PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Thanks to Santa Claus’s head elf, Erika Rothermel, children who are blind can send letters to Santa and receive a response in Braille.
Letters are sent to VisionCorps in Lancaster and come from states across the U.S., like Pennsylvania, New Mexico and Missouri.
Rothermel, a Braille teacher in Lancaster, has been part of this program for two years now. She feels it is a nice way to show inclusivity.
“Often, a child that is blind or visually impaired – they are the only, or one of the few children within their district, or maybe even within their town – they may not know anybody else who's blind or visually impaired, Rothermel said.
Related
“So to have that opportunity to practice their typing skills and send it away to Santa and actually get a response lets them know that they're not alone.”
Letters to the children are created using a Perkins Braille typewriter.
It has six keys on it because there are only six dots in Braille, Rothermel explained.
“It is a very old-school method, but it is still the method that we use today. It's the method that children are taught in school and it's what they have at home to practice typing with as well.”
Related
Rothermel loves seeing letters fill her desk and feels it is very fun to have this responsibility.
“I do have, I guess, big shoes to fill.”
All Braille letters addressed to Santa will receive a response.
Letters can be sent throughout the holiday season to:
Letters to Santa - Erika
Visioncorps
244 North Queen Street
Lancaster PA, 17603)