<html><head><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"></head><body dir="auto"><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; line-height: 60.95000076293945px; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 60.95000076293945px; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">To my Federation Family <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; line-height: 60.95000076293945px; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 60.95000076293945px; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; line-height: 60.95000076293945px; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 60.95000076293945px; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">October 3<sup>rd, </sup>2021 seems just a few days ago and the hard hat I was wearing was something silly to most of us at the time.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; line-height: 60.95000076293945px; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 60.95000076293945px; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; line-height: 60.95000076293945px; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 60.95000076293945px; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">But time is moving quickly. 2021 is a thing of the past and we welcome a new year. With the new year I welcome your recommendations, ideas, suggestions and criticism. We are all wearing a hard hat and we all have a role to play in the construction of our Florida Affiliate. I alone cannot build the federation and I am pretty sure that President Riccobono feels the same way when he states “Let’s go build the National Federation of the Blind” during the banquet speech or when he addresses us during the presidential release.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; line-height: 60.95000076293945px; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 60.95000076293945px; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; line-height: 60.95000076293945px; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 60.95000076293945px; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">He needs all of us like I need all of you and together we can transform our dreams into reality. </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 60.95000076293945px; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">We are bound together by our belief that the blind are capable of achieving our dreams and living the lives we want, and by the love and respect we have for one another and for all blind Americans. We support one another, act with courage and determination when we encounter barriers or experience setbacks, and engage in collective action to improve our lives.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; line-height: 60.95000076293945px; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 60.95000076293945px; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; line-height: 60.95000076293945px; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 60.95000076293945px; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">My question to you is “how can we improve our lives, how can we continue the blind movement, how can we continue to build the national Federation of the Blind of Florida”?<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; line-height: 60.95000076293945px; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 60.95000076293945px; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; line-height: 60.95000076293945px; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 60.95000076293945px; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">I want to hear from all of you. Let me know where can I be of help with your local chapter. A division or group that needs guidance or mentoring. A new member that is still trying to understand our organization. An older timer that is feeling that they are no longer needed because they feel left out. Thoughts like these I need to know so we can meet each one of us at the place where they are at and let them know that I and the organization needs them to continue to build the Florida Federation. Yes, the hard hat is not just for me to wear, it is for all of us to borrow and use as we set our goals for this new year and continue to build the federation during 2022.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; line-height: 60.95000076293945px; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 60.95000076293945px; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; line-height: 60.95000076293945px; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 60.95000076293945px; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Wishing you and your family a prosperous and healthy new year.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; line-height: 60.95000076293945px; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 60.95000076293945px; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; line-height: 60.95000076293945px; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 60.95000076293945px; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Sincerely <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; line-height: 60.95000076293945px; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 60.95000076293945px; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; line-height: 60.95000076293945px; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 60.95000076293945px; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Paul Martinez, President<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; line-height: 60.95000076293945px; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 60.95000076293945px; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">National Federation of the Blind of Florida.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; line-height: 60.95000076293945px; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 60.95000076293945px; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; line-height: 60.95000076293945px; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><o:p> </o:p></p><br><div dir="ltr"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> <br>Paul M. Martinez</span>the blind Florida<div><br></div><div><div>813-390-5720</div><div><br>With love, hope and determination we transform dreams into reality</div><div></div></div></div></body></html>