Hello Friend,
Our apologies for a "form letter." But as we are sure you understand,
using this type of mailing is the most efficient way to reach our
friends, neighbors and former classmates.
Some of you received this letter, or a form of it, in October of 2015.
This, then, is just a reminder; and as always, we thank you for your
generosity and your interest in our association.
Linda Smalley, Fundraising Committee Chairwoman
Linda_Smalley@xxxxxxxxxx
Chet Smalley, Treasurer
chet_smalley@xxxxxxxxxx
The Alumni Association of the New York State School for the Blind, Inc.
541 W. Gore rd
Erie, PA 16509-2329
(814) 866-3949
WELCOME ONE AND ALL TO THE SECOND-ANNUAL BRAILLE LARGE PRINT
READ-A-THON!
February, 2016.
Greetings from The Fundraising committee:
The Alumni association of the New York State School for the blind, Inc.
has existed since June of 1918. From that point in time, as World War I
was ending and the Influenza pandemic was sweeping the globe, our
association has met, virtually every year, in Batavia New York, a
community situated approximately halfway between Buffalo and Rochester.
Batavia is the town where our school first opened its doors in 1868.
During World War II and at the end of the 1940's when a new building
was under construction, the association did not meet; but, other than
those brief hiatuses, our group has gathered for almost a century, year
after year.
The most important skill many of us learned at NYSSB, (The New York
State School for the Blind), is that of reading Braille. Braille,
invented by Louis Braille in 1829 is the gateway to literacy for blind
people. As reported by "The Writer's Almanac" on Saturday January 4,
2014, (the 205th anniversary of Louis Braille's birth):
"[Louis Braille] born in Coupvray, France, on January 4, 1809, ... was
blinded after an accident in his father's harness shop when he was
three years
old. At the National Institute for Blind Youth in Paris, Braille
adapted an idea used in the French army to send messages that could be
read in the dark.
He decided that each letter would be represented by a different
arrangement of six dots packed close enough that each letter could be
read by a single
fingertip. He perfected his method by the time he was 15. He published
the first book in braille in 1829, and eight years later, he added
symbols for math
and music to his alphabet. But his method spread slowly, and he was not
recognized for his achievement during his lifetime; not a single
newspaper published
his obituary upon his death in 1852. It wasn't until a British group
called the Royal National Institute for the Blind took up the cause in
1868 that the
braille method became well known.
Louis Braille said: "Access to communication in the widest sense is
access to knowledge, and that is vitally important for us if we [the
blind] are not
to go on being despised or patronized by condescending sighted people.
We do not need pity, nor do we need to be reminded we are vulnerable.
We must be
treated as equals -- and communication is the way this can be brought
about.""
Today, those of us in our Alumni Association read either Braille or
large print, print of 14 point font or greater. So, once again next
spring, as we gather for our annual reunion in June of 2016 in Batavia,
many of us are planning to relax at the Clarion Hotel, (where our
annual reunion will be held), and engage in one of our favorite
passtimes, reading. The gathering in this case, though, will take place
for the purpose of raising some funds for our beloved Alumni
Association.
We take great pleasure in presenting this request to you, in the hope
you can join in the fun by contributing to our second-annual Braille,
Large Print Read-a-Thon!
Here's how it will work:
You've heard of walk-athons, right? This will be a read-a-thon.
Readers of Large Print and Braille will select, and agree to read, a
number of pages, no fewer than 10.
For those of us attending the reunion, The reading will occur between
2:00 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. on Saturday (June 11, 2016) in the lobby of the
Clarion Hotel. For those readers, (anyone may participate), who cannot
attend our weekend festivities, or who elect to participate in other
activities during the "read-a-thon," the reading can be done any time
up to 4:30 p.m., EDT on Saturday June 11, 2016. Based on the honor
system, those readers, not reading in the group at the Clarion Hotel in
June, are agreeing to do their pledged reading in one sitting.
Each reader will supply his or her own reading material.
Readers, prior to the reading session, will have gathered pledges from
contributors in their personal networks, such pledges being an amount
of money to be paid, per page read. This year we Smalleys, have decided
to read 60 pages of large print and Braille, (Linda reading large
print, Chet reading Braille).
So, by June 11 of the reunion year, (2016 in this case), we will have
collected pledges from our network of contributors. Each contributor
may pledge as much as he or she wants to, with a minimum pledge being
$00.25 per page, resulting in a total pledge in our ccase, of $30.00,
(if, that is, you can be kind enough to sponsor both of us). The more
pages read, and the more pledges secured, and the higher the amount
pledged per read page, the more money raised. The top three "pledge
gatherers will receive prize money, based on his or her efforts.
Alternatively, if you would just prefer to make a contribution in any
amount to this project, you are welcome to do so.
Please note, your pledge or contribution will not bbe tax deductible
based on Internal Revenue Service Regulations governing "recreational"
organizations.
May we count on you for a pledge or contribution to our second-annual
Braille, Large Print Read-a-Thon? We ask that you honor your pledge or
tendre your contribution on or before Saturday, June 11, 2016.
We are offering four convenient ways to pay:
1. You may pay in person using cash, your personal check or with a
money order.
2. If you have a PayPal account, simply visit:
https://www.paypal.me/ChesterMSmalley
(note: when using this payment option, please ensure that you indicate
a simple payment, not payment for "goods or services" so as to avoid
any service charges from PayPal, end of note).
3. If you would prefer to use your online bill payor service simply
make out the check to:
The Alum. Assoc., NYSSB
and address the check to:
First Niagara Bank
801 State ST
Erie, PA 16501-1363. When, or if, your bill payor service asks for an
account number, simply enter the digits 5851. If you exercise this
payment option, please advise Linda Smalley or Chet Smalley by phone or
email so your contribution can be accurately recorded.
4. Traditional Checksor moneyorders should be mailed to:
The Alumni Association of the New York State School for the Blind, Inc.
c/o Chet Smalley, Treasurer:
541 W. Gore rd
Erie, PA 16509-2329
We thank you for your generous participation in our second-annual
Braille, Large Print Read-a-Thon.
Sincerely,
Linda S. Smalley, fundraising chairwoman and Chester M. Smalley,
Treasurer
The Alumni Association
of the New York State
School for the Blind, inc.
