<html xmlns:v="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:m="http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/2004/12/omml" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40"><head><meta http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=us-ascii"><meta name=Generator content="Microsoft Word 15 (filtered medium)"><style><!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:"Cambria Math";
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:Calibri;
panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;}
a:link, span.MsoHyperlink
{mso-style-priority:99;
color:#0563C1;
text-decoration:underline;}
a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed
{mso-style-priority:99;
color:#954F72;
text-decoration:underline;}
p.msonormal0, li.msonormal0, div.msonormal0
{mso-style-name:msonormal;
mso-margin-top-alt:auto;
margin-right:0in;
mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;
margin-left:0in;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;}
span.EmailStyle18
{mso-style-type:personal-compose;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:windowtext;}
.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;}
@page WordSection1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.0in 1.0in 1.0in;}
div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}
--></style><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapedefaults v:ext="edit" spidmax="1026" />
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapelayout v:ext="edit">
<o:idmap v:ext="edit" data="1" />
</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link="#0563C1" vlink="#954F72"><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal>Hello all,<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>The next meeting of the NFBMD At-Large Chapter will take place on Tuesday, September 17. The National President’s message begins at 7:30 followed by the meeting at 8 – 9 pm. Our special guest speaker Carla McQuillan, who will serve as the national representative to our state convention. Learn about the state convention which takes place on November 8-10. Get a sneak preview and meet the talented, vivacious Carla. If you’re persuasive, she might even sing an Irish folk song. Remember, the call in number is 605-313-4818. The access code is 720125. We will also be discussing an upcoming interesting fundraiser. Read the August minutes below and make that call on September 17.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>At Large Chapter Meeting Minutes for August 20, 2019<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>The Presidential release was started at 7:35 PM.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>The meeting was started at 8:00 PM. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Approximately 15 people on the call.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Danielle, Sharon, and Margarete spoke about the Bell Academies that took place in Maryland during the summer. Danielle spoke about the BELL program that took place in Salisbury and Sharon and Margarete spoke about the BELL programs that took place in Baltimore and Glenn Dale. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Rex spoke about his first time at National convention. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Sharon spoke about national convention and how unique it was this year. She talked about the resolutions that were passed at convention. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Tonight’s guest speaker is Maurice Peret. He is an O&M instructor and a worldwide traveler. He was part of Eric <span style='color:#222222;background:white'>Weihenmayer’s support team during Eric’s successful climb of Mt. Everest. Eric is the first person to achieve this goal</span>. Maurice works at the NFB center in the mentoring program. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>He spoke about national convention being in Las Vegas. The hotel was large and crazy. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>He likes the way the NFB consolidated the value of inclusion and making sure no one is left out. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>The NFB Convention was not the only game in town. There were other events going on at the same time as convention, which he liked because the blind had the chance to educate others. There was not enough time for him to speak about his worldwide traveling. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Submitted by Danielle Earl <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>Sharon Maneki, Director of Legislation and Advocacy</span></b><span style='font-size:12.0pt'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal>National Federation of the Blind of Maryland<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>410-715-9596<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>The National Federation of the Blind of Maryland knows that blindness is not the characteristic that defines you or your future. Every day we raise the expectations of blind people, because low expectations create obstacles between blind people and our dreams. You can live the life you want; blindness is not what holds you back</span>.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></body></html>