[Njabs-talk] NJAPUB Braille Awareness Day

[Quintina M. Singleton]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 

CONTACT:

Mary Jo Partyka
National Federation of the Blind of New Jersey

(609) 888-5459
choirnfb at gmail.com

 

 

New Jersey Association to Promote the Use of Braille
 Sponsors Braille Awareness Day

 

New Jersey (October 24, 2009): In an effort to highlight the importance of Braille, the New Jersey Association to Promote the Use of Braille (NJAPUB), a division of the National Federation of the Blind of New Jersey (NFBNJ), will be sponsoring a Braille Awareness Day to which all interested persons are invited.  This event will be held on Saturday, October 24, at the Grace Lutheran Church in Perth Amboy from 1-4:30 PM.  Light refreshments will be served.

 

Date:               October 24, 2009

Time:              1-4:30 p.m.

Location:        Grace Lutheran Church

                        600 New Brunswick Avenue

                        Perth Amboy, New Jersey

 

This is an informative and fun event where everyone will learn the importance of Braille literacy and its role in enhancing educational pursuits, providing a positive opportunity for pleasure reading, helping blind people become more organized around the house, at school, and at work, and providing better opportunities for education and employment

 

During this seminar, blind and sighted children will have the opportunity to participate in games in which they will read Braille, practice writing Braille, make crafts where Braille will be used, and participate in a story hour.  Adults and parents of blind children will have the chance to discuss their efforts in finding resources.  Practical demonstrations showing how Braille can be used for labeling and cooking will be available. You will have the opportunity to ask questions about Braille and to network with people who have had similar experiences.    

 

Joe Ruffalo, President of the National Federation of the Blind of New Jersey, said: "Braille is knowledge and knowledge is power.  Having literacy at your fingertips is vital to the educational and vocational goals of blind people.  Our goal is to emphasize the need for Braille literacy in New Jersey; we hope you will strongly consider attending this event." 

 

Please contact Mary Jo Partyka at (609) 888-5459 or (609) 462-9400 by October 14 if you plan to attend.

 

In 2009 with the release of the Louis Braille Bicentennial Silver Dollar, the importance of Braille has come to the attention of the general public because of the dire need for Braille literacy. In the United States, only 10 percent of blind people can read Braille. Although there is a 70 percent unemployment rate among the blind of the nation, 80 percent of those who are employed use Braille every day on the job. You can help to promote Braille literacy by purchasing and encouraging your family and friends to purchase one of the Louis Braille Bicentennial Silver Dollars, the proceeds of which will be used to make Braille available to blind persons throughout the United States. To purchase your Louis Braille Bicentennial Silver Dollar today, please visit www.usmint.org. 

 

 

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