[nfb-talk] Thought you might get a laugh out of this one.BethFw: News Release: April 4, 2007 - Erik Weihenmayer

[John Moore]

Oh wow. That YouTube video sounds hilarious. I might have to check that out.

On 4/5/07, Beth Wright <beth.wright at mindspring.com> wrote:
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From:
> mailto:ben at touchthetop.com Ben Witherell
> To:
> mailto:Ben at touchthetop.com Ben at touchthetop.com
> Sent:
> Thursday, April 05, 2007 5:53 PM
> Subject:
> [Norton AntiSpam] News Release: April 4, 2007 - Erik Weihenmayer
>
> Exciting Visit to Lafayette College
> Simpsons and YouTube
> Douglas and More
> cid:008001c777cc$cbb6b150$6900a8c0 at HIGHSIGHTS
> Erik addresses a packed house last week at
> Lafayette College
> Lafayette Students Pack Colton Chapel
> We arrived at the campus three hours before the scheduled presentation,  and
> the "buzz' was evident.  Posters were displayed all around campus;  the
> local papers carried features;  and everyone seemed to know that "the blind
> guy who climbed Everest" was speaking at 4:00 p.m.  By 3:45 p.m.,  Colton
> Chapel was nearly full,  this on a Friday afternoon on a beautiful spring
> day;  it was soon standing room only,  every balcony and floor
> space claimed.  Football Coach Frank Tavani introduced Erik.  His players
> had read Erik's
> Touch the Top of the World
> and,  the year prior,   Erik had phoned in to the team the night before its
> biggest game with some words of encouragement.  Lafayette had won that game
> just as time ran out,  so a memorable connection was created.  When
> Erik walked up to the podium in his honorary Lafayette football jersey,
> number 1 with WEIHENMAYER on the back,  the enthusiastic crowd erupted.
> More than an hour later,  students were still riveted on his message,  and
> then many waited around to speak to him privately after he finished.  Later
> that evening,  Erik spoke at a dinner of trustees,  college leaders,  and
> major donors.  All in all,  it was a spirited and very enjoyable visit.
> Lighten Up....The Simpsons and You Tube
> On the
> Simpsons
> recently,  the family is watching a blind mountain climber on TV.  Two
> sighted climbers reach the summit and say, "This view makes it all
> worthwhile."   Then the blind climber gets to the top, and the sighted guys
> say, "You made it,"  to which the blind guy responds, "Yeah, and no thanks
> to you."  You know you've really made it when you're on the Simpsons!  Go
> Erik!
> Several years ago,  during a live interview with Erik,  newscaster Cynthia
> Izaguirre of Action 7 News introduced the next segment as follows:
> "Right after the break we are going to interview Erik Weihenmayer, who
> climbed the highest mountain in the world - Mt. Everest.  But... he's gay!
> I mean he's gay, I mean excuse me, he's blind."
> On May 29,  2006,  these words were immortalized when this gaffe was posted
> on YouTube.com.  It remains one of the most popular clips on You Tube;  a
> few weeks ago it was its 3rd-most watched video.  Thousands of people watch
> it daily....go to http://www.youtube.com www.youtube.com
>   and search for "gay and blind."  Erik's 14 seconds of glory will pop right
> up.  I wish it was that easy to draw people to our book sites!
>
> Douglas and More
> *  Celebrated blind mountain climber Douglas Sidialo,  from Nairobi, Kenya,
> who was the first blind African to stand on The Roof of Africa (Kilimanjaro)
>  when he summited with Erik several years ago,  is the first blind athlete
> to ever attempt the world's most grueling cycling event, the 2007 Tour
> d'Afrique, a 12,000-kilometer (7,500-mile) bicycle race/expedition from
> Cairo to Cape Town.  After being blinded in  the devastating US embassy
> terrorist bombing in Nairobi in 1998,  Douglas Sidialo's journey back to
> life, through acceptance and forgiveness,  has become an inspiration to many
> around the world. Douglas and his tandem pilot Joash actually won Stage 33,
> a 107 km leg from Bush Camp to Lake Lagano,  in 3 hours 5 minutes.  By now,
> we expect the two have cycled past Kilimanjaro enroute to South Africa.  If
> you want to read more about this compelling journey,  go to
> http://www.douglassidialo.com/ www.douglassidialo.com
>  or http://www.rushmillerfoundation.org www.rushmillerfoundation.org
> .
> *  Erik spoke at a fundraiser outside of Philadelphia on behalf of the
> Pennypack Ecological Restoration Trust which is preserving land in the
> pristine Pennypack Preserve in Huntingdon Valley PA.
> *
> Touch the Top of the World
> has just been published in Italian.
> *
>   Ads promoting
> The Adversity Advantage
> have begun appearing in
> Sports Illustrated.
>   Erik's new book is being published in Hebrew.
> *  BlindSight
> is coming to Philadelphia on April 11, to Washington DC on April 30,  and to
> Amelia Island FL on May 16.  Call Ed Weihenmayer at 904/321-1938 for details
> if you want to attend any of these screenings.
> *  Gavin Attwood,  Erik's primary training partner who now works with our
> HighSights team,  and Kevin Cherilla,  Base Camp manager during Erik's
> Everest climb,  who used to work with us,  begin their own Everest summit
> attempts from the Tibet side.  Good luck!
> The 2007
>
> No Barriers Festival,  organized by Erik and others,  will be held in Squaw
> Valley from June 28 to July 2.  It will showcase cutting-edge technologies
> which will help people with special problems live more active and
> adventurous lives.  Go to http://www.nobarriersusa.org/
> www.nobarriersusa.org
> for more complete information,  or to register to participate.
> cid:008101c777cc$cbb6b150$6900a8c0 at HIGHSIGHTS
>  Douglas on the tail of the tandem, with captain Joash Aswani.
> cid:008201c777cc$cbb6b150$6900a8c0 at HIGHSIGHTS
> 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%20/
> 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.adversityadvantage.com/ www.adversityadvantage.com
>


-- 
John Moore