2005 Holiday Celebration

Independence for the Blind of West Florida Contact: Natasha Roberts

1302 Dunmire Street Phone: (850) 477-2663

Pensacola, FL 32504 Cell: (850) 393-7461

www.ibwest.org Email: natasha@ibwest.org

______________________________________________________________________

December 14, 2005 Holiday Celebration IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Independence for the Blind of West Florida held its annual Holiday Celebration Thursday, Dec. 8 at St. Paul Lutheran Church. The Holiday Celebration is an event for the blind and visually impaired in the west Florida area. For the fifth consecutive year, the Bream Fisherman Association provided a fish fry for this event. Other highlights include Christmas stories, games and Christmas riddles. The Holiday Celebration is a time to reward our students for their persistent efforts in becoming increasingly self-reliant and independent. We hold the event in December to provide students with an opportunity to celebrate the holidays. Our blind guests truly enjoy the chance to socialize and dine with their peers and instructors at the Celebration. Independence for the Blind of West Florida is a not-for-profit organization which serves persons who are blind or visually impaired in a ten county area in Northwest Florida. Services which include Independent Living, Computer Technology, and Vocational Rehabilitation programs are provided to students free of charge.

This event would not have been possible without the contributions of our gracious donors and volunteers. The donations consisted of food and gift certificates. We sincerely appreciate the following contributors: AppleMarket, Buffalo Rock Pepsi, Red Lobster, Olive Garden, Chick- fil-A, St. Paul Lutheran Church, and the Bream Fisherman Association. Thank you to the wonderful community volunteers Barbara Lenn, Ellen Rumel, Kasheka Codnet, Judy and James Gerwe, Winifred Holmer, Kathy Smith, Nini Richardson, Greta Meyer-Arendt, Carol Dwyer, Warner Fleming, Joanna Fleming, Richard Faaty, Dick Melville, Lagergren, and Nancy Hagopian.

###