[Oabs] Larry Shepherd to Serve as National Ambassador for Braille Literacy

[Robert Spangler]

Glad to hear.  This is a very important campaign and I hope that you all 
can support it in any way that you can.

Freeh, Jessica (by way of David Andrews <dandrews at visi.com>) wrote:
> 
> 
> FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
> 
> 
> 
> CONTACT:
> 
> Chris Danielsen
> 
> Director of Public Relations
> 
> National Federation of the Blind
> 
> (410) 659-9314, extension 2330
> 
> (410) 262-1281 (Cell)
> 
> <mailto:cdanielsen at nfb.org>cdanielsen at nfb.org
> 
> 
> 
> Larry Shepherd to Serve as
> National Ambassador for Braille Literacy
> 
> 
> 
> Baltimore, Maryland (March 3, 2009): The National Federation of the 
> Blind (NFB), the nation's leading advocate for Braille literacy, 
> announced today that Larry Shepherd, executive director for the American 
> Numismatic Association, will serve as a National Ambassador for Braille 
> literacy.  As an ambassador, Shepherd 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 
> released on March 26, 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 Mr. 
> Shepherd as part of this historic initiative to bring Braille literacy 
> to all of the blind children and adults in America who need it.  As the 
> executive director of the American Numismatic Association, Mr. Shepherd 
> will be an invaluable asset in reaching out to the large community of 
> coin collectors to share his belief in Braille literacy.  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 Mr. Shepherd, 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."
> 
> 
> 
> Mr. Shepherd said: "I am honored and pleased to serve as a National 
> Ambassador for the Braille Readers are Leaders campaign.  It is very 
> exciting to be a part of a commemorative coin release that has the power 
> to change lives, and I am eager to help the National Federation of the 
> Blind in its mission to improve the lives of blind children and adults 
> throughout the country through the power of Braille literacy."
> 
> 
> 
> For more information about the Braille Readers Are Leaders campaign and 
> the Louis Braille commemorative coin, please visit 
> <http://www.braille.org/>www.braille.org.
> 
> 
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> ###
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> 
> About the National Federation of the Blind
> 
> With more than 50,000 members, the National Federation of the Blind is 
> the largest and most influential membership organization of blind people 
> in the United States.  The NFB improves blind people's lives through 
> advocacy, education, research, technology, and programs encouraging 
> independence and self-confidence.  It is the leading force in the 
> blindness field today and the voice of the nation's blind.  In January 
> 2004 the NFB opened the National Federation of the Blind Jernigan 
> Institute, the first research and training center in the United States 
> for the blind led by the blind.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> About the American Numismatic Association
> 
> 
> 
> The American Numismatic Association is a nonprofit organization 
> dedicated to educating and encouraging people to study and collect money 
> and related items. The ANA helps its 32,000 members and the public 
> discover and explore the world of money through its vast array of 
> programs including its education and outreach programs, museum, library, 
> publications, conventions and seminars.  For more information, call 
> 719-632-2646 or visit www.money.org.
> 
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> 

-- 
Robert Spangler
The University of Toledo
Student Senate - Recording Secretary
Ohio Association of Blind Students - President