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

[Jim in Detroit]

How does one become an OUB member?  I hope I find this in the Combined 
Federal Campaign this coming fall.

-----Original Message----- 
From: Donna Posont
Sent: April 17, 2013 23:23
To: NFB of Michigan Internet Mailing List
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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Jim in Detroit
James A. Prather
Central Michigan University: 1980
Michigan School for the Blind: 1974
"Fire Up Chips"
"Ungh, ungowa, Raiders still Got the Power!"