[Nfbn-announce] NFBN Omaha Chapter to present honors

[NFB of Nebraska Info]

For Immediate Release

Contact:
Bridgit Kuenning-Pollpeter, director media relations
National Federation of the Blind-Omaha Chapter
402-350-1735
Omaha at ne.nfb.org

National Federation of the Blind of Nebraska - Omaha Chapter Awards
Employer and Educator of the Year

Omaha, Neb., Wednesday, Oct. 19, 2011- The National Federation of the
Blind of Nebraska - Omaha Chapter will award Employer of the Year and
Educator of the Year to local employers and educators for hiring and
accommodating blind employees on Thursday, Oct. 20, 2011, 7:00 p.m. at
College of St. Mary.

NFBN-Omaha will present Employer of the Year awards to Skyline Manor
and Elkhorn Public Schools Foundation along with presenting Educator
of the Year to Melinda J. Classen, counselor, Disability Support
Services, Metropolitan Community College, this Thursday, Oct. 20,
2011, 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at College of St. Mary, 7000 Mercy Road,
Mercy Hall, room 130.

Employer of the Year is awarded annually by NFBN-Omaha, celebrating
employers who have hired people who are blind and visually impaired.
Educator of the Year is a new award to be given this year, recognizing
educators providing exemplary service to blind students. With a 70
percent unemployment rate among blind and visually impaired people,
it’s important to honor employers who recognize that blind people have
something to offer, and with 90 percent of blind students lacking
Braille skills, it’s equally important to recognize educators who are
providing proper accommodations to blind students, according to
nfb.org.

“There’s a misconception that blind people can’t fully participate in
employment,” said Robert Leslie Newman, president of NFBN-Omaha. “With
businesses over-looking blind applicants, we believe it’s important to
honor those employers who over-look the stereotypes rather than the
people.”

NFBN-Omaha is a chapter of the National Federation of the Blind of
Nebraska, an affiliate of a national consumer organization of the
blind. The Omaha chapter has been recognizing local employers for 26
years now. NFBN-Omaha works to create fair and equal opportunities
among blind and visually impaired people, which includes building
bridges with other organizations and businesses to foster growth and a
new outlook on blindness.

“We’re changing what it means to be blind,” said Newman. “We want to
shine a spotlight of recognition and appreciation on an employer who
does the right thing by either hiring or accommodating a capable
person who happens to be blind.”

For more information about the National Federation of the Blind, visit
http://www.nfb.org/.

For more information about the Employee of the Year or Educator of the
Year awards, contact Robert Leslie Newman, (402) 660- 1743, or
newmanrl at cox.net.

With more than 50,000 members, The National Federation of the Blind is
the largest and most influential membership organization of blind
people in the United States.  Since 1940, we’ve been breaking barriers
for the blind.  The NFB improves blind people’s lives through
advocacy, education, research, technology and programs encouraging
independence and self-confidence.
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