<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;}
@font-face
{font-family:Verdana;
panose-1:2 11 6 4 3 5 4 4 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.MsoNoSpacing, li.MsoNoSpacing, div.MsoNoSpacing
{mso-style-priority:1;
margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;}
span.EmailStyle17
{mso-style-type:personal-compose;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:windowtext;}
.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;}
@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>Greetings federationist’s and friends of the Federation family, you have probably already received this information through other channels, but I wanted to provide you with a reminder of the upcoming state convention. Details are lower in the body of this email. If you have never been to one of our state conventions or are on the fence about attending the convention I highly encourage you to attend. You may be asking yourself, but Jesse why would I want to give up my Saturday to attend a meeting with a bunch of blind people.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Well, let me tell you what giving up one Saturday has meant for Sherry and me. Sherry and I discovered what it is like to be a part of the Federation at our first state convention in 2016. We were invited to attend the state convention several times by NFBND state President Milton Oda and Sherry was briefly a guest in attendance at an earlier state convention, but there was something different in 2016, when we were in attendance. I had often thought about what a Federationist is and what Federationist does and what a Federationist believes. Little did I know I have always been a Federationist at heart. It took the decision for us to attend the state convention for us to discover that our core beliefs about blindness, about blind people and about our ability as a population to reach our highest potential. Match the core values of the Federation. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>I would love to have the opportunity to tell you more about why I am a federationist, I will write a blog post on the subject to share, but if in the meantime you wish to hear more about my experience, please feel free to email me or give me a call.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Kind regards,<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Jesse Shirek<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Treasure and membership chair<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>National Federation of the Blind of North Dakota<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><a href="mailto:jesseshirek@gmail.com">jesseshirek@gmail.com</a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>701-781-2526<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNoSpacing align=center style='text-align:center'><b><span style='font-size:18.0pt'>National Federation of the Blind of<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNoSpacing align=center style='text-align:center'><b><span style='font-size:18.0pt'>North Dakota<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNoSpacing align=center style='text-align:center'><b><span style='font-size:18.0pt'>2018 Annual State Convention<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNoSpacing align=center style='text-align:center'><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNoSpacing align=center style='text-align:center'><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>WHEN: Saturday, September 8, 2018<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNoSpacing align=center style='text-align:center'><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>WHERE: Holiday Inn Fargo<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNoSpacing align=center style='text-align:center'><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>3803 13<sup>th</sup> Avenue, South<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNoSpacing align=center style='text-align:center'><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Fargo, ND 58103<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNoSpacing align=center style='text-align:center'><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>TIME: 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>COST: $25.00 registration fee includes lunch <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Join us for our annual Convention!<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Meet our National Representative Joe Ruffalo, a long time Federationist, member of our National Board of Directors and President of the NFB of New Jersey. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>You can pay at the door by cash or check; make checks payable to “National Federation of the Blind of ND”.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Join us to hear the latest news about what is happening in the Federation nationally, in ND and locally. Listen to an inspiring banquet speech from NFB of NJ President Ruffalo. Hear from our 2018 National scholarship recipient and learn what motivates us in the Federation. You will also receive updates from Vocational Rehabilitation, ND Talkingbook Library and ND School for the Blind.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Please feel welcome to call or email with any questions. RSVP by Friday, August 31, contact Milton Ota at 701-731-0511 or mota1252@gmail.com <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></body></html>