/EINPresswire.com/ Louisville, KY – July 2, 2012 — More than 1,500 blind and visually impaired people will gather at the Gault House Hotel, from July 6-14 for the 51st American Council of the Blind’s (ACB) annual national conference and convention.
According to the Louisville Convention and Visitors’ Bureau, nearly 2.5 million dollars will be injected into the greater Louisville economy thanks to the Annual Convention of the American Council of the Blind (ACB) Conference and Convention attendees.
Mitch Pomerantz, ACB’s president, “invites anyone who is blind or with low vision, or who is losing their eyesight, or has a friend or family member who is experiencing vision loss to come to our 51st ACB conference and convention and find out about what we have to offer. This year’s ACB conference and convention will certainly be one of our largest and busiest ever.”
Among the many attractions, there will be a large trade show in which visitors can see state-of-the-art devices designed to make life easier for blind and low-vision people. The exhibit area will feature a wide variety of products including mobility devices such as white canes and even talking GPS navigation units, all types of magnification devices, talking watches and clocks, and special computer equipment that translates print books and magazines into braille or artificial speech, and much, much more.
Janet Dickelman, Chair of the ACB’s Convention Planning Committee, said: “throughout the week, our Conference and Convention attendees will have the opportunity to participate in programs for blind students, teachers, parents, computer programmers, entrepreneurs, and human service professionals. There are special programs for people with low vision, people who have guide dogs, people who read braille, and people who are just losing their vision, and much more.”
ACB’s Executive Director, Melanie Brunson, said: “Our Conference and Convention provides blind and visually impaired people with a chance to see the latest technology, become informed on current legislation that affects their lives, and keeps them abreast of the implementation of programs for their benefit, including the most recent court rulings that impact the everyday lives of blind and low-vision people.”
“Local Louisville residents will see several men and women carrying canes or accompanied by guide dogs touring various regional attractions,” said Dr. Ron Milliman, chair of the ACB public relations committee. “There will even be a Walk/Run held Sunday morning in Louisville’s Seneca Park as an annual fundraising event for the organization. The Louisville area has much to offer, and it is a particularly friendly city for blind and low-vision individuals to visit., especially since it is also the home of the Kentucky School for the Blind and the American Printing House for the Blind.”
The American Council of the Blind is a national membership organization. Its members are blind, visually impaired, and fully sighted individuals who are concerned about the dignity and well being of blind people throughout the nation.
Formed in 1961, the ACB is one of the largest organizations of blind people in the world, with more than 70 state and special interest affiliates and a nationwide network of chapters and members spanning the globe.
For more information about the American Council of the Blind or the ACB National Conference and Convention, contact: Dr. Ronald Milliman, Chair, ACB PR Committee (270-996-7356), email: rmilliman@insightbb.com or Melanie Brunson, Executive Director, American Council of the Blind, 2200 Wilson Boulevard, Suite 650, Arlington, VA 22201; phone: (202) 467-5081 or (800) 424-8666; http://www.acb.org
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