what do you all think?
Michael Feir
Hello everyone. I've been working on a group flyer which we can spread around to churches, lists we may be on, and other places to tell more people about us. I'd like to hear your oppinions on what I've written here and about any changes you might want to make. One such change might be to include small parts of our stories so others have some idea of the kind of people they'll find here. I won't include your stories without your permition to do so here since this flyer will hopefully travel far beyond the group. It always helps to have group ambassadors but I realise that this is a role not everyone would be comfortable taking up. Being the only blind man in various places has made me quite used to being such an ambassador but I don't know how true that would be of other disabilities. A white cane and talking gadgets are, well, pretty noticeable I guess. The text of the flyer is below:
Silver Smiles is a group of people living through adversity, poverty, on disability pension or social assistance who are interested in finding friendship and sharing the positive aspects of their lives. All too often, in the name of raising funds, disadvantaged and disabled people in need are depicted as wholly miserable and gloomy having nothing to contribute. That places us, through the best of intension's, inside a wall of exclusion even from the many aspects of life we could otherwise partake in. People may indeed throw money over that wall, but very few choose to step out into the open and share our interests, talents, and what makes us keep smiling through the hardships we face. The group also welcomes any people who want to get to know and respect us as friends who happen to face hardships that set us slightly off of the normal path of life.
At the core of our group is the answer to a simple question: What keeps us cheerful and makes us smile despite it all. Share the events in your lives which cheer you up. Tell us about the movie which inspire you, the music you love, the book you just couldn't put down. The main idea is that once people learn what makes us smile, they won't be so quick to turn away when they learn about whatever difficulties we may face. Join us and help break down the needless barriers. Lets build a digital monument to the positive human spirit with the bricks of our own gratitude and good cheer. If you face hardship, know that you'll find people with the time and willingness to listen and give all of the aid and comfort that words allow. In this way, we hope to help build each other up so that our positive attitudes begin to make a difference in our lives in the real world. Eventually, those who would distance themselves from us will be faced with the inescapable truth that it never really was a case of "us and them", but that we're all part of the same humanity. Our smiles may be tarnished, but with a little accommodation, some time and attention, we can be valuable additions to life. Join us and learn the true value of human capital.
Visit the group home page at:
http://groups.google.com/group/silver-smilesWhen people look upon the human face of adversity, lets try to make certain that they see and remember our silver smiles.
Owner of Silver Smiles
Join and share the silver lining in your life.
Group home page: http://groups.google.com/group/silver-smiles
2010--
Author of Personal Power:
How Accessible Computers Can Enhance Personal Life For Blind People
2006-2008
www.blind-planet.com/content/personal-power
2003-2007
http://www.blind-planet.com/content/life-word-and-sound
Creator and former editor of Audyssey Magazine
1996-2004
Check out my blog at:
www.michaelfeir.blogspot.com