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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><a name="_Hlk188880879">The Iowa Library for the Blind and Print Disabled is honored to host the 2025 Iowa Regional Braille Challenge on February 22nd. They will be celebrating the 25<sup>th</sup> anniversary of the Braille Challenge<sup><o:p></o:p></sup></a></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-bookmark:_Hlk188880879'><sup> </sup> The Braille Challenge kicks off with a Pep Rally at 9:30 am and concludes with an Awards Ceremony at 2:00 pm. Please feel free to join the library for those events to cheer on and congratulate the Braille Challenge participants!<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-bookmark:_Hlk188880879'>After testing, the library will host an Ice Cream Social and Birthday Bash to celebrate the Iowa Department for the Blind’s 100th Birthday, which will also include karaoke.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-bookmark:_Hlk188880879'> The Braille Challenge is the only academic competition of its kind in North America for students who are blind or with low vision. The Braille Institute developed the Braille Challenge to motivate students to practice and hone their braille literacy skills, which are essential to academic and employment success.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-bookmark:_Hlk188880879'>Any student who is blind or with low vision in grades 1 – 12 who can read and write braille is eligible to participate in the Braille Challenge. This year’s theme is <i>Blast Off with Braille.</i><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-bookmark:_Hlk188880879'><a name="_Hlk125964255">We are also pleased to offer you the opportunity to purchase this year’s Braille Challenge T-shirt. Proceeds of the t-shirt sales will benefit the Friends of the Iowa Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped and future Braille Challenges. All shirts are crew neck and short sleeved. Shirts are purple with white lettering. The front of the t-shirt says in print: Blast off with Braille next to a rocket Blasting off. Also included in the front design is the word Braille in Braille. The Back of the t-shirt says Blast off with Braille in Braille and includes the logo of the Iowa Library For The Blind and Print Disabled. All sizing is unisex and all shirts are $25.00 plus shipping. Orders will be taken through February 3. <o:p></o:p></a></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-bookmark:_Hlk188880879'><span style='mso-bookmark:_Hlk125964255'>To order your shirt, go directly to the online store at<a name="_Hlk188795860"> </a><a name="_Hlk188798270"><span style='mso-bookmark:_Hlk188795860'></span></a></span></span><a href="https://www.ignition.ink/braille"><span style='mso-bookmark:_Hlk188880879'><span style='mso-bookmark:_Hlk125964255'><span style='mso-bookmark:_Hlk188798270'><span style='mso-bookmark:_Hlk188795860'>https://www.ignition.ink/braille</span></span></span></span><span style='mso-bookmark:_Hlk188880879'><span style='mso-bookmark:_Hlk125964255'><span style='mso-bookmark:_Hlk188798270'><span style='mso-bookmark:_Hlk188795860'></span></span></span></span></a><span style='mso-bookmark:_Hlk188795860'></span><span style='mso-bookmark:_Hlk188880879'><span style='mso-bookmark:_Hlk125964255'><span style='mso-bookmark:_Hlk188798270'> </span>or go to the Iowa Library Blog at<u> </u></span></span><a href="https://iowalibrary.blog/"><span style='mso-bookmark:_Hlk188799782'><span style='mso-bookmark:_Hlk125964255'><span style='mso-bookmark:_Hlk188880879'>https://iowalibrary.blog</span></span></span><span style='mso-bookmark:_Hlk125964255'><span style='mso-bookmark:_Hlk188880879'>/</span></span><span style='mso-bookmark:_Hlk125964255'><span style='mso-bookmark:_Hlk188880879'></span></span></a><a name="_Hlk188799782"></a><span style='mso-bookmark:_Hlk125964255'><span style='mso-bookmark:_Hlk188880879'><u>.</u> <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-bookmark:_Hlk125964255'><span style='mso-bookmark:_Hlk188880879'>You can choose to have your t-shirt shipped directly to you or pick up at Braille Challenge on Saturday, February 22nd at the Iowa Department for the Blind. If you will not be at the event, please have the shirt shipped directly to you.<u><o:p></o:p></u></span></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-bookmark:_Hlk125964255'><span style='mso-bookmark:_Hlk188880879'>The online store will open again a week after the Braille Challenge.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-bookmark:_Hlk125964255'><span style='mso-bookmark:_Hlk188880879'>For details about the Iowa Regional Braille Challenge, visit </span></span><a href="https://iowalibrary.blog/braille-challenge/"><span style='mso-bookmark:_Hlk125964255'><span style='mso-bookmark:_Hlk188880879'>Braille Challenge - Iowa Library for the Blind</span></span><span style='mso-bookmark:_Hlk125964255'><span style='mso-bookmark:_Hlk188880879'></span></span></a><span style='mso-bookmark:_Hlk125964255'><span style='mso-bookmark:_Hlk188880879'>. </span></span><span style='mso-bookmark:_Hlk188880879'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-bookmark:_Hlk188880879'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-bookmark:_Hlk188880879'>Blast Off With Braille!!!<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-bookmark:_Hlk188880879'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-bookmark:_Hlk188880879'>Jim Rechkemmer, President<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-bookmark:_Hlk188880879'>Friends Of The Iowa Library for The Blind And Physically Handicapped<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-bookmark:_Hlk188880879'> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-bookmark:_Hlk188880879'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><span style='mso-bookmark:_Hlk188880879'></span><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></body></html>