[Colorado-talk] Press Release for distribution on all NFB list serves

[Freeh, Jessica]

  FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT:
Chris Danielsen
Public Relations Specialist
National Federation of the Blind
(410) 659-9314, ext. 2330
(410) 262-1281 (Cell)
<mailto:cdanielsen at nfb.org>cdanielsen at nfb.org

Wal-Mart to Serve as Title Sponsor of the NFB March for Independence

Wal-Mart’s Donation Will Support Blind People Across the Country

Baltimore, Maryland (April 21, 2008): The 
National Federation of the Blind (NFB) announced 
today that Wal-Mart will be the title sponsor of 
the NFB’s second annual March for 
Independence.  Wal-Mart made a donation to 
support blind people and those losing vision 
through the programs and initiatives of the 
National Federation of the Blind (NFB) Jernigan 
Institute.  The March for Independence­A Walk for 
Opportunity will take place on the morning of 
Wednesday, July 2, as part of the convention of 
the National Federation of the Blind to be held this year in Dallas.

Fifteen hundred blind citizens from across the 
nation will march from the Hilton Anatole Hotel 
to the American Airlines Plaza to raise money to 
benefit blind people all over the United States 
and to raise awareness about the capabilities of blind people.

“As a company that strives to help people live 
better, Wal-Mart is proud to sponsor charitable 
causes important to our customers and associates, 
such as the annual March for Independence,” said 
Scott Williams, vice president of E-Commerce, 
Sam’s Club, Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. “Wal-Mart is 
proud to support the NFB in its tireless efforts 
to improve the lives of blind people throughout the country.”

Dr. Marc Maurer, President of the National 
Federation of the Blind, said: “We are pleased to 
have Wal-Mart as the title sponsor of our March 
for Independence this year.  With the support of 
generous partners like Wal-Mart, we will be able 
to change what it means to be blind and once and 
for all eliminate the 70 percent unemployment 
rate among the blind in the United States.”

For more information about the March for 
Independence, including how to participate and 
how to sponsor a marcher, visit 
<http://www.marchforindependence.org>www.marchforindependence.org. 
To learn more about the National Federation of 
the Blind, visit <http://www.nfb.org>www.nfb.org.


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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.