NRAER is offering two conferences: click here for the CVI conference, click below for the NRAER Conference.
NRAER Montana Winter News
This year Montana has experienced vast snowfall. Bozeman, Belgrade, and Anaconda all set new snowfall records. Bozeman received 49.3 inches of snow in two months, Belgrade receiving 41.7 inches and Anaconda received 41.5 inches. Most of Montana's snowpack is between 80-90% of normal.
The Montana Association for the Blind (MAB)
LOW VISION CENTER
MAB runs a Low Vision Center out of their Bozeman Chapter in Bozeman on Thursdays between 10:00 am until 3:00pm. The Center has friendly, resources of abundance to find options for independence, kitchen solutions for low vision/blindness, rec./leisure activities and games, ADL tips and tricks, mobility options to get around your community safely (safety vests, mobility canes, vibrating object detectors, reflective tape), computer options like accessible keyboards, software, and techniques to use devices with confidence. This is a place to see, feel, try any adaptive device; along with instructions on how to use these devices.
SUMMER ORIENTATION PROGRAM
The MAB Summer Orientation Program is currently accepting applications. This coursework is for individuals to learn adaptations to visual impairment, technology, orientation and mobility and braille is offered at no cost. This year SOP is taking place in Great Falls, MT the month of June. Come boost your skills and independence!
SAVE THE DATES:
The State MAB convention will take place in Bozeman on Sept. 12-14, 2025.
Montana School for the Deaf and the Blind (MSDB)
MSDB has been hard at work supporting students on campus in Great Falls and around the state. MSDB continues professional service work planning for campus events, contributing to professional learning committees, and creating a journey of a learner. MSDB’s Outreach program for Blind and Visually Impaired students will host Untangling the Dots workshop for persons providing braille instruction on campus in April as well as spring Campus Enrichment Days emphasizing all things “Kentucky Derby.” In June, MSDB is partnering with the Thriving Blind Academy’s own Kristin Smedley for the 25th annual Family Learning weekend in Great Falls.
MSDB campus and outreach students participated in the National Braille Challenge competition. The awards ceremony takes place next week!
Exciting additions to the Outreach staff help serve students who are deaf, hard of hearing, blind and low vision. NRAER President, Barbara Peterson, shared the details of MSDB’s Outreach program in the Spring 2025 Mustang Express newsletter on page 5. News for MSDB can be found on their school website under NEWS tab.
Image Description: The first image is a screen shot of Barb Peterson’s, Oh the Places We Will Go, article in the Spring 2025 Mustang Express newsletter. The second image is a collage of portraits of the MSDB Outreach team. Each portrait display the consultant holding a poster of their first name in handwriting.
NRAER CONFERENCE PLANNING
The NRAER Conference planning committee is busy finalizing details for the fall conference which is sure to be one for the books. One of the Nation’s largest National Historic landmark Districts is the location for this year’s NRAER conference. Butte is home to over four thousand structures around the city. Details and registration to be released soon.
Save the date of October 14-16, 2025 to attend the Northern Rockies conference in Butte, MT.
Image description: a scenic overlook picture of the landscape of Butte, MT, including a mining headframe and with mountains in the background.