Feast for the Senses event raises critical funds to help children with vision loss “Shine Bright”
Posted In Categories: In the News
April 28, 2017
For Immediate Release
Infants and toddlers who are blind to benefit from the 15th Annual ‘Feast for the Senses’ Event, May 4
Milwaukee, WI – Vision Forward will help children who are blind or visually impaired “Shine Bright” as we raise critical funds at the 15th annual “Feast for the Senses” event on Thursday, May 4, 2017, from 5:30 – 8:30 pm at the Harley-Davidson Chrome Tent. All contributions from this event will be used to support our mission to help children with vision loss get a great start in life.
“The Feast for the Senses event was founded 15 years ago by a group of dedicated mothers to honor our smallest treasures, the children who are visually impaired in need of these vital services, and to ensure future services will always be available for any child in need,” Terri Davis, Vision Forward Executive Director.
This year’s event will highlight a personal experience and testament to Vision Forward’s mission with a heartfelt video presentation, featuring Myah’s story, a seven year old who received services from Vision Forward and now has successfully transitioned to her school in Muskego.
Myah was born eight weeks early with cortical blindness, Down syndrome and receptive-expressive language disorder. By age four she had been through several surgeries, was unable to move on her own, hold her head up or verbally communicate. Within a month of receiving medical therapies and vision services at Vision Forward, her parents, Dawn and Tim, started to see remarkable progress. She strengthened her tummy to allow her to hold her head up high, gained muscle strength in her legs to help her use her walker and also increased her vocabulary and ability to communicate.
“Vision Forward helped us become better parents. They taught us what we could work on with her at home. It made a big difference for us,” commented Dawn.
“Funding for our children’s services is so critical,” said Terri Davis, Executive Director. “Our preschool services integrate necessary medical therapies with addressing the child’s vision loss. Our team of experts work to prepare each child to successfully transition to their next school experience. And this is very costly.”
Vision Forward provides the opportunities necessary to help children reach their full potential. We teach parents ways to support their child, encourage self-reliance and foster strength so that children who are blind and visually impaired are prepared for their next school experience and can achieve the same success as their sighted peers.About Vision Forward Association Vision Forward is Southeastern Wisconsin’s premier resource for people who are blind or visually impaired. Our vision is to provide specialized services and programs to people of all ages and at all stages of vision loss so that they have every opportunity to be vital contributing members of our society. For more information, visit www.vision-forward.org.
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Editor’s Note: In addition to interview possibilities with Terri Davis, Executive Director and other Vision Forward staff members, we can also arrange for interviews with parents, like Dawn and Tim L’Huiller whose children receive services through Vision Forward. Please contact Dena Fellows as noted above to arrange.