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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><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Hi NFB Family and Friends,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Let’s get to know more members of our Tidewater Chapter. Today we’ll learn more about Deborah Prost and Eric Bell.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Deborah learned about the NFB when she was in grad school; she was interested in social work at that time, she wrote a paper about us. She joined the Tidewater chapter around 1980. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Deborah has worn many hats while in the NFB, she has been on the Braille Committee and she was Tidewater’s Secretary for awhile. She has been a teacher of blind children, and she won the Distinguished Teacher of the Year at National Convention in 1997! Deborah worked with the Braille readers are leaders program and she always had her students join. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Deborah would like to have her chapter out in the community more and educating people and encouraging young people to join the chapter and the NFB.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>She is very involved in her Synagogue, Bethel, where she is a prayer leader, among other things. She volunteers with the Pregnancy Crisis Center and she has raised funds with them. Deborah attended the School for the blind, in Stanton and She graduated from William and Mary and U VA. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>You may be surprised to learn Deborah has been sky diving and parasailing! She has been Married to Stewart for 39 years, they love to travel together!! One of her bucket list items is to travel to Isreal. She loves Cooking vegan dishes and shopping! “I could be the head of the Vegan Committee and the Shopping Committee if we had them, LOL.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Deborah has a giving heart! She would donate to the NFB’s Scholarship Fund if she found $250,000!<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Now on to Eric…Eric has been with our NFBV Family since 2022 and he has been involved with fundraising and is a Board Member. Eric says “ I’d like our chapter to hold open houses at the high schools and colleges around the area. I’d like to let Parents and students know we’re here and what we do.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Eric is a native, he’s from Suffolk and attended their public schools. He graduated from liberty university with a bachelors in criminal justice and psychology . He has one younger brother. Eric lost his vision in 2011 due to a pseudo cerebri tumor. He says “It happened in the middle of my junior year in college. I Was a part time bus driver for the public schools at the time. It was a HUGE adjustment. I Have had great support including my best friend since high school and my mom; I’m grateful I don’t feel alone and to have found the NFB. I’ve met some other people who are blind”.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Eric is into movies and he love’s watching audio descriptive movies with friends. He can be found taking road trips and traveling (he wants to take a cruise to the Caribbean and visit the Maldives) ; when he does he likes trying different restaurants and doing wine tastings. Eric likes to plan events, especially birthday parties! <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Eric has several favorite memories, one of them is from 7<sup>th</sup> grade. He won a contest from a magazine. He had to name several artist . What a deal, he won expensive hair products CD’s and posters. Eric thinks everyone would be surprised to know he played the alfa saxophone.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>If he found $250,000 Eric would invest some of it. He would use the rest to give blind and low vision individuals employmentopportunities. Eric says” Job opportunities are so limited if there are opportunities at all. You’re overlooked if your getting assistance and I’ve been treated like a second hand citizen. It can happen to anyone at any time! “<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>We know just a bit more about these two fabulous people. Stay tuned for more next week.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Peace,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Jacki Bruce<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Corresponding Secretary NFBV<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><a href="mailto:jackibruce6@gmail.com">mailto:jackibruce6@gmail.com</a><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><a href="tel:(757)291-1789">tel:(757)291-1789</a><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Membership Chair<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><a href="mailto:membership@nfbv.org">mailto:membership@nfbv.org</a><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><a href="tel:(757)354-4170">tel:(757)354-4170</a><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Find us on Facebook @NationalFederationoftheBlindofVirginia<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Find us on Instragram @nfbofvirginia<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Subscribe to our Youtube: NFB Virginia<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><a href="http://www.nfbv.org/">www.nfbv.org</a><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>STRONGER TOGETHER!<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></body></html>