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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link="#0563C1" vlink="#954F72"><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal>Good Evening Fellow Federationists:<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>It was a great convention last weekend, and I thank everyone for making it happen. Congratulations to our newly elected board members Terri Wilcox and Kim brown. Michael Barber was reelected. We also filled the first vice-president position by electing Mike Harvey. I look forward to working with these folks an the rest of the board who is staying on.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>We will be starting planning for our 2020 state convention soon, so if you have any ideas, please get those to me or Cindy Ray.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Now I will share a few notes from our national president. Many of these can also be found in the latest presidential release.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Convention Dates Have Changed:<br>The 2020 National Convention of the National Federation of the Blind will be held July 14-19 in Houston, Texas. While the convention was originally planned for two weeks earlier, the Federation agreed to move its convention to accommodate activities in the city of Houston. We believe this change will further enhance the program, exhibits, and dynamic content provided at America's civil rights and resource convention of blind people and their families. More information regarding convention arrangements will be published in the December issue of the <i>Braille Monitor</i>.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoListParagraph style='margin-left:.25in'>Braille Readers Are Leaders Contest:<br>Registration for the Braille Readers Are Leaders contest, administered by the American Action Fund for Blind Children and Adults in partnership with the National Federation of the Blind, will open Friday, November 1. The contest, with categories for children and adults, will run through January 18, 2020, and reading logs must be submitted by February 1, 2020. Details, including entry information, can be found at <a href="https://actionfund.org/BRAL">https://actionfund.org/BRAL</a>. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoListParagraph style='margin-left:.5in'><o:p> </o:p></p><h2 style='margin-left:.25in;mso-add-space:auto'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-weight:normal'>Scholarship Program–Call for Applications Starts November 1:<br>A note from Cayte Mendez: Every year, the National Federation of the Blind awards more than $120,000 to blind scholars across the fifty states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico in recognition of their achievements and professional aspirations. The scholarship program is our commitment to academic excellence and leadership among blind students, and each winner is awarded on the basis of academic excellence, community service, and leadership. The application process opens this week, November 1. Review the </span><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><a href="https://www.nfb.org/programs-services/scholarships-and-awards/scholarship-program/scholarship-program-application-checklist"><span style='font-weight:normal'>scholarship application checklist</span></a></span><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-weight:normal'> and the </span><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><a href="https://www.nfb.org/programs-services/scholarships-and-awards/scholarship-program/scholarship-program-faqs"><span style='font-weight:normal'>scholarship program FAQs</span></a></span><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-weight:normal'>. Share this opportunity that invests in the future of blind people. Learn about the eligibility and requirements of the <a href="https://www.nfb.org/programs-services/scholarships-and-awards/scholarship-program">2020 scholarship program</a>. </span><o:p></o:p></h2><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.25in'>Santa Braille Letters:<br>It is time for Santa letters. Between November 11 and December 16, parents can go online at <a href="http://www.nfb.org/santa-letters">www.nfb.org/santa-letters</a> and fill out a Santa Braille Letter request form. The form can also be printed and faxed to 410-685-2340 or emailed to <a href="mailto:communityrelations@nfb.org">communityrelations@nfb.org</a>. Beginning Monday, December 2, the Braille letters from Santa will start going out to boys and girls around the country. The Braille letter will also be accompanied by a print copy (for mom and dad to read) as well as some other fun Christmastime activities. The deadline for letter requests is December 16 to ensure that a return letter in Braille is received before Christmas. For more information, visit <a href="http://www.nfb.org">www.nfb.org</a>. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoListParagraph style='margin-left:.5in'><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoListParagraph style='margin-left:.5in'>I look forward to seeing what we can do in the months to come. Let’s go build the national Federation of the Blind of Iowa!<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoListParagraph style='margin-left:.5in'> <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>Scott Van Gorp, President<br>National Federation of the Blind of Iowa<br>Phone: 515-720-5282<br></span><a href="mailto:svangorp@nfbi.org"><span style='color:#0563C1'>Email</span></a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><a href="http://www.nfbi.org/"><i><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#0563C1'>Website</span></i></a><i><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'> <br></span></i><a href="https://www.facebook.com/National-Federation-Of-the-Blind-Of-Iowa-372681823082570/posts"><i><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#0563C1'>Facebook</span></i></a><i><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'> <br></span></i><a href="https://twitter.com/nfb_iowa"><i><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#0563C1'>Twitter</span></i></a><i><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'> <br>Live the life you want.<br></span></i><br>The National Federation of the Blind of Iowa is a community of members and friends who believe in the hopes and dreams of the nation’s blind. Every day we work together to help blind people live the lives they want.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></body></html>