[Fopbc] Fw: [Nfb-announce] National Federation of the Blind Partners with Santa to Promote Braille Literacy

[Sherri]

Passing this along.
Sherri
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Freeh,Jessica (by way of David Andrews <dandrews at visi.com>)" 
<JFreeh at nfb.org>
To: <david.andrews at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Monday, November 16, 2009 5:36 PM
Subject: [Nfb-announce] National Federation of the Blind Partners with Santa 
to Promote Braille Literacy


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE



CONTACT:

Chris Danielsen

Director of Public Relations

National Federation of the Blind

(410) 659-9314, extension 2330

(410) 262-1281 (Cell)

<mailto:cdanielsen at nfb.org>cdanielsen at nfb.org



National Federation of the Blind
Partners with Santa to Promote Braille Literacy



Baltimore, Maryland (November 16, 2009):  Once
again, Santa has enlisted the help of the elves
at the National Federation of the Blind (NFB)
Jernigan Institute to get Braille letters out to
hundreds of blind boys and girls this Christmas season.



Dr. Marc Maurer, President of the National
Federation of the Blind, said: "Santa approached
the National Federation of the Blind a couple of
years ago and asked us to be his helpers.  I'm
quite fond of the fellow and was delighted that
we could assist him in his work.  Braille
literacy is the key to success and opportunity
for the blind, but unfortunately too few blind
children are learning it today.  This program
will not only be jolly good fun but will also
serve an important educational purpose, as blind
children will be able to practice reading Braille
as they enjoy their letter from Saint Nicholas."



Between November 16 and December 20, parents can
go online at www.nfb.org and fill out a Santa
Braille Letter request form.  The form can also
be printed and faxed to (410)
659-6893.  Beginning December 1, the Braille
letters from Santa will start going out to boys
and girls around the country.  The Braille letter
will also be accompanied by a print copy (for mom
and dad to read), and parents can choose the
contracted or uncontracted form of Braille for
the letter.  Requests for letters must include
the writer's name, the child's name, birthday,
gender, mailing address, and a telephone number
or e-mail address in case Santa's helpers at the
National Federation of the Blind have questions.



The Braille letters from Santa program is part of
the National Federation of the Blind's national
Braille literacy campaign, the largest ever
undertaken in United States history.  Congress
authorized the minting in 2009 of 400,000 Louis
Braille Bicentennial Silver Dollars to mark the
two-hundredth anniversary of the birth of Louis
Braille (1809-1852) and to support the efforts of
the National Federation of the Blind to promote
literacy among blind Americans.  This unique and
beautiful commemorative coin is the first U.S.
currency to feature tactile, readable Braille.



A portion of the proceeds from sales of the 2009
Louis Braille Bicentennial Silver Dollar  will be
used to support the NFB's "Braille Readers are
Leaders" campaign, a national initiative created
to double the number of blind children learning
Braille by 2015, improve certification standards
for teachers of Braille, and conduct innovative
programs to support Braille literacy.



The deadline for letter requests is December 20,
to ensure that a return letter in Braille is
received before Christmas.  For more information
about this and other programs of the National
Federation of the Blind, please visit our Web
site at <http://www.nfb.org/>www.nfb.org.  Those
interested in ordering a 2009 Louis Braille
Bicentennial Silver Dollar or the new Braille
Education Set, which features the coin in a
collectible folder designed to highlight the life
and legacy of Louis Braille, should visit
<http://www.braille.org./>www.braille.org or
<http://www.usmint.gov/>www.usmint.gov or call
1-800-USA-MINT (872-6468).  The Louis Braille
Bicentennial Silver Dollar and the Braille
Education Set will only be available until December 11, 2009.





###



About the National Federation of the Blind

With more than 50,000 members, the National
Federation of the Blind is the largest and most
influential membership organization of blind
people in the United States.  The NFB improves
blind people's lives through advocacy, education,
research, technology, and programs encouraging
independence and self-confidence.  It is the
leading force in the blindness field today and
the voice of the nation's blind.  In January 2004
the NFB opened the National Federation of the
Blind Jernigan Institute, the first research and
training center in the United States for the
blind led by the blind.  Please visit our Web
site: <http://www.nfb.org/>www.nfb.org.

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