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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link="#0563C1" vlink="#954F72"><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><b><span style='font-size:28.0pt;font-family:"Cambria",serif'>Please join us in Tulsa for the National Federation of the Blind Oklahoma </span></b><b><span style='font-size:26.0pt;font-family:"Cambria",serif'>44<sup>th</sup> Annual State Convention </span></b><b><span style='font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Cambria",serif'><o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><b><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Cambria",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><b><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Cambria",serif'>April 12 – 15, 2018 <o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><b><span style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Cambria",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><b><span style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Cambria",serif'>Standing together with love, hope and determination<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><b><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Cambria",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><b><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Cambria",serif'>Doubletree @ Warren Place<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><b><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Cambria",serif'>6110 S. Yale Ave. <o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><b><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Cambria",serif'>Tulsa, OK 74136<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><a name="OLE_LINK2"></a><a name="OLE_LINK1"><b><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Cambria",serif'>918-495-1000 <o:p></o:p></span></b></a></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><u><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Cambria",serif'><o:p><span style='text-decoration:none'> </span></o:p></span></u></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Cambria",serif'>Sessions will focus on Education, successful Employment, blind people successfully following their dreams into the STEM fields and other interesting professions, developing the skills of blindness, living a healthy life and many more. Truly, there is something for everyone! Business meetings and activities are planned for the Oklahoma Association of Blind Merchants, the Oklahoma Association of Rehabilitation Professionals and the Oklahoma Association of Blind Students. We also have wonderful presentations from visitors to Oklahoma as well. Read below about our national representative, Carla McQuillan and special guest, Dr. Cary Supalo. <o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><u><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Cambria",serif'><o:p><span style='text-decoration:none'> </span></o:p></span></u></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><u><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Cambria",serif'>Hotel reservations<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><u><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Cambria",serif'><o:p><span style='text-decoration:none'> </span></o:p></span></u></b></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'><b><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Cambria",serif'>Room reservations must be made by each participant. The room rate for a single King is $89.00 + tax, two Double beds are $99.00 + tax. In order to receive the NFB of Oklahoma rate you <u>MUST</u> make your reservation by March 30<sup>th</sup>, 2018. You may book by calling the doubletree directly at the number listed above for reservations or by booking online at the following link: <o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'><b><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Cambria",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><a href="https://secure3.hilton.com/en_US/dt/reservation/book.htm?inputModule=HOTEL&ctyhocn=TULSYDT&spec_plan=CDTFBO&arrival=20180410&departure=20180416&cid=OM,WW,HILTONLINK,EN,DirectLink&fromId=HILTONLINKDIRECT"><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>https://secure3.hilton.com/en_US/dt/reservation/book.htm?inputModule=HOTEL&ctyhocn=TULSYDT&spec_plan=CDTFBO&arrival=20180410&departure=20180416&cid=OM,WW,HILTONLINK,EN,DirectLink&fromId=HILTONLINKDIRECT</span></a><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><u><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Cambria",serif'><o:p><span style='text-decoration:none'> </span></o:p></span></u></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><u><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Cambria",serif'>Convention Rates and Packages: <o:p></o:p></span></u></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><u><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Cambria",serif'><o:p><span style='text-decoration:none'> </span></o:p></span></u></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><u><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Cambria",serif'>Convention Package <o:p></o:p></span></u></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Cambria",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Cambria",serif'>Preregistration - $110.00 thru 5:00, Monday, April 9<sup>, </sup>2018, At the Door - $125.00 beginning 7:00 PM Thursday, April 12, 2018</span></b><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Cambria",serif'> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Cambria",serif'>Includes Registration, Boxed lunch for Friday, Boxed lunch for Saturday and 1 Banquet meal for Saturday evening. Please help us make convention go as smoothly as possible by pre-registering. <o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><u><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Cambria",serif'><o:p><span style='text-decoration:none'> </span></o:p></span></u></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><u><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Cambria",serif'>A la Carte Pricing</span></u></b><b><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Cambria",serif'> (Listed below are pre-registration rates. At the door add $5 to each.)<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Cambria",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Cambria",serif'>Registration - $25.00 <o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Cambria",serif'>Friday Boxed Lunch - $25<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Cambria",serif'>Saturday Boxed Lunch - $25 <o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Cambria",serif'>Saturday Banquet Meal - $45.00 <o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Cambria",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Cambria",serif'>*If you require specialized meal ACCOMODATIONS, please indicate so on your registration. If you do not indicate such we cannot guarantee special meal accommodations. <o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Cambria",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Cambria",serif'>You may register and pay online using a Pay Pal account or credit card. You may also preregister and pay at the door. The following link will take you directly to the registration page on our website: <o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><a href="http://nfbok.org/2018-online-registration/"><b><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Cambria",serif'>http://nfbok.org/2018-online-registration/</span></b></a><span class=MsoHyperlink><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Cambria",serif'>Should you have questions about convention registration please contact Glenda Farnum by phone at 405-255-6482 or by e-mail at </span></b><a href="mailto:gfarnum@cox.net"><b><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Cambria",serif'>gfarnum@cox.net</span></b></a><b><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Cambria",serif'>. </span></b><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Cambria",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Cambria",serif'>Should you have questions about the NFBOK 2018 convention, would like to exhibit at or sponsor our convention please contact Mike Floyd, 918-345-0875. Mike is serving as Chair for this year’s Convention Arrangements Committee. <o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Cambria",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Cambria",serif'>We are proud to welcome Carla McQuillan as our national representative this year. Carla is the president of the National Federation of the Blind of Oregon and serves on the National Federation of the Blind Board of Directors. <o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Cambria",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Cambria",serif'>Carla was born and raised in Southern California in the early 60's, the youngest of 4 children. In the summer before fifth grade, Carla lost a great deal of vision but did not notice it until she started school in the fall and was unable to read the chalkboard from the front row.