December 16, 2008

Mahalo Warren and HAB for your generous donation to the Santa experience. Your donation paid for lunch and goodie bags for over 20 visually impaired students from Oahu, Kauai and the Big Island. May you all have a fantastic Christmas too!

Aloha,
Christian Yates, HCDB

December 24, 2008
Dear Warren and Members of the HAB:

On behalf of the Huui o Na Makamaka (Friends of the Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped), a very belated THANK YOU for the generous donation of $130.89 to help pay for the hot dogs at the “Out-of-Sigh Concert” held at the Waianae Public Library on August 16, 2008. Our objective was to promote the services of LBPH on the west side and we believe that we accomplished this. The concert with the blind performers, the exhibits and the delicious hot dogs, all helped make a very successful program!

We are very grateful for the support of the Hawaii Association of the Blind throughout the years…. your continued generosity and commitment to helping LBPH provide quality services are very much appreciated.

Happy Holidays and best wishes to all of you in the new year!

Sincerely, Deanna Espinas, Chairperson

January 8, 2009
Dear Mr. Toyama,

Thank you for letting me come on the field trip. I had a lot of fun. My favorite part was the scavenger hunt. My mom said that the ornament in the 1st place prize was beautiful. I also liked the train ride and seeing santa.

Love, Laurel Cummings, Holomua Elementary, Leeward District
P.S. The food was magnificent.


January 8, 2009
Dear Mr. Toyama,

I had fun doing the scavenger hunt at the mall and riding the train and the monorail, and eating pizza there and meeting santa.

Thank you for coming. I’m glad you made it. I hope we will see you again.

Love forever from: Catherine, Holomua Elementary, Leeward District


January 8, 2009

Dear Mr. Toyama and Members of HAB,

I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of you for your help in coordinating the DeafBlind Santa Day at Pearlridge Shopping Center. Even though the weather was gloomy outside, the atmosphere inside the mall was bright and cheerful. The students enjoyed seeing Santa, participating in a scavenger hunt, riding the monorail, riding the Toy Land Express train, eating pizza and cookies, and taking home the wonderful goodie bags.

I would also like to thank you for the generous check that you send to Leeward District every year. We have been using the money for training materials for inservices with elementary classes, as well as to allow students to practice buying items on O&M lessons.

These opportunities provide our students with valuable life experiences that they will remember for many years to come. I appreciate all you have done to make these things possible for our students.

Sincerely,
Hope Yasuhara, Teacher of the Visually Impaired,
Leeward District Office Annex


February 3, 2009

Dear Warren and Members of the HAB,

Louis Braille’s 200th birthday bash at the library was fun and a great way to celebrate him and his contribution to blind people worldwide. There was a display of Braille items. Trivia questions about Louis Braille were asked and then a short background of his life and work was given.

The standing-room-only crowd included students, their teachers and parents, and adults. We played the “What’s that smell”, “What’s This” and bingo games with prizes. The HUI O VIP loaned us their Braille and large print bingo boards, which we appreciated.

Everyone sang happy birthday and helped blow out the candles and then ate cupcakes. They seemed happy with the balloons and goody bag of treats to take home.

Thank you so much for your donation that helped to make this activity so successful. Enclosed are a few pictures of the event.

May you all have a happy and prosperous new year!

Sincerely,
Fusako Miyashiro, Branch Manager, LBPH


February 26, 2009

Dear HAB,

As the annual HAB conference approaches, we’d like to take a moment to tell you how we on the Big Island have used your generous grant over the past year. Thank you so much for your support.

We have continued to use a portion of the money to repair eyeglasses. Many of our students simply can’t afford to get their glasses repaired when they break. Insurance coverage, for those that have it, is woefully limited.

Your grant has also enabled us to continue to provide our students with meaningful daily living skills and Orientation and Mobility lessons. In November, we had a Big Island Peer interaction group trip. We took the kids to the Kona branch of Therapeutic Horsemanship of Hawaii. It was the first time that several of the students had ever been on horseback. One or two of them had never even touched a horse before! They packed a picnic lunch of musubi, banana bread and juice. They prepared the lunch themselves, using ingredients purchased with your grant money.

In December, some of our students were able to join their peers on Oahu for peer interaction group trip to Pearlridge, where they were able to put their Orientation and Mobility skills to real life use.

This year, we are planning a year end trip to Maui at the end of April. Carol and Margy are planning two days of fun and educational activities. The time we the kids spend with their visually impaired friends is sadly limited. This trip will be a highlight of the year for many of them!

We are very grateful for your continued support.

Thank you.

Signed: Liz Martin (Kona); Maryanne Genova (Hilo); Leatrice Ono (Hilo); and
Ian Perry (Waimea)


February 27, 2009

Dear Waren and HAB,

We went to LBPH for Lois Braille’s birthday and then to Rainbow Drive Inn for lunch! It was fun !!

Jessica Chandler


February 27, 2009

Dear HAB,

Thanks for lunch. It was delicious!

Love, Emma
 

- end of letters

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