Lions Industries for the Blind to Celebrate 40th Anniversary

Local nonprofit to host Mayor of Kinston, national and local leaders for open house and community event

KINSTON, N.C., April 7, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Lions Industries for the Blind, Inc. (LIB) will mark its 40th anniversary with a community event and an open house on Thursday, April 14. LIB, an associated agency of National Industries for the Blind (NIB), has a longstanding history of providing meaningful employment opportunities for people who are blind, while delivering high-quality products and services to their customers.

What:  LIB will host an open house and ribbon-cutting ceremony. Visitors are encouraged to tour the manufacturing facility, meet the employees and get a firsthand look at the opportunities available at LIB. The tour will also showcase the unique and diverse products and services LIB provides to federal, military and commercial customers.

Who:

• Ray Amyette, Executive Director of LIB
• Marc Camnitz, General Manager of LIB
• Kevin A. Lynch, President and Chief Executive Officer of NIB
• BJ Murphy, Mayor of Kinston
• Roy Peay, IST Lead, Airframe Division of DLA Aviation, Richmond, VA
• Dr. Lacy Presnell Jr., Past International Director of Lions Clubs International
• International Director of Lions Clubs International (TBD)
• LIB employees

When: Thursday, April 14, 2011

10:00 AM, Ribbon cutting

2:00 PM – 2:45 PM, Remarks

2:45 PM – 4:30 PM, Open house and media interviews

Where: Lions Industries for the Blind, Inc.

4126 Berkeley Avenue, Kinston, NC 28504

Media:  To register for this event or to schedule an interview, please contact Laura Reimers at 703.310.0453 or [email protected].

History: Since 1971, LIB has been providing viable employment and training opportunities to blind and visually impaired citizens of Eastern North Carolina. Originally established as "Eastern Carolina Industries for the Blind, Inc.," LIB has helped more than 500 people who are blind increase their economic and personal independence over the past 40 years.

In 1976, LIB became an associated agency of NIB. As an associated agency, LIB manufactures and distributes high-quality products and services to federal and military customers through the AbilityOne Program. More recently, LIB also expanded its business to include custom embroidery and direct garment printing to commercial customers.

Today, LIB employs 34 people who are blind; this is significant, considering that the national unemployment rate hovers around 70%. Nationwide, NIB and its 90 associated agencies employ more than 6,000 people who are blind.

SOURCE National Industries for the Blind