News
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QSM for Tauranga's John Davis
Foundation volunteer John Davis received the Queen's Service Medal in the Queen's Birthday Honours for service to his local community. John has been a coach of athletics and soccer, a member of school committees and Civil Defence and was also involved with the Turangi Welfare Organisation. He's a member of the Tauranga Repertory Society and has been actively involved in supporting the blind, deafblind and vision impaired in Tauranga for over 10 years. He serves on the Foundation's Tauranga Community Committee and produces a regular newsletter for members in the area, keeping them up-to-date on the latest news and informed about future events. For 50 weeks of the year he also produces and records a telephone newsletter, which local members can access for news and events from around their region. He is the coordinator of a fortnightly craft group for Foundation members, was instrumental in establishing the Tauranga Blind and Vision Impaired Sailing Club, and is involved with many other activities.
Red Puppy Appeal raises over $1 million!
We have been blown away by the success of the inaugural Red Puppy Appeal campaign, which has exceeded the $1 million mark for the first time ever! The new advertising campaign featuring guide dog puppy Stella, caught the imagination of the New Zealand public. In addition to breaking $1 million, the number of people volunteering to collect grew by an amazing 12 percent from 2006, a phenomenal result all round! So give yourselves a huge paw stompin', furry, fluffy thanks from the 'red' puppies!
Blind Week Appeal 2007
The brains behind the Red Puppy Appeal – Neogine Communications Design Ltd - are now working on ideas for Blind Week Appeal 2007. The brief is to refresh Blind Week whilst leveraging off the already well-recognised and respected event. Our aim is to raise $1 million-plus during the week of Oct 23rd – 29th, and we need your help! To find out more visit www.blindweek.org.nz or call your local Foundation office toll free on 0508 BLIND WEEK (0508 254 639).
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Award Winning Website
The Foundation's website has won the Best Subscriber/Special Interest award at this year's Qantas Media Awards. The awards recognise excellence across all disciplines in New Zealand journalism. This is the first time this award has been presented in the 34-year history of the awards. Commenting on the website, the judge said, "The site sums up the potency of the new digital age: access to all, information that everybody – literally everybody - can use."
The award is testament to the hard work of many Foundation staff, and the judge's comments truly reflect the Foundation's approach to providing equal access to information for blind, deafblind, vision-impaired and fully sighted people, from New Zealand and around the world (see www.rnzfb.org.nz).
RNZFB third 'Most-Trusted' Charity
Reader's Digest has once again named the Foundation as one of the most trusted charities in New Zealand.
The top five most-trusted charities, according to Reader's Digest, are: Cancer Society, SPCA, the Foundation, NZ Breast Cancer Foundation, and RNZ Plunket Society. The Foundation has moved up two places since Reader's Digest ran its "most trusted" list in 2004.
This award puts the Foundation in the "elite company" of the nation's most trusted charities, individuals like Sir Edmund Hillary, Margaret Mahy and Dr Peter Snell, and the "most trusted" professions of firefighters, ambulance officers and pilots.
New Braille resources
The Foundation has produced three new braille resources:
- the braille awareness brochure (tells how to get information transcribed into braille)
- DIY braille (teaches how to read and write the braille alphabet by sight)
- the new look braille alphabet card (contains embossed braille along with print information about the braille alphabet).
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These new resources are aimed at raising public awareness of braille and are all available in print from your local Foundation office, or in members' preferred format from the Accessible Information Consultancy, call 0800 24 33 33.
Tiaho Trust
Do you know what information and services are available if you or someone you know lives with a disability or acquires a disability some time in their lives? The Tiaho Trust's new website (www.supportoptions.co.nz) aims to answer questions like these – providing information about disability support services in the Auckland and Northland regions and how you can access them.
Taiho's own website (www.tiaho.org.nz) provides interactive dialogue, awhi and support to the disabled community.
Tiaho Trust is a "for disabled - by disabled" organisation that provides information and empowerment services to the disabled community of Northland. For further information or if you have a story or event you would like to share please contact info@tiaho.org.nz or phone 09 430 3406.
Trampers and hikers nationwide
Do you like the smell of fresh air, chatting with others whilst exploring some of New Zealand's finest land? Then this is a trip for you! It is open to all members nationwide but there are only eight places available.
Requirements: Adult, good health, independent and moderate to high fitness. But don't be put off; you can get fit by then!
When: 3-7 Dec 2007, walking the three day Hurunui Walking Track in Canterbury. Check it out online www.walkingtrack.co.nz
Cost: $225 – all-inclusive from Dunedin or Christchurch only (if you live outside of these regions there are additional transport costs).
For more information and to register, please contact:
- Stef White, 03 375 4327, swhite
- Marina Hanger, 03 466 4237 mhanger, or your local Foundation Recreation Advisor.
Board elections
Board of Director elections are coming up. Full voting members and associate members can expect a voting pack around 29 September. The three-year term is ending for Linda Beck, Geraldine Glanville and John White.
Voting closes on 29 October, so make sure you have your say.
A quick and easy way to vote is to use the Telephone Information Services (TIS). For
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more information on TIS, please call 0800 24 33 33 option 1. The results of the elections will be announced at the AGM on 3 November, Awhina House, Auckland.
Employment Survey
The Foundation is currently running a phone survey, talking to as many working aged members (between 16 – 65 years) as possible about whether they are employed and if so, in what kinds of jobs. The survey will also find out how many are not employed and why.
Jason is asking members a series of questions about their current employment and history, but would like to talk to more people. So, if you haven't been contacted and you would like to participate in the survey then call Jason on the 0800 24 33 33 or email: jgriffiths
The information that is gathered will assist us in planning future employment services.
2112 Foundation volunteers!
Did you know that as at 1 February Volunteer Services was working with 2112 volunteers who undertake 2701 different volunteer positions with the Foundation! We have two volunteers who carry out eight different roles, eight who have seven roles, 10 who have six roles, 23 who have five roles and 51 who have four roles! The top five volunteer roles are; a member of a Community Committee, home visiting, a driver providing general driving support, a driver for social activities, and providing general help and support.
Helen Keller Day 2007
Helen Keller Day was celebrated on 27 June with awareness raising events. Deafblind members in Christchurch enjoyed a function with two special guests, Patty and Lillian, who met Helen Keller in 1948 when she came to New Zealand and visited the Van Aasch School for the Deaf.
New Zealanders were encouraged to get to know deafblind people in their community and told how best to communicate with them.
There are around 1500 people in New Zealand who are deafblind and 400 are registered members of the Foundation.