<html><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html charset=us-ascii"></head><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space;" class=""><p style="margin: 1em 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 12.800000190734863px; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';" class="">Hello Clark County Federationists,</p><div class="">As Matt has said, we will be holding BELL training this Saturday. I wanted to provide a little more information and hope many of you will volunteer fro this fun program. Below is some information about the BELL program; a braille literacy and independence program for blind children developed by the NFB. The NFB of Washington is co-hosting our BELL program with the NFB of Oregon at WSSB the weeks of August 6 and August 13. The link that Beth provided is from a past NFB of Oregon program. The program is for young children from 6-12 years old so there is no jobs component. We will need volunteers from the chapter to assist with the program. Volunteers will sign up with Corey to fill morning and afternoon shifts (8 am-noon and noon-3 pm). Our teacher for the program will be Sarah Zachariah, a teacher of blind children from the Samamish school district. Sarah has a great attitude and good energy for our program. Carla McQuillan, NFB of Oregon President, will be leading the training, which will also cover things that the chapter can do to help prepare for the program. Carla has several years experience running BELL programs in Oregon. </div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">I will also be at the training on Saturday. I am very excited that we are hosting our first BELL program. I hope to be with many of you on Saturday. I will be arriving in Vancouver Friday evening around 5:15. I am available to have dinner or meet with chapter members. If you want to get together send me an email at <a href="mailto:mjc59@comcast.net" class="">mjc59@comcast.net</a> or call me at 206-604-5507.</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">Marci Carpenter</div><p style="margin: 1em 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 12.800000190734863px; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';" class=""><span style="font-size: 12.800000190734863px;" class="">The NFB Braille Enrichment for Literacy and Learning (BELL) Academy prepares blind and low vision children, ages four through twelve, to grow into confident and independent blind people who will live the lives they want. The program provides Braille and non-visual skills instruction through fun, hands-on learning in a day program or residential setting. In addition to Braille crafts, games, and other engaging projects, children learn vital independent living skills, interact with blind adults who serve as mentors, and enjoy field trips to sites related to the NFB BELL Academy curriculum. Through these activities and interactions, the children learn that blindness or low vision does not define them or their future. </span></p><ul style="margin: 0px 0px 1.5em 2em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 12.800000190734863px; vertical-align: baseline; list-style-position: initial; list-style-image: initial; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';" class=""><li style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 12.800000190734863px; vertical-align: baseline;" class=""><a href="https://nfb.org/bell-academy##2" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 12.800000190734863px; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(211, 70, 30); text-decoration: none;" class="">Details about the NFB BELL Academy</a></li></ul><div class=""><br class=""></div></body></html>