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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"'>(Coby Livingston provided the press release below.)<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><h1><u>Press Release </u><span style='font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";font-weight:normal'><o:p></o:p></span></h1><p class=MsoNormal><b><i><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'>January 11<sup>th</sup>, 2017<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'>Immediate Release:<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><b><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'>Governor Martinez to proclaim February 27 as <o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><b><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'>DeafBlind Awareness Day of 2017.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><b><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><u><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'>NM DeafBlind Awareness Day 2017<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><u><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'><o:p><span style='text-decoration:none'> </span></o:p></span></u></b></p><p class=MsoNoSpacing><b><i><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'>February 27<sup>th</sup> , 2017 from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm </span></i></b><b><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'>at the Roundhouse in <o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'>Santa Fe <o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'>The New Mexico Task Force on DeafBlindness in partnership with the Zia DeafBlind Club <b><i>and the Trailblazer Club</i></b>will host the 7<sup>th</sup> Annual DeafBlind Awareness Day in Santa Fe on <i>Monday, February 27<sup>th</sup>, 2017, from 1:o0 pm to 3:00 pm</i><b> </b>at the Roundhouse Rotunda. All citizens, including families, Representatives and Senators of the NM Legislature and employees of state government, non-profit and for profit business, are welcome and encouraged to attend. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'>Governor Martinez’s office will give a Proclamation that <i>February 27<sup>th</sup> </i>will be declared as the <i>NM DeafBlind Awareness Day of 2017</i>. Presentations will be given by organizations and agencies that provide services to individuals who are deafblind including: Commission for the Blind, Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, Helen Keller National Center, Community Outreach Program for the Deaf, and the UNM Project for NM Children and Youth who are Deaf-blind. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'>In addition, individuals with deafblindness will present on how they continue to move through challenges to overcome barriers. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'>Please come and celebrate with the NM community to recognize the unique aspects of deafblindness. There is a need for programs and services to thrive as they strive to support individuals with deafblindness within our state. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'>This event is also in recognition of Helen Keller who was born in 1880, and raised awareness about the strengths and needs of people who were deafblind. The DeafBlind Community’ of NM, will be celebrating 137 years of awareness of deafblindness made famous by Helen Keller. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'>The DeafBlind Awareness Day event is from <i>1:00 to 3:o0pm in the Rotunda,</i> and a member of the Zia Deaf-Blind Club – Darren McLaurin will act as host. He will be presenting the Maria Perea Outstanding Supporter of the Deaf-Blind Community Award. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'>Please direct any questions you may have to:<br>COBY LIVINGSTONE<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'>Chair of the 2017 DB Awareness Day Committee<br>505 259 3672<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'><a href="mailto:coby.livingstone@gmail.com">coby.livingstone@gmail.com</a><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'><br>Provided by: <br>Molly McLaughlin, CDD Program Director<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div></body></html>