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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1F497D'>We are meeting on Saturday, February 12, at 1:30, on Zoom. The Zoom link is below. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1F497D'>Please pay your 2022 dues. You may pay at <a href="http://www.nfb.org/dues">www.nfb.org/dues</a> or send a check to the treasurer. I will give you the treasurer’s address on request. You may also pay next month when we hope to meet in person. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1F497D'>We will be holding our Basket and Bag Bingo on Friday, March 11, at the Lodge in Catonsville. Tickets are $25. If you are going and looking for a ride, please let me know as soon as possible. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1F497D'>Thank you to everyone who has participated in our Louis Braille Celebration, our Day in Annapolis, and our Washington Seminar activities. Sligo has been very active, and we have had good results.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1F497D'>It is time to write letters advocating for our Accountability Act for Accessible K-12 Education. It is best to email if you can. If you want to use mail or phone contact, I will get you that information later. Your request sould be made as simple as possible, stating the bill number and the reason you support it, such as that you are a relative, teacher, parent, or friend of someone using the educational software.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1F497D'>In the House, the bill number is HB547. Everyone should write to the Ways and Means Committee chairperson, Delegate Vanessa Atterbeary. Those in Montgomery County should write to Delegates Eric Luedtke, Julie Palakovich Carr, and Jheanelle Wilkins. Those in Prince Georges County should write to Delegates Nick Charles, Julian Ivy, and Alonzo Washington. Their email addresses are <a href="mailto:firstname.lastname@house.state.md.us">firstname.lastname@house.state.md.us</a>. Julie Palakovich Carr’s address is <a href="mailto:Julie.palakovichcarr@house.state.md.us">Julie.palakovichcarr@house.state.md.us</a>.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1F497D'>The Senate bill number is SB617. Everyone should write to the committee chair, Paul Pinsky. Those from Montgomery County should write to Senator Cheryl Kagan. Those in Prince Georges County should write to Senator Obie Patterson. Their email addresses are <a href="mailto:firstname.lastname@senate.state.md.us">firstname.lastname@senate.state.md.us</a>.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1F497D'>The hearing in the Senate is February 16 and the hearing in the House is February 24. We will have information later on how to attend the hearings.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1F497D'>There is still time to submit testimony online about WMATA’s budget. Some of the srbjects under discussion are a flat $4 fare for MetroAccess and options for passes. Improvements in bus service are also important to many of us.\<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1F497D'>We intend to meet in person next month at the White Oak Library. We will meet on Zoom in April and in person in May. We will meet on Zoom and in person in alternating months as long as that is necessary. We will require masks to be worn at all of our events, regardless of what the policy is at the place we are meeting. We will have refreshments, but they will be pre-bagged, and we will be seated once we have gotten our refreshments. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1F497D'>Below is the Zoom link for Saturday’s meeting.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div><div><p class=MsoNormal>Ben Danforth is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.<br><br>Join Zoom Meeting<br><a href="https://us02web.zoom.us/j/5911247472?pwd=R2plWjl1REIvTmNOUjh6ZFFnZ2NYQT09">https://us02web.zoom.us/j/5911247472?pwd=R2plWjl1REIvTmNOUjh6ZFFnZ2NYQT09</a><br><br>Meeting ID: 591 124 7472<br>Passcode: 700961<br>One tap mobile<br>+13017158592,,5911247472#,,,,*700961# US (Washington DC)<br><br>Dial by your location<br> +1 301 715 8592 US (Washington DC)<br>Meeting ID: 591 124 7472<br>Passcode: 700961<o:p></o:p></p></div></div></div></body></html>