[Nfbmt] Hope's story, a call for help...

[Bruce&Joy Breslauer]

Hello, fellow Montana Federationists.

Below you will find two messages from Rick Reed, the President of the NFB of
Wyoming.  The first message is self explanatory; the second message concerns
a fundraising campaign so that this young lady can attend the Washington
Seminar from Wyoming.  The reason I am calling it to your attention is to ask
whether we as individuals or as an affiliate want to contribute to this fund
raiser.  Joy

First Message
-----Original Message-----
From: Rick Reed
Sent: Wednesday, October 21, 2015 11:30 AM
Subject: Hope's story, a call for help...

Hello friends,

I had the amazing opportunity yesterday to represent my affiliate and our
national organization at the 2015 Wyoming Transitions Day. This event is
primarily for high school students who are blind/VI or deaf/HoH and
encourages them to pursue higher education with goals of finding a career
that will let them live the lives they want. It is sponsored by Wyoming
Independent Living, Vision Outreach Services and the Department of Vocational
Rehabilitation.

The NFB of Wyoming is an annual fixture at this event, where we provide
information about our Federation and our programs. This year, I was asked to
give a presentation on assistive technology where I introduced many students,
parents and teachers to the KNFB Reader app for the first time. I also
presented a session on self-advocacy.

During these presentations I had the pleasure of meeting a high school junior
named Hope.

Hope is a blind student in Sheridan, Wyoming, a little town just south of the
Montana border. She is an absolute gem of a person and just so eager to learn
everything she can that it warms the heart.

Hope's dream is to become a nurse. Until yesterday, the only person in her
life that had any faith in her and in her ability to realize her dreams was
her TVI. She has no support from her family. They tell her that there is
really not much she can actually do as a blind person.
When she shared her dream with her family she was told; "I would never let
someone like you be my nurse".

I was and still am enraged by this lack of familial support. I offered Hope
my support in any way I could give it and promised to get her in touch with
blind people that are working in similar fields that she can talk to. I am
also encouraging her to keep getting good grades and to apply for our
national scholarships next year when she is a senior.

Before she left to head back to Sheridan from the event I gave her one of the
75 in 75 Braille wristbands that I carry in my bag. When she read it and felt
the "Live The Life You Want" embossed in Braille on the little piece of
rubbber she broke down in tears and I am not at all ashamed to say that I
joined her. It was a very emotional moment all around.

With that story told, what I'm asking is this:

I would like to get in touch with as many blind people as I can who are
working in the healthcare field. This girl needs mentors and role models that
can show her that she can make her dreams come true and that she can live the
life she wants, not what someone else thinks she should be limited to.

Thank you for sticking with me through this tale and for whatever help and
advice you can give me here. I want this young lady to succeed and I'd love
to see her on stage in a couple years, receiving a scholarship at our
national convention!

Thank you again friends.
Rick Reed

Second Message
Sent: Tuesday, December 01, 2015 10:26 AM
Subject: It's Giving Tuesday!
Federationists and friends!

As you may remember, I shared a story here a few months ago about a student
here in Wyoming named Hope that I've become acquainted with.
After discussing many aspects of being a Federationist with her recently, she
has expressed interest in attending our Great Gathering In this year. I was
so excited to see a young person interested in this kind of work that I could
barely contain myself!

We have started a Go Fund Me campaign to raise money to pay for the trip and
I would like to ask you all to consider what you may be able to do to help
get this motivated young woman to D.C. next month and also to please help
spread the word about the campaign far and wide. You'll never catch enough
fish if you are afraid to cast your nets!

The link is https://www.gofundme.com/nfbwy-dc-2016.

Thank you again for your help and for spreading the word!

--
Rick Reed
WYOAssist Low-vision Specialist
President, National Federation of the Blind of Wyoming Certified Assistive
Technology Specialist Technological Accessibility Advocate

Phone:
(307)315-3648

Twitter:
@WYOAssist
@NFBWY
@BlindPCs
@BlindSarcasm

Web:
http://www.wyoassist.com
http://theblindgeek.net
http://www.blindpcs.com
http://www.nfbwyoming.org
http://www.nfb.org
http://theblindfoodie.com

Skype:
TheBlindGeek

"Disability is NOT the final answer!"

The National Federation of the Blind knows that blindness is not the
characteristic that defines you or your future. Every day we raise the
expectations of blind people, because low expectations create obstacles
between blind people and our dreams. You can live the life you want;
blindness is not what holds you back.

Joy Breslauer, President
National Federation of the Blind of Montana
Address: P.O. Box 1325, Great Falls, MT 59403
Phone: (406) 454-3096
Email: president at nfbofmt.org
Web Site: www.nfbofmt.org

Live the life you want

The National Federation of the Blind knows that blindness is not the
characteristic that defines you or your future. Every day we raise the
expectations of blind people, because low expectations create obstacles
between blind people and our dreams. You can live the life you want;
blindness is not what holds you back.

It's TIME to Eliminate Subminimum Wages for People with Disabilities
http://www.nfb.org/TIME

Donate to the National Federation of the Blind of Montana