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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link="#0563C1" vlink="#954F72"><div class=WordSection1><p style='background:white'><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:black'>Federation Family,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='background:white'><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p style='background:white'><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:black'>This weekend, the NFB of Maryland Board of Directors made the difficult decision to hold our 54<sup>th</sup> Annual National Federation of the Blind of Maryland State Convention virtually. We are excited that our Convention will be accessible from anywhere and everywhere, and we hope to shatter registration and attendance records. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='background:white'><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p style='background:white'><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:black'>The state convention will take place on November 6-8, 2020. There will be no in-person events at the Sheraton Baltimore North Hotel. The hotel will cancel any room reservations for our block and credit cards will not be charged.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='background:white'><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p style='background:white'><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:black'>This year, our National Representative will be Pam Allen, President of the National Federation of the Blind of Louisiana, Chairman and First Vice President of the National Federation of the Blind Board of Directors, and Executive Director of the Louisiana Center for the Blind. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='background:white'><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p style='background:white'><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:black'>Convention pre-registration is open now. Be looking in your mailbox for hard copy registration forms or visit </span><a href="http://nfbmd.org/convention"><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif'>http://nfbmd.org/convention</span></a><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:black'>. Registration is $20 per adult and free for kids on or prior to October 16, 2020. Registration after October 16, 2020 is $25 per adult and free for kids. Those who register after October 16, 2020 may not be eligible for door prizes, voting, and other convention aspects requiring access to systems and platforms other than Zoom. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:black'>The Convention is the supreme authority of the National Federation of the Blind, and this too is true of the affiliates. One of the most important charges of the Convention is to consider and vote on resolutions that come before it; those resolutions become the policy of the organization. To that end, individuals interested in submitting resolutions should send them to NFBMD Resolutions Chairman Jesse Hartle by email at </span><a href="mailto:jesse.hartle63@gmail.com">jesse.hartle63@gmail.com</a><u><span style='color:#0563C1'> by October 16, 2019.<o:p></o:p></span></u></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:.2in;background:white'><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:black'>We are seeking sponsors for our 2020 NFB of Maryland State Convention. There are various levels of sponsorship, and the various levels include different benefits. Entities and individuals interested in serving as an NFBMD Convention sponsor should contact Anil Lewis at </span><a href="mailto:alewis@nfbmd.org"><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif'>alewis@nfbmd.org</span></a><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:black'> and Jen White at </span><a href="mailto:Jwhite@nfb.org"><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif'>Jwhite@nfb.org</span></a><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:black'> to request additional information.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><u><span style='color:#0563C1'>We are also seeking exhibitors for our Friday Exhibit Hall. Individuals and entities interested in exhibiting should also contact Anil Lewis at </span></u><a href="mailto:alewis@nfb.org">alewis@nfb.org</a><u><span style='color:#0563C1'> and Jen White at </span></u><a href="mailto:Jwhite@nfb.org">Jwhite@nfb.org</a><u><span style='color:#0563C1'> to request additional information. The Exhibit Hall will be virtual.</span></u><u><span style='color:#0563C1'><o:p></o:p></span></u></p><p style='background:white'><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:black'>We are seeking donations of door prizes to give away at the NFB of Maryland Annual Convention. Door prizes should have a cash value of a minimum of $25 each. Given the virtual nature of the Convention, we would prefer to receive monetary contributions (checks payable to NFB of Maryland). Please do not send perishables. Please mail door prize donations by October 23, 2020 to:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:.2in;background:white'><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:black'>NFB of Maryland - Door Prizes<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:.2in;background:white'><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:black'>1800 Johnson Street, Suite N1<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:.2in;background:white'><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:black'>Baltimore, MD 21230<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal>NFBMD will hold a drawing at the NFBMD State Convention Banquet on November 7, 2020 to show our appreciation to financial donors. The winner will receive a week-long cruise on the Carnival Pride during NFBMD’s Blind Cruising 2021 event – September 19 – 26, 2021. In order to be eligible, individuals must donate at least $10 between August 15, 2020 and November 1, 2020 and indicate that they wish to be entered into the drawing. Each donor’s name will be entered into the drawing for each $10 contribution. This means if an individual donates $100, that individual will have 10 chances to win. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Individuals may donate using the NFBMD PayPal button at <a href="http://nfbmd.org">http://nfbmd.org</a> or by mailing a physical check payable to NFB of Maryland to the address listed below. Individuals should notate the comments section of PayPal and the check memo line to indicate “Cruise Drawing” in order to be entered into the drawing. Door prize contributions, exhibit hall fees, and convention sponsorship do not count towards donations for the Cruise drawing. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>NFBMD <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>1800 Johnson Street, Suite N1<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Baltimore, MD 21230<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:black'>We will be using social media during our convention and encourage participants to use Twitter, Facebook, Snapchat, Instagram, and whatever other platforms they prefer. Our hashtag is #NFBMD.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:black'>I look forward to “rising up” with you at Convention. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Yours,<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Ronza<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>Ronza Othman, </span></b><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>President</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>National Federation of the Blind of Maryland<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>443-426-4110<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Pronouns: she, her, hers<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>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.<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>