color: #000000; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.2; display: block; word-wrap: break-word; font-weight: bold; padding: 10px 40px;" align="center" valign="top"><h2 style="font-family: Times New Roman,Times,serif; color: #000000; font-size: 24px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0;"><span style="font-size: 22px; color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif;">New Staff & Promotions</span></h2></td> </tr> </table> </td> </tr> </table> <table class="layout layout--1-column" style="table-layout: fixed;" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tr> <td class="column column--1 scale stack" style="width: 100%;" align="center" valign="top">
<table class="text text--padding-vertical" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="table-layout: fixed;"> <tr> <td class="text_content-cell content-padding-horizontal" style="text-align: left; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; color: #000000; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.2; display: block; word-wrap: break-word; padding: 10px 40px;" align="left" valign="top">
<p style="margin: 0;">Please join us in welcoming these new staff members who joined our team in recent months:</p>
<p style="margin: 0;"><br></p>
<ul>
<li style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-weight: bold; font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif;">Laurie Houde Korajczyk</span></li>
<li style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-weight: normal; margin-left: 3em;" class="indent-1"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-weight: normal; font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif;">Promoted to Randolph-Sheppard Vending Facilities Program Supervisor from Randolph-Sheppard Vending Facilities Program Coordinator</span></li>
<li style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-weight: bold; font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif;">Nicole Lucente</span></li>
<li style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-weight: normal; margin-left: 3em;" class="indent-1"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-weight: normal; font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif;">Rehabilitation Teacher - Region 1 (Western Massachusetts)</span></li>
<li style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-weight: bold; font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif;">Justine Muir</span></li>
<li style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-weight: normal; margin-left: 3em;" class="indent-1"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-weight: normal; font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif;">Deputy Commissioner</span></li>
<li style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-weight: bold; font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif;">Michelle Murray</span></li>
<li style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-weight: normal; margin-left: 3em;" class="indent-1"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-weight: normal; font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif;">Promoted to Director of Accounting from Administrative Assistant and ADA Specialist - Region 3 (Northeast Massachusetts)</span></li>
<li style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-weight: bold; font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif;">Alex Primrose</span></li>
<li style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-weight: normal; margin-left: 3em;" class="indent-1"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-weight: normal; font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif;">Certified Orientation and Mobility Specialist - Region 3 (Northeast Massachusetts)</span></li>
<li style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-weight: bold; font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif;">Jeffrey Tillinghast</span></li>
<li style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-weight: normal; margin-left: 3em;" class="indent-1"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-weight: normal; font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif;">Assistive Technology Specialist - Region 4 (MetroWest)</span></li>
</ul>
</td> </tr> </table> </td> </tr> </table> <table class="layout layout--1-column" style="table-layout: fixed;" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tr> <td class="column column--1 scale stack" style="width: 100%;" align="center" valign="top"><div class="spacer" style="line-height: 10px; height: 10px;"> </div></td> </tr> </table> <table class="layout layout--1-column" style="background-color: #33679c; table-layout: fixed;" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" bgcolor="#33679c"> <tr> <td class="column column--1 scale stack" style="width: 100%;" align="center" valign="top">
<table class="text text--heading text--padding-vertical" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="table-layout: fixed;"> <tr> <td class="text_content-cell content-padding-horizontal" style="text-align: center; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; color: #000000; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.2; display: block; word-wrap: break-word; font-weight: bold; padding: 10px 40px;" align="center" valign="top"><h2 style="font-family: Times New Roman,Times,serif; color: #000000; font-size: 24px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0;"><span style="font-size: 22px; color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif;">In the Community</span></h2></td> </tr> </table> </td> </tr> </table> <table class="layout layout--1-column" style="table-layout: fixed;" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tr> <td class="column column--1 scale stack" style="width: 100%;" align="center" valign="top">
<table class="divider" width="100%" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" border="0"> <tr> <td class="divider_container content-padding-horizontal" style="padding: 10px 40px;" width="100%" align="center" valign="top"> <table class="divider_content-row" style="height: 1px; width: 100%;" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" border="0"> <tr> <td class="divider_content-cell" style="height: 1px; line-height: 1px; padding-bottom: 0px; background-color: #0A4646; border-bottom-width: 0px;" height="1" align="center" bgcolor="#0A4646"> <img alt="" width="5" height="1" border="0" hspace="0" vspace="0" src="https://imgssl.constantcontact.com/letters/images/1101116784221/S.gif" style="display: block; height: 1px; width: 5px;"> </td> </tr> </table> </td> </tr> </table> </td> </tr> </table> <table class="layout layout--2-column" style="table-layout: fixed;" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tr> <td class="column column--1 scale stack" style="width: 50%;" align="center" valign="top">
<table class="image image--padding-vertical image--mobile-scale image--mobile-center" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tr> <td class="image_container content-padding-horizontal" align="center" valign="top" style="padding: 10px 20px 10px 40px;"> <img data-image-content class="image_content" style="display: block; height: auto; max-width: 100%;" width="200" src="https://files.constantcontact.com/c473fa70801/7a1bdfb8-7bb1-4ad7-862e-bc6ddc294e41.png?rdr=true" alt="Keri Davidson, Kyle Stremel, Mervyn Campbell"> </td> </tr> </table> <table class="text text--padding-vertical" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="table-layout: fixed;"> <tr> <td class="text_content-cell content-padding-horizontal" style="text-align: left; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; color: #000000; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.2; display: block; word-wrap: break-word; padding: 10px 20px 10px 40px;" align="left" valign="top">
<p style="margin: 0;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">August 4: Blind Abilities and Awareness Day at Polar Park</span></p>
<p style="margin: 0;"><br></p>
<p style="margin: 0;">We were delighted to participate in Blind Abilities and Awareness Day at Polar Park, an event organized by Memorial Foundation for the Blind. The day featured a game between the Worcester Red Sox and the Buffalo Bisons and provided a fantastic opportunity to raise awareness, celebrate abilities, and foster a sense of inclusivity and support for people who are blind.</p>
<p style="margin: 0;"><br></p>
<p style="margin: 0;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Pictured:</span> Keri Davidson, Kyle Stremel, Mervyn Campbell</p>
<p style="margin: 0;"><br></p>
<p style="margin: 0;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Not Pictured:</span> Jen Daly, Dahlia James, Justine Muir</p>
</td> </tr> </table> </td> <td class="column column--2 scale stack" style="width: 50%;" align="center" valign="top">
<table class="image image--padding-vertical image--mobile-scale image--mobile-center" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tr> <td class="image_container content-padding-horizontal" align="center" valign="top" style="padding: 10px 40px 10px 20px;"> <img data-image-content class="image_content" style="display: block; height: auto; max-width: 100%;" width="200" src="https://files.constantcontact.com/c473fa70801/38a3ead0-c40e-48a9-b758-66e77e4c78b3.png?rdr=true" alt="Suzanne, Kyle, and Mervyn stand behind a table draped in an MCB tablecloth"> </td> </tr> </table> <table class="text text--padding-vertical" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="table-layout: fixed;"> <tr> <td class="text_content-cell content-padding-horizontal" style="text-align: left; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; color: #000000; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.2; display: block; word-wrap: break-word; padding: 10px 40px 10px 20px;" align="left" valign="top">
<p style="margin: 0;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">August 6: Worcester National Night Out</span></p>
<p style="margin: 0;"><br></p>
<p style="margin: 0;">We hosted a table at Worcester’s National Night Out, where we distributed outreach materials and connected with community members. This was a great evening of engagement and building connections.</p>
<p style="margin: 0;"><br></p>
<p style="margin: 0;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Pictured:</span> Suzanne Person, Kyle Stremel, Mervyn Campbell</p>
<p style="margin: 0;"><br></p>
<p style="margin: 0;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Not Pictured:</span> Jen Daly (who took the photo)</p>
</td> </tr> </table> </td> </tr> </table> <table class="layout layout--1-column" style="background-color: #33679c; table-layout: fixed;" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" bgcolor="#33679c"> <tr> <td class="column column--1 scale stack" style="width: 100%;" align="center" valign="top">
<table class="text text--heading text--padding-vertical" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="table-layout: fixed;"> <tr> <td class="text_content-cell content-padding-horizontal" style="text-align: center; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; color: #000000; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.2; display: block; word-wrap: break-word; font-weight: bold; padding: 10px 40px;" align="center" valign="top"><h2 style="font-family: Times New Roman,Times,serif; color: #000000; font-size: 24px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0;"><span style="font-size: 22px; color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif;">Community Calendar</span></h2></td> </tr> </table> </td> </tr> </table> <table class="layout layout--1-column" style="table-layout: fixed;" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tr> <td class="column column--1 scale stack" style="width: 100%;" align="center" valign="top">
<table class="image image--padding-vertical image--mobile-scale image--mobile-center" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tr> <td class="image_container content-padding-horizontal" align="center" valign="top" style="padding: 10px 40px;"> <img data-image-content class="image_content" style="display: block; height: auto; max-width: 100%;" width="600" src="https://files.constantcontact.com/c473fa70801/16cf5ba9-12ff-4350-8d9f-bf427d13eabd.png?rdr=true" alt="Calendar icon with the text: Community Calendar"> </td> </tr> </table> </td> </tr> </table> <table class="layout layout--1-column" style="table-layout: fixed;" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tr> <td class="column column--1 scale stack" style="width: 100%;" align="center" valign="top">
