The following message is from the National Federation of the Blind, the National Federation of the Blind of Colorado, and the Colorado Center for the Blind.

It has been a difficult year of loss for the circle of friendship we share in our movement. We regretfully share the devastating loss of Scott LaBarre, who passed away surrounded by his family on Saturday, December 10. Most recently serving as our national general council, Scott has been a longtime Federationist, a fierce leader in our movement, and a great friend to so many of us. The outpouring of love from the Federation family was deeply felt by Scott, but his challenging medical condition could not be overcome. More details about services for this extraordinary individual, along with information about how we can support his wife, Anahit, and children, Alex and Carter, will be coming soon.

Support Us Today

As we come to you for support for Colorado Gives Day on Dec. 6, we want to share with you some of our excitement and pride in the growth and accomplishments of our students this past year. Blindness finds us in different ways and at different times of our lives. But what all of our students strive for is independence. That’s true whether it is a young person going out on their own for the first time or someone who has already established their lives, jobs, even families and now must learn blindness skills and come to believe in themselves as blind people. We all want to be independent. Obviously, employment and careers—just feeling like we are productive—are among the most critical factors in achieving personal independence. This is no small achievement since estimates of unemployment for blind, working-age adults range between 65 and 80 percent. Here are what some of this year’s Independence Training Program students are pursuing after graduation.

 And we are thankful for your support on Colorado Gives Day, Tuesday, Dec. 6!

The Colorado Center for the Blind is a training center and community of blind and low vision people proudly affiliated with the National Federation of the Blind. We believe blind people can do anything. Every day, we encourage and challenge each student—and they come to understand their potential as they build the skills and confidence to live the life they want. Because when you believe in yourself and experience a thriving community of positive blind people, nothing can hold you back from pursuing your dreams.

And that’s just what Maureen refers to in this Face Book post she made early Thanksgiving morning: