[nagdu] Carolina Eye Partners With Mira Foundation

Mon May 10 11:34:11 UTC 2010

Cheryl,
    The letters we wrote were in response to the Foundation Fighting 
Blindness event and the report on it by Laura Reiley. BTW, I have received a 
few calls from others who wanted the original text of my letter for 
publication in their newsletters, especially the Pinellas Lighthouse for the 
Blind. I will need to see if and how they used it!

Fraternally yours,
Marion


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "cheryl echevarria" <cherylandmaxx at hotmail.com>
To: "NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users" 
<nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Saturday, May 08, 2010 7:38 AM
Subject: Re: [nagdu] Carolina Eye Partners With Mira Foundation


> Marion a few months ago didn't you and I write to a local reporter in Fl 
> about the dining in the dark and the video that they had on the newspapers 
> website or is this the same story.
>
>
> Cheryl Echevarria
> Independent Travel Consultant
> C10-10646
>
> http://Echevarriatravel.com
> 1-866-580-5574
>
> http://blog.echevarriatravel.com
> Reservations at echevarriatravel.com
> Affiliated as an Independent Contractor with Montrose Travel 
> CST-1018299-10
>
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Marion Gwizdala" <blind411 at verizon.net>
> To: "NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users" 
> <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Saturday, May 08, 2010 6:59 AM
> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Carolina Eye Partners With Mira Foundation
>
>
>>     This just goes to show that some will do anything they need to raise
>> fund, including promulgating myths about blindness!
>>
>> "With the complete loss of vision - and the resulting heightening of the
>> other four senses - Dining in the Dark will be an extraordinary 
>> adventure."
>>
>> Not to mention that it will create more barriers to our full 
>> participation
>> in society by causing peple to believe we are extraordinary because we 
>> can
>> do something as simple as eat without being able to see! BTW, I would 
>> also
>> like to know more about the Mira Foundation. How young are the people 
>> they
>> work with and how many guide dogs have they placed?
>>
>> Fraternally yours,
>> Marion
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> ----- Original Message ----- 
>> From: "Toni Eames" <eeames at csufresno.edu>
>> To: <gdui-friends at yahoogroups.com>; <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
>> Sent: Wednesday, May 05, 2010 12:57 PM
>> Subject: [nagdu] Carolina Eye Partners With Mira Foundation
>>
>>
>>
>> >
>> >
>> >Carolina Eye Partners With Mira Foundation
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >Wednesday, May 5, 2010
>> ><http://www.thepilot.com/news/2010/may/05/carolina-eye-partners-mira-foundation/>http://www.thepilot.com/news/2010/may/05/carolina-eye-partners-mira-foundation/
>> >Mira Foundation USA, a nonprofit dedicated to providing guide dogs to
>> >children in need, announces Carolina Eye Associates as one of the
>> >organization's founding corporate partners.
>> >
>> >Mira USA is the only nonprofit providing guide dogs to visually impaired
>> >young children in the United States. The two organizations both share 
>> >the
>> >same concern and commitment to providing young children with the
>> >resources - and companions - that enable personal independence and the
>> >freedom of mobility.
>> >
>> >Carolina Eye is also the headline sponsor of Mira USA's upcoming "Dining 
>> >in
>> >the Dark" fundraiser event taking place May 14 at the Country Club of 
>> >North
>> >Carolina in Pinehurst.
>> >
>> >"Mira USA is an organization close to all our hearts, and we admire the
>> >passion with which they've tackled the huge job of providing these
>> >specially trained guide dogs to young children across our country," said
>> >Dr. Greg Mincey, of Carolina Eye Associates. "We are proud to be a part 
>> >of
>> >Mira USA's mission for improving the lives of children in need of a 
>> >guide
>> >dog and invite other companies and organizations nationwide to join us 
>> >in
>> >supporting their effort."
>> >
>> >"Dining in the Dark" is one of many community activities held to raise
>> >awareness and funds to support the work of Mira USA. The concept began 
>> >in
>> >Germany and has spread to cities where restaurants offer a unique twist 
>> >on
>> >a normal dinner out: guests gather to wine and dine in darkness. With 
>> >the
>> >complete loss of vision - and the resulting heightening of the other 
>> >four
>> >senses - Dining in the Dark will be an extraordinary adventure.
>> >
>> >"This is the first time such an event has been presented in North
>> >Carolina," said a spokesman. "Reserved seats are filling quickly for 
>> >this
>> >dinner as the community has embraced both the novelty of the event and 
>> >the
>> >mission of Mira USA."
>> >
>> >"We are grateful to have the support of the distinguished team at 
>> >Carolina
>> >Eye Associates," said Robert Baillie, Mira USA founder and chairman. 
>> >"There
>> >are over 57,000 visually impaired young children in the United States 
>> >and
>> >ours is a big undertaking to begin to serve this largely overlooked
>> >population by providing specially trained service dogs. I've experienced
>> >how the dog can provide a bridge between the child and the community,
>> >diminishing the stigma often associated with disabilities, and with the
>> >support of the public and organizations like Carolina Eye, we will give 
>> >as
>> >many children as possible this tremendous gift of independence and
>> >companionship."
>> >
>> >MIRA Foundation USA Inc. is dedicated to enriching the lives of the 
>> >largely
>> >overlooked population of young children living with disabilities by
>> >providing specially trained service dogs. Mira USA was established in 
>> >2008
>> >by Robert Baillie. Having suddenly lost his sight and realizing the
>> >life-changing difference his guide dog Devon made for him, Bob set out 
>> >to
>> >improve the experience of individuals living with blindness. These 
>> >special
>> >dogs and services are given to children free of charge. Although Mira 
>> >USA
>> >will provide dogs to all who qualify, its main focus is on children 11
>> >years of age and above. Mira USA believes everyone should have access to
>> >the tools and resources that enable personal independence and freedom of
>> >mobility, and invites you to be a part of it. Learn more at
>> ><http://www.mirausa.org>www.mirausa.org or (910) 944-7757.
>> >
>> >Carolina Eye Associates is one of the largest eye-care practices in the
>> >Southeast, with eight regional eye-care centers in North and South
>> >Carolina. Carolina Eye was established in 1977 in Pinehurst/Southern 
>> >Pines,
>> >N.C., by Dr. Robert Gale Martin and Dr. George Tate Jr. Since then,
>> >patients from across the United States and more than 20 foreign 
>> >countries
>> >have come to Carolina Eye for eye care needs. For more information, 
>> >please
>> >visit <http://www.carolinaeye.com>www.carolinaeye.com.
>>
>>
>>
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