<html><head><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"></head><body style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;">Good afternoon,<div>Now is the time to make plans to attend this year’s convention in New Orleans. For any blind Iowan who has never attended a national NFB Convention before, funding is available from the IDB Gifts and Bequests fund. If you would like to learn more about Convention in general, or funding in particular, please reach out.</div><div><br></div><div>Helen</div><div><div><br></div><div>
<meta charset="UTF-8"><div dir="auto" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: rgb(0, 0, 0); letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none; overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div>Helen Mejia, President</div>National Federation of the Blind<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>of Iowa<br>hmejia@nfbi.org<br>(570) 983-7867</div>
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<div><br><div>Begin forwarded message:</div><br class="Apple-interchange-newline"><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px;"><span style="font-family: -webkit-system-font, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, sans-serif; color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 1.0);"><b>From: </b></span><span style="font-family: -webkit-system-font, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, sans-serif;">National Federation of the Blind <webmaster@nfb.org><br></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px;"><span style="font-family: -webkit-system-font, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, sans-serif; color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 1.0);"><b>Subject: </b></span><span style="font-family: -webkit-system-font, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Convention Communications: Book Hotel & More</b><br></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px;"><span style="font-family: -webkit-system-font, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, sans-serif; color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 1.0);"><b>Date: </b></span><span style="font-family: -webkit-system-font, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, sans-serif;">February 12, 2025 at 1:09:04 PM CST<br></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px;"><span style="font-family: -webkit-system-font, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, sans-serif; color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 1.0);"><b>To: </b></span><span style="font-family: -webkit-system-font, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Helen Mejia <hmejianfb@gmail.com><br></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px;"><span style="font-family: -webkit-system-font, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, sans-serif; color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 1.0);"><b>Reply-To: </b></span><span style="font-family: -webkit-system-font, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Bounces+r.24474.10942798.a2132656f3efdeb2@mailings.nfb.org<br></span></div><br><div><!--[if gte mso 9]>
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<td style="background-color:#ffffff; border-bottom:medium none; border-left:medium none; border-right:medium none; border-top:medium none"><img alt="National Federation of the Blind logo and tagline live the life you want. A colorful illustration of Mardi Gras mask and beads. Text says, National Convention July 8 - 13, 2025 New Orleans." src="https://nfb.org/sites/nfb.org/files/2025-01/2025-convention-email-header.jpg" style="height: 217px; width: 600px;"></td>
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<h1><span style="font-family: calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 24pt;">Start Planning Your Trip for #NFB25</span></h1><p><span style="font-family: calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">Join us for the 2025 National Federation of the Blind National Convention , July 8 through July 13, 2025, in New Orleans, Louisiana.</span></p>
<h2><span style="font-family: calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 20pt;">Book Your Hotel</span></h2><p><span style="font-family: calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">New Orleans Marriott<br>
555 Canal Street<br>
New Orleans, LA 70130</span></p><p><span style="font-family: calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">The Marriott New Orleans will serve as our headquarters hotel while right across the street is the Sheraton New Orleans providing the balance of our sleeping rooms and activity space. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">Both hotels are offering a nightly rate of $119 for singles and doubles, and $129 for triples and quads. Occupancy taxes and and the tourism support rate are an additional 16.2 percent and note there is a hotel occupancy fee of $3 per night.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">Reserve your room by calling 888-236-2427 for the Marriott New Orleans or 855-516-1090 for the Sheraton New Orleans. Ask for the “National Federation of the Blind 2025 Convention” block. At the time you make a reservation, a deposit of the first night’s stay is required for each room reserved. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">If you use a credit card, the deposit will be charged against your card immediately. If a reservation is cancelled before Sunday, June 1, 2025, half of the deposit will be returned. Otherwise, refunds will not be made.</span></p>
