<HTML><HEAD></HEAD>
<BODY dir=ltr>
<DIV dir=ltr>
<DIV style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Calibri'; COLOR: #000000">
<DIV>Greetings to all!</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>I’ve provided information highlighting Agnes Allen, co-founder in 1991
of
</DIV>
<DIV>the National Federation of the Blind of New Jersey’s Garden State
Chapter.</DIV>
<DIV>Agnes served as a loyal Federationist in New Jersey and
Connecticut.</DIV>
<DIV>Agnes’s passion for literacy is second to none.</DIV>
<DIV>Agnes continued to teach Braille well in her 90’s.</DIV>
<DIV>Agnes is an author,” Life Without Sight; My Journey Into The World Of
</DIV>
<DIV>Sighted And The Blind.</DIV>
<DIV>Agnes has changed many lives with providing the gift of Braille
literacy.</DIV>
<DIV>For the past several years, the NFBNJ has presented the Agnes Allen
</DIV>
<DIV>Distinguish Service Award during the banquet. This award is
presented
to a </DIV>
<DIV>non member, to an agency or organization that promotes the philosophy
of
the </DIV>
<DIV>Federation to raise expectations to live the life we want!</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>After reading the information below, at the conclusion, I have provided
</DIV>
<DIV>contact information for those that want to send Agnes belated birthday
</DIV>
<DIV>wishes. Her reading media is Braille. If you need a member
of
the Braille </DIV>
<DIV>committee to assist,please contact Mary Jo Partyka, Chair of the
Braille
</DIV>
<DIV>Committee at 609 888 5459 or email, choirnfb@gmail.com</DIV>
<DIV>In addition, ask someone from your chapter and or division to
assist.</DIV>
<DIV>She may not answer the phone however, a voice message works well.</DIV>
<DIV>Agnes is a true friend that has provided thousands of volunteer hours
to
</DIV>
<DIV>provide her talent, time and encouragement to assist others to achieve
their </DIV>
<DIV>goals.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Happy 95th Birthday, Agnes!</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Warmly,</DIV>
<DIV>Joe Ruffalo, President</DIV>
<DIV>NFBNJ</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>**</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Agnes Allen was born on the 18th of January 1924, the sixth and last
child
</DIV>
<DIV>born to Mary and Louis Stone. When she was just five years old,
she
had a </DIV>
<DIV>terrible fall off a porch swing. The doctors told Agnes’ mother
she
had six </DIV>
<DIV>months to live. She obviously survived but the accident left her
totally </DIV>
<DIV>blind. Agnes thrived at the Pittsburgh School for the Blind where
she
</DIV>
<DIV>learned to love education. The school taught Agnes many things
but
most of </DIV>
<DIV>all it enabled her to be independent, confident, capable and
optimistic.
</DIV>
<DIV>After graduating from Pittsburgh School for the Blind, Agnes became the
</DIV>
<DIV>first blind graduate of Mount Mercy College. She graduated Suma
Cum
Laude. </DIV>
<DIV>The formation provided by the Mercy Sisters is rarely found in
education
</DIV>
<DIV>today. They taught their students that a life of service is a
life
well </DIV>
<DIV>lived. Agnes took this instruction to heart and strived to obtain
this </DIV>
<DIV>virtuous life.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>The only member of her family to graduate high school and college,
Agnes
had </DIV>
<DIV>the opportunity to attend graduate school at the University of
Pittsburgh.
</DIV>
<DIV>Upon finishing her Master’s degree in English, Agnes embarked on a
career
of </DIV>
<DIV>teaching. She instructed blind and deaf blind students, young children
and
</DIV>
<DIV>adults to accept their impairment and tackle any obstacle that stood in
the
</DIV>
<DIV>way of achieving independence. She taught Braille, English,
math, music, </DIV>
<DIV>and many other necessary life skills. Her dedication to the advancement
of
</DIV>
<DIV>blind persons is evident in the fact that she was still tutoring blind
</DIV>
<DIV>students after her 90th birthday. Agnes has been a long-standing
member and </DIV>
<DIV>served as an officer of both the New Jersey and Connecticut chapters of
the
</DIV>
<DIV>National Federation of the Blind. Agnes has a grave concern
for
blind </DIV>
<DIV>individuals that cannot read braille and raised awareness through her
many
</DIV>
<DIV>Braille Literacy campaigns and events. Her book, “A Life Without
Sight” was </DIV>
<DIV>written to encourage all blind persons and their families to make the
most
</DIV>
<DIV>out of the life they were given. Agnes’ message to all is “It is
better to </DIV>
<DIV>light a candle than to curse the darkness.” She also held
positions
as a </DIV>
<DIV>Social Worker for the Division of Family Services, a proofreader, and a
</DIV>
<DIV>salesman.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Agnes Allen is the mother of three daughters and the grandmother of
nine
</DIV>
<DIV>grandchildren. Her example of generosity, love of neighbor and
her
joyful </DIV>
<DIV>positive attitude has been a great blessing to her family. She is
dearly
</DIV>
<DIV>loved.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Contact info:</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Agnes Allen</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>49 Old North Stamford Road</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Stamford, CT 06905</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>her phone number is 203 323 9564.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Thanks for thinking of her on her birthday!</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Barbara</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV></DIV></DIV></BODY></HTML>