[nfbmi-talk] Fw: Birding for Blind children on CBS Evening News!

[Marcus Simmons]

Go Get em, girl!

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Donna Posont" <donnabutterfly50 at gmail.com>
To: "NFB of Michigan Internet Mailing List" <nfbmi-talk at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Wednesday, April 17, 2013 11:23 PM
Subject: [nfbmi-talk] Fw: Birding for Blind children on CBS Evening News!


>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: Gwen
> To: VI-MICHIGAN at LIST.MSU.EDU
> Cc: 'Rebecca Thomson' ; Osman Koroma ; Donna Posont
> Sent: Wednesday, April 17, 2013 2:37 PM
> Subject: Birding for Blind children on CBS Evening News!
>
>
> On April 6 this spring, CBS Evening News came to Dearborn, Michigan to 
> film Donna Posont, Field Services Director with Opportunities Unlimited 
> for the Blind, lead Birding By Ear at our Celebrate Urban Birds event, 
> cosponsored with Cornell Lab of Ornithology and the University of Michigan 
> Dearborn.   This was a great opportunity for children and adults who are 
> blind or visually impaired to participate in an event with others who are 
> sighted on an equal basis.  CBS is currently planning on airing the film 
> during the 6:30 PM CBS Evening News on Earth Day, Monday, April 22, 
> although news of the day may preempt it and it could be shown on a 
> different night.  It would be a great way to celebrate Earth Day, by 
> watching our budding naturalists who are blind and visually impaired!
>
>
>
> Donna has been leading Birding By Ear classes - learning to identify birds 
> in our natural environment by sound rather than by sight - year round with 
> sponsorship from the University of Michigan Dearborn, where she is a 
> current student in Environmental Studies and Biology.  Additional support 
> from Opportunities Unlimited for the Blind has allowed children from the 
> Detroit area who have no transportation to attend these events. 
> Approximately 12 students, age 7 - HS, and a number of adults, called the 
> Michigan Bird Brains, have been participating in these events in Dearborn 
> and in Lansing.  Approximately 60 people participated in the Celebrate 
> Urban Birds Event at the U of MD Environmental Interpretive Center (EIC). 
> Dr. Orin Gelderloos, founder of the EIC, was very pleased with the event 
> and felt it was a perfect fit for the mission of the center and for 
> Opportunities Unlimited for the Blind.
>
>
>
> Donna Posont is a blind adult who has five children who decided to finally 
> follow her dream of becoming a naturalist to introduce blind and visually 
> impaired children to the wonders of the world around them, especially 
> birds - her specialty.  She has been a naturalist with Opportunities 
> Unlimited for the Blind for the past 7 years, and just recently was 
> certified as a Certified Interpretive Guide by the National Association of 
> Interpretive Guides.
>
>
>
> Opportunities Unlimited for the Blind (OUB) is a 501c3 non-profit 
> organization dedicated to providing education and recreation opportunities 
> for persons who are blind or visually impaired.  OUB provides 
> approximately 12 weeks of camp for children and youth who have low vision 
> or are blind, and hires young people who have vision loss as staff members 
> and as mentors for younger campers. The majority of OUB CAMPS are held at 
> Camp Tuhsmeheta, Greenville, MI, but also at other sites around the state, 
> including Sleeping Bear Dunes  and Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore.  OUB 
> focuses on skill building and learning while having a ton of fun at camp!
>
>
>
> Opportunities Unlimited for the Blind is accepting camper registrations 
> for the 2013 camp season.  A full list of camps offered, including Family 
> Camp for all ages, and registrations forms can be found on the OUB 
> website, www.campt.org.   OUB is also still accepting staff applications 
> for our summer season.  The staff application can also be found on the 
> website.
>
>
>
> Please enjoy watching our young Michigan Birders on CBS!
>
>
>
> Gwen Botting
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Gwen Botting, Director
>
> Opportunities Unlimited for the Blind
>
> PO Box 46
>
> Greenville, MI  48838
>
> Phone: 989-855-2430
>
> Cell: 616-755-2221
>
> gwen at campt.org
>
> www.campt.org
>
>
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