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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: SAN FRANCISCO – November 8, 2016<br>
<br>
<div align="center"><b>Start Dreaming: Holman Prize Applications Open in
January<br>
</b> <br>
</div>
LightHouse for the Blind in San Francisco is thrilled to announce the
return of the <a href="http://www.holmanprize.org/"><b>Holman Prize for
Blind Ambition</a></b>, our annual $25,000 award for blind adventurers
and creators.<br>
In 2017, the Prize’s inaugural year, we received more than 200
applications from over two dozen countries. We couldn't be prouder of our
three winners, who encompass a wide range of ambition and ingenuity:<br>
<b>
<a href="http://lighthouse-sf.org/blog/meet-ahmet-ustunel-blind-kayaker-and-holman-prizewinner/">
Ahmet Ustunel</a></b> is training to kayak Turkey’s Bosphorus Strait,
completely solo;
<a href="http://lighthouse-sf.org/blog/meet-penny-melville-brown-blind-baker-and-holman-prizewinner/">
<b>Penny Melville-Brown</a></b> is taking her YouTube baking show to six
continents;
<a href="http://lighthouse-sf.org/blog/meet-ojok-simon-blind-beekeeper-and-holman-prizewinner/">
<b>Ojok Simon</a> </b>is teaching his fellow Ugandans to become
self-sustaining beekeepers.<br>
Named after the 19th century blind world traveler
<a href="https://www.holmanprize.org/jamesholman/"><b>James
Holman</a></b>, the Holman Prize empowers blind men and women from around
the world to complete the journeys and projects of their dreams.<br>
<br>
<div align="center"><b>What would you do as a Holman Prizewinner?<br>
<br>
</b></div>
Applications for the prize open on January 16, 2017 (and close February
28), and we encourage applicants to start planning ahead! The initial
application is a quirky one: a 90-second YouTube video explaining what
you would accomplish as a Holman Prizewinner (as well as a brief written
questionnaire). Once applications close, a select group of semifinalists
will be chosen to submit in-depth written proposals, and later, finalists
will be interviewed by LightHouse staff.<br>
<br>
<b>
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLBgTkRMP5uayUh22CViOjMWudaPxXScCh">
Check out last year’s finalists’ video proposals to get acquainted with
the types of projects you can pitch</a></b>.<br>
<br>
To learn more about the prize, please visit the Holman Prize
<a href="http://holmanprize.org/">website</a>.<br>
<br>
You can read more about the Holman Prize in the
<a href="http://washingtonpost.com/news/inspired-life/wp/2017/06/29/blindness-does-not-stop-this-beekeeper-this-baker-and-this-kayaker-from-expanding-their-vision/">
<b><i>Washington Post</a></i></b>,
the<a href="http://sfchronicle.com/bayarea/article/SF-group-s-awards-allow-blind-baker-beekeeper-12224147.php">
<b>
</a>
<a href="http://sfchronicle.com/bayarea/article/SF-group-s-awards-allow-blind-baker-beekeeper-12224147.php">
<i>San Francisco Chronicle</a></i></b>, the
<a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b08x4rj7"><b>BBC</a></b><u>
</u>and PRi’s
<a href="https://www.pri.org/stories/2017-11-07/new-technology-help-blind-captain-kayak-across-bosphorus-solo-journey">
<b><i>The World</a></i></b>.<br>
<br>
If our<a href="https://www.holmanprize.org/faq/"><b> FAQ page</a></b>
doesn’t answer your questions, feel free to get in touch with Max Savage
Levenson, Holman Prize Coordinator, at
<a href="mailto:mlevenson@lighthouse-sf.org"><b>
mlevenson@lighthouse-sf.org</a></b>.<br>
<br>
<br>
Gary Wunder<br>
Editor, <i>Braille Monitor<br>
</i>200 East Wells Street, Baltimore, MD 21230<br>
(410) 659-9314, extension 2360 | gwunder@nfb.org<br>
<br>
<br>
<a href="https://nfb.org/">
<img src="cid:7.1.0.9.2.20171219221353.008c2f18@visi.com.4" width=210 height=76 alt="National Federation of the Blind">
</a><br>
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<img src="cid:7.1.0.9.2.20171219221353.008c2f18@visi.com.5" width=24 height=24 alt="Facebook">
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<img src="cid:7.1.0.9.2.20171219221353.008c2f18@visi.com.6" width=24 height=24 alt="Twitter">
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<img src="cid:7.1.0.9.2.20171219221353.008c2f18@visi.com.7" width=24 height=24 alt="Youtube">
</a><br>
<br>
The National Federation of the Blind is a community of members and
friends who believe in the hopes and dreams of the nation’s blind. Every
day we work together to help blind people live the lives they want. <br>
<br>
<br><br>
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