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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link="#0563C1" vlink="#954F72" style='word-wrap:break-word'><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Hi Everyone!<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>I hope everyone is hanging in and doing alright! Please tell all of your friends to tell their friends…apply for our Virginia Scholarship! FREE MONEY!<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Great times and thanks from GAC!<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:16.0pt'>National Federation of the Blind of Virginia</span><span style='font-size:16.0pt;font-family:Aptos'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><span style='font-size:16.0pt'>2024 Scholarship Program<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><span style='font-size:16.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><span style='font-size:16.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'>The NFB of Virginia is pleased to announce the launch of its James F. Nelson merit scholarship program for the academic year 2024-2025. Up to three scholarships of $2500.00 will be awarded based on academic achievement, community engagement, and leadership potential. One of these three scholarships will be directly pledged to a qualifying freshman or sophomore. <span style='font-size:12.0pt'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'>The NFB of Virginia believes that all blind and vision-impaired students who apply for a James F. Nelson scholarship can benefit from the experience of attending the State Convention. The NFBV will cover the reasonable costs associated with attending the convention for all eligible applicants, including a room at the hotel shared with a fellow scholarship applicant, most meals, the cost of registration, and a banquet ticket. Scholarship applicants should work with their local chapters to explore transportation options and should notify the scholarship committee if they encounter any difficulties. Convention related expenses will be reimbursed or covered by the affiliate at the convention. Please notify the committee if you do not have access to a credit card or other means of covering pre-convention costs. Applicants are expected to pre-register for the gathering to signal their intentions to attend the state convention, and to assist the scholarship committee in making hotel reservations. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'>Eligibility - Applicants must: <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'>• Be legally blind or have a visual impairment that qualifies them to receive services under IDEA or from a state vocational rehabilitation program <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'>• Be a resident of Virginia, or attending a Virginia accredited institution of higher education full-time <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'>• Plan to pursue a full-time, postsecondary course of study in the 2024-2025 academic year <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'>• Participate in the entire NFB of Virginia in-person state convention in Portsmouth, Virginia and participate in all scheduled scholarship program activities to be held on October 31<sup>st</sup> to November 3<sup>rd</sup>, 2024. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'>To submit an online application, please visit <a href="https://www.nfbv.org/scholarship">https://www.nfbv.org/scholarship</a><span class=MsoHyperlink><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'>Deadline: Applications must be received no later than 11:59 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on Thursday, September 26<sup>th</sup>, 2024<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'>For any questions, please contact Jimmy Morris.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'>Email: <a href="mailto:jimorris0116@gmail.com">jimorris0116@gmail.com</a> Phone: (434) 547-2720<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal>Warm Regards,<span style='font-family:Aptos'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Jimmy Morris MA, NOMCT<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Bookman Old Style",serif'>Hello NFBV Friends!<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Bookman Old Style",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Bookman Old Style",serif'>The Greater Alexandria Chapter has been busy this year...so far! And...did I mention we're having a BLAST! Here are a few things we've done...<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Bookman Old Style",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Bookman Old Style",serif'>We kicked off the year with our crazy event, Tortillas and Microaggressions! HA, HA! This was a wonderful time when we brought about 20 of our friends together to make traditional flour tortillas, using my own Grandmother's recipe, all while talking about the impact of microaggressions -- what they are, what they look like, how they cause hurt, and what to do when you hear one or when you deliver one! At GAC, we believe that people learn best while doing or playing, so this was a wonderful experience all the way around!<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Bookman Old Style",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Bookman Old Style",serif'>We celebrated Mother's Day with our annual KICKASS SPICY MAMAS night, filled with fun and truthful discussions about PWB - parenting while blind! This was a team effort by GAC and the NFBV DEI Committee. Our Spicy Mamas did not disappoint our Zoom Room full of eager participants! Thank you, Spicy Mamas! And thank you to all who tuned in!<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Bookman Old Style",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Bookman Old Style",serif'>In June, we celebrated Father's Day with our first annual DAMNED GOOD DADDIES night! This was another collaboration between the DEI Committee and the Greater Alexandria Chapter! We introduced several awesome Good Daddies who are all blind and who are parenting children of all ages! This turned out to be a great event filled with fun and deep discussions about parenting as a blind person...daddy style! Thank you, Daddies! And a huge thank you for the support of all of you who tuned in!<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Bookman Old Style",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Bookman Old Style",serif'>Also in June, we, and about 16 of our NFBV Friends, visited the White House for an official tour! Although the tour was not set up to be a guided tour, several of our members took care of that and provided the play by play of the historical rooms! A big thank you to Naomi Campbell and Donna Browning! Also, thank you to the Secret Service who were assigned to each location! Do you know they have a wealth of historical knowledge tucked away behind those stern faces! All the gory details! YAY!<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Bookman Old Style",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Bookman Old Style",serif'>Following our White House Tour, our group trekked to have a delicious lunch at Old Ebbit's Grill, who provided a very relaxing and efficient dining experience! Christine Grassman made sure we all ordered from their exceptional dessert menu, and need I say, after that, we could barely walk! A big thank you to Old Ebbit's Grill! <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Bookman Old Style",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Bookman Old Style",serif'>After lunch, we walked the few blocks to the African American Museum! Elizabeth Herndon, Lead Visitor Services Coordinator, and her team of three tour guides, met us at the front door of the museum and led us through a fabulous guided tour of two powerful sections of the museum, Concourse 3, Slavery and Freedom, 1400 to 1877; and then Concourse 2, Defending Freedom, Defining Freedom: The Era of Segregation, 1876 to 1968. Our tour was to conclude by 3 p.m., however, it is easy to spend all day in any one of the many sections of the museum! Several of us had to leave at 3 p.m., but the tour guides were ready to continue as long as we wanted! A BIG THANK YOU to Elizabeth and her crew for this wonderful and personalized attention to our group!<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Bookman Old Style",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Bookman Old Style",serif'>So...you see! The Greater Alexandria Chapter and the DEI has been very busy this year, so far, celebrating and sharing time and history and fun and learning with our members and beyond! And we are only halfway through the year! WHAT'S NEXT?<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Bookman Old Style",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Bookman Old Style",serif'>Stay tuned!<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Bookman Old Style",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>Renee Valdez</span></b><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>(703) 966-0836</span></b><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Peace,<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Jacki Bruce<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Corresponding Secretary NFBV<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><a href="mailto:jackibruce6@gmail.com">mailto:jackibruce6@gmail.com</a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><a href="tel:(757)291-1789">tel:(757)291-1789</a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Find us on Facebook @NationalFederationoftheBlindofVirginia<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Find us on Instragram @nfbofvirginia<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Subscribe to our Youtube: NFB Virginia<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>STRONGER TOGETHER!<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></body></html>