<table class="text text--padding-vertical" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="table-layout: fixed;"> <tr> <td class="text_content-cell content-padding-horizontal" style="text-align: left; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; color: #000000; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.2; display: block; word-wrap: break-word; padding: 10px 40px;" align="left" valign="top">
<h3 style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; color: #000000; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0;"><span style="text-decoration: underline; font-weight: bold; font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif;">Upcoming Events</span></h3>
<p style="margin: 0;"><br></p>
<ul>
<li class="indent--1" style="font-weight: bold;">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-weight: bold;">September 18: </span><a href="https://m9n59dabb.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001XXPFKTu0sTRAwaW22qtpgJj8SB1FVLS1iS2TWmPZvIB8YWGj4dfH_4NKvhiyioUN_GOsQGtAIEO-wzX2WjvZaiMPvd-Nte8YdDannnR_MlqJgJwUkb8zs-2SgRNWy_7GsCOiHTq2Cp9yLv5klv4jjcMdE1l0s64cWk-G-6VOnLs4oVTGKsCfn9GyYQMFAMGR21Hw3Wem2IXvfUATzUfIVRiHtXeISu1UhthnMNWWKpbPMfRg8w4_A8P0YNuEQitPJGwYRiTShbnxI9S1QCz-EU-Rh_loIplFJwKBtSEunZJURTqVxZSdumevdBN_S181&c=jRTlFqVTda_mqI0ZFtZLit4zk85ISCE1M4_HxO3c_BUYCgJRM0BPDw==&ch=jnTeCTRPnC_DTuuT9HHw_VC1oh56A5EgVt1aKIKwWMZgy9ZCib_MqA==" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(51, 102, 204); font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline;">Reasonable Accommodation and Modification Requests in Housing Workshop</a>
</li>
<li class="indent--1" style="font-weight: bold;">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-weight: bold;">September 26: </span><a href="https://m9n59dabb.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001XXPFKTu0sTRAwaW22qtpgJj8SB1FVLS1iS2TWmPZvIB8YWGj4dfH_4NKvhiyioUNVV5jqFkK2V2vogKKzNXl7URYQrSCvrSm9PszmXC2XvcOTHgJu8EhzMAfr5nquZGNI2oC8kbUZX2Wb_MYzMhQYiMRr61jeB6sdK3y2l-3eQ6SEWpygg43KspCq1J6ExYPDuAD3NTg2AU=&c=jRTlFqVTda_mqI0ZFtZLit4zk85ISCE1M4_HxO3c_BUYCgJRM0BPDw==&ch=jnTeCTRPnC_DTuuT9HHw_VC1oh56A5EgVt1aKIKwWMZgy9ZCib_MqA==" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline; color: #3366CC;">RTAG General Meeting</a>
</li>
<li class="indent--1" style="font-weight: bold;">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-weight: bold;">October 11: </span><a href="https://m9n59dabb.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001XXPFKTu0sTRAwaW22qtpgJj8SB1FVLS1iS2TWmPZvIB8YWGj4dfH_4NKvhiyioUNmZ2UfET0WlS2D4aA1bJA_pRwGqTia1ROLGU1TVZxj3qwGmLcvYtMweY0kaMuRAQsiaVgdAW4XfIdy74aPGzhAXmr5MXovUJiQIVCinaEq8fFVwWNrKSXBADCPb2_CpZoUY3Xw1rHTBjxjbY8cCmhqQ==&c=jRTlFqVTda_mqI0ZFtZLit4zk85ISCE1M4_HxO3c_BUYCgJRM0BPDw==&ch=jnTeCTRPnC_DTuuT9HHw_VC1oh56A5EgVt1aKIKwWMZgy9ZCib_MqA==" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline; color: #3366CC;">White Cane Awareness Day Workshop</a><span style="font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline;"> </span>
</li>
<li style="font-weight: bold;">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-weight: bold;">October 23: </span><a href="https://m9n59dabb.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001XXPFKTu0sTRAwaW22qtpgJj8SB1FVLS1iS2TWmPZvIB8YWGj4dfH_4NKvhiyioUNkWBA6N3eRr4XJNmoGa0sOlleLvM78u7cEoVfCvNWaP7rXZr7wf306sYjAaD6e4i5fMPsmbjsw8AljLoOePW0kdK1vRRmtSJ6V316RheQjEEfLRzDH-ZHWbx_U3-pA__5LoK67F57epo3QE-KFxmrGqeD01Gc6Iam0UwYklGcnmIGHpMpRXHgk4IAkd8iJWoh&c=jRTlFqVTda_mqI0ZFtZLit4zk85ISCE1M4_HxO3c_BUYCgJRM0BPDw==&ch=jnTeCTRPnC_DTuuT9HHw_VC1oh56A5EgVt1aKIKwWMZgy9ZCib_MqA==" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline; color: #3366CC;">National Disability Awareness Month Celebration</a>
</li>
</ul>
</td> </tr> </table> </td> </tr> </table> <table class="layout layout--1-column" style="table-layout: fixed;" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tr> <td class="column column--1 scale stack" style="width: 100%;" align="center" valign="top"> <table class="button button--padding-vertical" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="table-layout: fixed;"> <tr> <td class="button_container content-padding-horizontal" align="center" style="padding: 10px 40px;"> <table class="button_content-row" style="background-color: #33679c; width: inherit; border-radius: 0px; border-spacing: 0; border: none;" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" bgcolor="#33679c"> <tr> <td class="button_content-cell" style="padding: 10px 15px;" align="center"> <a class="button_link" href="https://m9n59dabb.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001XXPFKTu0sTRAwaW22qtpgJj8SB1FVLS1iS2TWmPZvIB8YWGj4dfH__0sNufc4RBSExPLjJFxmnS7h0df46exRTttrnJnO9OutAjBnPdzrVmwkEP5zIssHjZgFzPUj_mYoBuikZ1onNVx3Fp49vMJQpRXW_v-pNnwa_xeh-x6NY8=&c=jRTlFqVTda_mqI0ZFtZLit4zk85ISCE1M4_HxO3c_BUYCgJRM0BPDw==&ch=jnTeCTRPnC_DTuuT9HHw_VC1oh56A5EgVt1aKIKwWMZgy9ZCib_MqA==" target="_blank" data-trackable="true" style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 18px; color: #FFFFFF; word-wrap: break-word; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">Visit the Community Calendar</a> </td> </tr> </table> </td> </tr> </table> </td> </tr> </table> <table class="layout layout--1-column" style="table-layout: fixed;" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tr> <td class="column column--1 scale stack" style="width: 100%;" align="center" valign="top">
<table class="text text--padding-vertical" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="table-layout: fixed;"> <tr> <td class="text_content-cell content-padding-horizontal" style="text-align: left; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; color: #000000; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.2; display: block; word-wrap: break-word; padding: 10px 40px;" align="left" valign="top">
<h3 style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; color: #000000; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0;"><span style="text-decoration: underline; font-weight: bold;">Add an Event</span></h3>
<p style="margin: 0;"><br></p>
<p style="margin: 0;">MCB maintains a <a href="https://m9n59dabb.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001XXPFKTu0sTRAwaW22qtpgJj8SB1FVLS1iS2TWmPZvIB8YWGj4dfH__0sNufc4RBSExPLjJFxmnS7h0df46exRTttrnJnO9OutAjBnPdzrVmwkEP5zIssHjZgFzPUj_mYoBuikZ1onNVx3Fp49vMJQpRXW_v-pNnwa_xeh-x6NY8=&c=jRTlFqVTda_mqI0ZFtZLit4zk85ISCE1M4_HxO3c_BUYCgJRM0BPDw==&ch=jnTeCTRPnC_DTuuT9HHw_VC1oh56A5EgVt1aKIKwWMZgy9ZCib_MqA==" target="_blank" style="text-decoration: underline; font-weight: bold; color: #3366CC;">Community Calendar</a> to highlight events for the blindness community. If you're a stakeholder or community partner and would like to list an event on our Community Calendar, please email the details to <a href="mailto:mcbinfo@mass.gov" target="_blank" style="text-decoration: underline; font-weight: bold; color: #3366CC;">mcbinfo@mass.gov</a></p>
</td> </tr> </table> </td> </tr> </table> <table class="layout layout--1-column" style="background-color: #33679c; table-layout: fixed;" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" bgcolor="#33679c"> <tr> <td class="column column--1 scale stack" style="width: 100%;" align="center" valign="top">
<table class="text text--heading text--padding-vertical" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="table-layout: fixed;"> <tr> <td class="text_content-cell content-padding-horizontal" style="text-align: center; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; color: #000000; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.2; display: block; word-wrap: break-word; font-weight: bold; padding: 10px 40px;" align="center" valign="top"><h2 style="font-family: Times New Roman,Times,serif; color: #000000; font-size: 24px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0;"><span style="font-size: 22px; color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif;">Save the Date: "Focus" Conference</span></h2></td> </tr> </table> </td> </tr> </table> <table class="layout layout--1-column" style="table-layout: fixed;" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tr> <td class="column column--1 scale stack" style="width: 100%;" align="center" valign="top">
<table class="image image--padding-vertical image--mobile-scale image--mobile-center" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tr> <td class="image_container content-padding-horizontal" align="center" valign="top" style="padding: 10px 40px;"> <img data-image-content class="image_content" style="display: block; height: auto; max-width: 100%;" width="600" src="https://files.constantcontact.com/c473fa70801/76f808ef-2311-4798-9384-e7f606e61605.png?rdr=true" alt='An image of eyeglasses with the text: "Focus" Conference'> </td> </tr> </table> </td> </tr> </table> <table class="layout layout--1-column" style="table-layout: fixed;" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tr> <td class="column column--1 scale stack" style="width: 100%;" align="center" valign="top">
<table class="text text--padding-vertical" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="table-layout: fixed;"> <tr> <td class="text_content-cell content-padding-horizontal" style="text-align: left; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; color: #000000; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.2; display: block; word-wrap: break-word; padding: 10px 40px;" align="left" valign="top">
<p style="margin: 0;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-weight: bold; font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif;">16th Annual “Focus” on Vision Impairment & Blindness Conference</span></p>
<p style="margin: 0;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-weight: normal;">Meeting the Needs of Individuals with Intellectual Disability and Vision Loss</span></p>
<p style="margin: 0;"><br></p>
<p style="margin: 0;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">This day-long event offers a multi-track educational program tailored to the needs of people with intellectual disability and vision loss, along with clinicians, family members, support staff, nurses, eye care providers, administrators, and advocates.</span></p>
<p style="margin: 0;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif;"> </span></p>
<p style="margin: 0;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-weight: bold;">Date:</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif;"> October 1, 2024</span></p>
<p style="margin: 0;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-weight: bold;">Time:</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif;"> 8 A.M. to 3:30 P.M.</span></p>
<p style="margin: 0;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-weight: bold;">Location:</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif;"> Four Points by Sheraton Norwood</span></p>
</td> </tr> </table> </td> </tr> </table> <table class="layout layout--1-column" style="table-layout: fixed;" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tr> <td class="column column--1 scale stack" style="width: 100%;" align="center" valign="top"> <table class="button button--padding-vertical" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="table-layout: fixed;"> <tr> <td class="button_container content-padding-horizontal" align="center" style="padding: 10px 40px;"> <table class="button_content-row" style="background-color: #33679c; width: inherit; border-radius: 0px; border-spacing: 0; border: none;" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" bgcolor="#33679c"> <tr> <td class="button_content-cell" style="padding: 10px 15px;" align="center"> <a class="button_link" href="https://m9n59dabb.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001XXPFKTu0sTRAwaW22qtpgJj8SB1FVLS1iS2TWmPZvIB8YWGj4dfH_-VdwOq45egvXa6H5axIVktJ34ALWRAMJqhfai5A0l2UrUm5JwrgWO5_GGK1f2kDp5nkfWRcl5U24an9aAE7inrEvpxY6PP2Pz4W0ybucf-EgpMZUSTdTyVPDfDbz-XOaXg92A5jhPvjOyoLbuDOKpO5fV4iH5Us7A==&c=jRTlFqVTda_mqI0ZFtZLit4zk85ISCE1M4_HxO3c_BUYCgJRM0BPDw==&ch=jnTeCTRPnC_DTuuT9HHw_VC1oh56A5EgVt1aKIKwWMZgy9ZCib_MqA==" target="_blank" data-trackable="true" style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 18px; color: #FFFFFF; word-wrap: break-word; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">Learn More & Register</a> </td> </tr> </table> </td> </tr> </table> </td> </tr> </table> <table class="layout layout--1-column" style="table-layout: fixed;" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tr> <td class="column column--1 scale stack" style="width: 100%;" align="center" valign="top">
