News Release

October 12, 2007

Walker Foundation News For Immediate Release

The Fund-Raising Arm of the South Carolina School for the Deaf and the Blind

Media contact:

Heather Patchett, Executive Director: (864) 577-7582

SPARTANBURG, SC -- The Walker Foundation is sponsoring a concert by Grammy-award winning singer and songwriter Amy Grant to benefit the South Carolina School for the Deaf and the Blind Nov. 9. The concert begins at 8 p.m. at the Spartanburg Memorial Auditorium, and tickets may be purchased through the Walker Foundation, the school’s fund-raising arm, on a first-come, first-serve basis.

The concert will honor SCSDB president Sheila Breitweiser, who plans to retire later this year. Proceeds will go to endow the Breitweiser Opportunity Fund, which provides extracurricular opportunities for students that might not otherwise be available to them. The fund was established soon after Breitweiser learned that the school’s teachers were working overtime to wash cars and sponsor fund raisers for items as basic as sports uniforms, field trips and the arts.

“Because SCSDB is a statewide school and the majority of the students reside on campus during the week, things like soccer shoes and costumes for plays are often difficult for our children to obtain,” said Valerie Barnet, a trustee of the Walker Foundation and chair of the gala event. “The concert just seemed the perfect way to honor Sheila, who is such a strong advocate for children.” She added that the Foundation is also taking donations for those who would like to contribute but are unable to attend the concert.

One of the country’s most celebrated vocal artists, Amy Grant recently hosted the primetime network television series, “Three Wishes,” which granted wishes to those in need. “It was our wish – our dream – to bring to Sheila’s retirement celebration someone who reflected her commitment to these special children – someone who would understand and involve the students in the celebration,” said Barnet. “Amy Grant was out first choice, and our prayers were answered when she said ‘yes!’” Students from the school have been invited to perform several songs with Grant in honor of Breitweiser.

Tickets to the gala event are $100 and include receptions before and after the concert. During the receptions, attendees will have an opportunity to bid on 15 one-of-a-kind silent auction items. These works of art were created from SCSDB memorabilia and painted by sponsors and community leaders in partnership with SCSDB students. All proceeds for the auction and concert will benefit the Breitweiser Opportunity Fund. To purchase tickets or request special accommodations such as braille or large print programs, or wheelchair seating, please call the Walker Foundation Office at (864) 577-7584, or email thewalkerfoundation@scsdb.org. The event will be sign language interpreted.

Thanks to the support of generous sponsors, much of the cost of the event has been covered. Additionally, free tickets have been provided for SCSDB students and their parents. The Walker Foundation salutes the following sponsors for their commitment and generosity: Mr. and Mrs. William Barnet III, Priority Metrics Group, Mr. and Mrs. Norman Pulliam, The Raines Family Trust, Spartanburg Regional Healthcare System and Steadman Hawkins Clinic of the Carolinas. Additionally, AT&T South Carolina, Mary Black Hospital System, R. P. Boggs & Co., Mellnee Buchheit, Martha Cloud Chapman, Dr. David Dedmon, Phyllis B. DeLapp, Duke Energy, Dr. John Dunbar, Jr., First National Bank of Spartanburg, Roebuck Greenhouses, Inc., J M Smith Corporation, Smithworks Fine Jewelry, Southeastern Printing, Spartanburg County Foundation and Young Office.

Breitweiser will leave a model state agency that has made tremendous strides forward during her 11-year tenure. Her work with the state legislature, donors and federal officials has ensured major facility improvements on the 160-acre campus.

Under her leadership, the State Department of Education (SDE) has recognized SCSDB’s academic achievements by naming the school a Palmetto Gold School for five consecutive years, an accomplishment few South Carolina schools can claim. SDE has also named SCSDB a Red Carpet School for its outstanding customer service. SCSDB received national and regional recognition when it became the country’s first school to receive joint accreditation by the national Conference of Educational Administrators of Schools and Programs for the Deaf (CEASD) and the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Council on Accreditation and School Improvement (SACS/CASI).

Statewide recognition is well deserved as the school has worked to provide meaningful learning opportunities to its students and outreach clients. A tenth month of school, added to the traditional nine months, will maximize success opportunities for students, many of whom are financially disadvantaged in addition to having physical disabilities. Academic, residential, athletic and fine arts program have all been enhanced during the Breitweiser tenure.

Growth of the school’s outreach programs has been phenomenal over the last 10 years ensuring that quality services for sensory disabled students are available to every school district in the state, that early intervention services are readily available to families of deaf and/or blind infants and that individuals who are deaf or blind have access to a myriad of needed services.

Even though Dr. Breitweiser spends countless hours serving the School for the Deaf and the Blind, she generously volunteers her time and abilities to numerous community organizations and state agencies such as the United Way, the Lions Club, the SC Special Schools Consortium, the SC Assistive Technology Executive Committee, the Spartanburg County Foundation Scholar Program, the Mary Black Foundation and the Spartanburg County Commission for Higher Education.

Spartanburg business leader and former SCSDB board chairman Norman Pulliam said, “Recruiting Sheila Breitweiser to the South Carolina School for the Deaf and the Blind is one of my proudest accomplishments during my years of service to the school. She has built a strong foundation for a very promising future.”

The SC School for the Deaf and the Blind is a specialized instructional and resource center. It provides services statewide for individuals who are deaf, blind or sensory multidisabled, their families and the professionals who work with them. SCSDB offers programs for preschool, elementary, middle school, high school, sensory multidisabled, vocational and postsecondary educational students, as well as a variety of outreach and support services. The main campus is located in Spartanburg, and regional centers are located throughout the state. SCSDB's Web site address is www.scsdb.org.