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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link="#0563C1" vlink="#954F72"><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><a name=Start></a>NEWSWIRE<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'>National Federation of the Blind of<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'>North Dakota<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'>Vol. 1, No. 15<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><h2 align=center style='text-align:center'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;line-height:106%;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif'>Merry Christmas and Happy New Years<o:p></o:p></span></h2><p class=MsoNormal>From the desk of the President of the NFB of ND:<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>I want to take this opportunity to wish all of you a safe but also a joyous Merry Christmas and a Happy New Years. 2018 will be an even better year with many exciting things to happen and great things to look forward too. You will need to be regularly reading these NEWSWIRE that have no specific time for when they are published. So stay tuned!<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><h2><span style='font-size:12.0pt;line-height:106%;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif'>Holiday Cheers<o:p></o:p></span></h2><p class=MsoNormal>If you weren’t there on Saturday, December 9, at the Holiday Inn Gallary Restaurant, you missed out on the good fellowship, fun, food and grab bag exchange. Jesse and Milton also brought their guitars and we sang a few Christmas songs—-what’s a party without singing some Christmas Carols! We had around 11 of us there and we had two people who made the commitment to become members of the National Federation of the Blind of North Dakota. WELCOME!<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><h2 align=center style='text-align:center'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;line-height:106%;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif'>NEXT MEETING<o:p></o:p></span></h2><p class=MsoNormal>Our January 2018 meeting will be on Saturday, the 13<sup>th</sup> at Happy Joe’s Pizza and Ice Cream, 2511 South University Drive, Fargo, ND. Meeting will begin at 2:00 PM and plan to arrive early to give yourself time to eat there before the meeting begins. We should be done by 4 PM. For those scheduling rides with MAT Paratransit, schedule your ride accordingly. If you have questions, please call Milton at (701) 731-0511.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><h2><span style='font-size:12.0pt;line-height:106%;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif'>REMINDERS!<o:p></o:p></span></h2><p class=MsoNormal>Because of our Christmas Party, we dispensed with our regular meeting agenda but President Riccobono did put out a Presidential Release #467 which can be listened to at the following URL:<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'><a href="https://nfb.org/images/nfb/audio/podcast/presidential-releases-en/pr467.mp3">https://nfb.org/images/nfb/audio/podcast/presidential-releases-en/pr467.mp3</a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>You may have to rejoin the lines of the URL.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Also, there are very informative articles that are in the December issue of the Braille Monitor with especially important information about Social Security benefits for 2018.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>If you are planning to attend the 2018 national convention in Orlando, florida from July 3-8, for the first time, there is information on how to apply and the deadline is March 31, 2018.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>You can begin making hotel reservations after January 1, 2018 and information can be found on the NFB website. Online registration for the convention will open on March 1 and close on May 31. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>NOTe: This will be the last year going to Orlando Florida.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>And Lastly, On November 1, the prestigious national scholarship program of the National Federation of the Blind applications opened and will close on March 31.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><h2 align=center style='text-align:center'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;line-height:106%;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif'>Washington Seminar<o:p></o:p></span></h2><p class=MsoNormal>The 2018 Washington Seminar is beginning to shape up and will be held from January 29 to February 1, 2018. Headquarters hotel is the Holiday Inn Capitol and it will begin with a Legislative Seminar on Monday morning at 9 AM go to Noon and then reconvene at 2 PM. The Great Gathering will begin at 5 PM.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Then, on Tuesday evening every Senator and Representative will be invited to join the members of the NFB at a reception beginning at 6:30 PM at the NEWSEUM, 1555 Pennsylvania Ave. NW<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>If you ar thinking about going, you are responsible for your own air travel arrangements and hotel reservation. Sorry, the affiliate doesn’t have <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Adequate funds to help with travel expenses.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Your president will be going as he will be attending a Affiliate Presidents’ Seminar to be held in Baltimore prior to the Washington Seminar. I’m still working on trying to secure appointments with the two Senators and one Representative from North Dakota.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><h2 align=center style='text-align:center'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;line-height:106%;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif'>Schwan Food Care Fundraiser<o:p></o:p></span></h2><p class=MsoNormal>A new period of earning 20% to all purchases for the next 45-days began on December 5. You can get great frozen foods delivered right to your door and it is very simple and easy! To help us, you can order online at <a href="https://use.postageapp.com/l/11344aed0d67a235acbd4965a1daf1fa1c53e675/8b95f61d524c49e8c09e2da797742c0c35a0d496@schwanscares.mailer.postageapp.com/-/www.schwans-cares.com/c/36091%20or%20call%20toll-free%2036091">https://use.postageapp.com/l/11344aed0d67a235acbd4965a1daf1fa1c53e675/8b95f61d524c49e8c09e2da797742c0c35a0d496@schwanscares.mailer.postageapp.com/-/www.schwans-cares.com/c/36091 or call toll-free 36091</a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Or call Toll-Free 1-855-870-7208 (to set up and Account if you don’t already have one) and provide the campaign ID: 33644.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Currently, this is the only means we are raising funds to build the NFB of ND treasury. Over the past year, we have raised over $1,000.00 and to adequately fund activities and programs of the affiliate we need to have over $10,000.00 annually to meet our program needs.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><h2 align=center style='text-align:center'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;line-height:106%;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif'>CONTRIBUTIONS<o:p></o:p></span></h2><p class=MsoNormal>If you have a story about how you “live the life you want”, and want to share it with the members and friends of the NFB of ND, please send them to President Milton via e-mail to <a href="mailto:mota1252@gmail.com">mota1252@gmail.com</a> NO Advertisements, please.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Please feel free to distribute this newsletter to anyone that might be interested in its entirety. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Thank you very much for taking the time to read this periodic NEWSWIRE and hope you enjoyed reading the information provided.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Sincerely,<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Milton Ota, President<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>National Federation of the Blind of North Dakota<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Web: http://nfbnd.org/<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>909 8th St., S.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Fargo, ND 58103-2723<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Cell: (701) 731-0511<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>E-mail: mota1252@gmail.com<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>THE NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND KNOWS THAT BLINDNESS IS NOT THE CHARACTERISTIC THAT DEFINES YOU OR YOUR FUTURE. EVERY DAY WE RAISE THE EXPECTATIONS<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>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<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>YOU BACK. THE NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND IS NOT AN ORGANIZATION SPEAKING FOR THE BLIND--IT IS THE BLIND SPEAKING FOR OURSELVES.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>With Love, Hope and Determination, We Turn Dreams Into Reality.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Together We Change What It Means to Be Blind.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;line-height:106%;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div></body></html>