[Nfbf-l] FW: [Brl-coordinators] National Federation of the Blind Celebrates the 200th Anniversary of the Birth of Louis Braille

[Sherrill O'Brien]

-----Original Message-----
From: brl-coordinators-bounces at nfbnet.org
[mailto:brl-coordinators-bounces at nfbnet.org]On Behalf Of Chris Danielsen
(by way of David Andrews <dandrews at visi.com>)
Sent: Monday, December 29, 2008 10:01 PM
To: david.andrews at nfbnet.org
Subject: [Brl-coordinators] National Federation of the Blind Celebrates
the 200th Anniversary of the Birth of Louis Braille




FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE



CONTACT:

Chris Danielsen

Public Relations Specialist
National Federation of the Blind

(410) 659-9314, ext. 2330

(410) 262-1281 (cell)

cdanielsen at nfb.org








National Federation of the Blind Celebrates
the 200th

 Anniversary of the Birth of Louis Braille



Events to be Held Nationwide in Over One Hundred Locations



Baltimore, Maryland (December 29, 2008): The
National Federation of the Blind (NFB), the
nation’s largest and oldest organization of blind
people, will hold events nationwide on Sunday,
January 4, 2009, to promote Braille literacy and
help celebrate the two-hundredth anniversary of
the birth of Louis Braille (1809–1852), the
inventor of the reading and writing code for the
blind that bears his name.  In over one hundred
bookstores, libraries, and other venues all
across the nation, National Federation of the
Blind representatives will demonstrate Braille
and the power of Braille literacy.



“There can be no doubt that the ability to read
and write Braille competently and efficiently is
the key to education, employment, and success for
the blind.  Despite the undisputed value of
Braille, only about 10 percent of blind children
in the United States are currently learning
it.  These events will help raise awareness of
the importance of Braille literacy and are an
integral part of our nationwide campaign to
reverse the downward trend in Braille literacy
and to ensure that equal opportunities in
education and employment are available to all of
the nation’s blind,” said Marc Maurer, President
of the National Federation of the Blind.



The events are being held nationwide as part of
the National Federation of the Blind’s Braille
Readers are Leaders campaign, a national
initiative to promote the importance of reading
and writing Braille for blind children and
adults.  The Braille Readers are Leaders campaign
kicked off in July of 2008 with the unveiling of
the design of a commemorative coin to be minted
in 2009 in recognition of the two-hundredth
anniversary of the birth of Louis Braille.  The
commemorative coin design will also be previewed at the events.





For more information about the Braille Readers
are Leaders campaign, please visit
<http://www.braille.org/>www.braille.org.  To
find out about events in your area, please
contact Fredric Schroeder at <mailto:fschroeder at nfb.org>fschroeder at nfb.org.



###







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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