Ripple Some Help For a Great Organization

My fellow Ripplers I wanted to share something my dad has been working very hard on this entire year. My dad is the convention chairman of the Blinded Veterans Association (BVA) 62nd Annual Convention happening later this summer (August 14-18, 2007) in my old hometown of Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Organizations like the BVA do an amazing job of supporting our service men and women who are visually impaired and I wanted to give this conference (and the organization as a whole) some much needed exposure. My dad and his team are doing a wonderful job of creating an absolutely amazing conference experience and I hoped my fellow Ripplers might help us spread the word about the organization and the upcoming conference.

One of the main ways I would like to assist the conference is to get some exposure for an important auction that the BVA is holding. Michael Naranjo a world-renowned sculptor and Vietnam veteran who lost his eye sight as a result of combat has graciously donated one of his pieces to be used for this auction. Please click here to read about Michael and to the fabulous piece he is donating.

What I would really like is your help. This amazing piece of art is being auctioned off on eBay right now. The auction ends in 3 days and I would like to get the word out to as many people as I possibly can about this auction. I am hoping my fellow Ripplers will be willing to create some massive Ripples for the BVA by forwarding information on this BLOG or the link to the auction itself. You can find the auction at:

http://search.ebay.com/_W0QQfgtpZ1QQfrppZ25QQsassZblindedveterans


To learn more about this convention please read the "official" letter below:

New Mexico Regional Group


The Blinded Veterans Association’s 62nd National Convention
August 14-18, 2007 at the Downtown Hyatt Regency Albuquerque, NM.

The BVA is a non-profit, tax-exempt veterans service organization, founded by WWII blinded veterans and chartered by an act of Congress in 1958. The Association’s stated purpose is to promote the welfare of blinded veterans so that… “notwithstanding their disabilities they may take their rightful place in their community … and to strengthen a spirit of fellowship among other blinded veterans and to give mutual aid and assistance to one another.”

The BVA promotes the spirit of fellowship and camaraderie during a week of meetings, and family outings at our annual National Convention. We anticipate over 350 participants, about half of which will be totally blind or legally blind veterans. The remainder will be spouses or travelling companions. Also, in conjunction with BVA’s convention, the Department of Veterans Affairs conducts a workshop of their Visually Impairment Services Team (VIST) staff which involves approximately 100 participants. We expect over 35 exhibitors from across the country that specialize in electronic equipment and visual aids for the blind and visually impaired.

Outside activities and events will promote the rich multi-cultural aspects of our great state. We hope to include sightseeing tour options for many of Albuquerque’s historic attractions and for a brief northern New Mexico tour including Jemez Indian Pueblo, the scientific museum in Los Alamos and Chimayo.

INDIVIDUALS, BUSINESSES AND ORGANIZATIONS --- Join with the NM BVA Regional Group in SHARING THE PRIVILEGE of hosting this unique opportunity for outreach to the nation’s blinded veterans and their families:
· FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE at whatever level they consider achievable.
Help defray the cost of planned activities for our blinded veterans
· IN-KIND DONATIONS for door prizes, raffles, auctions
· ADVERTISEMENT in the Convention Program
A form for offering assistance follows

A brochure explaining the purpose, history, and services of the BVA is available upon request.
If you have questions or desire further information, please contact our local Convention Chairman, Jim Harper (contact information below), or Christina Hitchcock, National Convention Coordinator, in our Washington D.C. office at 1-800-669-7079.
Your serious consideration of the above is deeply appreciated


James C. Harper Arthur Schreiber
NM BVA Regional Group NM BVA Regional Group
Convention Chairman President

BVA 2007 National Convention -- 9601 Lagrima de Oro NE, Albuquerque, NM 87111
(P) (505) 296-6193 (C) (505) 417-3783 (E) jharper505@comcast.net
http://www.bva.org/

Thanks for reading and hope you can help us get the word out about the auction!

Ripple On!!!

Steve