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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link="#0563C1" vlink="#954F72"><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal>From Sandy Halverson, First Vice President and Membership Chair<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>sjh300@outlook.com<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>(703) 379-1141 (home)<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Our membership seminar on Sunday, February 9 is exactly 1 week away. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>However, Monday, February 3 at Noon is the final deadline for boxed lunch orders <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Call or email me before Noon on Monday if you want a boxed lunch. Please let me know if you want the meat or vegetarian option.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Our $10 boxed lunch is highly subsidized by the affiliate and Joe Orozco needs the orders from me by Monday Noon.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Additionally, regardless of your interest in the boxed lunch, we need to know who will be attending the seminar so we can more effectively plan our interactive programming. You are expected to RSVP by Monday.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Details are below.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>We all want to grow our chapters and share our Federation message. Our programming on Sunday (2/9) afternoon will help us to recruit and retain members. Make the commitment to grow our chapters and yourself through this exciting seminar.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Growing the Federation is key to helping others share in the gift that is our movement.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>However, each of our chapters and divisions can improve in our efforts to recruit, educate and retain members. This is why we have developed a seminar focused on answering the following questions:<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><ul style='margin-top:0in' type=disc><li class=MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst style='margin-left:0in;mso-add-space:auto;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo3'>How do I effectively recruit new people to learn more and join our chapter or division?<o:p></o:p></li><li class=MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle style='margin-left:0in;mso-add-space:auto;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo3'>How do we teach people what it means to be a member, about the Federation and our positive philosophy on blindness?<o:p></o:p></li><li class=MsoListParagraphCxSpLast style='margin-left:0in;mso-add-space:auto;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo3'>How do we convince people to keep coming back and become active members of our organization?<o:p></o:p></li></ul><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>If these questions speak to you, please join us on Sunday, February 9 in Tysons Corner for a seminar featuring Anil Lewis, Executive Director for Blindness Initiatives, National Federation of the Blind. Before joining our national leadership team on staff in Baltimore, Anil served as an extremely successful President of the Georgia affiliate. During his tenure in Georgia, the affiliate and its chapters experienced tremendous growth and success. Together, we will learn how to bring this success to our organization in Virginia.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Anil and others will share their techniques and you will participate in numerous interactive exercises to grow your capacity to recruit and retain Federation members. This is an event you will not want to miss.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>This seminar will be held on the Sunday afternoon (2/9) prior to our 2020 Washington seminar. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>It will be held immediately following a Project RISE and national mentoring weekend event at the Westin Tysons Corner in Falls Church Virginia. This is the same location we held our August 2019 Board of Directors meeting and will be the site of our 2020 National Federation of the Blind of Virginia State Convention.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Exact timing and meeting rooms are still being worked out, but we have a few details that we can share right away.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Lunch will start around 12:00 or 12:30 and the meeting will be over between 4:00 PM and 4:30 PM.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><ol style='margin-top:0in' start=1 type=A><li class=MsoListParagraph style='margin-left:0in;mso-add-space:auto;mso-list:l2 level1 lfo6'>Boxed Lunch - If you will be attending, we are offering a boxed lunch at a very subsidized rate of $10 per person. We need to know that you wish to participate in the lunch by Monday, February 3 at Noon. The hotel is offering a meat and a vegetarian option. We did not get more specifics on the sandwiches so we can’t answer your specific lunch requests. Boxed lunch orders are made by contacting Sandy Halverson. Please state meat or vegetarian when you place your order. You are not required to order a lunch to attend but you are required to tell us if you are attending in advance.<o:p></o:p></li></ol><p class=MsoNormal>If you are coming, we need to know by Monday, February 3 at Noon.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Call or email Sandy.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><a href="mailto:sjh300@outlook.com">sjh300@outlook.com</a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>703 379-1141 <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>If you have additional questions about the program, please contact Sandy Halverson<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Growing our membership is vitally important to our movement and we know it is important to you. If financial assistance is needed to participate in this program, do not hesitate to contact Tracy Soforenko to discuss financial assistance.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Tracy Soforenko<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>President, National Federation of the Blind of Virginia<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>202 285-4595<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><a href="mailto:Tracy.soforenko@gmail.com">Tracy.soforenko@gmail.com</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.nfbv.org">www.nfbv.org</a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>National Federation of the Blind. Live the Life You Want<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>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.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></body></html>