[Colorado-Talk] Fwd: Let’s Celebrate Julie’s 25 Years as Director on Colorado Gives Day!

Wed Dec 11 00:50:21 UTC 2024

Six hours to go for Colorado Gives Day!

---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Dan Burke <dburke at cocenter.or

*Colorado Center for the Blind*

*Take Charge with Confidence and Self-Reliance*

At every graduation, Director Julie Deden presents the graduate with their
Freedom Bell. And to each one she says, "This is our Bell of Freedom. It
represents your freedom as a blind person, the freedom you've earned with
all of your hard work. But it also stands for the freedom of all blind
people because, when one of us becomes free, we all become more free as
blind people."

This year, 2024, marks 25 years that Julie Deden has been the Director of
the Colorado Center for the Blind, and in that quarter of a century, she
has awarded hundreds of Freedom Bells to blind people from every state in
the US, and more than a dozen countries.

That adds up to an enormous impact on the lives of blind people. It is so
impressive that the National Federation of the Blind of Colorado gave
tribute to Julie at its annual convention in October, including a 26-minute
audio tribute from dozens of former students, friends, family, colleagues
and fellow members of the National Federation of the Blind.

[image: Julie stands and smiles while holding her white cane near the CCB
logo in the Center Lobby.]

Mark Riccobono, President of the National Federation of the Blind and a CCB
graduate, commented: “… 25 years planting seeds, branching out, being
shaped by the community, and reaching even higher—these are Julie's
influence, leadership and the roots she has sent throughout this country to
grow new leaders and empower blind people with new skills and wisdom ...”

For Julie, directing the Center is an act of love—love for blind people.
Dr. Marc Maurer, past president of the National Federation of the Blind,
made this observation in his tribute: “It takes someone with certain
characteristics to run a center for the blind in a competent way. You've
got to have a good mind and a great heart. You've got to have imagination
and extraordinary energy. And it's no doubt which is more important--a
great heart is essential! And as you have shown, it doesn't hurt to have a
good mind, too! You have a way of expressing love for all your family and
friends, and especially your students and your staff.”

Past CCB Board member Kevan Worley remarked: “It starts with love ... and
when you add that love to her business savvy, her skill as a CEO … Julie
knows when to build the Center and when to move us forward and to develop
further infrastructure, and she does that because she loves blind people.”

In Julie's 25 years as Director, these are some highlighted achievements:

   - Implemented marketing nights at the annual NFB convention and produced
   our first marketing video (on VHS).
   - Diversified our funding to include grants and broader fundraising,
   like Colorado Gives Day.
   - Developed a first-of-its-kind tactile art program with artist Ann
   Cunningham.
   - Bought the former Littleton YMCA and moved in in August 2000. Since
   that time, various grants have helped refit this facility to provide more
   and better programming.
   - Brought Duncan Larsen back to work at the Center to start our Senior
   Services Program.
   - Purchased our 24-unit apartment building in 2012 at 5781-3 S. Lowell
   Blvd., where our students live while in training. We named the property the
   McGeorge Mountain Terrace Apartments in honor of our founder Diane McGeorge
   and her late husband Ray.

But Julie’s impact is also personal to the many blind people she has met,
worked with, and mentored over the decades.

Ana Fuller lives in Kansas and works as a contract interpreter of Russian
and Ukrainian for health and financial organizations: “It's impossible to
overstate just how much impact you have had on me, my independence, and my
self-perception as a blind person.”

Long-time CCB staff member and grad Robert Dyson said of first meeting
Julie when he was newly blind, “I was a broken kid. I’ve always told Julie
that I feel like she saved my life.”

Artist Ann Cunningham, who taught tactile art at the Center for more than
two decades and is a leader in the field, said, “Because of you, I have my
entire career. You gave me and your students the space, the support, and
the encouragement to explore the limits of tactile art for the blind.”

Director of Student Services Maureen Nietfeld works side-by-side with Julie
every day: “You believe in every single blind person, and you believe in us
long before we believe in ourselves. I’ve worked alongside you for 15 years
and I cannot thank you enough for your leadership and mentorship. Thank you
for all of your work to change the lives of blind people all over the
world.”

Diane McGeorge, now 92, founded the Center in 1988 and handed the reins off
to Julie in 1999: “I knew very well that when you became Director, you
would be the star, and you are the star! I'm so proud of you!”

We believe that blind people can do anything. Every day, we follow the lead
of our Director to encourage our students so that they, too, come to
believe in their potential and the potential of all blind people to live
the lives they want. Because when you believe in yourself and experience a
thriving community of positive blind people, nothing can hold you back from
pursuing your dreams.

There is so much more to come!
Support us this Colorado Gives Day!
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Daniel J. Burke, M.S.
Public Relations Specialist

[image: Colorado Gives Day Logo]
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The Colorado Center for the Blind is a training center and community of
blind and low vision people, proudly affiliated with the National
Federation of the Blind.

We believe blind people can do anything. Every day, we encourage and
challenge each student—and they come to understand their potential as they
build the skills and confidence to live the life they want. Because when
you believe in yourself and experience a thriving community of positive
blind people, nothing can hold you back from pursuing your dreams.

*Phone: *(303) 778 1130
2233 West Shepperd Ave
Littleton, Colorado 80120
United States

*Web:* cocenter.org
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-- 
Dan Burke

National Federation of the Blind of Colorado Legislative Co-chair

"Blindness is not what holds you back.  You can live the life you want!"

My Cell:  406.546.8546
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