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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link="#0563C1" vlink="#954F72" style='word-wrap:break-word'><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black'>Request for distribution from Janie Degenshein, NFBNJ</span><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>Submitted by Linda Melendez, President NFBNJ<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black'>Hello all,</span><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black'>I am writing this note today with such gratitude to all who wrote, sent texts, and phoned me throughout the past five months.</span><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'> Your kind words, prayerful thoughts and soulful deeds have all been answered this day!<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black'>Yesterday morning, the doctor told Joe that all tests and reports showed that the cancer is gone and he </span><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>will make a complete recovery.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black'>No chemotherapy or radiation is needed.</span><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black'>With that radical surgery and a follow up mini surgery to relieve the drainage, he will be cured of this type of cancer.</span><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black'>It is nothing less than a miracle my friends.</span><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black'>You had a huge part in keeping his mind, body and spirit on track. </span><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>Hallelujah to all.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black'>I thoroughly want to thank you for loving my brother throughout this long and winding road.</span><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black'>(a Beatles reference appropriate here.)</span><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black'>Be mindful that the next lap is to get to rehab and start strengthening those legs and stomach muscles that have been inactive for many months, but this pales in comparison to the previous months of anxiety, stress and uncertainty.</span><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black'>These next few months will bring about a new, renewed and reborn Joe Ruffalo, hopefully stronger and more determined to continue to make a difference in our world.</span><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black'>I must note that the timing doesn’t go unnoticed.</span><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black'>It is the time of spring, Easter and my holiday of Passover which begins tonight. </span><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>All involve rebirth , renewal and hope.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black'>I surely wish that this note brings you comfort and peace during these days ahead.</span><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black'>We are indeed more than the sum of one</span><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black'>Love you all!</span><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>Keep Smiling,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>Janie Degenshein<br>Happiness isn't having what you want, but wanting what you already have!<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>-- <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#222222'>Warmly, <br>Linda Melendez, President<br>National Federation of the Blind of New Jersey<br>732-421-7063<br>Email: </span><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><a href="mailto:president@nfbnj.org" target="_blank"><span style='color:#1155CC'>president@nfbnj.org</span></a><span style='color:#222222'><br><i>Website: </i></span><a href="http://www.nfbnj.org/" target="_blank"><i><span style='color:#0563C1'>www.nfbnj.org</span></i></a><i><span style='color:#222222'><br>Facebook: </span></i><a href="https://m.facebook.com/NFB-NJ-353099574776238" target="_blank"><i><span style='color:#0563C1'>https://m.facebook.com/NFB-NJ-353099574776238</span></i></a><i><span style='color:#222222'><br>Twitter: </span></i><a href="https://twitter.com/nfbnewjersey" target="_blank"><i><span style='color:#0563C1'>@NFBNewJersey</span></i></a><i><span style='color:#222222'><br>YouTube: </span></i><a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKEDbjGsCYHMlwd4gqpBPjg" target="_blank"><i><span style='color:#0563C1'>NFBNJTransformDreams</span></i></a><i><span style='color:#222222'><br>Live the life you want.</span></i><o:p></o:p></span></p></div></body></html>