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<p class="MsoNormal">I want to thank everyone who helped make our 15<sup>th</sup> annual Walk With the Blind a Success and extend my congratulations. Without your kind and enthusiastic assistance, there would have been no success.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Forty-six chapter members, their friends and families participated in our walk. Our special visitors included Vice Mayor Billy Withers, affiliate president Tracy Soforenko and his wife Sharon, Richmond chapter president Robert Parsons
and Richmond chapter secretary Earl Everett. Merchants contributed 37 prizes with a total value of $650. One is so generous, we kept it so we can raffle it off and, in so doing, bring in more money for the chapter. Roy Murphy will have raffle tickets for
this prize at our May 20 meeting. It is a one night stay for two, valued at $200, in the Courtyard Marriott.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I am taking this opportunity to recognize some families and individuals. Roy Murphy brought in almost $1,100 in donations alone. He also directed and encourage the team which visited every single business on Caroline Street between the
train station and the library to solicit and collect gift certificates. This effort required several days of persistent follow through. Often, they had to visit a business several times before the owner made a decision and the gift certificate was ready
to collect. The other team members were Chris Ehrmann, Mark Ross, BJ Werwie and Sandy Ferris.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Chris and BJ. Worked together to label the envelopes containing the gift certificates. BJ. Dictated the information so Chris could put it in Braille. Then, BJ. Labeled all the envelopes in print.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Bernie Werwie obtained two significant gift certificates and a donation from Fredericksburg Fitness.
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Mark Ross worked with Laurie and Hannah Wages during the first part of our event. Laurie helped Hannah Braille all the names of participants so everyone could be eligible for the gift certificates given as door prizes. Then, she read
them to Mark Ross as they were drawn. Mark loaned us the benefit of his theater training to project his voice so everyone could hear the names clearly.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">In addition to helping Hannah, Laurie helped Leon collect money from all the donations so many of you worked enthusiastically to obtain. She also brought everything physically required, including a Braille writer, index cards, a table,
at least one chair, and our flag! Little Jessie Walensky, with assistance from his dad, held the flag for us. Despite several unexpected hospitalizations, Traci Jones assisted me with calls and paperwork.
<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Last but absolutely by no means least, Michael Kasey did his usual outstanding job conducting our opening ceremonies. As always, he made the occasion beautiful and meaningful. Earl and Robert worked under his direction to collect the
statistics mentioned earlier in this message.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">If I forgot anyone, it was entirely unintentional. As far as I am concerned, every person who participated in any way, before, during and after our Walk, genuinely contributed to its success.
<o:p></o:p></p>
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