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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-CA link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoPlainText>Eric Duffy, President<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText>National Federation of the Blind of Ohio<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText>P.O. Box 82055 <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText>Columbus, OH 43202 <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText>eduffy@pobox.com<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText>(614) 935-6569<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText>Dear --<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText>Our children are our future, and the National Federation of the Blind of Ohio cares passionately about blind children in particular. Literacy is the foundation of education, yet, despite an increased availability of books and learning materials for all American children, genuine literacy for many blind children in Ohio and throughout the United States has taken a backseat in school. For a totally blind child or one with limited enough vision to make reading print a slow or painful process, Braille is the only real road to learning-and many blind children are not receiving adequate (or any) Braille instruction. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText>. In 1960 50 percent of all blind or low-vision children in America<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText>were taught to read and write Braille. Today that rate is an appalling 7 percent. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText>. We know that only a third of blind working-age Americans have jobs,<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText>but, among that working population, 85 percent are Braille users. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText>To help bridge the gap for children, the National Federation of the Blind's Jernigan Institute has developed a two-week summer immersion program for blind children ages 4-12 called Braille Enrichment for Literacy and Learning<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText>(BELL.) For two weeks children who are not receiving enough Braille instruction during the school year enjoy hands-on learning, interesting activities, field trips, and daily living skill-building to enhance their understanding of and fluency in Braille. Children learn, eat, and play together and have the additional benefit of working and playing with blind Braille-using teachers and role models. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText>Eleven states -Maryland, Georgia, Utah, Virginia, Texas, North Carolina, Colorado, Idaho, Nebraska, Massachusetts, and Louisiana--conducted BELL programs in the summer of 2012, and the results have been life-changing for the participants, according to their parents. The NFB of Ohio will be conducting the first Ohio BELL program in Columbus, July 15-26, 2013. Plans are well underway, but full funding remains the missing piece of the puzzle.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText>Estimated cost of a BELL program is $6,000. If you could contribute any part of this amount, you would help to increase literacy and enhance the future for Ohio's blind children. Make checks payable to the National Federation of the Blind of Ohio and put BELL Program in the memo. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText>Thank you in advance for any assistance you can offer. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText>Sincerely,<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div></body></html>