[Nfbf-l] Braille American flags!

[Kirk]

Hi all! I just wanted to pass this along to all of you just in case you 
might wish to purchase one or more from this Organization in the future! 
Your friend in the cause, Kirk
Dear Fellow Veterans and Members,

First and foremost, I sincerely hope that this past Veteran's Day was
appropriately recognized in your hometown, and that you too were given the
deserved recognition you have earned.  I state this in this manner mainly
because I was disappointed in my hometown when I attended the Veteran's Day
Parade.  There were possibly 200 people present in a community of nearly
400,000 residents.  Nor was there any gatherings after the parade as in
years past.  Seemed everyone was in a hurry to go home or somewhere else.
Sad too, as the weather was so favorable.

I would like to take this opportunity to mention for those of you who are
even slightly acquainted with me and the Institute I operate here in Kansas
that is credited with creating the nation's only congressionally recognized
Braille American Flag that this year we received honorable recognition from
the National Headquarters of the American Legion for the Braille American
Flag, on their website, and soon to come out in their print and Braille
publication.  What is more, the Headquarters is contemplating acquiring
bulk orders from us to send out to their membership, so that their
membership can help get the Braille American Flag out and into the hands of
blind citizens and blind veterans.

This step by the American Legion comes on the heels of the American Legion
Children's Foundation that earlier this year agreed to help make the
Braille American Flag available to one thousand blind children in
conjunction with the National Organization of Parents with Blind Children.
This order of Braille flags will begin to go out at the beginning of next
year.

I always believed it would take men and women that have served in our Armed
Forces to lead the way for the Braille American Flag, just as it was our
military that led the way for the cloth version that is now more than 200
years old.

I have been asking myself, "How does a person thank each of you properly
for all that you have given us and each other by putting your lives on the
line unselfishly". I don't have an answer.  I only have a limited knowledge
and memory of what it was like for me when I first enlisted.  I never saw
any action what little time I was in.  In fact, I never even left the
country.  However, I had 3 brothers in Viet Nam during the time I enlisted.
 Well, that is not completely accurate.  My eldest brother Jeff, and second
oldest brother Pat enlisted in the Army in 1969, 1970 respectively and were
both stationed in Viet Nam when I enlisted in the Army in 1971.  My younger
brother Gerard enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1972, and was in Viet Nam in
1974.

I am 56 years old now.  I never really felt like I had given anything back
to my country until I became a part of this Institute, and only now do I
feel as if I can in some small measure make a worthy while contribution to
the lives of other Americans, veterans and civilians.  And, as ever, were
it not for our veterans of military service, I could not even do this.  Not
only because it is our military men and women that make it possible for
each of us to be free and to follow a chosen course in life unhindered,
but, because as I mentioned above, if it were not for the members of the
American Legion and their vast numbers, it would be impossible for me and
the Institute for which I am employed to reach out to as many blind
Americans and blind veterans as can they, taking with them the Braille
American Flag.

I again thank you for serving our country, and thank you too in advance for
shouting out with me"Thank You" to the members of the American Legion for
remembering and caring that there are Americans that are blind and may
never before have seen the American Flag or may have lost their sight and
are unable to see Her now.  But that they, members of the American Legion
are helping to bring an end to that!

Very respectfully,

Randy Cabral



Randolph Cabral, President
Kansas Braille Transcription Institute
P.O. Box 48091
Wichita, Kansas 67201-8091
316-265-9692  (Office)  9:00 AM - 5:00CST
316-265-0184  (Fax)

Kirk Harmon
President & CEO
Florida Disabled Citizens
for Progress
P.O.Box 61794
Jacksonville, FL 32236
PH(904) 783-9896
Cell: (407) 473-2176
DAV/BVA
Life Member

" TURNING HOPE INTO REALITY"