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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link="#0563C1" vlink="#954F72" style='word-wrap:break-word'><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal>Saturday’s chapter meeting will be at the Long Branch Library, 8800 Garland Avenue in Silver Spring. We have not been there in a while, and there have been some changes since we were there last. The meeting will begin at 1:30.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>I would like to thank everyone who came to walk with us this morning on what was not supposed to be a rainy morning but turned out to be. We had Ben’s family and a few volunteers invited by Emily and Yasmin, as well as Judy Rasmussen, Conrad Austen, Yasmin Reyazuddin, Sharon Maneki and me. Because it was raining, we walked around the Brookside Gardens greenhouse and looked at plants. Thanks to Emily for bringing homemade goodies for us that nullified some of the benefits of the walk.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>You may pay your 2027 dues online at <a href="http://www.nfbmd.org/dues">www.nfbmd.org/dues</a>. You may also pay by cash or check at the in-person meeting on Saturday or by sending a check to the treasurer. I will give you Ben’s address off list if you request it. Annual dues are $5; lifetime dues are $150.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>We will hold elections at the November meeting on Zoom. The meeting will be at 11:00 on Saturday, November 14. This is a different time because we want everyone to be able to be ready for the dinner and auction that is the evening of the 14<sup>th</sup>. Because we will be on Zoom, please make sure you can mute and unmute your device and raise your hand if that becomes necessary.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Someone asked me about officer positions, so I will go over those. The president runs chapter meetings and takes charge of the running of the organization between meetings. The vice president takes over those duties if the president is unable. The vice president has no other official duties, but I try to keep the vice president informed about decisions I have made so that she will be able to assume her duties in case I am unable to.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>The secretary takes meeting minutes. She also needs to have access to those minutes if questions arise. Some chapters give other correspondence and record-keeping duties to the secretary. We have not done that in Sligo before or since I ecamed president.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>The treasurer is responsible for collecting, depositing, and keeping track of the chapter’s funds, and distributing them to people or organizations as the chapter designates. The treasurer acts at the authorization of the president.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>The board assists the president in running the chapter between meetings. We have varied in how often the board has met and what the board has done. In recent years the board has helped make decisions about fundraising, but the board has also begun the planning of seminars and other activities. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>There are two offices not listed in our constitution but appointed by the president that I would like to note, because they are important for members to know about. We have a membership chairperson, who is Jeff Baer. When a new person comes to the chapter and expresses interest in membership, either Jeff or I collect their contact information. One or possibly both of us will keep in contact with them. We may also ask another chapter member to mentor them if we think a chapter member shares common interests with them. When they become a member, the membership chairperson enters their name in the membership module so that they are nationally recognized as a new member. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Because we have a chapter listserv, we need a list moderator. I am appointing Jeff Baer as that person because he has access to the list on more than one device. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>We have a few activities coming up:<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>October 10: In—person chapter meeting at Long Branch Library, 8800 Garland Avenue, Silver Spring.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>October 18: Book club meeting with members of the NFB of Maryland on Maryland Zoom link, where we will discuss Andrew Leland’s book Country of the Blind.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>October 24: In-person affiliate board meeting at Pikesville Doubletree. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>November 14: Virtual chapter meeting at 11:00 at which we will hold elections.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>November 14: Bidding for Opportunity dinner and auction for the John T. McCraw scholarship fund.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>See you on Saturday.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Debbie<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></body></html>