[NFBF-Tampa] Release: Blind Advocate Sings for Equity & Inclusion

Thu Aug 10 22:15:39 UTC 2023

Dear Tampa Bay Chapter Members,

                I want to propose a social evening for the chapter during
one of my upcoming gigs. I will be performing on the patio at O'Toole's
Irish Pub in Brandon on Saturday, August 19 from 8:00 - 11:00 p.m. O'Toole's
is located at 1215 W. Brandon Blvd. You should be able to get a para transit
ride as late as 10:00 p.m. which would give you the first two hours of my
performance. If too many would need to leave much earlier, I would be
willing to start earlier. Below is a news release about the performance and
I have attached a flyer, an mp3 of one of my songs, and a public service
announcement for ASAP. I hope to see some of you on the 19th!

Peace!

Marion

Please circulate the following message as widely as appropriate. If you
received this message as a forward with the attachments stripped, please
send an email requesting the attachments to

SwampFox1833 at verizon.net <mailto:SwampFox1833 at verizon.net> 

FOR IMMEDIATE USE

BLIND ADVOCATE SINGS TO SUPPORT EQUITY & INCLUSION

Tampa, Florida, August 10, 2023 - A blind man and his guide dog walk into a
bar with a guitar. This is not the beginning of a bad joke but an actual
scene taking place around the Tampa Bay area regularly. The blind man is
Marion Gwizdala and the guitar he is carrying is his Martin D35. Together
they are "Marion & Martin". 

"My guitar has been a constant companion of mine since I was thirteen years
old," says the 68-year-old balladeer. "It's been a lifeline for me
spiritually, emotionally, socially, and financially!"

Marion blends his powerful tenor voice with the earthy sounds of his
hand-made Martin guitar to create music that is entertaining, artistic, and
sometimes a little provocative! His finger-style acoustic music reflects his
classical training and his lyrics communicate his personal positive
perspective. Marion's influences include James Taylor, Cat Stevens, Crosby,
Stills, & Nash, Bob Seger, Eagles, CCR, and John Denver. His roots are deep
in the folk era, and he sprinkles in newer music, such as jack Johnson,
Jason Mraz, and 3 Doors Down. He is also known to perform some "deep track"
music, songs that many have not heard unless they have purchased the album.
Marion is a songwriter, as are many of his friends, so his audiences hear
music they will never hear anywhere else.

Not surprisingly, Marion is the blind man that walks into a bar with his
guide dog and, rather than ending up as a joke, is turned away because of
his service dog. Thirty-five years ago, Marion was denied admittance to a
Tampa bar because of his guide dog, sparking a trajectory that has created
the only organization in the United States dedicated exclusively to
securing, protecting, and advancing the civil rights of disabled people who
use service dogs. Advocates for Service Animal Partners (ASAP) operates a
24-hour hotline offering guidance to service animal handlers and the
businesses they patronize about their mutual rights and responsibilities.
ASAP also conducts in-service training to businesses about service animal
law and policy. 

Like many other artists, Marion feels a responsibility to use all his gifts
- from his life experiences to his talent for performing - to share a
message of independence, equity, inclusion, and self-determination. His life
expresses this commitment and his music communicates it! You can catch
Marion & Martin on the patio at O'Toole's Irish pub on Saturday, August 19
from 8:00 - 11:00 p.m. O'Toole's Irish Pub is located at 1215 w. Brandon
Blvd

# # #

About Advocates for service Animal Partners

            Advocates for Service Animal Partners (ASAP) is the only
organization in the United States dedicated exclusively to supporting,
protecting, and advancing  the civil rights of disabled individuals who use
service animals to mitigate their disability and live full, productive, and
independent lives. ASAP is a nationwide network of volunteer service animal
advocates. Our goal is to encourage, educate, and support service animal
handlers through printed and electronic publications, Informational
webinars, recorded educational materials, and direct advocacy support,
intervention, and mediation. In support of this mission, we also work to
educate employers, governmental entities, private companies, housing
accommodations, and the airline industry about the rights, responsibilities,
and limitations of access under state and federal law. For more information,
please contact

            Marion Gwizdala, President

Advocates for Service Animal Partners Inc.

386-ASAP411 (386-272-7411)

 <mailto:Advocacy411 at gmail.com> Advocacy411 at gmail.com

If you come

WHAT: Marion & Martin

WHEN: Saturday, August 19, 2023

TIME:  8 - 11 p.m.

WHERE: O'Toole's Irish Pub

                  1215 W. Brandon Blvd

                  Brandon, FL 33511

For more appearance & booking information

Marion & Martin

(813) 421-3555

 <mailto:SwampFox1833 at verizon.net> SwampFox1833 at verizon.net

www.YouTube.com/@Marion.Martin/ <http://www.YouTube.com/@Marion.Martin/> 

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