<table class="text text--padding-vertical" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="table-layout: fixed;"> <tr> <td class="text_content-cell content-padding-horizontal" style="text-align: left; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; color: #000000; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.2; display: block; word-wrap: break-word; padding: 10px 40px;" align="left" valign="top"><p style="margin: 0;"><a href="mailto:lisa.dibonaventura@mass.gov" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="text-decoration: underline; font-weight: bold; color: #3366CC;">Email Lisa DiBonaventura</a> with any comments, questions, or concerns.</p></td> </tr> </table> </td> </tr> </table> <table class="layout layout--1-column" style="background-color: #33679c; table-layout: fixed;" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" bgcolor="#33679c"> <tr> <td class="column column--1 scale stack" style="width: 100%;" align="center" valign="top">
<table class="text text--heading text--padding-vertical" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="table-layout: fixed;"> <tr> <td class="text_content-cell content-padding-horizontal" style="text-align: center; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; color: #000000; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.2; display: block; word-wrap: break-word; font-weight: bold; padding: 10px 40px;" align="center" valign="top"><h2 style="font-family: Times New Roman,Times,serif; color: #000000; font-size: 24px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0;"><span style="font-size: 22px; color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif;">"Focus" Talk</span></h2></td> </tr> </table> </td> </tr> </table> <table class="layout layout--1-column" style="table-layout: fixed;" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tr> <td class="column column--1 scale stack" style="width: 100%;" align="center" valign="top">
<table class="text text--padding-vertical" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="table-layout: fixed;"> <tr> <td class="text_content-cell content-padding-horizontal" style="text-align: left; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; color: #000000; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.2; display: block; word-wrap: break-word; padding: 10px 40px;" align="left" valign="top">
<p style="margin: 0;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-weight: bold;">The latest "Focus" Talk is now live!</span></p>
<p style="margin: 0;"><br></p>
<p style="margin: 0;"><span style="color: rgb(5, 5, 5); font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-weight: bold;">Featured Session:</span><span style="color: rgb(5, 5, 5); font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="color: rgb(42, 42, 42); font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif;">Seasons of Life in Disability Eye Care</span></p>
<p style="margin: 0;"><br></p>
<p style="margin: 0;"><span style="color: rgb(42, 42, 42); font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-weight: bold;">Presenters:</span></p>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif;">Greg Waldorf, OD, MPH, FAAO, Associate Dean for Clinical Programs, MCPHS School of Optometry</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif;">Dot Tolls, OD, Center for Eye Care Southeastern Massachusetts, New England College of Optometry Developmental Disabilities Services, The Eye and Vision Center MCPHS School of Optometry</span></li>
</ul>
</td> </tr> </table> </td> </tr> </table> <table class="layout layout--1-column" style="table-layout: fixed;" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tr> <td class="column column--1 scale stack" style="width: 100%;" align="center" valign="top"> <table class="button button--padding-vertical" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="table-layout: fixed;"> <tr> <td class="button_container content-padding-horizontal" align="center" style="padding: 10px 40px;"> <table class="button_content-row" style="background-color: #33679c; width: inherit; border-radius: 0px; border-spacing: 0; border: none;" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" bgcolor="#33679c"> <tr> <td class="button_content-cell" style="padding: 10px 15px;" align="center"> <a class="button_link" href="https://m9n59dabb.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001XXPFKTu0sTRAwaW22qtpgJj8SB1FVLS1iS2TWmPZvIB8YWGj4dfH_4NKvhiyioUNO7fqH7y6AU6gGIaAka70NyGePfW2QTukHcqvNz8rmv4vPj_K4q75AaZwzZ4-kbKIbNZlG7jlXj9dBa28YStB5nCj2rpIaPUJ2GemMwidRyyBwvJxO9TU9TZHT7bZ8Ld6csA5sfe05_J-GzhXcdjybhZEtCV1jEVFXG5Zq5KL8bwDFXoDYAo2iutCoFwQpn61tZleAzdZhqHc_-2RDtexsnowXLs4tv3DqPknj8eZJCY=&c=jRTlFqVTda_mqI0ZFtZLit4zk85ISCE1M4_HxO3c_BUYCgJRM0BPDw==&ch=jnTeCTRPnC_DTuuT9HHw_VC1oh56A5EgVt1aKIKwWMZgy9ZCib_MqA==" target="_blank" data-trackable="true" style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 18px; color: #FFFFFF; word-wrap: break-word; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">Listen to "Focus" Talk</a> </td> </tr> </table> </td> </tr> </table> </td> </tr> </table> <table class="layout layout--1-column" style="background-color: #33679c; table-layout: fixed;" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" bgcolor="#33679c"> <tr> <td class="column column--1 scale stack" style="width: 100%;" align="center" valign="top">
<table class="text text--heading text--padding-vertical" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="table-layout: fixed;"> <tr> <td class="text_content-cell content-padding-horizontal" style="text-align: center; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; color: #000000; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.2; display: block; word-wrap: break-word; font-weight: bold; padding: 10px 40px;" align="center" valign="top"><h2 style="font-family: Times New Roman,Times,serif; color: #000000; font-size: 24px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0;"><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 22px;">In the News</span></h2></td> </tr> </table> </td> </tr> </table> <table class="layout layout--1-column" style="table-layout: fixed;" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tr> <td class="column column--1 scale stack" style="width: 100%;" align="center" valign="top">
<table class="image image--padding-vertical image--mobile-scale image--mobile-center" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tr> <td class="image_container content-padding-horizontal" align="center" valign="top" style="padding: 10px 40px;"> <img data-image-content class="image_content" style="display: block; height: auto; max-width: 100%;" width="600" src="https://files.constantcontact.com/c473fa70801/5bdbea3d-f8a6-4a3d-9638-c51e8f7b398f.png?rdr=true" alt="Newspaper icon with the text: In The News"> </td> </tr> </table> <table class="text text--padding-vertical" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="table-layout: fixed;"> <tr> <td class="text_content-cell content-padding-horizontal" style="text-align: left; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; color: #000000; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.2; display: block; word-wrap: break-word; padding: 10px 40px;" align="left" valign="top"><ul>
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</li>
<li style="font-weight: bold;">
<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-weight: bold;">Fifty Plus Advocate: </span><a href="https://m9n59dabb.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001XXPFKTu0sTRAwaW22qtpgJj8SB1FVLS1iS2TWmPZvIB8YWGj4dfH_4NKvhiyioUNa-WSGImIwfQ2ExSEjxmcP1JfC-JNBjrrXz6k94MqiXTEU8JjOU_OMX4cVj6TYWAlqCyZ07CKkO9lFAqDMGpPLRdKXrvo6eROX_a0HMveezm7gX3HM-3-zbaod0S4qsnFfEJUbH8n7itoHetnBq6vaAxnCytOior0dsSxkP4r0Lvsd_wNpiYWaE1ZGObZ4SAj9kziKwvebLMpW4uuamWkWl3pfvGTTfqM&c=jRTlFqVTda_mqI0ZFtZLit4zk85ISCE1M4_HxO3c_BUYCgJRM0BPDw==&ch=jnTeCTRPnC_DTuuT9HHw_VC1oh56A5EgVt1aKIKwWMZgy9ZCib_MqA==" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(51, 102, 204); font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline;">Hudson resident honored for work with Carroll Center for the Blind</a>
</li>
<li style="font-weight: bold;">
<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-weight: bold;">WHDH-TV: </span><a href="https://m9n59dabb.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001XXPFKTu0sTRAwaW22qtpgJj8SB1FVLS1iS2TWmPZvIB8YWGj4dfH_4NKvhiyioUNfyR7lhveK7m49Trzg_QhSJf6lIyNE5Y8MSM6IDaztfNFeakYynM8zoIzmB4U96uWLi8wqdW5zb_g8JOoJwfhUDYHWGmC2oDzwyy8on2YvzMtMwrmse8tnQYmLpVXxkv0Vi_McTl_77bwfmYNuyRRD-MrCfWibNuQ_Cvgnl7IhRc=&c=jRTlFqVTda_mqI0ZFtZLit4zk85ISCE1M4_HxO3c_BUYCgJRM0BPDw==&ch=jnTeCTRPnC_DTuuT9HHw_VC1oh56A5EgVt1aKIKwWMZgy9ZCib_MqA==" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(51, 102, 204); font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline;">Hull HS student creates walker designed for vision-impaired</a>
</li>
<li style="font-weight: bold;">
<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-weight: bold;">The Patriot Ledger: </span><a href="https://m9n59dabb.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001XXPFKTu0sTRAwaW22qtpgJj8SB1FVLS1iS2TWmPZvIB8YWGj4dfH_4NKvhiyioUNhAJWhpV13LkPg1-Ve8W7G2qSj3vtbIGQ20YgyzMNXSMrOR3zd8XA-Tgb4tLXPAbZPKVw2Kt7pYo3d6XN4CmDAf3Xey970NJz8I3yLXDpb3uZrchcb7p0gRMS2L_XDfs3o_A98Fcs1ctPEfwvfBB9V548VR5j7UkmqRvt7ulyCndlsfSPsBCJyK9fJZuwRRNVUqylS2w7-LE8UpyodqpQfyUJSRjHDS9mqowF3XfJ471jALVQ_vCT8qKHjqWUZ8wiB5CYTKXYNeNirWRKKvgXCthZqGLY-D0F3YA88nrnGfI=&c=jRTlFqVTda_mqI0ZFtZLit4zk85ISCE1M4_HxO3c_BUYCgJRM0BPDw==&ch=jnTeCTRPnC_DTuuT9HHw_VC1oh56A5EgVt1aKIKwWMZgy9ZCib_MqA==" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(51, 102, 204); font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline;">Student wins top MIT prize for smart walker in bid to help his great-grandmother</a>
</li>
<li style="font-weight: bold;">
<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-weight: bold;">The Boston Globe: </span><a href="https://m9n59dabb.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001XXPFKTu0sTRAwaW22qtpgJj8SB1FVLS1iS2TWmPZvIB8YWGj4dfH_-luohJSMc9gpY1GWTW91WNzGTRflHF5sMDXM5GC7DwA1PXs4tdrgaw8uZlGbTf7Hrcxkoi5287QgRAcE8nvl1o-Yx70gOdRJLRIc_J46eEyb3J0cN4QVhwkRxHX8ziomoWshvM1l7ypxu3vGtcgT8gPllfcJmWtVxP9V_1xKE6bBGSAmDfbU-BlUCaowMmwGm_-zwD3Q4WRc8PhAperIrs=&c=jRTlFqVTda_mqI0ZFtZLit4zk85ISCE1M4_HxO3c_BUYCgJRM0BPDw==&ch=jnTeCTRPnC_DTuuT9HHw_VC1oh56A5EgVt1aKIKwWMZgy9ZCib_MqA==" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(51, 102, 204); font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline;">Lunch with friends at a Chinatown restaurant? Not for a young blind woman who showed up with her service dog</a>
</li>
</ul></td> </tr> </table> </td> </tr> </table> <table class="layout layout--1-column" style="background-color: #33679c; table-layout: fixed;" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" bgcolor="#33679c"> <tr> <td class="column column--1 scale stack" style="width: 100%;" align="center" valign="top">
<table class="text text--padding-vertical" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="table-layout: fixed;"> <tr> <td class="text_content-cell content-padding-horizontal" style="text-align: left; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; color: #000000; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.2; display: block; word-wrap: break-word; padding: 10px 40px;" align="left" valign="top"><h2 style="text-align: center; font-family: Times New Roman,Times,serif; color: #000000; font-size: 24px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0;" align="center"><span style="font-size: 22px; font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Boston's Quick Guide to Dog Guide Etiquette</span></h2></td> </tr> </table> </td> </tr> </table> <table class="layout layout--1-column" style="table-layout: fixed;" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tr> <td class="column column--1 scale stack" style="width: 100%;" align="center" valign="top">
