Presenting at a Leadership Conference for Visual Impairments about our Efforts

I don't have a ton of time as I'm prepping for a week long trip to two different conferences, the big one for ABH is in Seattle to present at the Josephine L. Taylor Leadership Institute. Its a big leadership conference for the field of visual disabilities. So please forgive me if this post seems all over the map. I'm a little nervous as this is the first real public unveiling of our efforts to people in my field. I'm looking forward to some great questions and discussion which can only make what we're doing that much better.

We're doing a major fundraising push at the moment to gather funds for the trip to India this July. We've split the obligation amongst the "we". That's everyone that is responsible for making this ship float and sail. We've recently added our EIN number to the donation page for easier tax purposes. We're also crafting a letter for donors for their records. You may not know, but there is required language from the IRS in these letters if the donation is larger than $250. All these things I'm having to learn just to help people. Yikes. It'll be worth it though!

Also, a major shout out to Joe Strechay Vice President of Ability Beyond the Horizon. He has taken this fundraising thing very seriously and has raised nearly $1,000 in the last couple of weeks. Our goal is $6,000 to make the trip a reality fully supported by ABH, and not just my own pocket. The trip is a reality regardless, we have 5 people in India that are ready to go. Thanks Joe, you are incredible.

I was talking with a new friend the other day, Maria Morais, who is a pretty active member of the National Federation of the Blind. Their site has this great quote:

"The real problem of blindness is not
the loss of eyesight. The real problem
is the misunderstanding and lack of
information that exist. If a blind person
has proper training and opportunity,
blindness can be reduced to a physical
nuisance."

The conversation made me better sharpen my awareness that we're not just planning to teach new orientation and mobility instructors, what we're really doing is facilitating greater independence for people with visual impairments in developing nations. Being able to travel independently is a beginning step, but even before that is the belief that someone who cannot see still has the same right and ABILITY to be independent as anyone else. We've got at least 5 people in India, and I know many others at their respective organizations that also believe this. They just want to know how. Thank you for your support, it truly means the world to me and others you'll never meet, but they'll know about you. I thank you for being part of the "We".

~Mickey