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--></style></head><body lang="EN-US" link="blue" vlink="purple"><div class="WordSection1"><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:10.0pt"><span style="font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Rockwell",serif;color:#1f497d">Hello everyone,</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:10.0pt"><span style="font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Rockwell",serif;color:#1f497d"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:10.0pt"><span style="font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Rockwell",serif;color:#1f497d">VRCBVI is excited to announce that it will once again host its annual in-person spring event for students who are blind or vision impaired and their parents.  The last time we were able to do this was in 2019, and participants told us this event was a must-attend for blind and vision-impaired students and their families.  With that affirmation, VRCBVI knows that this event can introduce possibilities and change lives.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:10.0pt"><span style="font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Rockwell",serif;color:#1f497d"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:10.0pt"><span style="font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Rockwell",serif;color:#1f497d">Please share this information with students (ages 14-18) who would benefit from interactions with positive and successful blind role models.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom:10.0pt;text-align:center"><span style="font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Rockwell",serif;color:#1f497d"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:10.0pt"><span style="font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Rockwell",serif;color:#1f497d">If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to let me know.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom:10.0pt;text-align:center"><span style="font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Rockwell",serif;color:#1f497d"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:10.0pt"><span style="font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Rockwell",serif;color:#1f497d">Thanks.</span><span style="font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Rockwell",serif"></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:10.0pt"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1f497d"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:10.0pt"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1f497d">Melody</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom:10.0pt;text-align:center"><span style="font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Rockwell",serif;color:#1f497d"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom:10.0pt;text-align:center"><span style="font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Rockwell",serif;color:white">VRCBVI Spring Event 2022</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><img width="251" height="103" style="width:2.6145in;height:1.0729in" id="_x0000_i1025" src="cid:image001.png@01D82F07.0AC181C0" alt="Virginia Rehabilitation Center for the Blind and Vision Impaired - Live the Life You've Imagined.png"></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom:10.0pt;text-align:center;line-height:12.65pt"><b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1f497d"> </span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom:10.0pt;text-align:center"><b><span style="font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Rockwell",serif;color:black">Expanding Your Universe: Charting Your Future</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom:10.0pt;text-align:center"><b><span style="font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">Saturday, April 23, 2022 - 9:00am to 3:30pm</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="right" style="margin-left:2.0in;text-align:right"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:white"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><b><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black">A long time ago,</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><b><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black">in a galaxy far, far, away</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><b><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black">on this day in history in 2022,</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><b><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black">The Virginia Rehabilitation Center for the Blind</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><b><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black">and Vision Impaired hosted its famous program for</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><b><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black">blind teens and their parents. Little did the world know that</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><b><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black"> the Spring Event would change the lives of all of the participants.</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:10.0pt"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black">VRCBVI’s Spring Event is dedicated to blind students and their families to demonstrate how blind people live and work successfully and independently. Our staff will share strategies blind people use to shop, travel with a long white cane, prepare meals, organize their homes, and take leadership roles in their school, community and work.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:10.0pt"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black">This training will be filled with structured discussions to enhance success at school and at home and will give you real-life examples of what blind people can do. Most importantly, it will give you and your child a glimpse into the possibilities when you have “the right stuff” (skills, confidence and opportunities).</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom:10.0pt;text-align:center"><b><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Rockwell",serif;color:black">Come join us and take your skills to INFINITY & BEYOND!</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><b><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black">Participation is limited! Use the link below to register today to save your spot!</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><b><span style="font-size:24.