<table class="image image--padding-vertical image--mobile-scale image--mobile-center" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tr> <td class="image_container content-padding-horizontal" align="center" valign="top" style="padding: 10px 40px;"> <a href="https://m9n59dabb.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001XXPFKTu0sTRAwaW22qtpgJj8SB1FVLS1iS2TWmPZvIB8YWGj4dfH_4NKvhiyioUNDUFrvg90r-PBJisb6aMGXSPEF7k0Y7LGBTEwm2GQExNHd926F5-JwQfN7sjU71DW2BQeoR6qJ8tK9fwkaE4SOJdJunvqe4bImgs2dZJmKDHPU-u8Hq_k7qXNdEogjU3-&c=jRTlFqVTda_mqI0ZFtZLit4zk85ISCE1M4_HxO3c_BUYCgJRM0BPDw==&ch=jnTeCTRPnC_DTuuT9HHw_VC1oh56A5EgVt1aKIKwWMZgy9ZCib_MqA==" data-trackable="true"><img data-image-content class="image_content" style="display: block; height: auto; max-width: 100%;" width="600" src="https://web-extract.constantcontact.com/v1/thumbnail?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.ytimg.com%2Fvi%2FpsP6x0_hX08%2Fhqdefault.jpg" alt="Link to YouTube video, "Boston's quick guide to guide dog etiquette" "></a> </td> </tr> </table> </td> </tr> </table> <table class="layout layout--1-column" style="table-layout: fixed;" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tr> <td class="column column--1 scale stack" style="width: 100%;" align="center" valign="top">
<table class="text text--padding-vertical" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="table-layout: fixed;"> <tr> <td class="text_content-cell content-padding-horizontal" style="text-align: left; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; color: #000000; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.2; display: block; word-wrap: break-word; padding: 10px 40px;" align="left" valign="top"><p style="margin: 0;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Suffolk University student Joicee Gordillo and her beloved guide dog, Junie, are featured in a new video produced by WCVB-TV (Channel 5) titled, "</span><a href="https://m9n59dabb.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001XXPFKTu0sTRAwaW22qtpgJj8SB1FVLS1iS2TWmPZvIB8YWGj4dfH_4NKvhiyioUNNX1bmv5fzW83wMHpovprhFYKgLRk21S2Om6DeX7_U0lzlsZm-gVH9uMwLQmqBeFaBF_3CnuMtnIVBJuBSyjoGxCMvSBjxKxpPfA2jDNI_VaXI961fzdj0I4azzFPg2yPQHmChKLrOhiN44Tx7e8JjC9-N22awdzF36wyiJ4rkIug9Ykep0wvsvsd1GW76gFGxxh2odTeyCtAEv5jSt03cNiXzNRrD4RNbi04IMy8gn-58UQlT57IbPnK6OnjaZ2k1I1_PP1QPG5gDtr8WudCJgmdfhzunoxHtZHmEBM01zYOnfWSYyYEt098Hitx-fNTNfZPpBiWuBAElC79Lt3VANBrHm7tylczOLpqNDS0M9hNE_QUaFeAIZBaHEhvdVYFlM1NbOZ9cjDgieE-Y0dXyVELRq53gTvcbuBaIpyWBYQVVDfqxlGT07Whjp8yMxU-MiPKexkwcu49oCaSG1db3_bYFSVJOiM8K5YLJEqugNHeRLypnQgZMv8H_srQgLQ6qO7Q1kK720Cwc-KNXuUzCTnSGZGUcoWVk9G0zAjCD2KzM7sadeHeysSTlrd591V2N4HuS_ifgLzb73vOeXirLnQWPhYmfiPkCrtSxZagTMb_wgPdTfdJUpYGOP_hdnvgc5LrOPIUCAdG5-zTDtqqjAGspNAsMYDnaQ2WutHg3OnI71xHR6tWIg-TQvq46k_o8asbKqEJG8Z1-IZoYlZOXMFbN9BmDaCggu7CPJKSlLy3DzCjaWQDREX2TLsHl022HqQobayRH7HeP1Mny0SXiw==&c=jRTlFqVTda_mqI0ZFtZLit4zk85ISCE1M4_HxO3c_BUYCgJRM0BPDw==&ch=jnTeCTRPnC_DTuuT9HHw_VC1oh56A5EgVt1aKIKwWMZgy9ZCib_MqA==" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-weight: bold; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: underline; color: rgb(51, 102, 204);">Boston's quick guide to guide dog etiquette</a><span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">." This video is part of a larger report, which Joicee was also featured, titled, "</span><a href="https://m9n59dabb.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001XXPFKTu0sTRAwaW22qtpgJj8SB1FVLS1iS2TWmPZvIB8YWGj4dfH_4NKvhiyioUNy_a2fae5tegSCJFJq0JvEfJo5gFGkBfVFvJPtNTWYbrzazfg4mxQ6MozeLXwRdoXVHCQMol2Jb49jdxyIQkfUjaC75f-JBh8N9t0HGrhbP1K7w7x2WOeatuaZS9skN_ZjzsM4-IMgJuN62jpLjzNOp1yLWNkEgMMkXpNIcMVFNonqD8a8AQ1lL7DnjvYuXjrpp19tEKK63R7_vNd5F7eJCnXzv2msu1l0hzkvFUKT7e34Bv4U0o--ykuJfGdIiXV7KWh90SGLDRah7_piFPRF_h0Wt5gXy-H6vhPaDwQLwuTGabtHVWi4TntTsk8nOy_3JdIqhPiIpL9hQE4u55cAvuzuQ-b5efGCDR7M91f9dcGgMUdnVD8J_TVTEguscfwS8zfyEiLLwvdewV6XmoPG0FbdxdrD3xrTL4HofQkuUlN5vYfwuwgi1PmlgIs5y_jtJSOEdKyNw3yn7uRbBmx9YojtyUWy4V5_ccghbdcv5-Uu2pyIQ2qHyuDPsb-CKNwFWtQI0ihBHqGhkIKO2KV_-uCmapAFiFQ5LLGcfs0S0Q_4a-GhXcQlGRe7NgTmFnw8YM5uCbjgXTnqcTto5mxrpyjQuNEqzGWtACd1LtoFo4IT2rHrGgIaE_zrx-semZ9Y_JH6Z7bMC8r-Jg3QfjTdGJkUNZMBD-OjAZDr2INm84blG3wpudsnnuIpLi-XMPCPWxhOJaWq6u37-8XUu9IRWc8NoqzUei3T4MPgInh5Pe-vKeY0qIHjWEXb8_1IDSYmnWLG2Sho14KKeLRRTHMALiSMtjZXLKfTERUzbfRQEujlVuzOyoYOngpMkWLTKn5mqQxzjIQDZBKjwytX1JfQwGlIWmercPjdOloZasQmdlkn8Lne4mpYLT7gm0UyX0HCUjEyXbclE4=&c=jRTlFqVTda_mqI0ZFtZLit4zk85ISCE1M4_HxO3c_BUYCgJRM0BPDw==&ch=jnTeCTRPnC_DTuuT9HHw_VC1oh56A5EgVt1aKIKwWMZgy9ZCib_MqA==" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; color: rgb(51, 102, 204); font-weight: bold; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: underline;">Boston disability advocates push for inclusive design as historic city seeks to grow housing stock</a><span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">."</span></p></td> </tr> </table> </td> </tr> </table> <table class="layout layout--1-column" style="background-color: #33679c; table-layout: fixed;" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" bgcolor="#33679c"> <tr> <td class="column column--1 scale stack" style="width: 100%;" align="center" valign="top">
<table class="text text--padding-vertical" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="table-layout: fixed;"> <tr> <td class="text_content-cell content-padding-horizontal" style="text-align: left; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; color: #000000; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.2; display: block; word-wrap: break-word; padding: 10px 40px;" align="left" valign="top"><h2 style="text-align: center; font-family: Times New Roman,Times,serif; color: #000000; font-size: 24px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0;" align="center"><span style="font-size: 22px; font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Barbie Unveils Blind Fashionista Doll</span></h2></td> </tr> </table> </td> </tr> </table> <table class="layout layout--1-column" style="table-layout: fixed;" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tr> <td class="column column--1 scale stack" style="width: 100%;" align="center" valign="top">
<table class="image image--padding-vertical image--mobile-scale image--mobile-center" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tr> <td class="image_container content-padding-horizontal" align="center" valign="top" style="padding: 10px 40px;"> <img data-image-content class="image_content" style="display: block; height: auto; max-width: 100%;" width="600" src="https://files.constantcontact.com/c473fa70801/2e255b2d-0d4a-4b77-843b-ba1344fcc59b.png?rdr=true" alt="Pictures of blind Barbie fashionista doll"> </td> </tr> </table> </td> </tr> </table> <table class="layout layout--1-column" style="table-layout: fixed;" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tr> <td class="column column--1 scale stack" style="width: 100%;" align="center" valign="top">
<table class="text text--padding-vertical" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="table-layout: fixed;"> <tr> <td class="text_content-cell content-padding-horizontal" style="text-align: left; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; color: #000000; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.2; display: block; word-wrap: break-word; padding: 10px 40px;" align="left" valign="top"><p style="margin: 0;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif;">In partnership with </span><a href="https://m9n59dabb.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001XXPFKTu0sTRAwaW22qtpgJj8SB1FVLS1iS2TWmPZvIB8YWGj4dfH_4NKvhiyioUNjtyfPePzBvm4L8EUnj3Ibr23dE7CyVT7SGkYsgQN8YvDBZiVXQm_j0FqZVND0djZD10Ya3-Y-xCEmDrHiR_4nb12ffpCfDPtGYlKeGOYIILS6q02Fpw5C53r4gbuLI_aKq_Nm6Av6ZiVINRAROwtnP7XjbEgJTgJn6EXcKyf9Fc0iGYJo_wZhK4dT46s1wofQNXPrOfJo1y8ripKzaFe8lGGnQhMK1J7mlHxLrODHHCrBPbh0pbcNh52iJHkW0yzc-GkjXJVrk_1rzn7YTlEm7kLPM7DzJbvuzRTnbflP2wvnQ363dDGiKefSHwzA_fcl3qJw9dZy0hOaV2Fd1JvTJk9lZvylTSegGRMEL4K5KoiIQ2bPSG874T85YQCqm5M_3bNWf8PSa1s0BRXqi6dxo9p5L4iDI8_QuyUd34AdjK1gvZe5iuREObrSjAz9uRheBRQf6xuq1q5srMM6ZEjiun2BanY9r9bsoqlz9ZFHXaslcuInwGVdvDgWugLf5Ml4lVLIipYaCDipKOI-_Or2FGJMt9MxyAhjBo2GIOFgiSnvjOvOT_78KIKkHgIX3SU-mTYjT7sjmTfPnrHf_CgFiBDVlwWLBiyrEJagEc94ZafCQAAd8PUICBCvNNNcoQviy-eE8Ure0ms5pJ-E4w-Wv7fXepcmNLBTRiy571prhFMZYNGqnXSDU3uOzyqaVzHrO2KbRL2W6RNAVhdUIAA_bj4BYUnOB02&c=jRTlFqVTda_mqI0ZFtZLit4zk85ISCE1M4_HxO3c_BUYCgJRM0BPDw==&ch=jnTeCTRPnC_DTuuT9HHw_VC1oh56A5EgVt1aKIKwWMZgy9ZCib_MqA==" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(51, 102, 204); font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline;">American Foundation for the Blind (AFB)</a><span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif;">, Barbie proudly introduces the first Blind Barbie Fashionista doll, developed to authentically represent individuals who are blind and low vision. This doll features an upward and outward eye gaze, sunglasses, and a cane with a marshmallow tip. Textured fabrics enhance the sensory experience, making fashion elements more accessible with easy-to-open Braille packaging, and elbow articulation for comfortable cane use, facilitating accessibility to show that we are all Barbie. </span></p></td> </tr> </table> </td> </tr> </table> <table class="layout layout--2-column" style="table-layout: fixed;" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tr> <td class="column column--1 scale stack" style="width: 50%;" align="center" valign="top"> <table class="button button--padding-vertical" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="table-layout: fixed;"> <tr> <td class="button_container content-padding-horizontal" align="center" style="padding: 10px 20px 10px 40px;"> <table class="button_content-row" style="background-color: #33679c; width: inherit; border-radius: 0px; border-spacing: 0; border: none;" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" bgcolor="#33679c"> <tr> <td class="button_content-cell" style="padding: 10px 15px;" align="center"> <a class="button_link" href="https://m9n59dabb.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001XXPFKTu0sTRAwaW22qtpgJj8SB1FVLS1iS2TWmPZvIB8YWGj4dfH__S85euVQ053dsYQmvlt9UTqSUBqxL7kEFHCDUElHk6yMmgvKrx26kywggA8ctgFgqH4SlGtZEAacDykCmUDt9qr96kfSKNLTIGojJuAWF1KAYWa1NrJd1sm24uOiJ330FbZ-w5bp9LNJyvExxespflkc043ptWWQhFAvmK3Lzi0wWjuzShvwkGfMObzboG_7s0z2s1MQIL7qSvGHiTdYilDt_MFcemm5ZFeWuSzKaX3QKCZPKwzLgSf4j-ej2XrdmWhenE1Jf0iF1NHaEMiu_pycjASqp3qDcdvj_SLV8e_v89eekod_FR0_XWR-2DUr5DQ5Imfg3tsAsg3pMsFSsyklqETEZh2opxuEa3VfVUF&c=jRTlFqVTda_mqI0ZFtZLit4zk85ISCE1M4_HxO3c_BUYCgJRM0BPDw==&ch=jnTeCTRPnC_DTuuT9HHw_VC1oh56A5EgVt1aKIKwWMZgy9ZCib_MqA==" target="_blank" data-trackable="true" style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 18px; color: #FFFFFF; word-wrap: break-word; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">Read the AFB Press Release</a> </td> </tr> </table> </td> </tr> </table> </td> <td class="column column--2 scale stack" style="width: 50%;" align="center" valign="top"> <table class="button button--padding-vertical" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="table-layout: fixed;"> <tr> <td class="button_container content-padding-horizontal" align="center" style="padding: 10px 40px 10px 20px;"> <table class="button_content-row" style="background-color: #33679c; width: inherit; border-radius: 0px; border-spacing: 0; border: none;" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" bgcolor="#33679c"> <tr> <td class="button_content-cell" style="padding: 10px 15px;" align="center"> <a class="button_link" href="https://m9n59dabb.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001XXPFKTu0sTRAwaW22qtpgJj8SB1FVLS1iS2TWmPZvIB8YWGj4dfH__S85euVQ0535Hc7AIpM-fZPHdHyFET4GXFyc4v-Mp5tW2VZRHEArV1VGY5pmTf9dX1ztNqEqLxqFnE_451aRqSM0bngGpNVuEJCnmKoL6lmNlv1EIbbPG9cg4Vo3e1E29Ypx0G503NVjtyc3Fye3PKf_9DX9dRmQFDWNW5bAU-FDa5rc3lXQ14dUzTqI1_iuNjmA0FnI7XHYUfq0Nxg05PdYgjpoFGfi1GrdeONlMM0&c=jRTlFqVTda_mqI0ZFtZLit4zk85ISCE1M4_HxO3c_BUYCgJRM0BPDw==&ch=jnTeCTRPnC_DTuuT9HHw_VC1oh56A5EgVt1aKIKwWMZgy9ZCib_MqA==" target="_blank" data-trackable="true" style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 18px; color: #FFFFFF; word-wrap: break-word; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">Learn More on the Mattell Website</a> </td> </tr> </table> </td> </tr> </table> </td> </tr> </table> <table class="layout layout--1-column" style="background-color: #33679c; table-layout: fixed;" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" bgcolor="#33679c"> <tr> <td class="column column--1 scale stack" style="width: 100%;" align="center" valign="top">
