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Don't Wait — Only 20 Tickets
Remain for Dining in the Dark!
A very limited number of individual tickets remain for CVI's first annual Dining in the Dark fundraiser on Sunday, October 9, 2016 at the Georgia Tech Hotel and Conference Center.
Individual tickets are $200 each or $350 per couple, and will be available on a first come, first served basis. All proceeds from the event will support CVI's vital programs and services for people learning to live with vision loss.
Designed to raise awareness about vision loss, Dining in the Dark will be a unique sensory experience, expanding attendees’ understanding of the challenges that individuals who are blind or visually impaired encounter on a daily basis.
As a guest, you will enjoy:
- A fine dining experience in complete darkness, providing the opportunity to fully utilize your other senses in enjoying the meal.
- A delectable three-course menu designed by Chef Todd Ginsberg of The General Muir, Fred’s Meat & Bread, Yalla, and TGM Bread and Executive Chef Damiano de Nicolo of the Georgia Tech Hotel and Conference Center.
- Wait service by the Atlanta Police Department SWAT Team, utilizing night-vision equipment to navigate the dining space in the dark.
Don't miss the opportunity to be a part of this unique event! Purchase today by clicking here.
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Braves Community Hero — Hal Simpson
Congratulations to Braves Community Hero, Hal Simpson. Hal was one of four recipients honored with the award in August, following a nomination from CVI STARS Director, Heather Ferro-Dicks.
The Braves Community Hero Award is an initiative celebrating everyday people who make positive impacts in their community. Hal Simpson is the father of paralympian and STARS alumnus Matt Simpson. Matt’s childhood involvement with STARS led Hal to become a coach in adapted sports 16 years ago. More recently, Hal founded the Georgia Blind Sports Association, a nonprofit that has given hundreds of children and adults with visual impairments the opportunity to participate in a wide range of adapted sports.
CVI would also like to congratulate Hal and recognize all he has done for our CVI clients!
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Client Spotlight — Dawlyn Dieudonne
Dawlyn Dieudonne has always loved to learn. But it hasn’t always been easy. Born with cerebral palsy, and diagnosed with glaucoma, nystagmus and aphakia (absence of lenses in the eye), Dawlyn has had to overcome many challenges.
In eighth grade, Dawlyn enrolled in CVI’s STARS program. It was her first time with other kids her age who were also visually impaired: she quickly realized that she was not alone.
The STARS after school program and summer camps provided Dawlyn with a safe place where she could belong. She gained skills, self-confidence, and learned that the only limits to learning were those she placed on herself.
Today, Dawlyn is studying to be a teacher. With a bachelor’s degree in early childhood education from Kennesaw State University, she will be attending Georgia State this fall to pursue a master’s in early childhood special education.
Dawlyn is also now a STARS staff member, helping students who are struggling in school to advocate for themselves.
At CVI, we help individuals like Dawlyn – and thousands of other people of all ages – to learn new skills, develop their talents, and enjoy life to the fullest, with independence and dignity.
CVI is proud of the individual Dawlyn has become and we wish her the best of luck in her future endeavors.
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STARS and BEGIN Retreat
On August 20-21, BEGIN and STARS held their annual family retreat at Kaplan Mitchell Retreat and Conference Center in Clayton, GA. Nine families attended the retreat, which offers parents and their children who are visually impaired the chance to get away and have fun together. Each year, the retreat features a break-out session for parents where they have the chance to meet each other and bond over their shared experiences. During the weekend, families also had the opportunity to swim and play adapted soccer and tennis – activities that they may not normally have the opportunity to enjoy. Saturday dinner included testimonies in advocacy from staff members who are visually impaired, followed by a campfire with s’mores, sing-a-longs and story times: tales of Paul Bunyan and Babe were shared, with audience participation! Altogether, it was an incredible experience for parents and kids.
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