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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>Good Evening federation Family:<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>As we get into the start of 2023, and as many chapters will be having elections right around the corner, I wanted to share just a few general reminders around membership and Federation practices.<o:p></o:p></p><ul style='margin-top:0in' type=disc><li class=MsoListParagraph style='margin-left:0in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1'>Membership dues for 2023 were due by December 31, 2022, so if you haven’t paid them yet, you still can, but you will be unable to vote in elections that are taking place in the next few weeks. This also means you are not eligible to hold office.<o:p></o:p></li><li class=MsoListParagraph style='margin-left:0in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1'>Federation policy states that members may belong to more than one blindness organization. If a member wishes to stand for elected office, however, they are unable to if the views of other organizations they are a part of are contradictory or in conflict with those of the Federation. People have asked why this is the case. As the saying goes, you can’t serve two masters. Please reach out if you need further clarification on this. As noted above, joining multiple organizations is fine, which is a change from what may have been communicated in the past.<o:p></o:p></li><li class=MsoListParagraph style='margin-left:0in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1'>Paying dues is not enough to be considered active. It is important to show some level of participation in Federation activities throughout the year. If we are to live the lives we want, we need to be prepared to do the work to get there.<o:p></o:p></li></ul><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.25in'>I think that covers everything for now. If you have any questions or if you think of something I haven’t covered, please let me know. In the meantime, let’s go build the National Federation of the Blind of Iowa, and let’s have a great 2023! <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><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>