<table class="text text--padding-vertical" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="table-layout: fixed;"> <tr> <td class="text_content-cell content-padding-horizontal" style="text-align: left; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; color: #000000; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.2; display: block; word-wrap: break-word; padding: 10px 40px;" align="left" valign="top"><h2 style="text-align: center; font-family: Times New Roman,Times,serif; color: #000000; font-size: 24px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0;" align="center">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 22px; color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">The Story Behind Her Success: </span><span style="font-size: 22px; font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Eavan O'Neill</span>
</h2></td> </tr> </table> </td> </tr> </table> <table class="layout layout--1-column" style="table-layout: fixed;" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tr> <td class="column column--1 scale stack" style="width: 100%;" align="center" valign="top">
<table class="text text--padding-vertical" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="table-layout: fixed;"> <tr> <td class="text_content-cell content-padding-horizontal" style="text-align: left; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; color: #000000; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.2; display: block; word-wrap: break-word; padding: 10px 40px;" align="left" valign="top">
<table class="image image--float-left scale image--mobile-scale image--mobile-center" align="left" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="mso-table-rspace: 5.75pt;"> <tr> <td class="image_container scale stack" align="left" valign="" style="padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px;"> <img data-image-content class="image_content" style="display: block; height: auto; max-width: 100%;" width="277" src="https://files.constantcontact.com/c473fa70801/19e1d3fc-e2eb-43a8-945a-88d8d97ccfda.jpg?rdr=true" alt="A photo of Eavan O'Neill with the text: The Story Behind Her Success with Candy O'Terry"> </td> <td class="image_spacer hide" width="15" height="1" align="center" valign="top" style="height: 1px; line-height: 1px; padding: 0px;"> <img alt="" width="15" height="1" border="0" hspace="0" vspace="0" src="https://imgssl.constantcontact.com/letters/images/sys/S.gif"> </td> </tr> </table> <p style="margin: 0;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-weight: bold;">Episode Description - Eavan O'Neill: </span><span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-weight: bold;">Marathoner & Advocate for People who are Blind</span></p>
<p style="margin: 0;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif;"> </span></p>
<p style="margin: 0;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif;">The doctor said, “You are going blind, and there is no cure.” My mom burst into tears, and I remember thinking, “This can’t be happening to me," said Eavan O’Neill.</span></p>
<p style="margin: 0;"><br></p>
<p style="margin: 0;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif;">When she was only 13 years old, Eavan O’Neill started having trouble seeing the blackboard at school. A gifted athlete, she began missing the ball while playing lacrosse and soccer. One of her coaches suggested she have her eyes checked. Unfortunately, glasses didn’t do much to solve the problem. Throughout her teens, Eavan’s eyesight continued to deteriorate, and in this interview, she admits wishful thinking set in, until one day, she mistook the moon for a street light and it was obvious something was very wrong. Diagnosed at age 20 by Rachel Huckfeldt, MD, PhD, an </span>ophthalmologist <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif;">in the Inherited Retinal Disorders Service at Mass Eye and Ear, with a rare and incurable condition called Stargardt disease, Eavan is now legally blind. In this interview, she recalls returning to St. Lawrence University after her diagnosis in January 2020, only to go home two months later to her family in Yarmouth, Maine, due to the pandemic. Distraught and uncertain about her future, she accepted an invitation from her neighbor to go for a run and discovered that running flipped a switch inside of her. “Running has made me feel strong, happy, and capable again,” said Eavan. An experienced marathoner who can only see four-feet in front of her, Eavan runs to raise awareness and funds for a cure for Stargardt disease. Now a Development Officer at Mass General Brigham, Eavan is determined to be a voice for anyone struggling with this rare disease. “I felt so isolated when I was first diagnosed," she said. "It was like diving off of a cliff into no-man’s land. It’s hard to find hope. That’s what I want to be for people. Hope.” Although she still has “bad blind girl days,” Eavan looks on the bright side with her Instagram account </span><a href="https://m9n59dabb.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001XXPFKTu0sTRAwaW22qtpgJj8SB1FVLS1iS2TWmPZvIB8YWGj4dfH_9mZDWjhoiNoQBJlA7dEoRyWSAegIfKyuK2OVitqlJNeHMUI-4rP9zcSSOIQleP2pVT2yDDCOXiPSmyUNWOXhcG50DmxecG2OeW0X7xl96JdINhOCzuSm49T7AhkDB1mww==&c=jRTlFqVTda_mqI0ZFtZLit4zk85ISCE1M4_HxO3c_BUYCgJRM0BPDw==&ch=jnTeCTRPnC_DTuuT9HHw_VC1oh56A5EgVt1aKIKwWMZgy9ZCib_MqA==" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(51, 102, 204); font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; text-decoration: underline; font-weight: bold;">@bright_side.group</a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif;">.</span></p>
</td> </tr> </table> <table class="button button--padding-vertical" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="table-layout: fixed;"> <tr> <td class="button_container content-padding-horizontal" align="center" style="padding: 10px 40px;"> <table class="button_content-row" style="background-color: #33679c; width: inherit; border-radius: 0px; border-spacing: 0; border: none;" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" bgcolor="#33679c"> <tr> <td class="button_content-cell" style="padding: 10px 15px;" align="center"> <a class="button_link" href="https://m9n59dabb.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001XXPFKTu0sTRAwaW22qtpgJj8SB1FVLS1iS2TWmPZvIB8YWGj4dfH_4NKvhiyioUNBu0qx8KabXj02y25MWLWbH5EBH0s4VARc59DqRU3ikL7ILsK0AHWXPaAkJrVHufcF3-s6R3g1uHYZBSsPm7Hj5iS8ygQkXz-HhlWFTnUb4xBCHlKzC4g5plPzdjzIoUGnAM46PQ58OWi-gN-jkOoma5NPvxcJ0d3XAUEXqz56sk5v6VbldbvfW2CAbT7IqYn0twLBjnyESRebGjHW8thuAVe9h4EyIXk&c=jRTlFqVTda_mqI0ZFtZLit4zk85ISCE1M4_HxO3c_BUYCgJRM0BPDw==&ch=jnTeCTRPnC_DTuuT9HHw_VC1oh56A5EgVt1aKIKwWMZgy9ZCib_MqA==" target="_blank" data-trackable="true" style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 18px; color: #FFFFFF; word-wrap: break-word; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">Listen to The Story Behind Her Success Podcast</a> </td> </tr> </table> </td> </tr> </table> </td> </tr> </table> <table class="layout layout--1-column" style="background-color: #33679c; table-layout: fixed;" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" bgcolor="#33679c"> <tr> <td class="column column--1 scale stack" style="width: 100%;" align="center" valign="top">
<table class="text text--padding-vertical" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="table-layout: fixed;"> <tr> <td class="text_content-cell content-padding-horizontal" style="text-align: left; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; color: #000000; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.2; display: block; word-wrap: break-word; padding: 10px 40px;" align="left" valign="top"><h2 style="text-align: center; font-family: Times New Roman,Times,serif; color: #000000; font-size: 24px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0;" align="center"><span style="font-size: 22px; color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif;">Blind Girl Chat Podcast</span></h2></td> </tr> </table> </td> </tr> </table> <table class="layout layout--1-column" style="table-layout: fixed;" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tr> <td class="column column--1 scale stack" style="width: 100%;" align="center" valign="top">
<table class="image image--padding-vertical image--mobile-scale image--mobile-center" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tr> <td class="image_container content-padding-horizontal" align="center" valign="top" style="padding: 10px 40px;"> <img data-image-content class="image_content" style="display: block; height: auto; max-width: 100%;" width="600" src="https://files.constantcontact.com/c473fa70801/2e7118dc-ac27-4d10-b93f-746ee4248a5e.jpg?rdr=true" alt="Photo of Lina Coral, Juna Gjata, and a dog guide with the text: Blind Girl Chat"> </td> </tr> </table> </td> </tr> </table> <table class="layout layout--1-column" style="table-layout: fixed;" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tr> <td class="column column--1 scale stack" style="width: 100%;" align="center" valign="top">
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<p style="margin: 0;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif;">Check out the latest episode of the "</span><a href="https://m9n59dabb.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001XXPFKTu0sTRAwaW22qtpgJj8SB1FVLS1iS2TWmPZvIB8YWGj4dfH_4NKvhiyioUNulEuc_TL9MC6ggHLifXey8Cvm98jG3NqxD4aQneI3UhWZcUFaGj5oH-aikBXXtOQDRCTwUWmuIe3phgSVr853jMbLCljCCSFuF7k0OSRxFYFJUfeixlYhSMCNxx0Vn-UibApjFQJCO3zkwUWSMP2tUXx3UL0bLhlLEM36amXIS8=&c=jRTlFqVTda_mqI0ZFtZLit4zk85ISCE1M4_HxO3c_BUYCgJRM0BPDw==&ch=jnTeCTRPnC_DTuuT9HHw_VC1oh56A5EgVt1aKIKwWMZgy9ZCib_MqA==" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; color: rgb(51, 102, 204); text-decoration: underline; font-weight: bold;">Blind Girl Chat</a><span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif;">" podcast! Hosted by inspiring blind wome</span><span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">n, Lina Coral and Juna Gjata, this podcast dives into real conversations about life, empowerment, and the blind commun</span><span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif;">ity. Don’t miss their engaging discussions and unique perspectives!</span></p>
<p style="margin: 0;"><br></p>
<p style="margin: 0;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif;">Find Blind Girl Chat every Wednesday wherever you get your podcasts, including </span><a href="https://m9n59dabb.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001XXPFKTu0sTRAwaW22qtpgJj8SB1FVLS1iS2TWmPZvIB8YWGj4dfH_4NKvhiyioUNEL44DnQYHePKxcFUHrHWMoCir8NXVyvysDCZCBoW_5j1DQ_QyTHKEIGq-vXX37w-Oz15uyd_aCtUXkSpIkRSt6h9yPwvmQ43VZa19RgEvSOaARDfBtoKVbxFZErJ0t22VBt7hUzD5Quyx8Oia_3Sfw==&c=jRTlFqVTda_mqI0ZFtZLit4zk85ISCE1M4_HxO3c_BUYCgJRM0BPDw==&ch=jnTeCTRPnC_DTuuT9HHw_VC1oh56A5EgVt1aKIKwWMZgy9ZCib_MqA==" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(51, 102, 204); font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; text-decoration: underline; font-weight: bold;">Apple</a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif;">, </span><a href="https://m9n59dabb.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001XXPFKTu0sTRAwaW22qtpgJj8SB1FVLS1iS2TWmPZvIB8YWGj4dfH_4NKvhiyioUN4LW5F09kD6qh_kG4TXoO8Kq9hbWQv4BwQktklQRe_3mtWGQ1brXAgGQ4PneEtt0kSshf-8A8N_7tDhFu_DvKSm0xFKIH_L9UNC2TZpHxEM55722kOOb-zt4ojGarbAi8&c=jRTlFqVTda_mqI0ZFtZLit4zk85ISCE1M4_HxO3c_BUYCgJRM0BPDw==&ch=jnTeCTRPnC_DTuuT9HHw_VC1oh56A5EgVt1aKIKwWMZgy9ZCib_MqA==" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(51, 102, 204); font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; text-decoration: underline; font-weight: bold;">Spotify</a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif;">, and </span><a href="https://m9n59dabb.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001XXPFKTu0sTRAwaW22qtpgJj8SB1FVLS1iS2TWmPZvIB8YWGj4dfH_4NKvhiyioUNQjxLPHZ3MZrZ-eKaI036yw04cMvOznLu9NO0bLFr6DoZl7JYgFLyHglK9tAhfkKI0wJOeOBfGCqgnFFzp8mWpauL8rUKsPoFYN4xAXR4gug=&c=jRTlFqVTda_mqI0ZFtZLit4zk85ISCE1M4_HxO3c_BUYCgJRM0BPDw==&ch=jnTeCTRPnC_DTuuT9HHw_VC1oh56A5EgVt1aKIKwWMZgy9ZCib_MqA==" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(51, 102, 204); font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; text-decoration: underline; font-weight: bold;">Podbean</a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif;">. </span></p>
