First Annual Braille-a-Thon

BRAILLE-A-THON FOLLOW-UP REPORT

Event Basics
Date: June 23, 2009
Location: The south lawn and east steps of the state capitol located in Lansing, Michigan
Time: 11 AM to 3:00 PM

Main Objective:
To celebrate the 200th anniversary of Louis Braille, bring about awareness to the educational system and members of Michigan’s legislators and community as to the importance of Braille literacy and skills of blindness, the capabilities and potential capability of blind students, and the importance of the overall quality education for blind and visually impaired children.

To provide an enjoyable event which includes social networking between blind and visually impaired adult roll models and blind and visually impaired children and their parents; resulting in feelings of confidence, capability, and the sense of belonging to a valid cultural group of people.

Attendance: About two hundred people

Number of People Impacted: 200 + as the event was covered by television, radio, and news papers throughout the state.

Income
$500 from the Do Something Team
$400 from table rentals by 16 vendors at $25 per table
$993 Donations from various private donors and blind related organizations
Total: $1893

Expenditures:
$311 for capital lawn labor and sound equipment rental.
$635 Tent and table rental
$383.45 prizes
$37.16 printing
$203.50 Student transportation
$250 Event liability insurance
Total: $1820.11

Balance: $73.39

Will we be doing this again? Yes, on 6-22-2010.

Details

As the above information shows the Braille-a-thon (BAT) was a success. Although we do not know how many people information may have reached, we speculate that two hundred + people were involved with the event. We had sixteen vendors at the event. There were 4 blind food vendors selling pop corn, hot dogs, and other goodies. The other blind related vendors displayed informational literature, adaptive technology, blind related products, Braille books, and other items. T-shirts related to blindness were given away to interested participants.

Organizations involved included: Quality Education Team for Students who are Blind or Visually Impaired, (QET,) Michigan Parents of the Visually Impaired (MPVI,) Michigan Commission for the Blind (MCB,) National Federation for the Blind, (NFB,) Michigan Council for Blind and Visually Impaired, (MPBVI,) Opportunities Unlimited for the Blind, (OUB,) Michigan State Library for the Blind, Bear Lake Camp, Lions Club, Seedlings Braille Book Store, MEE-INC. assistive technology for the blind, and the Michigan State University Disability Office.

There were several games and contests including Braille games for pre-Braille readers, beginning Readers, moderate readers, and advanced Braille readers. Other games and contests included Limbo under the White Cane, Braille Feud, Braille Bingo, and a scavenger hunt.

Prizes were awarded to all student participants, and distributed according to level of achievement in contests and amount of participation. Prizes were all accessible to blind users and included an auditory-Braille map puzzle of the United States, Braille key chains, slates and stylus for writing Braille, and shirts that said, “Walking Along with my dog” with a picture of Iris and her guide dog Seemore, and “Blind People are out of Sight!” a picture of a smiling face with no eyes. (See attached picture.)

There was also entertainment and testimonies on the importance of Braille literacy on the east steps, or grand entrance into the state’s capital. In addition to several talks about stands on Braille Literacy there were several musical performances. The youngest performer was age 7 and the oldest presenter was age 81. I started off the event by presenting a report I wrote on the history of Louis Braille. Later, I played my violin.

There were 30 blind students who participated in the BAT. Many parents and siblings attended as well. Several teachers for the visually impaired, orientation and mobility instructors and other blind and sighted professionals working with person’s who are blind or visually impaired were present. Several state legislators visited the event during their lunch period. Many people from the area also stopped to ask questions and learn more about the event. Many learned who Louis Braille was, and his importance to literacy for the blind, why Braille literacy is important, that students who are blind are able to do many things, that there is a lot of assistive technology and services for blind children, that there is a strong need to improve educational services for blind children, and that 90% of gainfully employed blind adults are Braille literate.

As a result of this event, many e-mails have been sent to the event coordinator, Geri Taeckens, expressing appreciation for this event and desires to help with next year’s Braille-A-Thon. There are also reports of increased contacts by parents of blind children with several of the blind organizations that were present. Communication with 5 state legislators has taken place with plans to tour the capital during next year’s event. There may also be an opportunity for participants to speak at the beginning of the legislative session to communicate the needs and goal of this group.