<html xmlns:v="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40">
<head>
<meta http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=us-ascii">
<meta name=Generator content="Microsoft Word 11 (filtered medium)">
<style>
<!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:Helvetica;
panose-1:2 11 6 4 2 2 2 2 2 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:Calibri;
panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";}
a:link, span.MsoHyperlink
{color:blue;
text-decoration:underline;}
a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed
{color:blue;
text-decoration:underline;}
span.EmailStyle18
{mso-style-type:personal-reply;
font-family:Arial;
color:navy;}
@page Section1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in;}
div.Section1
{page:Section1;}
-->
</style>
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapedefaults v:ext="edit" spidmax="1026" />
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapelayout v:ext="edit">
<o:idmap v:ext="edit" data="1" />
</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]-->
</head>
<body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=blue>
<div class=Section1>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><font size=4 face=Helvetica><span style='font-size:13.5pt;
font-family:Helvetica;font-weight:bold'>FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE<o:p></o:p></span></font></b></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-weight:bold'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><font size=3 face=Helvetica><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Helvetica;font-weight:bold'>CONTACT:<o:p></o:p></span></font></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Helvetica><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Helvetica'>Chris Danielsen <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Helvetica><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Helvetica'>Director of Public Relations<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Helvetica><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Helvetica'>National Federation of the Blind<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Helvetica><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Helvetica'>(410) 659-9314<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Helvetica><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Helvetica'>(410) 262-1281 (Cell)<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><a href="mailto:cdanielsen@nfb.org"><font face=Helvetica><span
style='font-family:Helvetica'>cdanielsen@nfb.org</span></font></a><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><strong><b><font
size=4 face=Helvetica><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:Helvetica'>National
Federation of the Blind Launches</span></font></b></strong><b><font size=4
face=Helvetica><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:Helvetica;font-weight:
bold'><br>
<strong><b><font face=Helvetica><span style='font-family:Helvetica'>Bid for
Excellence</span></font></b></strong><br>
</span></font></b><font face=Calibri><span style='font-family:Calibri'> </span></font><strong><b><font
size=4 face=Helvetica><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:Helvetica'><o:p></o:p></span></font></b></strong></p>
<p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><b><i><font size=3
face=Helvetica><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Helvetica;font-weight:
bold;font-style:italic'>Online eBay Auction to Raise Funds for the Critical
Programs of the NFB</span></font></i></b><i><span style='font-style:italic'><o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><font size=3 face=Helvetica><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Helvetica;font-weight:bold'>Baltimore, Maryland (November 1, 2011):
</span></font></b><font face=Helvetica><span style='font-family:Helvetica'>The
National Federation of the Blind (NFB), the oldest and largest organization of
blind people in the United States, today launched its first national online
auction, the <a href="http://www.nfb.org/bid">Bid for Excellence.</a> The
Bid for Excellence is not only a chance to bid on fabulous items but also an
exciting opportunity to raise funds to support the work of the NFB. The
NFB provides programs, support, and mentoring relationships that help blind
people all over the nation achieve excellence in their education, employment,
and all aspects of their lives.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Helvetica><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Helvetica'>Dr. Marc Maurer, President of the National Federation of
the Blind, said: “We are pleased to commence the first-ever Bid for
Excellence online auction today. As you bid on the diverse and exciting
items available, you will not only be making a bid for a luxury trip to an
exotic location or a valuable gift for a loved one, but making a bid for
excellence, a bid for a bright future for blind Americans. Funds raised
will support our efforts to increase the number of blind children reading
Braille; to raise awareness about the true capabilities of blind people; and to
make the Internet accessible to all. Please join us in our bid for
excellence for blind Americans.”<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Helvetica><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Helvetica'>Items available in the Bid for Excellence, hosted on </span></font><a
href="http://members.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewUserPage&userid=nationalfederationoftheblind"><font
face=Helvetica><span style='font-family:Helvetica'>eBay</span></font></a><font
face=Helvetica><span style='font-family:Helvetica'>, include luxury
accommodations in exotic locales, a behind-the-scenes tour of a popular TV
show, and plenty of gift items just in time for the holidays. Begin your
bidding now at </span></font><a href="http://www.nfb.org/bid"><font
face=Helvetica><span style='font-family:Helvetica'>www.nfb.org/bid</span></font></a><font
face=Helvetica><span style='font-family:Helvetica'>. <br>
<br>
<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Helvetica><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Helvetica'>For more information about the Bid for Excellence,
contact <u1:PersonName u2:st="on">Ann-Marie Laney</u1:PersonName> at (410)
659-9314, extension 2371, or </span></font><a href="mailto:alaney@nfb.org"><font
face=Helvetica><span style='font-family:Helvetica'>alaney@nfb.org</span></font></a><font
face=Helvetica><span style='font-family:Helvetica'>.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><b><font size=3
face=Helvetica><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Helvetica;font-weight:
bold'>###<o:p></o:p></span></font></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><b><font size=3
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-weight:bold'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;margin-bottom:12.0pt'><b><font
size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial;font-weight:
bold'>About the National Federation of the Blind<o:p></o:p></span></font></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>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 <u1:country-region u2:st="on"><u1:place u2:st="on">United States</u1:place></u1:country-region>.
The NFB improves blind people’s lives through advocacy, education,
research, technology, and programs encouraging independence and self-confidence.
It is the leading force in the blindness field today and the voice of the
nation's blind. In January 2004 the NFB opened the National Federation of
the Blind Jernigan Institute, the first research and training center in the <u1:country-region u2:st="on"><u1:place u2:st="on">United
States</u1:place></u1:country-region> for the blind led by the blind. </span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
</div>
</body>
</html>