Every year on the second Saturday in August, the New Orleans Hash House Harriers (NOH3), who claim to be organized as a “local drinking club with a running problem,” host the Red Dress Run, a charity “run” in the French Quarter of New Orleans. Thanks to application materials submitted by former BVA National President and Louisiana/Mississippi Regional Group member Joe Burns, also a member of the Red Dress Runners himself, a generous grant was awarded to the group in 2022 for the purchase of bronze and acrylic Braille flags for WRBH, a New Orleans radio station dedicated to the blind and visually impaired. Joe and fellow regional group member Gary Schoelerman made the presentation on March 8.

Other flag donations made possible by the grant occurred at the New Orleans Lighthouse for the Blind and VA Community Based Outpatient Clinics in the Louisiana cities of Hammond, Slidell, Houma, and Franklin. Plans are also in place for donations to the New Orleans Crippled Children’s Hospital and the New Orleans City Hall.

The Red Dress Runners charity event this year was held on August 12 just prior to the BVA 78th National Convention. Joe and his guide dog participated for the second consecutive year. Joining Joe were Yoneka Trent, Vice President of the Carolina Regional Group; Yoneka’s guide dog; and Shawntina Gibson, Louisiana/Mississippi Regional Group.

“Check out noh3.org, the NOH3 Red Dress Run Facebook page, or Google ‘Red Dress Run’ for pictures,” Gary Schoelerman recommends.

Gary also said that the regional group would soon be applying for still another grant to accommodate the many locations for which they still hope to place more Braille flags and plaques, while at the same time taking advantage of opportunities to promote BVA.