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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link="#467886" vlink="#96607D" style='word-wrap:break-word'><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Happy Holidays,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>While the holiday season is upon us, it is vital to make your plans for the 2026 Washington Seminar.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Hotel Reservation and Registration – Please book your hotel and complete the registration processes listed below by December 31.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>There are 3 important steps:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><ol style='margin-top:0in' start=1 type=A><li class=MsoListParagraph style='margin-left:0in;mso-list:l2 level1 lfo4'><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Complete the Virginia specific 2026 Washington Seminar Registration so we can build out our teams and tell your members of Congress who will be in the meetings. <o:p></o:p></span></li></ol><p class=MsoListParagraph><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoListParagraph><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><a href="https://nfbv.org/washington">https://nfbv.org/washington</a><o:p></o:p></span></p><ol style='margin-top:0in' start=2 type=A><li class=MsoListParagraph style='margin-left:0in;mso-list:l2 level1 lfo4'><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Book your hotel reservation at the Holiday Inn Capitol<o:p></o:p></span></li></ol><p class=MsoListParagraph><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>The deadline for making hotel reservations with the Holiday Inn Capitol is December 31, 2025, and the hotel booked up early last year so you will not want to wait. Do not assume rooms in the room block will be available by late December because the room block fills up quickly.<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'>To book a room for the 2026 Washington Seminar please use our <a href="https://www.ihg.com/holidayinn/hotels/us/en/find-hotels/select-roomrate?fromRedirect=true&qSrt=sBR&qIta=99801505&icdv=99801505&qSlH=WASSM&qCiD=23&qCiMy=002026&qCoD=30&qCoMy=002026&qGrpCd=FB6&setPMCookies=true&qSHBrC=HI&qDest=550%20C%20Street%20S.W.,%20Washington,%20DC,%20US&showApp=true&adjustMonth=false&srb_u=1&qRmFltr=" target="_blank">dedicated booking link,</a> or call 877-834-3613 and provide our group code, FB6. The room rate for 2026 is 194.00 dollars per night, plus taxes and fees, and the deadline to make a reservation is <b>Wednesday, December 31, 2025</b>. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoListParagraph><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><ol style='margin-top:0in' start=3 type=A><li class=MsoListParagraph style='margin-left:0in;mso-list:l2 level1 lfo4'><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Start attending the training on the issues for our 2026 Washington seminar. The kickoff session describing our issues will be held over Zoom this Thursday (12/18) at 8:00 PM Eastern<o:p></o:p></span></li></ol><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'>Where:</span></b><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'> <a href="https://nfb-org.zoom.us/j/7567531013?omn=91085753050">https://nfb-org.zoom.us/j/7567531013?omn=91085753050</a></span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p><p>Join Zoom Meeting <br><a href="https://nfb-org.zoom.us/j/7567531013?omn=91085753050">https://nfb-org.zoom.us/j/7567531013?omn=91085753050</a> <o:p></o:p></p><p>Meeting ID: 756 753 1013 <o:p></o:p></p><p>--- <o:p></o:p></p><p>One tap mobile <br>+13017158592,,7567531013# US (Washington DC) <br><br><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'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>For all the dates and details on Washington seminar, Deepa provided great information below, including the dates and Zoom links for all the upcoming national training sessions.<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'>The final Virginia specific training session (the Virginia Caucus) will be conducted on Saturday, January 24 conducted on the Virginia affiliate Zoom.<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'>From Deepa Goraya<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>NFB of Virginia Legislative Director for the 2026 Washington Seminar <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'> <a href="mailto:deepa.goraya@gmail.com" target="_blank">deepa.goraya@gmail.com</a><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>909-964-3699<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'>Hello Virginia Federationists,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>The 2026 Washington Seminar is fast approaching in person from Monday, January 26 through Thursday, January 29, 2026. Please note that Virginia completes all appointments by late afternoon on Wednesday, January 28.<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 need you to act to book hotel rooms and register online to participate.<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'>Hotel Reservation and Registration – Please book your hotel and complete the registration processes listed below by December 31.<o:p></o:p></span></p><ol style='margin-top:0in' start=1 type=1><li class=MsoNormal style='mso-list:l0 level1 lfo3'><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Appointments with our Virginia Congressional Delegation - we strive to make all appointments on just Tuesday and Wednesday (January 27 and 28) so everyone can depart on Wednesday evening and you should not need to stay Wednesday evening. All appointments will be conducted in person.<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class=MsoNormal style='mso-list:l0 level1 lfo3'><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>More schedule details will be provided on our Washington Seminar landing page and will be provided to registered participants. <a href="https://nfb.org/programs-services/advocacy/washington-seminar">https://nfb.org/programs-services/advocacy/washington-seminar</a><o:p></o:p></span></li></ol><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Hotel Reservations:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>The deadline for making hotel reservations with the Holiday Inn Capitol is December 31, 2025, and the hotel booked up early last year so you will not want to wait. Do not assume rooms in the room block will be available by late December because the room block fills up quickly.<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'>To book a room for the 2026 Washington Seminar please use our <a href="https://www.ihg.com/holidayinn/hotels/us/en/find-hotels/select-roomrate?fromRedirect=true&qSrt=sBR&qIta=99801505&icdv=99801505&qSlH=WASSM&qCiD=23&qCiMy=002026&qCoD=30&qCoMy=002026&qGrpCd=FB6&setPMCookies=true&qSHBrC=HI&qDest=550%20C%20Street%20S.W.,%20Washington,%20DC,%20US&showApp=true&adjustMonth=false&srb_u=1&qRmFltr=" target="_blank">dedicated booking link,</a> or call 877-834-3613 and provide our group code, FB6. The room rate for 2026 is 194.00 dollars per night, plus taxes and fees, and the deadline to make a reservation is <b>Wednesday, December 31, 2025</b>. <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'>Registering for the 2026 Washington Seminar:<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'>The legislative Committee needs to begin creating teams of those who will be attending Washington Seminar and start scheduling appointments with members of Congress. To secure appointments, we need to show we have constituents who will be present. This year, registration has two online steps because both the Virginia affiliate and our national office have registration processes with different goals and these processes are not connected. <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'>Please let us know by December 31 whether you plan to attend and which days you are available using the online form. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>For the Virginia affiliate, please register online at:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><a href="https://nfbv.org/washington">https://nfbv.org/washington</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'>Our legislative issues for the 2026 session will be announced at our December 18 Kick Off. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>The online training schedule is as follows:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Issues Kick Off: Thursday, December 18 at 8:00 PM Eastern. Zoom details are above in Tracy’s message.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Mock Meeting 1: Tuesday, January 13 at 8:00 PM Eastern<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'><a href="https://nfb-org.zoom.us/j/7567531013?omn=98305085341">https://nfb-org.zoom.us/j/7567531013?omn=98305085341</a></span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></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'>Mock Meeting 2: Thursday, January 15 at 8:00 PM Eastern<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><a href="https://nfb-org.zoom.us/j/7567531013?omn=93962779842">https://nfb-org.zoom.us/j/7567531013?omn=93962779842</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'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>If you have any questions or concerns, you may contact me, your 2026 Washington Seminar legislative director, at <a href="mailto:deepa.goraya@gmail.com" target="_blank">deepa.goraya@gmail.com</a> or call me at 9099643699.<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'>Sincerely,<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'>Deepa Goraya<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>2026 Washington Seminar Legislative Director<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>National Federation of the Blind of Virginia<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'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div></body></html>