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<h3><b>FOR IMMEDIATE
RELEASE</b></h3><font face="Garamond"><b> <br><br>
CONTACT:<br><br>
</b></font><font face="Garamond" color="#0000FF">Chris
Danielsen
<br><br>
Director of Public
Relations
<br><br>
National Federation of the
Blind
<br><br>
(410) 659-9314, ext. 2330 <br><br>
</font><font face="Garamond">(410) 262-1281 (Cell)<br>
</font><font face="Garamond" color="#0000FF">
<a href="mailto:cdanielsen@nfb.org">cdanielsen@nfb.org</a><br><br>
<br>
</font><div align="center"><h1><b>Louis Braille Coin to be Launched into
Space on May 11</b></h1></div>
<font face="Garamond"><b><i>Commemorative Coin Will Fly on Space Shuttle
Mission STS-125<br><br>
</i></b></font><font face="Garamond" color="#0000FF">125<br><br>
</font><font face="Garamond"><b>Baltimore, Maryland (May 7, 2009):</b>
The 2009 Louis Braille Bicentennial Silver Dollar, the first coin ever to
feature readable Braille, will fly on NASA space shuttle Atlantis on May
11, 2009. The coin will be launched into space on mission STS-125,
which will service NASA's Hubble Space Telescope. <br><br>
<br><br>
The Louis Braille Bicentennial Silver Dollar was released by the United
States Mint on March 26, 2009. Sales of the coin will be used to
support the National Federation of the Blind “Braille Readers are
Leaders” campaign. The campaign is a national initiative created to
double the number of blind children learning Braille by 2015.<br><br>
<br><br>
Dr. Marc Maurer, president of the National Federation of the Blind, said:
“The Louis Braille Bicentennial Silver Dollar symbolizes the power of
knowledge and future opportunities for blind children across
America. It is therefore fitting that this historic coin will be
part of a mission to uncover the secrets of the universe. Perhaps
someday a Braille reader will also be part of such a mission.”<br><br>
<br><br>
</font><font face="Garamond" color="#0000FF">“NASA believes strongly in
the importance of educational opportunities for everyone," said
Joyce Winterton, assistant administrator for education at NASA
headquarters in Washington. "That is why we have partnered with the
National Federation of the Blind to help create programs that enhance
scientific study for blind youth. Launching the first coin to contain
tactile, readable Braille into space symbolizes NASA’s commitment to the
spread of knowledge by every means and to every individual.”<br><br>
<br><br>
The Louis Braille Bicentennial Silver Dollar is currently on sale.
Those interested in ordering a coin should visit
<a href="http://www.usmint.gov/">www.usmint.gov</a> or call
1-800-USA-MINT (872-6468). For more information about the National
Federation of the Blind and the Braille Readers are Leaders campaign,
visit <a href="http://www.braille.org/">www.braille.org</a>.<br><br>
</font><font face="Garamond"> <br><br>
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