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:red">REGISTRATION DEADLINE: APRIL 8</span></b><b><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black"> </span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black"><a href="https://www.formrouter.net/forms@VRCB/SpringEvent2022.html" target="_blank"><b><span style="font-size:16.0pt">https://www.formrouter.net/forms@VRCB/SpringEvent2022.html</span></b></a></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black"> </span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black">The day’s agenda will include (students and parents will separate for breakout sessions):</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black">9:00am: Registration</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black">9:30am: Welcome to the VRCBVI Observatory</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black">10:00am - 11:00am: Breakout session 1</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black">11:00am - 12:00pm: Breakout session 2</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black">12:00pm - 1:00pm: Galaxy Grub</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black">1:00pm - 2:00pm: Breakout session 3</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black">2:00pm - 3:00pm: Breakout session 4</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black">3:00pm - 3:30pm: Blasting Off Into Your Future</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black">Description of the day’s mission:</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><u><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black">Welcome to the VRCBVI Observatory</span></u></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black">Join Commander Melody Roane as she launches us into orbit! Our fearless leader will lead the opening conversation with a panel of former cadets and current crew regarding their personal experiences with blindness. They will share tips and tricks that led to their success and how they use those skills back on planet Earth.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black"> </span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><u><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black">Orbiting Literacy & Galactic Gadgetry: Braille and Technology</span></u></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black">Have you ever wondered how someone who is blind identifies printed text, recognizes money, formats a word document, or navigates a smartphone? You are invited to meet with members of the VRCBVI Tech department to learn answers to the above questions and ask some of your own. You can also come to check out the cutting-edge Braille displays with the VRCBVI Braille Instructor! Ask any Braille questions you may have and find out how Braille still works in today's technology-driven society.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><u><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black">Celestial Skills: Personal Home Management</span></u></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black">Question: Can someone who is Blind or Vision Impaired cook in a kitchen safely and independently? Answer: “Absolutely!” Come join our VRCBVI Personal and Home Management department for an overview of basic non-visual skills needed to make your favorite dishes, keep your kitchen and home organized, label items, and other techniques used in and around the kitchen!</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><u><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black">Navigating the Nebula: Orientation & Mobility</span></u></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black">The Orientation and Mobility department is rip-roaring and ready for you to bring your thoughts and questions orbiting around the long white cane.  Plan for a lively discussion focused on the power of the cane, and how it can propel you towards freedom and independence.  Start thinking now: What truly makes a confident-cosmic, blind or vision impaired traveler?</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><u><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black">Fueling Your Future: Student Discussion on Life After High School</span></u></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black">Join VRCBVI crew members to learn how to prepare yourself for the adventure ahead. Learn strategies on how to deal with the turbulence of life in college, employment, and beyond.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><u><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black">Preparing to Launch: Parent Discussion on Life After High School</span></u></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black">Join Commander Roane, Asst. Commander Amy Phelps, and others as you prepare your cadet to successfully complete their mission. Discuss ways to empower, support, and push them to achieve their maximum potential.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><u><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black">Blast Off Into Your Future: Closing Discussion</span></u></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black">We will wrap up with Commander Roane as we debrief the day’s mission with final takeaways and questions before you blast off into the future.</span></p><div><p class="MsoNormal"> </p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><b><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black">Remember, participation is limited! We hope to see you on Saturday, April 23! Signing off!</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><b><span style="font-size:24.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:red">REGISTRATION DEADLINE: APRIL 8</span></b><b><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black"> </span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black"><a href="https://www.formrouter.net/forms@VRCB/SpringEvent2022.html" target="_blank"><b><span style="font-size:16.0pt">https://www.formrouter.net/forms@VRCB/SpringEvent2022.html</span></b></a></span></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal"> </p></div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">Melody L. Roane, Director</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">Virginia Rehabilitation Center for the Blind and Vision Impaired, Virginia Department for the Blind & Vision Impaired</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">401 Azalea Avenue, Richmond, VA  23227</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="mailto:Melody.Roane@dbvi.virginia.gov"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">Melody.Roane@dbvi.virginia.gov</span></a></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">Phone: (804) 371-3323 | Fax: (804) 371-3092</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">Facebook:</span><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:gray"> </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/VDBVI" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1155cc">facebook.org/VDBVI</span></a></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">LinkedIn:</span><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:gray"> </span><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/virginia-department-for-the-blind-and-vision-impaired" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1155cc">linkedin.com/VDBVI</span></a></p><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://www.vdbvi.org/" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1155cc">www.vrcbvi.org</span></a><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:9.5pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif"> </span></p></div></body></html>

<br>
Commonwealth of Virginia<br>Department for the Blind and Vision Impaired <br>Established 1922<br> “Celebrating our past and empowering our future”<div><a href="http://www.vdbvi.org/" target="_blank">www.vdbvi.org </a><p><b><u>Notice:</u></b> This
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electronically. Also, given the nature of electronic mail and its potential to
carry computer viruses, the Department of the Blind and Vision Impaired and the
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