An Urgent Letter from Dr. Marc Maurer - Informational Demonstration Rally - 5/26
National
Center for the Blind
Baltimore, Maryland
April 21, 2005
Dear Fellow Federationists:
You have all been asked to contact Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings
regarding the alarming proposal to downsize rehabilitation services. We know
what a disaster this would be, and I'm sure you have responded with your emails,
letters, and phone calls.
Now we are asking you to take the next important step in our battle to save
rehabilitation services. There will be an informational demonstration and rally
at the Department of Education on Thursday morning, May 26, beginning at 9:00
a.m., and the demonstration will run from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. that day. We
need to turn out 500 people for this demonstration and we can't do it without
you! Federationists have always responded to the emergencies we have faced in
the past and, fellow Federationists, this is a big emergency. Do your very best
to send as many representatives from your state as you possibly can. This could
be the most important thing you do in the effort to put a stop to the proposal
that would seriously diminish the rehabilitation services desperately needed by
thousands of people.
We are combining this important demonstration with a visit to Congress. If some
representatives from your state could come in on Tuesday, May 24, they could
begin visiting Congress on Wednesday morning. For the people who have to come
in on Wednesday, please try to arrive as early as possible so that you will have
time to see your Congress people on Wednesday, or possibly after the
demonstration ends on Thursday. If you or your group can only come in early
Thursday morning for the demonstration, we will gladly accept your help. And,
please invite and welcome all non-NFB groups that will join with us. We need as
many representatives from your state as we can get for the demonstration and the
visit to the Hill.
Demonstration headquarters will be the Holiday Inn Capitol, 550 C Street SW,
Washington, D.C. A block of rooms has been reserved at the hotel at the rate of
$159 per night for single, double, triple or quad. The tax rate is 14.5%, so
the total per night rate with tax is $182. Make your reservations by calling
Diane McGeorge at (303) 778-1130, extension 219. Please give the spellings of
all names of those to occupy a room, whether you want smoking or non-smoking,
your email address and telephone number for confirmation, and any special
requests, such as roll-away bed (additional $10 per night), refrigerator ($5 per
night), or if you need a handicapped accessible room. Our block of rooms is
being held until May 13, so you must make your reservation before that date in
order to be guaranteed a room at the quoted rate.
We really need to make this count! The Secretary of Education must hear from
the blind of this country. Please plan to come in force and make your
reservations promptly.
Cordially,
Marc Maurer
President
NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND