[Nfbwv-talk] Fw: Terry Bradshaw to Serve as National Ambassador for Braille Literacy

[Karen McDonald]

Thought you all would like to see this.

Karen


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Freeh, Jessica" <JFreeh at nfb.org>
To: "Freeh, Jessica" <JFreeh at nfb.org>
Sent: Monday, November 03, 2008 10:51 AM
Subject: Terry Bradshaw to Serve as National Ambassador for Braille Literacy


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE



CONTACT:

Chris Danielsen

Public Relations Specialist

National Federation of the Blind

(410) 659-9314, extension 2330

(410) 262-1281 (Cell)

cdanielsen at nfb.org


Terry Bradshaw to Serve as National Ambassador for Braille Literacy




Baltimore, Maryland (November 3, 2008): The National Federation of the
Blind (NFB), the nation's leading advocate for Braille literacy,
announced today that Terry Bradshaw, Hall of Fame NFL quarterback and
current football analyst and co-host of FOX NFL Sunday, will serve as a
National Ambassador for Braille literacy.  As an ambassador, Terry will
help advance the NFB's Braille Readers are Leaders campaign, a national
initiative to promote the importance of reading and writing Braille for
blind children and adults.  The Braille Readers are Leaders campaign
kicked off in July of 2008 with the unveiling of the design of a
commemorative coin to be minted in 2009 in recognition of the two
hundredth anniversary of the birth of Louis Braille (1809-1852), the
inventor of the reading and writing code for the blind that bears his
name.



Dr. Marc Maurer, President of the National Federation of the Blind,
said: "The National Federation of the Blind is pleased to have Terry
Bradshaw as part of this historic initiative to bring Braille literacy
to all of the blind children and adults in America who need it.  As one
of the most popular personalities in America, Terry Bradshaw's impact as
a national spokesperson for Braille literacy will surely be huge.  There
can be no doubt that the ability to read and write Braille competently
and efficiently is the key to education, employment, and success for the
blind.  Despite the undisputed value of Braille, however, only about 10
percent of blind children in the United States are currently learning
it.  Society would never accept a 10 percent literacy rate among sighted
children; it should not accept such an outrageously low literacy rate
among the blind.  The Braille Readers are Leaders campaign, with the
support of influential Americans like Terry Bradshaw, will reverse the
downward trend in Braille literacy and ensure that equal opportunities
in education and employment are available to all of the nation's blind."



Terry Bradshaw said: "I am honored and pleased to serve as a National
Ambassador for the Braille Readers are Leaders campaign.  I strongly
believe in the importance of literacy for everyone, and I am excited to
help make a difference in the lives of blind children and adults
throughout the country."



For more information about the Braille Readers Are Leaders campaign and
the Louis Braille commemorative coin, please visit www.braille.org
<http://www.braille.org/> .





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