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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link="#0563C1" vlink="#954F72"><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal>Settle down, settle down. I know you’re tired of hearing about convention and all things Zoom, but I’ve got one last message that requires your attention.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>It turns out planning a virtual convention still requires heroic effort. We want to take a moment to acknowledge the people who were the magic behind the movement.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Convention planning happens in cycles. That is to say, as we were closing in on the convention for 2020, we were also negotiating contracts as far out as 2024. Thank you to Joe Hobson, Fred Schroeder, and Charlie Brown for continuing to assist with contract review.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Though the format may have gone virtual, registration was still a critical component, and our master registration coordinator kept pace with the more than 300 entries that flowed steadily into our inboxes. A big thanks to Sandy Halverson of the Potomac Chapter for taking on the additional task of juggling data to ensure a legitimate voting process. I absolutely adore Sandy, so I will take both her well-considered compliments and her occasional gentle scolding if it means she continues to oversee this essential component.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>The voting system itself was managed by Patrick Johnson of the At Large Chapter. Patrick dealt with the vendor and made it possible for us to only worry about the basic information needed to make the voting work. I love it when a guy can be given instructions and run off with full ownership of a project with minimal oversight. It makes our lives easier.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Zoom may have brought the broadcast oomph, but our A/V team brought the audio/visual genius. Mike Fish of the Richmond Chapter was assisted by Thinh Dang, a Project RISE student; Arielle Silverman; and Michael Kitchens. We had prolonged meetings to ensure synchronization, and I think you will agree they pulled it off quite smoothly.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Arielle Silverman also worked with Kathryn Webster on tying loose ends at various points on the agenda. Don’t bet against the dynamic team of Silverman and Webster. One brings the vision. The other brings the execution, and together they make Virginia feel very fortunate to feature them on our membership roster.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Mute this, raise that, and put your hands together for this year’s Zoom host section. Led by Jacki Bruce of the Williamsburg Chapter and assisted by Becky Keller, Collin Bruce, Dominique Lawless, Greg Chittum, Chris Foley, Sarah Blumberg, Sarah Patnaude, Sean McMahon, and Wayne Williams. The political conventions only wish they had a team as phenomenal as this collection of multi-taskers running their virtual meetings. A big thank you to them for helping to keep the agenda engagement firmly on the rails.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>My name sure didn’t get picked for a door prize. Guess who isn’t handling door prizes next year? Someone pass along the briefest of memos to them. Two words: You’re fired.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>When you get Jacki Brown of the Winchester Chapter cajoling you out of your money, you get one heck of an auction experience. When you add Laurie Wages of the Fredericksburg Chapter to the combo, all bets are off. The bidding process, even the way it was handled this year, was just as exciting as the wide range of products representing the fundraising efforts for our chapters and divisions. They were assisted by Rebecca Soforenko, Sharon Soforenko, Oscar Montiel, Lois Fritz, and Renee Valdez.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>This team may have been the funniest of the lot. They thought that in their role as virtual information desk representatives, they would only be fielding calls and emails about Zoom connection issues. Even Matthew chuckled at that bit of nonsense. Haven’t they learned of how the NFB amplifies responsibilities? Special thanks to Jennifer Blinsmon of the Tidewater Chapter and her team consisting of Stewart Prost, Frances Durham, Michael Kasey, and John Halverson for monitoring the phones and email for queries from as far away as Arizona. They are team players who truly provided an outstanding customer experience.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Who the hell is Matthew? Umm, that would be my gorgeous German shepherd, the affiliate’s self-appointed official Seeing Eye dog.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Thank you to Annette Carr from the Fairfax Chapter for running exhibits and sponsorships. Annette is juggling a ton outside of her role in the organization. Nevertheless, she brought in over $3,000 in sponsorship dollars. She has the golden touch, and we are very blessed to have her in our corner.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Thank you to Diana Olievera from the Potomac Chapter and her outreach team for helping to spread word of the convention far and wide to the community. She was assisted by Nancy Yeager, Julia Ford, Chris Walker, and Sarah Blumberg. While they were at it, they came up with a neat flyer for Meet the Blind Month. I like teams who are proactive.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Thank you to the program heads for doing what they do, including: Scholarships, Jimmy Morris from Richmond; Project RISE, Kathryn Webster from the Potomac Chapter; PAC Plan, Christine Grassman from the Potomac Chapter; my sidekick, Domonique, on Chapter Leadership Institute; and if I forgot your program, please forgive me.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>A special thanks to the diverse range of speakers, panelists, and facilitators from all over the country who made the various agendas come alive. They were central to making this convention a success, and they have our enormous gratitude for giving of their time to teach us from their experience.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>And, thank you to Domonique Lawless and Melody Roane for effortlessly blending the door prize operation into the general session agenda. They took a unique circumstance and pulled it off in a way only Richmond can do.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Almost last, but nowhere near least, and the reason this message comes from me and not the boss, I want to make sure we properly thank our president, Tracy Soforenko. Have you ever heard Tracy cackle? One evening while in the middle of a planning call I think he may have gotten so frustrated with me that he gave voice to one of his famous cackles. My convention planning experience was hence complete. Seriously, Tracy devotes far more of his time to this organization than anyone will ever know, with the exception of Sharon, his wife, whom we thank from the bottom of our hearts for lending us her husband to lead this large and sometimes complex organization. Tracy goes beyond and above what any volunteer leader should be expected to accomplish. It would be easy to just let things go when things do not get done by others. Instead, Tracy will do the work and not complain once. I have never heard Tracy ever complain about the work being too much even though it often can be. He drives me crazy sometimes, especially around convention planning season, but I always keep coming back because I know he would never ask us to do anything he would not be willing to do himself. Sandy put it best Saturday night when she reminded us of how he is an innovative leader who is willing to think outside the box to move the organization forward. Nothin’ but love boss. Here’s to 20 more years of convention planning and whatever else may come.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Light humor aside, we are sincerely grateful to everyone for doing what they did to make this convention one more victory. COVID may have changed the landscape, but when things turned upside down, our affiliate kept charging forward with the very important work of the Federation. Thank you thank you thank you for being you.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Okay, finally, thank you to Brittany Ingram from the Fredericksburg Chapter for coordinating our post convention analysis. If you have made it this far, please fill out our convention survey. It is the shortest form you will ever fill out, but your responses will play a huge role in next year’s gathering. And, it’s Brittany. Everyone loves Brittany. Here’s the survey:<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>http://nfbv.org/survey<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Yours, with enormous gratitude,<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Joe Orozco<o:p></o:p></p></div></body></html>