Check out these programs from the MFA:

Feeling for Form Introductory Tour of MFA for blind & low vision visitors

The Museum of Fine Arts (MFA) in Boston offers a series of introductory one-on-one guided tours to the Museum and its collections for blind and low vision individuals who want to build a deeper relationship with the Museum. Each monthly session focuses on a different collection and includes wayfinding and verbal description of spaces. These tours are given on the 1st Sunday of the month at 10:30 am and the 3rd Wednesday at 6:30pm. Individuals can attend one or more sessions, whichever interests them. Guided tours can also bescheduled at other times. Pre-registration is not required unless a visitor needs a sighted guide or other access accommodation.

Free introductory tour of MFA in sign language & with assistive listening devices

A new monthly offering at the Museum of Fine Arts (MFA) in Boston for people who are Deaf or hard of hearing. These tours will be given at 6:30 pm on the 2nd Wednesday of each month. No pre-registration is required; meet at the Sharf Visitor Center in the MFA.

Contact Valerie Burrows at 617-369-3302 voice, 617-267-9703 TTY, or vburrows@mfa.org for more information about accessible programs or to register. You can also call 617-369-3189 or e-mail access@mfa.org or go to www.mfa.org. The MFA is located at 465 Huntington Avenue in Boston, and is accessible by the Green line “E” train to the“Museum of Fine Arts” stop, or the Orange line train to the “Ruggles” stop.

MAPVI’s Annual Holiday Party will be held on Saturday, Dec. 10, 2011. We’re going to see Ben Rudnick & Friends play their 10th Annual Holiday Extravaganza Concert at the Regent Theatre in Arlington.

The show starts at 10:30am and the theatre is located at 7 Medford Street in Arlington.

After the show we’ll have a pizza party at Not Your Average Joe’s, located at 645 Mass Ave in Arlington (about 5 minutes walk from the theater).

Ben Rudnick & Friends: www.benrudnick.com
Regent Theatre: www.regenttheatre.com
Not Your Average Joe’s: www.notyouraveragejoes.com

Contact Amber Bobnar by email or phone (617-923-1241) to reserve your spot in this event. Be sure to also mail your check and reply form by the RSVP date. Checks for the concert must be received by 12/3/11 in order to get MAPVI’s discounted rate.

Tickets will be $5 for adults and free for kids who are members, $7 for adults and $7 for kids who are nonmembers.

The Pizza Party after the concert is included in your ticket price. We will be offering pizza, drinks, and dessert at Not Your Average Joe’s, but you can place your own orders as well. Parking is available directly across the street from the Regent Theatre.

MAPVI’s Annual Potluck Meeting will be held on November 14th at the Grousbeck Center for Students and Technology at Perkins School for the Blind.

MAPVI Board Elections will also be held. We have open positions including our President so please consider joining our board. You can download a copy of the 2012 ballot here.

Monday, November 14, 2011, starting at 6 p.m.

There will be a tour of the facility after a potluck dinner.

PLEASE BRING A DISH TO SHARE.

Directions:

From the Massachusetts Turnpike, also known as I-90 (traveling east or west), take Exit 17 and follow the signs marked “Watertown,” which lead to Galen Street. Follow Galen Street, crossing the bridge, to Watertown Square. Bear right (not the hardest right that leads along the river) onto North Beacon Street (Route 20). Follow North Beacon Street for about one-half mile to the Perkins campus (located on the right). Pass the campus and turn right onto Beechwood Avenue. The main parking lot is on the right. The new Grousbeck Center for Students and Technology is the new modern building.

Please RSVP by November 11th to Michelle Contey at 508-982-2715 or mcontey@yahoo.com so we may plan accordingly. In the event of a last minute cancellation, please leave a phone number where you can be reached on that day.

Come join us for a fun-filled day of fishing on a private pond at Riverside Gun Club (16 Wilkins Street, Hudson, MA) on Saturday, August 13, 2011 10:00 am – 2:00 pm (rain date of August 14th).

Lunch will be provided!

THIS EVENT IS LIMITED TO 50 PARTICIPANTS
(Children with disabilities AND their siblings/friends)

RESERVE YOUR SPOT TODAY!
This event is open to any family who has a child with a disability, however, children with a visual impairment and their siblings/friends will be given priority until August 1st, then its first come/first served.

Rods and reels for the children are provided by Wildlife and Fishery. Baiting and casting (as needed) provided by Hudson Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts.

NOTE: This event is FREE for all MAPVI members. The fee is $10 per family for non-members. Non-members may make payment at the event (cash or check written to “MAPVI”) or become a member (cash or check written to “NAPVI”, forms will be available at event). Dues for combined NAPVI/MAPVI membership is $40. Visit napvi.org or call 617-972-7441 for more information.

RSVP by August 5th by emailing Sue Rawley or by calling 781-902-1413 (work number).

IMPORTANT: Please include how many adults and how many children will be attending as well as a phone number in the event of postponement. Also include visual acuity and any other disabilities that may need to be taken into consideration.

You are invited to join MAPVI at a Spring Concert on Saturday, March 26th from 10:15 am – 11:30 am (Show starts at 10:30 am).

The concert will be at the Regent Theatre featuring Debbie & Friends. This will be a full band show. The theater is located at 7 Medford Street in Arlington.

• Debbie & Friends: debbieandfriends.net
• Regent Theatre: regenttheatre.com

Tickets are $5 for adults and free for kids for MAPVI members, $7 for adults and $7 for kids for nonMAPVI members.

Debbie is also offering a special discount on her CDs to all attending this MAPVI event (both members and nonmembers)! Just print the coupon included with the RSVP reply form (we’ll have extras with us on the day of the event, too).

Checks for the concert must be received by 3/15/11 in order to get MAPVI’s discounted rate. If you don’t get your check in on time you can still attend the concert, but you will have to pay full price at the Regent’s website or at the box office on the day of the event.

Contact Amber Bobnar by email or phone (617-923-1241) for more info.

The Big Apple Circus is coming to town and they will be holding their wonderful Circus of the Senses event on Thursday, April 7 at 11:00 AM at City Hall Plaza in Boston.

For Circus of the Senses, the circus offers free tickets to families of blind and hearing impaired children. They include wireless headsets for visually impaired audience members, ASL interpreters, and a “touch session” after the show where you can touch the clowns and other performers.

If you’d like to attend the show, simply fill out the form on their website requesting tickets. Deadline to request tickets is February 18th.