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<table class="text text--heading text--padding-vertical" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="table-layout: fixed;"> <tr> <td class="text_content-cell content-padding-horizontal" style="text-align: center; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; color: #000000; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.2; display: block; word-wrap: break-word; font-weight: bold; padding: 10px 40px;" align="center" valign="top"><h2 style="font-family: Times New Roman,Times,serif; color: #000000; font-size: 24px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0;"><span style="font-size: 22px; color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif;">MBTA Announcements</span></h2></td> </tr> </table> </td> </tr> </table> <table class="layout layout--1-column" style="table-layout: fixed;" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tr> <td class="column column--1 scale stack" style="width: 100%;" align="center" valign="top"><div class="spacer" style="line-height: 10px; height: 10px;"> </div></td> </tr> </table> <table class="layout-margin" style="" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tr> <td class="layout-margin_cell" style="padding: 0px 40px;" align="center" valign="top"> <table class="layout-border layout-border--solid" style="" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tr> <td class="layout-border_cell" style="background-color: #0A4646; padding: 3px;" align="center" valign="top" bgcolor="#0A4646">
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<h3 style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; color: #000000; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0;">Contactless Payments</h3>
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<p style="margin: 0;">As of August 1, contactless payments are now accepted onboard <a href="https://m9n59dabb.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001XXPFKTu0sTRAwaW22qtpgJj8SB1FVLS1iS2TWmPZvIB8YWGj4dfH_4NKvhiyioUNp9hDhgG-lNcNa2Kz5hWdLShelCZaziswOtqKvxoC7qrS9yFGaM_BvxS5anlGQun_evVyTS0nRkaF4bAxMgvRPrgCp2IBz46ELKxhp1e2zTyKIGDQV16rhq-5zlQrVMkZaitdO8gw2f6UdYaErMfLNuCanQ72DQSOtpAtYiyPsXMxcdtvEqWwHe5vnvglFlS5FDyfUt_4fZD_lAi65cZvJrbNhZAAqgRubKkufU0-mYqUouvn8Fr3tbu1SdB6oi5U2q0hJIYu7PqId8IdpJKyhi0YOBhBXbgpmrYZ2Lb0lddO6P-r6IHidqaLZGLKZS7zdmOxN7ZQRiw=&c=jRTlFqVTda_mqI0ZFtZLit4zk85ISCE1M4_HxO3c_BUYCgJRM0BPDw==&ch=jnTeCTRPnC_DTuuT9HHw_VC1oh56A5EgVt1aKIKwWMZgy9ZCib_MqA==" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;">MBTA</a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> </span>buses, Green Line trolleys, Mattapan Line trolleys, and all gated subway stations. Contactless payment is in addition to the existing ways to pay. Riders who would like to continue to pay using their Blind Access CharlieCard will not be impacted by the change. More information is available on the <a href="https://m9n59dabb.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001XXPFKTu0sTRAwaW22qtpgJj8SB1FVLS1iS2TWmPZvIB8YWGj4dfH_4NKvhiyioUNF1ZGxOddFFZU_XWA64PZ1hpfehlp0xdHDNcLk7_5Pw_iW2UHxk-qD31nBi4Zhl0DS0-9yWRvI3Rl4C21qPx3jw==&c=jRTlFqVTda_mqI0ZFtZLit4zk85ISCE1M4_HxO3c_BUYCgJRM0BPDw==&ch=jnTeCTRPnC_DTuuT9HHw_VC1oh56A5EgVt1aKIKwWMZgy9ZCib_MqA==" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline; color: #3366CC;">MBTA Tap To Ride webpage</a>.</p>
</td> </tr> </table> </td> <td class="column column--2 scale stack" style="width: 50%;" align="center" valign="top">
<table class="text text--article text--padding-vertical" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="table-layout: fixed;"> <tr> <td class="text_content-cell content-padding-horizontal" style="text-align: left; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; color: #000000; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.2; display: block; word-wrap: break-word; padding: 10px 20px 10px 10px;" align="left" valign="top"><p style="margin: 0;">Riders with a Blind Access CharlieCard who want to use contactless payments can link their benefits to their contactless card, phone, or watch using the Charlie Digital Assistant. Riders who need support using the Charlie Digital Assistant can visit the MBTA Charlie Service Center for assistance. For more information, visit the <a href="https://m9n59dabb.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001XXPFKTu0sTRAwaW22qtpgJj8SB1FVLS1iS2TWmPZvIB8YWGj4dfH_4NKvhiyioUNwlIZyvTCApYvYjHPTImiwZX42F0aHhruN_oSNhwqPLNy6C_XVzBOz1PIz-cAtRLDzT4PWQz7whj618LoogAIzH-hzRmsCudhxaBVdl11Fq4=&c=jRTlFqVTda_mqI0ZFtZLit4zk85ISCE1M4_HxO3c_BUYCgJRM0BPDw==&ch=jnTeCTRPnC_DTuuT9HHw_VC1oh56A5EgVt1aKIKwWMZgy9ZCib_MqA==" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline; color: #3366CC;">MBTA Contactless Reduced Fares webpage</a>. </p></td> </tr> </table> </td> </tr> </table> </td> </tr> </table> </td> </tr> </table> <table class="layout layout--1-column" style="table-layout: fixed;" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tr> <td class="column column--1 scale stack" style="width: 100%;" align="center" valign="top"><div class="spacer" style="line-height: 10px; height: 10px;"> </div></td> </tr> </table> <table class="layout-margin" style="" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tr> <td class="layout-margin_cell" style="padding: 0px 40px;" align="center" valign="top"> <table class="layout-border layout-border--solid" style="" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tr> <td class="layout-border_cell" style="background-color: #0A4646; padding: 3px;" align="center" valign="top" bgcolor="#0A4646">
<table class="layout layout--2-column" style="table-layout: fixed; background-color: #ffffff;" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" bgcolor="#ffffff"> <tr> <td class="column column--1 scale stack" style="width: 40%;" align="center" valign="top">
<table class="image image--padding-vertical image--mobile-scale image--mobile-center" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tr> <td class="image_container content-padding-horizontal" align="center" valign="top" style="padding: 10px 10px 10px 20px;"> <img data-image-content class="image_content" style="display: block; height: auto; max-width: 100%;" width="200" src="https://files.constantcontact.com/c473fa70801/c0ccdc70-d658-4fbf-943b-661cacc387cd.png?rdr=true" alt="Charlie Service Center storefront"> </td> </tr> </table> </td> <td class="column column--2 scale stack" style="width: 60%;" align="center" valign="top">
<table class="text text--article text--padding-vertical" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="table-layout: fixed;"> <tr> <td class="text_content-cell content-padding-horizontal" style="text-align: left; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; color: #000000; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.2; display: block; word-wrap: break-word; padding: 10px 20px 10px 10px;" align="left" valign="top">
<h3 style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; color: #000000; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0;">New Charlie Service Center </h3>
<p style="margin: 0;"><br></p>
<p style="margin: 0;">On July 29, The MBTA opened the <a href="https://m9n59dabb.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001XXPFKTu0sTRAwaW22qtpgJj8SB1FVLS1iS2TWmPZvIB8YWGj4dfH_4NKvhiyioUNZQIEW3_30IwCwUZX6t33v-FyeuKEIiYulOzWynwIBY3MFeSvMYV1Q8HmRlYtXHLCQIzQOG8p53MFPZ2hmmI6I7E731qz0eL08Aa05aMdi3clvppO9bZSAHaTs2WYxvpL&c=jRTlFqVTda_mqI0ZFtZLit4zk85ISCE1M4_HxO3c_BUYCgJRM0BPDw==&ch=jnTeCTRPnC_DTuuT9HHw_VC1oh56A5EgVt1aKIKwWMZgy9ZCib_MqA==" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline; color: #3366CC;">Charlie Service Center</a>, a new customer service facility to serve the public at 296 Washington Street in Boston. Eligible riders can visit the Charlie Service Center to request a Blind Access CharlieCard or process a name change with valid identification. They can also <a href="https://m9n59dabb.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001XXPFKTu0sTRAwaW22qtpgJj8SB1FVLS1iS2TWmPZvIB8YWGj4dfH_4NKvhiyioUNTfNgjG0tkx-1T8L0dqlKZHbgU_PRsieinMOtwKb6NJb_bOv2l6s2Sqx9pF7yqOxQvSbQ-6UunIIGvJO-igPhcdtkBRzvr_kwTDFnzAKUX6xhYsRibrfMsPZPD2ateyqYGSMSukO9nd69NunZAVSq5tqiOqyTRRklhmwGfuymOdGFOjacckkCT5jbjrwDNZT6KEgkWJunr70cCT3aDmsg5w==&c=jRTlFqVTda_mqI0ZFtZLit4zk85ISCE1M4_HxO3c_BUYCgJRM0BPDw==&ch=jnTeCTRPnC_DTuuT9HHw_VC1oh56A5EgVt1aKIKwWMZgy9ZCib_MqA==" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline; color: #3366CC;">apply for a new, renewal, or replacement Blind Access CharlieCard online</a>.</p>
</td> </tr> </table> </td> </tr> </table> </td> </tr> </table> </td> </tr> </table> <table class="layout layout--1-column" style="table-layout: fixed;" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tr> <td class="column column--1 scale stack" style="width: 100%;" align="center" valign="top"><div class="spacer" style="line-height: 10px; height: 10px;"> </div></td> </tr> </table> <table class="layout-margin" style="" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tr> <td class="layout-margin_cell" style="padding: 0px 40px;" align="center" valign="top"> <table class="layout-border layout-border--solid" style="" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tr> <td class="layout-border_cell" style="background-color: #0A4646; padding: 3px;" align="center" valign="top" bgcolor="#0A4646">
<table class="layout layout--2-column" style="table-layout: fixed; background-color: #ffffff;" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" bgcolor="#ffffff"> <tr> <td class="column column--1 scale stack" style="width: 40%;" align="center" valign="top">
<table class="image image--padding-vertical image--mobile-scale image--mobile-center" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tr> <td class="image_container content-padding-horizontal" align="center" valign="top" style="padding: 10px 10px 10px 20px;"> <img data-image-content class="image_content" style="display: block; height: auto; max-width: 100%;" width="200" src="https://files.constantcontact.com/c473fa70801/3843d39d-7662-48bd-8506-b9b66149b7da.png?rdr=true" alt="Disability advocate Olivia Richard speaks during the MBTA accessibility grant celebration"> </td> </tr> </table> </td> <td class="column column--2 scale stack" style="width: 60%;" align="center" valign="top">
<table class="text text--article text--padding-vertical" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="table-layout: fixed;"> <tr> <td class="text_content-cell content-padding-horizontal" style="text-align: left; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; color: #000000; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.2; display: block; word-wrap: break-word; padding: 10px 20px 10px 10px;" align="left" valign="top">
<h3 style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; color: #000000; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0;">Green Line Accessibility Grant</h3>
<p style="margin: 0;"><br></p>
<p style="margin: 0;">The Healey-Driscoll Administration is celebrating a <a href="https://m9n59dabb.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001XXPFKTu0sTRAwaW22qtpgJj8SB1FVLS1iS2TWmPZvIB8YWGj4dfH_4NKvhiyioUNBnrU8iM0FD2srr9zfI-k9ytTTq1YLwPp7SLwYjbLjJtoo5Cyl4n3rdbc9pK9GD3eVt_RGOf2EEV55qQeqnutaOYhMkT8supaqVUCDaJjtD_U7zp52RKXrmj0XMidDLx5RpUG785ZbXX7Xqk6l0F2UgLqr-wOmDgdY-_VGolQa8QAB_kLpI-s76lH-OcWH0kHGIT75PNJDguQdsxkjqh6hGxaL0_Yi1jIQ_liUTqoxMDFxfo6QFdMbE9nnYd5UO0Jl44ky-pcqrdIHM2yGmtNUsC5AuPkUMG6QAkSTOgG6gB0Rt8LsioeUlXhN0Jpew460yzNiug94Xle6O3bj2p6ZkUQ5l_Fmi51X6InT6hyo3mPVRhE7977QQ==&c=jRTlFqVTda_mqI0ZFtZLit4zk85ISCE1M4_HxO3c_BUYCgJRM0BPDw==&ch=jnTeCTRPnC_DTuuT9HHw_VC1oh56A5EgVt1aKIKwWMZgy9ZCib_MqA==" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline; color: #3366CC;">$67 million federal grant</a> awarded by the Federal Transit Administration to the MBTA to improve accessibility for passengers on the Green Line. The project will make fully accessible 14 ground-level stops along the B and C branches of the Green Line in the neighborhoods of Allston, Brighton, and Brookline.</p>
