The annual "Million Laughs for Literacy: Braille All Stars" gala will be held on 11/17/2023 at Fenway Park in Boston. Comedian Pat McGann is the special entertainment. The Braille All-Stars will be featured during the program talking about how braille has impacted their lives.
BOSTON, Nov. 8, 2023 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- National Braille Press (NBP) will host the annual "Million Laughs for Literacy: Braille All Stars" gala on Friday, November 17, 2023, at 6pm, at The 521 Overlook at Fenway Park in Boston. Comedian Pat McGann is the special entertainment and the Braille All-Stars will be featured during the speaking program talking about how braille has impacted their lives.
"Braille literacy will be front and center at our annual gala as we will hear from our Braille All-Stars and Future All-Stars who have been using braille all their lives," said Brian Mac Donald, President, National Braille Press. "We hope that our event will be a home run that raises awareness and financial support, so that we can continue to provide braille materials to blind and visually impaired children and adults."
Braille All-Stars:
- Edward Bell, Ruston, Louisiana. Director of Professional Development and Research Institute on Blindness at Louisiana Tech University
- Chris Devin, Quincy, MA. Has worked at NBP for 47 years as a proofreader
- Judith Dixon, Washington, DC. Public Affairs Specialist for 42 years at the National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled
- Larry Haile, Cambridge, MA. World traveler, all-time leader in scored runs Beep Baseball in the Northeast, ADA Coordinator at the MA Executive office of Health and Human Services
- Lisamaria Martinez, Union City, CA. Life coach and Founder and former President of National Federation of the Blind's Sports and Recreation Division, mother of three young children, NBP trustee
- Paul Parravano, Arlington, MA. Avid braille reader, NBP trustee since 1992, Dir. of Special projects in MIT's Office of the Executive Vice President and Treasurer
- Gina Quintanilla, Burlington, MA. In her 12th year at Perkins Library helping people learn how to access newspapers, magazines and more, ardent advocate for braille and NBP volunteer
- Paul Schroeder, Silver Springs, MD. VP for Impact and Outreach at the American Printing House (APH) for the Blind and leads efforts to educate Congress and government agencies about the important work done by APH
- Janet Ulwick-Sacca, from Gloucester, MA. Has taught generations of elementary and high school students with visual impairments over her 40 years as a teacher
Future Braille All-Stars are the next generation of braille advocates:
- Sanibel Davis, 8yrs old, Andover MA. Born in China with a rare eye issue and adopted at 3 years old, she enjoys math and science and is currently learning both braille and print
- Matthew de Brigard, 14yrs old, Gloucester, MA. Loves school, sports and reading braille with his mother and teaching his 5 siblings
- David Ducasse, 9yrs old, Malden, MA. Loves playing sports including Beep Baseball and his first braille book he read was Blue Balloon
For more than 17 years, "A Million Laughs for Literacy" Gala has raised millions to support National Braille Press' Braille Literacy Programs. The programs exist to ensure blind and visually impaired children are provided an equal chance to read. Braille typically costs three times more to produce than the same materials in print, but NBP strives to make sure that blind individuals do not have to pay more for the same reading materials than sighted people. Learning braille is the key to independence and employment opportunities for blind individuals.
Gala Co-chairs are Tom Sullivan, Founder of Lumber Liquidators and Cabinets to Go, Kathy and Ted Truscott, CEO of Columbia Threadneedle Investments| Global Investment Management Group and Carol and Mark Lev, President of Fenway Sports Management.
"We are grateful to our gala co-chairs Tom Sullivan, Kathy and Ted Truscott and Carol and Mark Lev who have supported National Braille Press for so many years. We are also looking forward to having comedian Pat McGann entertain our guests and help us increase awareness about braille literacy," said Mac Donald.
Pat McGann is quickly rising as one of the sharpest stand-ups in the comedy world. A relative latecomer to the scene, Pat began stand-up at the age of 31. He hustled his way to become the house emcee at Zanies Chicago where he distinguished himself as especially adept at working the crowd. A father of three young children, Pat's appeal stems from his quick wit and relatable take on family life. In 2017, he began touring as the opening act for Sebastian Maniscalco, moving with him from clubs to theater and to arenas, including four sold-out shows at Madison Square Garden. McGann's resume includes performances on The Late Show with David Letterman, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Montreal's famed Just for Laughs Festival, Gilda's Laughfest, The Great American Comedy Festival and the Nashville Comedy Fest. McGann still calls Chicago his home.
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Tickets to "A Million Laughs for Literacy: Braille All-Stars" Gala can be purchased here or donate here. People can watch the program live virtually starting at 8:00 pm Eastern Time at this link:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/6172666160
About National Braille Press
National Braille Press is a non-profit braille publisher and producer of braille products. NBP creates products and programs to support braille and tactile literacy in the blind community and to provide access to information that empower blind people to actively engage in work, family, and community. For more information visit www.nbp.org
Media Contact
ann s. murphy, National Braille Press, 1 6176461031, [email protected], https://www.nbp.org/
SOURCE National Braille Press
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