American Action Fund for Blind Children and Adults
Future Reflections Convention 2020 NOPBC CONFERENCE
As The Twig Is Bent Awards
Presented by Carlton Anne Cook Walker
From the Editor: Immediately following President Mark Riccobono's conversation with the children at the NOPBC conference, Carlton Walker presented the Twig Awards. These awards are given by the NOPBC to persons who have made a positive difference in the lives of blind children.
Carlton Walker: President Riccobono is one of the first blind people I ever met, back in 2005 before he and Melissa had any children of their own. His warmth, generosity, and wisdom strengthened my family's resolve to make sure that our daughter's opportunities would never be limited by what she could or could not see.
Alexander Pope wrote, "As the twig is bent, so is the tree inclined." These words are the inspiration behind the title of the Twig Award given by the National Organization of Parents of Blind Children. We initiated the Twig Awards on our twenty-fifth anniversary in 2008. This is not an annual award. It is bestowed upon those whose work has influenced the direction in which our children grow.
The award is a medallion engraved with a tree and the words "As the Twig Is Bent Award" and "NOPBC since 1983." The word NOPBC is written in Braille and in print. On the back of the medallion is the recipient's name and the year in which the award was given.
This year we will be presenting two Twig awards, one to NFB President Mark Riccobono and one to his wife, NOPBC board member and conference director Melissa Riccobono.
Each of these individuals has worked tirelessly and steadfastly in support of blind children and their families for more than two decades. Each has shared insight, knowledge, and compassion with families struggling to ensure that their children receive a meaningful education that will prepare them for the future. Both Mark and Melissa have bent countless twigs to incline many, many trees toward the upward trajectory of achieving their dreams.
Typically I would have the honor of presenting each medal in person, and I hope to get down to Baltimore to do so sometime this fall. In the meantime, Mark, Melissa, please know how much your work has enriched everyone in this virtual conference and so many, many more! Thank you!
Mark Riccobono: Thank you, Carlton! This is a surprise! I really appreciate it! The work that is happening with our parents' division and the work we've been undertaking collectively for our blind youth, both with our NFB BELL In-Home Edition® and our distance learning activities really shows what we can do when we come together, including continuing to give out thousands of free Braille books on a monthly basis. I appreciate the acknowledgment, but more importantly, I am privileged and honored to have the opportunity to work with so many great people who put their own ideas and expertise into what we're doing. I'm deeply humbled, and I appreciate the recognition, but more importantly I recognize that we have a lot more to do together to raise the expectations for blind children. In accepting this recognition, I do so by way of saying that we're not done yet! This is only the beginning of what we're going to do together! I remain fully committed to making sure that the next generations of blind children will have it much better than I did. Because of what we're doing together, we're getting there. Thank you very much!
Carlton: Thank you, sir. Melissa, do you want to say a few words?
Melissa Riccobono: Thank you all so much! I'm almost speechless, which does not happen very often. I'm very touched—a little teary-eyed over here. It is an honor that families are willing to let me and President Riccobono and all the members of the National Federation of the Blind and the NOPBC into their lives. There's a song I really like that talks about how sometimes you have to show people the hard parts and let them care about you anyway. I know it's not easy, and I really appreciate when people are willing to reach out for help and to say, "Things should be different for my child. It shouldn't be the way it is." I am very humbled to be a small part of, hopefully, helping to make things better. We have a long way to go. I recognize that. I am certainly not going away, and this award energizes me. I am incredibly excited to get to meet all the new families who are joining us virtually, some of them for the first time. I am here to do all that I can to help our children have a better experience, particularly educationally. In these times of COVID it has particularly struck me how difficult things can be. For those who are here for the first time, I want you to know that President Riccobono and I have two blind children of our own. Not only do we know how things are, as blind adults, but we know firsthand what parents go through because of our blind children. More than anything else, we are parents, just like all of you. We have the same struggles, and believe it or not, we have the same questions. What we give to all of you is what all of you teach us. The more we give, the more we learn. Thank you very much for this award! I am really humbled and really surprised!