Dining in the Dark Offers an Experience of Blindness
Posted In Categories: Events, Fundraising
Vision Forward hosts its 14th annual sensory experience to raise awareness of blindness and visual impairment
Milwaukee, Wis. – Dining in the Dark, a fundraising event in which guests are guided through a journey into the world of vision loss with a blindfolded dining experience, will take place Thursday, Nov. 3, at the Wisconsin Club.
Vision Forward, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization devoted to empowering, educating and enhancing the lives of individuals impacted by vision loss, invites members of the community to attend the event.
Dining in the Dark is a unique and unforgettable experience. Through a four-course meal eaten under blindfold, guests take a journey into the world of vision loss, discovering a deeper understanding and awareness of what people who are blind or visually impaired face.
“Dining in the Dark provides the opportunity for us to experience life from a different perspective – the perspective of living with vision loss,” said Terri Davis, chief executive officer of Vision Forward. “The experience will affect each of us differently. For some, you may find eating your meal more challenging. For others, it may be talking with others at your table to be more difficult. Our hope is that you will all come away from this event with a deeper understanding of not only the obstacles that vision loss presents to each unique individual, but the positive affirmations that can be realized along the way.”
Johnson Beamon began having vision issues at age 17 and the news itself of going blind left him with little reason to live. Johnson will share his story, as the event dinner feature, and how he overcame the despair of losing his vision, found inspiration and the beginning of a new life.
“As the only organization providing comprehensive vision loss support and programs for people of all ages in Wisconsin, Vision Forward needs the support of the community to serve its clients,” Terri Davis said. “The Dining in the Dark dinner serves two main purposes. It is a critical fundraiser to support our mission, and it raises awareness among the public for the valuable contributions that people with vision loss contribute to our community every day.”
Mark Baden, WISN-Channel 12 Chief Meteorologist, will be back for the 9th year as the event emcee.
The growing list of corporate and community sponsors supporting Dining in the Dark includes: ibvi; Hiller Ford; Beyond Vision; DentaQuest; The Bostracks; Johnson Financial Group; Rick and Lisa Roszkowski; Paula and Dave Strelitz; Milwaukee Eye Care; HR Sherpaz; Retina and Vitreous Consultants of Wisconsin; Medical College of Wisconsin – Eye Institute, Mitchell J. Marks CPA LLC; O’Leary and Anick; PNC Bank; Terri and Michael; First Business Bank; Air Technology Services; R&R Insurance Services Inc; keb; CureMD; Healthfuse; WISN-Channel 12.
For context, the numbers surrounding vision loss are unsettling:
- Every seven minutes, someone in the U.S. permanently loses his or her vision; there are an estimated 314 million visually impaired people worldwide.
- As many as 200,000 people in Wisconsin are blind or visually impaired, and by 2030, the number of Americans affected by age‐related blindness is expected to double.
- Vision Forward is the only organization providing comprehensive vision loss support and rehabilitation for infants, children, adults and seniors of all ages in Wisconsin.
For more information about our mission, please visit www.vision-forward.org.