</td> </tr> </table> </td> </tr> </table> </td> </tr> </table> </td> </tr> </table> <table class="layout layout--1-column" style="table-layout: fixed;" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tr> <td class="column column--1 scale stack" style="width: 100%;" align="center" valign="top"><div class="spacer" style="line-height: 10px; height: 10px;"> </div></td> </tr> </table> <table class="layout layout--1-column" style="background-color: #33679c; table-layout: fixed;" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" bgcolor="#33679c"> <tr> <td class="column column--1 scale stack" style="width: 100%;" align="center" valign="top">
<table class="text text--heading text--padding-vertical" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="table-layout: fixed;"> <tr> <td class="text_content-cell content-padding-horizontal" style="text-align: center; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; color: #000000; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.2; display: block; word-wrap: break-word; font-weight: bold; padding: 10px 40px;" align="center" valign="top"><h2 style="font-family: Times New Roman,Times,serif; color: #000000; font-size: 24px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0;"><span style="font-size: 22px; color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif;">DCR Universal Access Program</span></h2></td> </tr> </table> </td> </tr> </table> <table class="layout layout--1-column" style="table-layout: fixed;" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tr> <td class="column column--1 scale stack" style="width: 100%;" align="center" valign="top">
<table class="text text--padding-vertical" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="table-layout: fixed;"> <tr> <td class="text_content-cell content-padding-horizontal" style="text-align: left; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; color: #000000; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.2; display: block; word-wrap: break-word; padding: 10px 40px;" align="left" valign="top"><p style="margin: 0;">Our friends at the <a href="https://m9n59dabb.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001XXPFKTu0sTRAwaW22qtpgJj8SB1FVLS1iS2TWmPZvIB8YWGj4dfH_-tHpRKFeQSl1b5KetZi16qCUgqxf3MP0AulhMAOCF7Z7c37iX09sEZsFn-54YgUJyDJGiUHDIFMsArNrnpfDLDCW1BDBLffjvuzehBWZjvzbtAZXLl2u-76QsE0zvI4yZ7qAgPBS_OI&c=jRTlFqVTda_mqI0ZFtZLit4zk85ISCE1M4_HxO3c_BUYCgJRM0BPDw==&ch=jnTeCTRPnC_DTuuT9HHw_VC1oh56A5EgVt1aKIKwWMZgy9ZCib_MqA==" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline; color: #3366CC;">Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) Universal Access Program (UAP)</a> are busy putting the final touches on the fall program schedule. The UAP Fall 2024 Program Schedule will be posted online by mid-September.</p></td> </tr> </table> </td> </tr> </table> <table class="layout layout--1-column" style="table-layout: fixed;" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tr> <td class="column column--1 scale stack" style="width: 100%;" align="center" valign="top"> <table class="button button--padding-vertical" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="table-layout: fixed;"> <tr> <td class="button_container content-padding-horizontal" align="center" style="padding: 10px 40px;"> <table class="button_content-row" style="background-color: #33679c; width: inherit; border-radius: 0px; border-spacing: 0; border: none;" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" bgcolor="#33679c"> <tr> <td class="button_content-cell" style="padding: 10px 15px;" align="center"> <a class="button_link" href="https://m9n59dabb.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001XXPFKTu0sTRAwaW22qtpgJj8SB1FVLS1iS2TWmPZvIB8YWGj4dfH_-tHpRKFeQSlVhmQZ02nsqqBP-yR875IE0J0OC7u-y7ql1oJ3ybSOsuIlbHOEj5QktxjufFdt5a6lmU7BUashfAQs0tWL_bNbxysv2zyMzGJ8w1E7tr0WOyFoMbsn1_iw4ong7OzuZoAFOvpUG4pSho=&c=jRTlFqVTda_mqI0ZFtZLit4zk85ISCE1M4_HxO3c_BUYCgJRM0BPDw==&ch=jnTeCTRPnC_DTuuT9HHw_VC1oh56A5EgVt1aKIKwWMZgy9ZCib_MqA==" target="_blank" data-trackable="true" style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 18px; color: #FFFFFF; word-wrap: break-word; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">Adaptive Program Schedule</a> </td> </tr> </table> </td> </tr> </table> </td> </tr> </table> <table class="layout layout--1-column" style="table-layout: fixed;" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tr> <td class="column column--1 scale stack" style="width: 100%;" align="center" valign="top">
<table class="divider" width="100%" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" border="0"> <tr> <td class="divider_container content-padding-horizontal" style="padding: 10px 40px;" width="100%" align="center" valign="top"> <table class="divider_content-row" style="height: 1px; width: 100%;" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" border="0"> <tr> <td class="divider_content-cell" style="height: 1px; line-height: 1px; padding-bottom: 0px; background-color: #0A4646; border-bottom-width: 0px;" height="1" align="center" bgcolor="#0A4646"> <img alt="" width="5" height="1" border="0" hspace="0" vspace="0" src="https://imgssl.constantcontact.com/letters/images/1101116784221/S.gif" style="display: block; height: 1px; width: 5px;"> </td> </tr> </table> </td> </tr> </table> </td> </tr> </table> <table class="layout layout--1-column" style="table-layout: fixed;" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tr> <td class="column column--1 scale stack" style="width: 100%;" align="center" valign="top">
<table class="text text--padding-vertical" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="table-layout: fixed;"> <tr> <td class="text_content-cell content-padding-horizontal" style="text-align: left; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; color: #000000; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.2; display: block; word-wrap: break-word; padding: 10px 40px;" align="left" valign="top">
<p style="margin: 0;">Discover paved rail trails and <a href="https://m9n59dabb.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001XXPFKTu0sTRAwaW22qtpgJj8SB1FVLS1iS2TWmPZvIB8YWGj4dfH_4NKvhiyioUNvCGWjTXaUq8fESsdiw_ggbMlAHcCPLi2FqTFLhrmJTCrJUPBOUIN-jQTSkE8eYuQ1SidnNTEtTUK7TRIXYFU742cOc21jJ6h0ZM-KkcNzTkJZcJtBS6uh9v___e0PXcn&c=jRTlFqVTda_mqI0ZFtZLit4zk85ISCE1M4_HxO3c_BUYCgJRM0BPDw==&ch=jnTeCTRPnC_DTuuT9HHw_VC1oh56A5EgVt1aKIKwWMZgy9ZCib_MqA==" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline; color: #3366CC;">accessibly-designed hiking trails</a> in Massachusetts state parks. </p>
<p style="margin: 0;"><br></p>
<p style="margin: 0;">The trails are listed by region and include: </p>
<ul>
<li>Park Name</li>
<li>City, Town, Community</li>
<li>Trail Name </li>
<li>Length (miles)</li>
<li>Type of surface (paved, stone dust)</li>
<li>
<span style='font-size: 9px; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", Times, serif;'> </span>Description (urban, boardwalk, waterfront, benches, summits, views)</li>
</ul>
<p style="margin: 0;"><br></p>
<p style="margin: 0;">UAP encourages visitors to contact the park for current conditions.</p>
<p style="margin: 0;"><br></p>
<p style="margin: 0;">Feel free to <a href="mailto:DCR.UniversalAccess@mass.gov" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="font-weight: bold; text-decoration-line: underline; color: #3366CC; text-decoration: none;">email UAP</a> if you need any suggestions!</p>
</td> </tr> </table> </td> </tr> </table> <table class="layout layout--1-column" style="background-color: #33679c; table-layout: fixed;" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" bgcolor="#33679c"> <tr> <td class="column column--1 scale stack" style="width: 100%;" align="center" valign="top">
<table class="text text--heading text--padding-vertical" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="table-layout: fixed;"> <tr> <td class="text_content-cell content-padding-horizontal" style="text-align: center; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; color: #000000; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.2; display: block; word-wrap: break-word; font-weight: bold; padding: 10px 40px;" align="center" valign="top"><h2 style="font-family: Times New Roman,Times,serif; color: #000000; font-size: 24px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0;"><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 22px;">UMass Boston Vision Studies MEd</span></h2></td> </tr> </table> </td> </tr> </table> <table class="layout layout--1-column" style="table-layout: fixed;" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tr> <td class="column column--1 scale stack" style="width: 100%;" align="center" valign="top">
<table class="text text--padding-vertical" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="table-layout: fixed;"> <tr> <td class="text_content-cell content-padding-horizontal" style="text-align: left; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; color: #000000; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.2; display: block; word-wrap: break-word; padding: 10px 40px;" align="left" valign="top">
<h3 style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; color: #000000; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0;"><span style="color: var(--color-blue);">Gain the skills to become a teacher, therapist, or specialist for people with visual impairment.</span></h3>
<p style="margin: 0;"><br></p>
<p style="margin: 0;">UMass Boston’s Vision Studies MEd was ranked as one of the Best Online Graduate Education Programs by U.S. News & World Report. This program focuses on training professionals to assist people with visual impairments to achieve their goals, including high-quality education, fulfilling employment, and safe, independent travel. It’s designed for teachers and other professionals who want to work with people with visual impairments and help them lead safe, productive, and independent lives.</p>
<p style="margin: 0;"><br></p>
<p style="margin: 0;">Explore cutting-edge learning technologies and gain practical hands-on experience through fieldwork. Apply these skills to assist people of all ages in different settings — school districts; veterans rehabilitation hospitals; nonprofits; state, federal, and private agencies; and more. This program prepares you to receive initial licensure to teach in Massachusetts and prepares you to sit for national professional exams through the Academy for Certification of Vision Rehabilitation & Education Professionals.</p>
<p style="margin: 0;"><br></p>
<p style="margin: 0;">The program consists of four tracks: Orientation & Mobility (O&M), Teachers of Students with Visual Impairments (TVI), Vision Rehabilitation Therapy (VRT), and Assistive Technology for Individuals with Visual Impairment (AT).</p>
</td> </tr> </table> </td> </tr> </table> <table class="layout layout--1-column" style="table-layout: fixed;" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tr> <td class="column column--1 scale stack" style="width: 100%;" align="center" valign="top"> <table class="button button--padding-vertical" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="table-layout: fixed;"> <tr> <td class="button_container content-padding-horizontal" align="center" style="padding: 10px 40px;"> <table class="button_content-row" style="background-color: #33679c; width: inherit; border-radius: 0px; border-spacing: 0; border: none;" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" bgcolor="#33679c"> <tr> <td class="button_content-cell" style="padding: 10px 15px;" align="center"> <a class="button_link" href="https://m9n59dabb.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001XXPFKTu0sTRAwaW22qtpgJj8SB1FVLS1iS2TWmPZvIB8YWGj4dfH_4NKvhiyioUNSisI0vW3SM-oUcybEfMa6Wnj367FmUHyDVTKWBAgj1H9qxgps9DxOFxyNSsJOZNcFKTeE8BrW9kaID0IyyKzzthWoRCz_4EczBipyQuG1zqVC4r3EOinpnbh7OHW3806bmdcmHqn440OU62Fpa9JBw==&c=jRTlFqVTda_mqI0ZFtZLit4zk85ISCE1M4_HxO3c_BUYCgJRM0BPDw==&ch=jnTeCTRPnC_DTuuT9HHw_VC1oh56A5EgVt1aKIKwWMZgy9ZCib_MqA==" target="_blank" data-trackable="true" style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 18px; color: #FFFFFF; word-wrap: break-word; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">Plan Your Education</a> </td> </tr> </table> </td> </tr> </table> </td> </tr> </table> <table class="layout layout--1-column" style="background-color: #33679c; table-layout: fixed;" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" bgcolor="#33679c"> <tr> <td class="column column--1 scale stack" style="width: 100%;" align="center" valign="top">