<h2><span style="font-family: calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 20pt;">Convention Season Schedule</span></h2><p><span style="font-family: calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">The following are important dates to know as you prepare to attend convention. </span></p>
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<li><span style="font-family: calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">January 1: Hotel open for reservations </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">March 1: Convention registration opens</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">March 31: <a href="https://nfb.org/civicrm/mailing/url?u=37491&qid=10942798" rel="nofollow" style="color:blue; text-decoration:underline">Scholarship application</a> closes</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">April 15: <a href="https://nfb.org/civicrm/mailing/url?u=37492&qid=10942798" rel="nofollow" style="color:blue; text-decoration:underline">Dr. Jacob Bolotin Award application</a> and <a href="https://nfb.org/civicrm/mailing/url?u=37493&qid=10942798" rel="nofollow" style="color:blue; text-decoration:underline">Kenneth Jernigan Convention Scholarship application</a> closes</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">May 1: Deadline to submit nominations for the <a href="https://nfb.org/civicrm/mailing/url?u=37494&qid=10942798" rel="nofollow" style="color:blue; text-decoration:underline">Blind Educator of the Year Award</a> and the <a href="https://nfb.org/civicrm/mailing/url?u=37495&qid=10942798" rel="nofollow" style="color:blue; text-decoration:underline">Distinguished Educator of Blind Students Award</a></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">July 8: Convention begins!</span></li>
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<h2><span style="font-family: calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 20pt;">Kenneth Jernigan Convention Scholarship</span></h2><p><span style="font-family: calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">For first-time convention attendees, <a href="https://nfb.org/civicrm/mailing/url?u=37496&qid=10942798" rel="nofollow" style="color:blue; text-decoration:underline">apply for the Kenneth Jernigan Convention Scholarship</a>. Active members, blind or sighted, who have not yet attended an in-person NFB National Convention because of lack of funding are eligible to apply. <a href="https://nfb.org/civicrm/mailing/url?u=37497&qid=10942798" rel="nofollow" style="color:blue; text-decoration:underline">Access the first-timer’s guide for details about convention</a>.</span></p>
<h2><span style="font-family: calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 20pt;">About National Convention</span></h2><p><span style="font-family: calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">The National Federation of the Blind National Convention is the largest gathering of blind people in the world. It is the premier event for the blind community. It also serves as a governing body, democratically electing our leadership and establishing each year's organizational priorities. Learn more at <a href="https://nfb.org/civicrm/mailing/url?u=37498&qid=10942798" rel="nofollow" style="color:blue; text-decoration:underline">nfb.org/convention</a>.</span></p>
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National Federation of the Blind | 200 E Wells Street | Baltimore, MD 21230 | 410-659-9314 </td> </tr> <tr style="height: 25px;"> <td colspan="8" align="center" style="color: white; font-size: 12px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-weight: bold"> <a href="https://nfb.org/civicrm/mailing/unsubscribe?reset=1&jid=24474&qid=10942798&h=a2132656f3efdeb2" title="Unsubscribe" style="color: white; font-size: 12px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-weight: bold">Unsubscribe from this mailing list</a> | <a href="https://nfb.org/civicrm/mailing/optout?reset=1&jid=24474&qid=10942798&h=a2132656f3efdeb2" title="Opt Out" style="color: white; font-size: 12px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;
font-weight: bold">Opt out of all mailing lists</a> | <a href="https://nfb.org/civicrm/mailing/url?u=37505&qid=10942798" rel="nofollow" title="Sign up for email newsletter" style="color: white; font-size: 12px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-weight: bold">Sign up for our newsletter</a> </td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="8" align="center" style="display: none; color: white; font-size: 12px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-weight: bold"> <div class="location vcard"><span class="adr"><span class="street-address">200 East Wells Street at Jernigan Place</span><br><span class="locality">Baltimore</span>, <span class="region">MD</span> <span class="postal-code">21230</span><br><span class="country-name">United States</span></span></div>.. </td> </tr> </tbody> </table>
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