[Nfb-fundraising] Personal update, and March for Independence

[Corbb O'Connor]

Genius work, Antonio! My father, a management consultant, always  
reminds me that effective communication must start with a connection.  
You've clearly done that by adding the personal touch, and--only once  
that connection is there--then asking for help. You didn't ask for  
donations. You've asked for "support" with something that clearly  
"means a lot" to you. Good work!

___________________
Corbb O'Connor
(202) 684-6130




On Nov 13, 2007, at 10:07 PM, Antonio Guimaraes wrote:

> A message from Antonio Guimaraes amguima at verizon.net.
> Dear friend,
> I hope this e-mail finds you well, and that you'll take a moment to  
> ponder on this message. I am writing to give you somewhat of a  
> personal update, and to ask for your support.
> I haven't kept in touch with some of you for some time. I can't  
> believe I am soon coming up on 30. Others know where I am, and what  
> I am doing. By the way, if you wish to drop in, and say hi, don't  
> hesitate to write me at amguima at verizon.net.
> I have attended some college at a local Community College in Fall  
> River, Massachusetts. Right now, I live in Rhode Island, and work at  
> a Home Depot store. I've been there for about 3 years now, and  
> always look forward to learning, and doing new things.
> My parents bought a nice home, in a quiet neighborhood in East  
> Providence, RI, just in time for me to move out. The goal of moving  
> out was met, but the jerny for independence is only beginning. I'm  
> still trying to find creative ways to learn new skills, with the  
> support of friends, family, and friends of family. I am confident I  
> will soon learn all the basics of independent life. Time will also  
> bring with it the gift of a formal education.
> Plans exist to attend the University of Rhode Island, for a degree  
> in Political Science. Throughout my life, I've had good teachers,  
> supportive friends, and a caring family.
> That's my personal update, and again, if you feel like talking, drop  
> me a line.
> Throughout my life I've also had a family of friends, most of them  
> blind. The National Federation of the Blind has fought to give blind  
> people access to newspapers, blind students access to text books,  
> blind college students the confidence to succeed, and blind  
> professionals the resources to fight for their rights. The National  
> Federation of the Blind, NFB, believes in the abilities of blind  
> people. My travels have brought me in contact with blind scientists,  
> business owners, inventors, engineers, lawyers, future engineers,  
> and educators.
> The work of the NFB is wide in scope, and influential. Just this  
> summer, I was a mentor at a program which brought 200 blind students  
> to the campus of Johns Hopkins University, in Baltimore. These  
> students were encourage to take part, and explore careers in  
> science, technology, engineering, and math--areas tipically thought  
> of as off limmits to the blind. I believe the program impacted a  
> large number of young people, who were tought to follow their dreams.
> I will be participating in a 5k march in July of 2008, and I am  
> asking that you support the work of the NFB Imagination Fund by  
> making a donation in my behalf. I hope I can count on your support,  
> whatever it might be. I don't know many people who can give, say  
> $500, but if you can afford $500, that gift will bring me 20 percent  
> closer to my goal. If $50 is within your means, I will be very  
> thankful for your support. If you can only afford $20, or $10, I  
> appreciate, and thank you for supporting the work of the National  
> Federation of the Blind. Any gift will support the important work of  
> the NFB Jernigan Institute to improve the lives of blind people.
> Please take a minute to visit my personal page by clicking on the  
> link at the bottom of this mailing, and consider supporting me on  
> the next March for Independence, A Walk for Opportunity.
> Sincerely Yours
> Antonio M. Guimaraes Jr.
> .
> http://www.marchforindependence.org/site/TR/Events/General?px=1002946&pg=personal&fr_id=1040&et=LjzeeC1XTZXQdP2KvYfwag..&s_tafId=2033 
>  Click here to visit my personal page.
> If the text above does not appear as a clickable link, you can visit  
> the web address:
> http://www.marchforindependence.org/site/TR/Events/General?px=1002946&pg=personal&fr_id=1040&et=LjzeeC1XTZXQdP2KvYfwag..&s_tafId=2033
> http://www.marchforindependence.org/site/PixelServer?tr=XPpbGZRE7LyXJownK2PyKQ 
> ..
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