<table class="text text--heading text--padding-vertical" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="table-layout: fixed;"> <tr> <td class="text_content-cell content-padding-horizontal" style="text-align: center; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; color: #000000; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.2; display: block; word-wrap: break-word; font-weight: bold; padding: 10px 40px;" align="center" valign="top"><h2 style="font-family: Times New Roman,Times,serif; color: #000000; font-size: 24px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0;"><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 22px;">Beyond Mobility Final Plan</span></h2></td> </tr> </table> </td> </tr> </table> <table class="layout layout--1-column" style="table-layout: fixed;" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tr> <td class="column column--1 scale stack" style="width: 100%;" align="center" valign="top">
<table class="image image--padding-vertical image--mobile-scale image--mobile-center" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tr> <td class="image_container content-padding-horizontal" align="center" valign="top" style="padding: 10px 40px;"> <img data-image-content class="image_content" style="display: block; height: auto; max-width: 100%;" width="600" src="https://files.constantcontact.com/c473fa70801/e728af1a-c06a-4bda-b9f8-3973df64ffe5.png?rdr=true" alt="Beyond Mobility, Massachusetts 2050 Transportation Plan"> </td> </tr> </table> </td> </tr> </table> <table class="layout layout--1-column" style="table-layout: fixed;" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tr> <td class="column column--1 scale stack" style="width: 100%;" align="center" valign="top">
<table class="text text--padding-vertical" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="table-layout: fixed;"> <tr> <td class="text_content-cell content-padding-horizontal" style="text-align: left; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; color: #000000; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.2; display: block; word-wrap: break-word; padding: 10px 40px;" align="left" valign="top"><p style="margin: 0;">The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) is pleased to announce the final Beyond Mobility plan document, executive summary, and appendices have been posted to the Beyond Mobility website.</p></td> </tr> </table> </td> </tr> </table> <table class="layout layout--1-column" style="table-layout: fixed;" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tr> <td class="column column--1 scale stack" style="width: 100%;" align="center" valign="top"> <table class="button button--padding-vertical" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="table-layout: fixed;"> <tr> <td class="button_container content-padding-horizontal" align="center" style="padding: 10px 40px;"> <table class="button_content-row" style="background-color: #33679c; width: inherit; border-radius: 0px; border-spacing: 0; border: none;" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" bgcolor="#33679c"> <tr> <td class="button_content-cell" style="padding: 10px 15px;" align="center"> <a class="button_link" href="https://m9n59dabb.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001XXPFKTu0sTRAwaW22qtpgJj8SB1FVLS1iS2TWmPZvIB8YWGj4dfH_5dhk_i9vbY2I-uz_o3JORXq32SZlQPa3jU3YJ4laQwTxwBWy6eapQtnLcod--Sf0KtOCubaXwX4qdS5T_LAGp8h5Ht8w4BUhDJB8E2bJ0x9A9rdN2I6Bg8=&c=jRTlFqVTda_mqI0ZFtZLit4zk85ISCE1M4_HxO3c_BUYCgJRM0BPDw==&ch=jnTeCTRPnC_DTuuT9HHw_VC1oh56A5EgVt1aKIKwWMZgy9ZCib_MqA==" target="_blank" data-trackable="true" style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 18px; color: #FFFFFF; word-wrap: break-word; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">Beyond Mobility Website</a> </td> </tr> </table> </td> </tr> </table> </td> </tr> </table> <table class="layout layout--1-column" style="table-layout: fixed;" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tr> <td class="column column--1 scale stack" style="width: 100%;" align="center" valign="top">
<table class="text text--padding-vertical" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="table-layout: fixed;"> <tr> <td class="text_content-cell content-padding-horizontal" style="text-align: left; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; color: #000000; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.2; display: block; word-wrap: break-word; padding: 10px 40px;" align="left" valign="top"><p style="margin: 0;">Considered the Massachusetts 2050 Transportation Plan, Beyond Mobility serves as a blueprint for guiding transportation decision making and investments in Massachusetts in a way that advances MassDOT’s goals and maximizes the equity and resiliency of the transportation system. The project team, considering what the world will be like in 2050, has analyzed previous plans, public engagement responses, and results from a needs assessment and has identified six key priority areas of Massachusetts to focus on over the long term. These are: safety, destination connectivity, travel experience, reliability, supporting clean transportation, and resiliency. Within the Plan, vision statements, values, problem statements, and more than 100 action items have been developed and are organized by these six priority areas.</p></td> </tr> </table> </td> </tr> </table> <table class="layout layout--1-column" style="background-color: #33679c; table-layout: fixed;" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" bgcolor="#33679c"> <tr> <td class="column column--1 scale stack" style="width: 100%;" align="center" valign="top">
<table class="text text--heading text--padding-vertical" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="table-layout: fixed;"> <tr> <td class="text_content-cell content-padding-horizontal" style="text-align: center; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; color: #000000; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.2; display: block; word-wrap: break-word; font-weight: bold; padding: 10px 40px;" align="center" valign="top"><h2 style="font-family: Times New Roman,Times,serif; color: #000000; font-size: 24px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0;"><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 22px;">Certificate of Blindness & MCB Identification Card</span></h2></td> </tr> </table> </td> </tr> </table> <table class="layout layout--1-column" style="table-layout: fixed;" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tr> <td class="column column--1 scale stack" style="width: 100%;" align="center" valign="top">
<table class="text text--padding-vertical" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="table-layout: fixed;"> <tr> <td class="text_content-cell content-padding-horizontal" style="text-align: left; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; color: #000000; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.2; display: block; word-wrap: break-word; padding: 10px 40px;" align="left" valign="top">
<p style="margin: 0;">To request a Certificate of Blindness or MCB Identification Card:</p>
<p style="margin: 0;"><br></p>
<ul>
<li>Email our Blindness Registry: <a href="mailto:BlindnessRegistry@mass.gov" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="text-decoration: underline; font-weight: bold; color: #3366CC;">BlindnessRegistry@mass.gov</a>
</li>
<li>Call our Blindness Registry: <a href="tel:16176267415" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="text-decoration: underline; font-weight: bold; color: #3366CC;">617-626-7415</a>
</li>
<li>Submit the <a href="https://m9n59dabb.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001XXPFKTu0sTRAwaW22qtpgJj8SB1FVLS1iS2TWmPZvIB8YWGj4dfH__kj6I9SdQl6tlTNl9lt5KEP1qlHLi2igput6jTmnM8mVBklcz59bvT-kqjVCR_T4cAwrpjJZTtMK7pceRkgGIL4hnfPXWHP_mQmP0h3giP7_AFmRsnd3aED6gPnRfD3Zezz7LRbAJxvGyft39fibXazbWwumhnqFBa8ssi1yy6o&c=jRTlFqVTda_mqI0ZFtZLit4zk85ISCE1M4_HxO3c_BUYCgJRM0BPDw==&ch=jnTeCTRPnC_DTuuT9HHw_VC1oh56A5EgVt1aKIKwWMZgy9ZCib_MqA==" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="text-decoration: underline; font-weight: bold; color: #3366CC;">Online Certificate of Blindness and MCB Identification Card Request Form</a>
</li>
<li>Contact your MCB counselor</li>
</ul>
<p style="margin: 0;"><br></p>
<p style="margin: 0;">We process requests within five to seven business days. </p>
</td> </tr> </table> </td> </tr> </table> <table class="layout layout--1-column" style="background-color: #33679c; table-layout: fixed;" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" bgcolor="#33679c"> <tr> <td class="column column--1 scale stack" style="width: 100%;" align="center" valign="top">
<table class="text text--heading text--padding-vertical" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="table-layout: fixed;"> <tr> <td class="text_content-cell content-padding-horizontal" style="text-align: center; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; color: #000000; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.2; display: block; word-wrap: break-word; font-weight: bold; padding: 10px 40px;" align="center" valign="top"><h2 style="font-family: Times New Roman,Times,serif; color: #000000; font-size: 24px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0;"><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 22px;">Mission & Vision</span></h2></td> </tr> </table> </td> </tr> </table> <table class="layout layout--1-column" style="table-layout: fixed;" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tr> <td class="column column--1 scale stack" style="width: 100%;" align="center" valign="top">
<table class="text text--padding-vertical" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="table-layout: fixed;"> <tr> <td class="text_content-cell content-padding-horizontal" style="text-align: left; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; color: #000000; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.2; display: block; word-wrap: break-word; padding: 10px 40px;" align="left" valign="top">
<p style="margin: 0;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-weight: bold;">Our Mission:</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif;"> To provide individualized training, education, and empowerment to people who are legally blind, and advocate for inclusive policies across the Commonwealth, with the goal of life-long independence and full community participation​</span></p>
<p style="margin: 0;"><br></p>
<p style="margin: 0;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-weight: bold;">Our Vision:</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif;"> All residents of the Commonwealth who are legally blind are empowered to live a fulfilling and independent life, with opportunities to work and thrive</span></p>
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<table class="text text--padding-vertical" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="table-layout: fixed;"> <tr> <td class="text_content-cell content-padding-horizontal" style="text-align: left; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; color: #000000; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.2; display: block; word-wrap: break-word; padding: 10px 20px 10px 40px;" align="left" valign="top">
<p style="margin: 0;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Massachusetts Commission for the Blind</span></p>
<p style="margin: 0;">600 Washington Street, Boston, MA 02111</p>
<p style="margin: 0;"><a href="tel:18003926450" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(51, 102, 204); text-decoration: underline; font-weight: bold;">1-800-392-6450</a></p>
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