<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:Wingdings;
panose-1:5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0;}
@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;}
/* 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.MsoListParagraph, li.MsoListParagraph, div.MsoListParagraph
{mso-style-priority:34;
margin-top:0in;
margin-right:0in;
margin-bottom:0in;
margin-left:.5in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri",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;}
/* List Definitions */
@list l0
{mso-list-id:1659264142;
mso-list-type:hybrid;
mso-list-template-ids:-585598302 -1123905796 67698691 67698693 67698689 67698691 67698693 67698689 67698691 67698693;}
@list l0:level1
{mso-level-start-at:0;
mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:\F0B7;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:Symbol;
mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";}
@list l0:level2
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:o;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:"Courier New";}
@list l0:level3
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:\F0A7;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l0:level4
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:\F0B7;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:Symbol;}
@list l0:level5
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:o;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:"Courier New";}
@list l0:level6
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:\F0A7;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l0:level7
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:\F0B7;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:Symbol;}
@list l0:level8
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:o;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:"Courier New";}
@list l0:level9
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:\F0A7;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:Wingdings;}
ol
{margin-bottom:0in;}
ul
{margin-bottom:0in;}
--></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, Fellow Federationists,<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>I hope everyone is having a happy Father’s Day, whether you’re celebrating, being celebrated, or something else. My own father insisted that I get involved with athletics at a young age, and I spent 8 years in wrestling as a result. I wonder if he ever thought I would parlay that into a late-night exhibition with Carlos Servan in the middle of the banquet room at an NFB of Nebraska convention. I’m guessing not.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Even so, thanks, dad.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><b>National Convention</b><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Thank you to everyone who responded to the email I sent last week asking for volunteers to work the Independence Market. I received great responses from many of you. There are still spots available, so please email me if you would like to work a shift or two.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>We have 85 Minnesotans pre-registered for the convention in Orlando, which is fantastic! If you plan to attend, and you did not pre-register, you will still be able to register at the convention. I encourage all of you to consider joining us in Orlando. We’re going to have a wonderful time.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><b>State Convention</b><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Though we haven’t signed the catering contract yet, we are in the hotel’s guest book in ink. Our 2018 Annual State Convention will be held at the Best Western Plus Kelly Inn in St. Cloud Minnesota. I will send out an email when you can begin calling to register, but in the meantime, mark your calendars.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>The Kelly Inn was the site of my first convention as a Minnesotan back in 2010, and I remember having a wonderful time. I look forward to meeting with all of you in November.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><b>Member Spotlight</b><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>We often talk, in personal conversations and speeches, about our federation family. We share a common bond in our fight for true equality, and that bond is made all the stronger by the fact that we are all volunteers. I am struck, however, by how many of you I have yet to meet.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>If there is enough interest, I would like to feature a federation member’s story each week when I send out this update. If you would like to share your story, please email me at <a href="mailto:president@nfbmn.org">president@nfbmn.org</a> and tell us all a little about yourself. The story could include where you’re from, how long you have been a member, what you like to do for fun, what your job is or was, or anything else you think we would like to know.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>To show that I’m a good sport, here’s mine:<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>I was born in Nebraska in 1983, and I stayed there for 24 years before hopping around the country a bit. I earned a degree in music education from the University of Nebraska, but after finally getting to teach high school during my ninth semester, I realized I enjoyed performing in choirs much more than I liked teaching them. I have taught Braille in Hawaii, sold Louis Braille commemorative coins (remember those?) while living in Austin Texas, and taught communications at BLIND Inc. I now work at Target as an accessibility consultant.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>In my spare time, I enjoy playing piano and guitar, listening to far too many podcasts, and performing improv comedy. I have a cat named The Cheat, and he is my buddy.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>If you have any thoughts, questions, or suggestions you would like to share, please don’t hesitate to email or call anytime. Have a wonderful week!<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Dates to keep in mind:<o:p></o:p></p><ul style='margin-top:0in' type=disc><li class=MsoListParagraph style='margin-left:0in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1'>July 3-8: NFB National Convention in Orlando<o:p></o:p></li><li class=MsoListParagraph style='margin-left:0in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1'>August 25: BLIND Inc. Board of Directors Meeting<o:p></o:p></li><li class=MsoListParagraph style='margin-left:0in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1'>September 22: Annual Walk for Opportunity<o:p></o:p></li><li class=MsoListParagraph style='margin-left:0in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1'>November 16-18: Annual state Convention in St. Cloud<o:p></o:p></li></ul><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Warmly,<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Ryan Strunk<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Ryan Strunk, President<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><a href="mailto:president@nfbmn.org">president@nfbmn.org</a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><a href="http://www.nfb.org">www.nfb.org</a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><a href="http://www.nfbmn.org">www.nfbmn.org</a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>(612) 872-9363<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Live the life you Want.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></body></html>