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Cambria",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Cambria",serif'>Because of her remaining peripheral vision, Carla did not "look blind", so she was not taught Braille or any other alternative techniques of blindness. She had very little experience with blind people. The only blind person she knew was her brother, and he was forever using his blindness as an excuse for standing on the sidelines. Carla knew that this was not the life she wanted and was determined to do everything in her power to convince the world that she was not blind.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Cambria",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Cambria",serif'>After high school Carla went to Humboldt State University in Northern California. There she met her husband Lucas. They were married in the summer of 1981 and moved to San Diego for Lucas's master's degree program. Though Carla had not completed her bachelor's degree, she was more than happy to put her college career on hold and work to support the couple. Her one year of college had not been very successful. Without the ability to read Braille and eyesight too poor to read print, Carla, who had been an A student in high school, saw her grades drop.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Cambria",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Cambria",serif'>She got a job as a Montessori Preschool teacher in San Diego while Lucas completed his master's degree. Their daughter Alison was born in 1983. In 1985 the family moved to Illinois. Lucas enrolled in a doctoral program at the University of Illinois, and Carla decided to complete her bachelor's degree. With Lucas' encouragement, Carla asked for accessible textbooks and decided to learn Braille. The staff at the university’s disabled student's services office told her how difficult Braille would be to learn and how inefficient it would be. Discouraged and defeated, Carla wondered if there was any hope for her future. Fortunately she learned of a scholarship program through the National Federation of the Blind. She won a scholarship from the organization’s Illinois affiliate in 1988. The state convention changed her life. Her negative attitudes about blindness and about her own potential to be a successful professional were replaced by confidence and self-assurance that remain a hallmark of her character today. <o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Cambria",serif'>After both graduating with High Distinction from the University of Illinois in 1988, the McQuillans completed their family with the birth of their son Duncan. They moved to Oregon to be near Carla's family. Carla started her own Montessori preschool, which later expanded to include 3 schools and a Montessori Teacher Certification Program. Carla served as President of the National Federation of the Blind of Oregon from 1992 until 2006, when her business responsibilities became too demanding. She also served on the NFB's national board of directors from 1998 until resigning from that position as well in 2006. She was re-elected president of the Oregon affiliate in 2012 and still serves in that capacity. She is the director of NFB Camp, the program that offers child care during the annual convention of the National Federation of the Blind. Carla was again elected to the national board of directors in 2016.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Cambria",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Cambria",serif'>"I had such horrible misconceptions about blindness for most of my childhood and early adult life," Carla says. "I thought I knew what blindness meant, and I didn't want any part of it. The National Federation of the Blind taught me that blindness was only as limiting as I allowed it to be. My friends and colleagues in the movement have been more than ideal role models; they have saved me from a life of regret and underachievement." <o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Cambria",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p><p><b><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Cambria",serif'>We are also proud to welcome Dr. Cary Supalo to our convention. Dr. Supalo holds a Ph.D. in Chemistry from Purdue University, is the developer of Independent Science, a company which seeks to make Science, Technology and Math (STEM) fields accessible to blind students and currently works for ETS, Educational Testing Services working to make high stakes testing accessible to the blind. Dr. Supalo also happens to be blind. <o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p><b><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Cambria",serif'>A full agenda is soon to be available online at </span></b><a href="http://www.nfbok.org"><b><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Cambria",serif'>www.nfbok.org</span></b></a><span class=MsoHyperlink><o:p></o:p></span></p><p><b><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Cambria",serif'>I hope you can make it! </span></b><o:p></o:p></p><p><b><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Cambria",serif'>Warm regards,<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p><b><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Cambria",serif'>Jeannie <o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Cambria",serif'>Jeannie M. Massay, President<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Cambria",serif'>National Federation of the Blind <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Cambria",serif'>Of Oklahoma<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Cambria",serif'>405-600-0695<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><a href="mailto:president@nfbok.org"><span style='font-family:"Cambria",serif'>president@nfbok.org</span></a><span style='font-family:"Cambria",serif'> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><a href="http://www.nfbok.org/"><span style='font-family:"Cambria",serif'>www.nfbok.org</span></a><span style='font-family:"Cambria",serif'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Cambria",serif'>Follow us on Twitter @NFBOK<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Cambria",serif'>Follow us on Facebook @nationalfederationoftheblindok<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Cambria",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Cambria",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Cambria",serif'>Live the life you want!<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Cambria",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Cambria",serif'>The National Federation of the Blind is a community of members and friends who believe in the hopes and dreams of the nation’s blind. Every day we work together to help blind people live the lives they want.</span><span style='font-family:"Cambria",serif'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></body></html>