[nfb-talk] Fw: News Release: July 11, 2006 -- Erik Weihenmayer

Tue Jul 11 22:38:54 CDT 2006

----- Original Message ----- 
Subject: News Release: July 11, 2006 -- Erik Weihenmayer

  Erik and the Super Incas on Nightline this Wednesday, July 12
      Tribute to a Humanitarian

      A&E Film with Audio Description

      Ellie Weihenmayer (l) and Sarah Manninen (r) ,  who plays Ellie in the A&E film Touch the Top of the World 
      Watch ABC's Nightline on Wednesday Evening,  July 12 at 11:35 p.m.

      This Wednesday,  Nightline will feature Erik's trek with 9 blind and 9 sighted high school students on the Super Inca Trail in Peru up to the Gates to the Sun and into Machu Picchu,  the sacred religious capital of the Inca Empire.  Colorful journals which portray the cohesive teamwork are available on www.globalexplorers.org .  ABC also covered this expedition several weeks ago on World News Tonight when ABC cited Erik as its Person of the Week.  Thanks to Phil Maravilla,  ABC producer,  who was inspired by the interdependence and partnering required for this arduous climb and who accompanied the team on its journey.  

      In Memory of Dr. Weber

      On a sad note, Dr. Thomas Weber,  who suffered from a rare eye condition which caused him to lose sight as he gained elevation,  attempted the North Face of Mt Everest several months ago. He was climbing well, but tragically and unexpectedly died below the summit.  Thomas was climbing to support the Himalayan Cataract Project: www.cureblindness.org ,  led by Erik's friend and sometimes climbing partner, Geoff Tabin.  Geoff regularly performs cataract surgeries on blind people who live at high elevation in the Himalayas.

      Ninety percent of the world's blind live in developing areas. Currently, half of the population of Tibet goes blind by age 70 because of treatable cataracts,  and many are blinded by age 40. In Nepal, cataracts and failed cataract surgery cause more than 70 percent of blindness. Whether due to a genetic predilection,  the intense UV sunlight,  diet,  or other factors,  this region has one of the highest rates of curable blindness in the world.  For a mere $18, the HCP restores sight to a blind person who might have been blind for twenty years or more. Since 1994, the HCP has restored sight in tens of thousands of people each year, working in Nepal, Tibet, China, Bhutan, India, Sikkim, and Pakistan. 

      If you would like to donate to this foundation in honor of Dr. Weber,  please make your check payable to the Himalayan Cataract Project and mail it to Himalayan Cataract Project, P.O Box 55,  Waterbury VT 05676.

      A&E's Touch the Top of the World Available in Audio Description

      A&E and the Media Access Group at WGBH in Boston have made available a descriptive narration track on the A&E website - www.aetv.com/touchthetop/ - for Touch the Top of the World, which premiered on A&E on Sunday, June 18.  At the site, visitors can access an audio stream that includes moment-by-moment descriptions of the action in the movie, including gestures, costumes, settings, who is speaking  and text that appears on screen. The described track will be available until September 18, 2006. 

      Big smiles among the students on the Super Inca Trail    

      A bonfire on the Super Inca Trail

       Go to Touch The Top Website
      www.touchthetop.com

     * For Erik's Corporate Events/Speaking Engagements: Leading Authorities at 202/783-0300; www.leadingauthorities.com 
      * For Books and DVDs:  Ben Witherell, 303/903-8824 or ben at touchthetop.com 
      * For All Other Matters:  Ed Weihenmayer at 904/321-1938 or ed at touchthetop.com 
      * Erik's Websites www.touchthetop.com and www.climbingblind.org 

-------------- next part --------------

----- Original Message ----- 
Subject:
News Release: July 11, 2006 -- Erik Weihenmayer

Erik and the Super Incas on
Nightline
this Wednesday, July 12
Tribute to a Humanitarian

A&E Film with Audio Description
cid:006401c6a55c$c014ca00$6600a8c0 at HIGHSIGHTS
Ellie Weihenmayer (l) and Sarah Manninen (r) ,  who plays Ellie in the A&E film
Touch the Top of the World
Watch ABC's
Nightline
on Wednesday Evening,  July 12 at 11:35 p.m.

This Wednesday, 
Nightline
will feature Erik's trek with 9 blind and 9 sighted high school students on the Super Inca Trail in Peru up to the Gates to the Sun and into Machu Picchu,  the sacred religious

capital of the Inca Empire.  Colorful journals which portray the cohesive teamwork are available on http://www.globalexplorers.org www.globalexplorers.org
.  ABC also covered this expedition several weeks ago on
World News Tonight
when ABC cited Erik as its Person of the Week. 
Thanks to Phil Maravilla,  ABC producer,  who was inspired by the interdependence and partnering required for this arduous climb and who accompanied the team on its journey.  

In Memory of Dr. Weber

On a sad note, Dr. Thomas Weber,  who suffered from a rare eye condition which caused him to lose sight as he gained elevation,  attempted the North Face of Mt Everest several months ago. He
 was climbing well, but tragically and unexpectedly died below the summit.  Thomas
was climbing to support the Himalayan Cataract Project:  http://www.cureblindness.org www.cureblindness.org
,  l
ed by Erik's friend and sometimes climbing partner, Geoff Tabin.  Geoff
 regularly
performs cataract surgeries on blind people who live at high elevation in the Himalayas.

Ninety percent of the world’s blind live in developing areas. Currently, half of the population of Tibet goes blind by age 70 because of treatable cataracts,  
and many are blinded by age 40. In Nepal, cataracts and failed cataract surgery cause more than 70 percent of blindness. Whether due to a genetic predilection, 
the intense UV sunlight,  diet,  or other factors,  this region has one of the highest rates of curable blindness in the world.  For a mere $18, the HCP restores sight to a blind person who might have been blind for twenty years or more. Since 1994, the HCP has restored sight in tens of thousands of people each year, working in Nepal, Tibet, China, Bhutan, India, Sikkim, and Pakistan.

If you would like to donate to this foundation in honor of Dr. Weber,  please make your check payable to the Himalayan Cataract Project and mail it to 
Himalayan Cataract Project, P.O Box 55,  Waterbury VT 05676.

A&E's
Touch the Top of the World
Available in Audio Description

A&E and the Media Access Group at WGBH in Boston have made available a descriptive narration track on the A&E website - http://www.aetv.com/touchthetop/
www.aetv.com/touchthetop/
 - for 
Touch the Top of the World
, which premiered on A&E on Sunday, June 18.  
At the site, visitors can access an audio stream that includes moment-by-moment descriptions of the action in the movie, including gestures, costumes, settings, who is speaking  and text that appears on screen. The described track will be available until September 18, 2006.
cid:006501c6a55c$c014ca00$6600a8c0 at HIGHSIGHTS
Big smiles among the students on the Super Inca Trail   
cid:006601c6a55c$c014ca00$6600a8c0 at HIGHSIGHTS
A bonfire on the Super Inca Trail

http://www.touchthetop.com/ Go to Touch The Top Website
http://www.touchthetop.com/ www.touchthetop.com

*
For Erik's Corporate Events/Speaking Engagements: Leading Authorities at 202/783-0300; http://www.leadingauthorities.com / www.leadingauthorities.com
* For Books and DVDs: 
Ben Witherell, 303/903-8824 or mailto:ben at touchthetop.com
ben at touchthetop.com
* For All Other Matters:  Ed Weihenmayer at 904/321-1938 or mailto:ed at touchthetop.com
ed at touchthetop.com
* Erik's Websites http://www.touchthetop.com/
www.touchthetop.com
 and
http://www.climbingblind.org/ www.climbingblind.org