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<span style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Veronica Smith asked that this email be forwarded to the list. Looks interesting.</span></div>
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<p style="margin: 0in; font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><b>From:</b>
</span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(70, 120, 134);"><u><a style="color: rgb(70, 120, 134); margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;" class="OWAAutoLink" id="OWA7d128b82-ae2c-8fa0-7961-c3f3574ebc99" href="mailto:marthajs@verizon.net">marthajs@verizon.net</a></u></span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"> <</span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(70, 120, 134);"><u><a style="color: rgb(70, 120, 134); margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;" class="OWAAutoLink" id="OWA0f1a70f6-cc68-04d3-7152-7c3553e0f9cb" href="mailto:marthajs@verizon.net">marthajs@verizon.net</a></u></span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">><br>
<b>Sent:</b> Tuesday, March 3, 2026 6:45 AM<br>
<b>To:</b> </span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(70, 120, 134);"><u><a style="color: rgb(70, 120, 134); margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;" class="OWAAutoLink" id="OWAaa0b9919-8ecb-1220-f858-98a3a83f10b0" href="mailto:marthajs@verizon.net">marthajs@verizon.net</a></u></span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><br>
<b>Subject:</b> Global Blind Birders Bird-a-Thon</span></p>
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<span style="letter-spacing: revert; font-family: "Segoe UI", sans-serif; font-size: 9pt; color: rgb(33, 33, 33);">You don't often get email from
</span><span style="letter-spacing: revert; font-family: "Segoe UI", sans-serif; font-size: 9pt; color: rgb(70, 120, 134);"><u><a style="color: rgb(70, 120, 134); margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;" class="OWAAutoLink" id="OWA536b3301-6231-be4a-f1d2-8da522db3875" href="mailto:marthajs@verizon.net">marthajs@verizon.net</a></u></span><span style="letter-spacing: revert; font-family: "Segoe UI", sans-serif; font-size: 9pt; color: rgb(33, 33, 33);">.
</span><span style="letter-spacing: revert; font-family: "Segoe UI", sans-serif; font-size: 9pt; color: rgb(70, 120, 134);"><u><a style="color: rgb(70, 120, 134); margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;" data-auth="NotApplicable" class="OWAAutoLink" id="OWA88dfb1f3-d654-68cf-1c7c-2000d2f6695b" href="https://aka.ms/LearnAboutSenderIdentification">Learn
why this is important</a></u></span></p>
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<p style="margin: 0in; font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Dear Members of the National Federation of the Blind,</p>
<p style="margin: 0in; font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </p>
<p style="margin: 1em 0in 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; color: black;">I wanted to alert you to an event. We are just two months away from the 2nd Annual Global Blind Birder Bird-a-Thon happening May 3 and 4, 2026, and
registration is officially open. This global celebration is designed with and for birders who are blind
</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">or </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; color: black;">have low vision. It centers birding by ear, community connections, and the understanding that birding
is for every body and every mind.</span></p>
<p style="margin: 1em 0in 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; color: black;"> </span></p>
<p style="margin: 1em 0in 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; color: black;">Participants who are blind or have low vision can bird anywhere in the world during at least two hours of a 24 hour window on either May 3 or May 4.
Birding can take place in a backyard, park, balcony, accessible trail, neighborhood sidewalk, or wherever listening to birds is possible. Count the species you detect by sound or sight and submit your list to the Bird-a-Thon Compiler so your birds can be part
of the global total.</span></p>
<p style="margin: 1em 0in 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; color: black;"> </span></p>
<p style="margin: 1em 0in 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; color: black;">There is no cost to participate. The focus is community, joy in birds, awareness, and access.</span></p>
<p style="margin: 1em 0in 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; color: black;"><b> </b></span></p>
<p style="margin: 1em 0in 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; color: black;"><b>Full details and registration are available at:</b><br>
</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(70, 120, 134);"><u><a style="color: rgb(70, 120, 134); margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;" data-auth="NotApplicable" class="OWAAutoLink" id="OWAf2f56526-9f12-da1d-ac45-30169e27ecd6" href="https://www.birdability.org/blind-birdathon">https://www.birdability.org/blind-birdathon</a></u></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in; font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </p>
<p style="margin: 0in; font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">I am available to answer any questions. You may also consider organizing one or more outings in your state in coordination with local bird clubs who can provide expert guidance on identifying
birds by ear.</p>
<p style="margin: 0in; font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </p>
<p style="margin: 0in; font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Sincerely,</p>
<p style="margin: 0in; font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Martha Steele (blind from Usher syndrome)</p>
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