The Minnesota Parents of Blind Children is a division of the NFB of Minnesota and works with the National Organization of Parents of Blind Children, which is part of the National Federation of the Blind. Our purpose is to increase opportunities for blind children in their homes, schools and communities. Membership is $5.00 annually (in addition to NFB of Minnesota $5.00 dues), and includes subscriptions to two national publications, The Braille Monitor, and Future Reflections. Our activities in Minnesota are focused on the support and education of parents, and advocating for children. We publish a monthly newsletter for parents of blind children, promote the Braille Readers are Leaders contest, and offer periodic parent seminars. Information is available by calling Carrie Gilmer at 763-784-8590 or e-mail carrie.gilmer@gmail.com.
We also sponsor several monthly events, held at our NFB of Minnesota Headquarters, designed for children and teens. These events are attracting the notice of teachers of blind students working in schools-recently a teacher, noticing the positive impact that Saturday School had on one of her students, attended both Teen Night and Saturday School on her own, and got more of her students involved. Of course, not only do the children benefit from these activities, but the parents do too. The parents have the chance to talk with one another and with blind adults about blindness-related problems and solutions, and they have the chance to tap into the vast, rich network that is the National Federation of the Blind.
Every 3rd Saturday of the Month
10a.m.-Noon
100 East 22nd Street, Minneapolis
Saturday School is geared generally for children
k-6. We welcome those a bit younger or older, and individually
this has worked out well in the past. We work on knowing without
a doubt we can know things primarily by touch, and also sound,
smell, or taste in addition to any amount of vision we may have.
We incorporate non-visual techniques into everything we do. We
incorporate a Braille lesson perhaps by making labels for gifts,
or a word scramble, or a list for the grocery store. We
incorporate cane practice by taking a city bus somewhere, or
climbing the many staircases in our historic building or walking
around the block and practicing recognizing traffic patterns. We
may practice pouring and measuring while learning how a blind
person makes cookies. In short, we make learning fun while giving
the non-visual techniques normalcy-they are not some big mystery.
The children are instructed and mentored by blind adults and
teenagers. It is a Parent/Child program. Parents stay with their
child in order to gain first hand knowledge of interactions
between blind people when talking about their experiences as
blind people and in the use of non-visual techniques. Parents
also take time to meet together to share support and resources,
and the children have time to enjoy social interactions with each
other while we are busy having fun while learning.
Our purpose: for blind children to find confidence and normalcy by learning to do everyday things from blind people who lead normal lives doing those things everyday. And for blind children to come to know, blind people are really just like everyone else.
Contact: Carrie Gilmer at 763-784-8590 or e-mail
carrie.gilmer@gmail.com or Steve Jacobson at 952-927-7694 or
e-mail steve.jacobson@visi.com.
Transition Club
Every 3rd Friday of the Month
6:30-9:30 p.m.
100 East 22nd Street, Minneapolis
Teen night is driven mostly by the teens! It is an
opportunity for blind teens to network and socialize with each
other and with young adult blind mentors. Once they come, teens
don't want to miss it! For ages 13-18.
Contact: Charlene Guggisberg at 507-351-5413 or e-mail
cguggisberg@blindinc.org
The actions of the officers and the membership are governed by the following: