March For Independence
Monday, July 6th
The March for Independence -- A Walk for Opportunity, is a 5K walk-a-thon fundraising event and celebration demonstrating the independent spirit of the nation's organized blind, their friends, family, and supporters.
The event relies on volunteers to register and participate in a 5K walk and to raise donations for walking. The donations raised, support the
National Federation of the Blind's Imagination Fund.
The Imagination Fund supports local and state outreach efforts benefiting blind people in your local community. Blind children, teens, youth, college students, adults, and seniors losing their vision as well as the programs and initiatives of the
National Federation of the Blind (NFB) Jernigan Institute.
The March for Independence will take place on Monday,
July 6, 2009, preceeding the plenary sessions of the 69th National Federation of the Blind national convention in Detroit, Michigan. Learn more about our national conventions and remember to visit NFB.org often for updates on the registration process. Please note that registering for national convention is a completely separate process than registering for the March.
Thousands of Federationists, their friends and family members will demonstrate and celebrate for independence at our third annual March for Independence - A Walk for Opportunity. This year's 5K walk-a-thon fundraiser will take place in Detroit, Michigan. Stay tuned for more information as we continue to plan this year's exciting event.
The March Route
1. Gather at the Wintergarden entrance on Atwater Street. Walk west on the south side of Atwater Street toward Renaissance Drive West. Watch out for potential traffic on the north side of the street.
2. Just after Bates Street (on your right), take a left back onto the Riverwalk.
3. Follow the Riverwalk until passing Hart Plaza (on your right) and the Detroit Princess Riverboat (on your left).
4. Return back to Atwater Street, which has turned into Civic Center Drive. Follow Civic Center Drive to Joe Louis Arena.
5. At the intersection of 3rd Street and Civic Center Drive (with Joe Louis Arena on the right) make a left back onto the Riverwalk, and follow it back toward Hart Plaza.
6. Take the cobblestone path that leads up to Hart Plaza.
7. Go through Hart Plaza, past the fountain, and toward East Jefferson Avenue.
8. Just before East Jefferson Avenue, follow the large concrete path to the right that crosses a dead-end street (to the Ford Auditorium on the right) and leads to Bates Street.
9. Turn right onto Bates Street and continue southeast to Atwater Street.
Make a left back onto Atwater Street and follow it east, back toward the Renaissance Center and back down the Riverwalk.
10. Go straight along the Riverwalk until you reach Rivard Plaza.
11.Join the rally at Rivard Plaza!
