<div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div class="gmail_default" style=""><span id="gmail-docs-internal-guid-1864b731-7fff-2c04-f2dd-95926f300b65" style=""><p dir="ltr" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif;font-size:small;line-height:1.295;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:8pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">November 16, 2021</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif;font-size:small;line-height:1.295;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:8pt"><span style="background-color:transparent;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;font-size:11pt;white-space:pre-wrap"><br></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif;font-size:small;line-height:1.295;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:8pt"><span style="background-color:transparent;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;font-size:11pt;white-space:pre-wrap">Dear Members of my Federation Family and Conventioneers:</span></p><br><p dir="ltr" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif;font-size:small;line-height:1.295;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:8pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">By all accounts, our 45</span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><span style="font-size:0.6em;vertical-align:super">th</span></span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"> annual NFBNJ state convention was an enormous success  -- and it was all because of you! </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif;font-size:small;line-height:1.295;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:8pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Behind the scenes, Federationists from NJ and other states moderated each Zoom session, ensuring participants were in place, ready to connect from around the country. Others among you set up the panels or presentations and moderated them with style and grace.</span></p><br><p dir="ltr" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif;font-size:small;line-height:1.295;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:8pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Plus, fit breaks, music, scholarships, exhibitors and sponsors – and so much more helped make this convention unforgettable. And of course, there were the audience members who gave their attention to each and every panel and activity. And I hope each of you were able to take away a new tip or trick or technique relating to accommodating blindness or understanding one another just a little better, our philosophy and mission.</span></p><br><p dir="ltr" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif;font-size:small;line-height:1.295;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:8pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Thank you ALL for making my first convention as your NFBNJ president such a memorable experience and a springboard to our 46</span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><span style="font-size:0.6em;vertical-align:super">th</span></span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"> annual convention a year from now. </span></p><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.295;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:8pt"><span style="background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline"><font color="#000000" face="Calibri, sans-serif"><span style="font-size:11pt;white-space:pre-wrap">With my sincere appreciation,</span><span style="font-size:14.6667px;white-space:pre-wrap">
</span></font></span><font face="tahoma, sans-serif">Linda Melendez, President<br></font><span style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif">National Federation of the Blind of New Jersey</span><span style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif">732-421-7063<br></span><a href="mailto:president@nfbnj.org" target="_blank" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif">president@nfbnj.org</a><br><a href="http://www.nfbnj.org/" target="_blank" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif"><i><span style="color:rgb(5,99,193)">www.nfbnj.org</span></i></a><br><i style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif">Facebook: </i><a href="https://m.facebook.com/NFB-NJ-353099574776238" target="_blank" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif"><i><span style="color:rgb(5,99,193)">https://m.facebook.com/NFB-NJ-353099574776238</span></i></a><br><i style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif">Twitter: </i><a href="https://twitter.com/nfbnewjersey" target="_blank" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif"><i><span style="color:rgb(5,99,193)">@NFBNewJersey</span></i></a><br><i style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif">YouTube: </i><a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKEDbjGsCYHMlwd4gqpBPjg" target="_blank" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif"><i><span style="color:rgb(5,99,193)">NFBNJTransformDreams</span></i></a><br><i style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif">Live the life you want.</i><br></p></span></div><div><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_signature"><div dir="ltr"><div><div><font face="tahoma, sans-serif"><br style="color:rgb(34,34,34)"><span style="color:rgb(34,34,34)"><i><font size="1">The National Federation of the Blind of New Jersey is a community of members and friends who believe in the hopes and dreams of the nation’s blind. Everyday we work together to help blind people live the lives they want.</font></i></span></font><br></div><div><font face="tahoma, sans-serif"><span style="color:rgb(34,34,34)"><i><font size="1"><br></font></i></span></font></div><div></div></div><div dir="auto"></div><font color="#888888"></font></div></div></div></div></div>