Dining in the Dark – Who?
Badger Association
For 90 years, the Badger Association has been providing services for people in Southeastern Wisconsin with changing vision. We are a nonprofit organization that assists people at all stages of vision loss achieve their highest level of self-sufficiency.
We offer vision rehabilitation services, residential living at Hawley Ridge Apartments, support services and recreational opportunities through our Life Skills program. We also have a retail store, the Outlook Shoppe, that sells adaptive vision products.
Our caring, professional staff are truly one of a kind. If you have questions about or services or would like more information, please give us a call at 414-258-9200 or visit badgerassoc.org. Our offices are located just north of Miller Park in Milwaukee, Wisconsin at 912 North Hawley Road.
Center for Blind & Visually Impaired Children
For more than 40 years, the Center for Blind & Visually Impaired Children has helped area blind and visually impaired children learn to live in a world that they cannot see. Unique in Wisconsin and one of the very few agencies of its type in the country, the Center provides comprehensive services for infants and preschool children with visual impairments and for their families. Services include Vision and Sensory Training, Early Childhood Special Education, Social Work, Orientation and Mobility, Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, and Speech Therapy.
The Center is located at 5600 West Brown Deer Road, Suite 4, in Milwaukee. For more information, call 414-355-3060 or visit www.cbvic.org
Presenting Sponsor: Northwestern Mutual Foundation, www.themint.org
Leader Sponsor: Industries for the Blind and Visually Impaired, www.ibmilw.com
Offer your support!
Contact Dena Fellows, 414-615-0134, dfellows@badgerassoc.org,, or Vanessa Nerbun, 414-355-3060 Ext 213, vnerbun@cbvic.org to find out how you can support and attend Dining in the Dark.
Special Thanks
Bacchus ww.bacchusmke.com
Serve www.servemarketing.org
Dining in the Dark Committee: Co-Chairs; Gina DeRosso and Barbara Stein, Karen Dishner, Dena Fellows, Tia Lancaster, Vanessa Nerbun, Jennifer Ottowitz, Joe Struble, Becky Williams, and Kathy Zeit.
Message from Co-Chairs
Bacchus’ food has always been an eye-appealing adventure for me. Following the scrumptious test run for Dining in the Dark, my taste buds caught up with my eyes and took me on a journey. Besides the unfamiliar experience of maneuvering my glassware and cutlery, I actually made myself pause, taste and identify my food and truly savor it. The purpose of this November event is to share this extraordinary experience with others and highlight resources for those who need vision services within the Greater Milwaukee area. The meal and the information were both mighty tasty. – Barbara Stein
Besides the overall experience of this unique event, one thing I will remember happened during the event test run in mid-July. During dinner, we were all discussing the beauty of the lakefront, the Calatrava, fireworks, circus parade, etc. We asked one of the participants, who has been blind since birth, what she thought. Her reply was that she did not have any idea of how to imagine these places and events because they are so abstract. She explained that she has no concept of the Milwaukee skyline. I began imagining not knowing what a cat looks like, a baby, a flower, colors, etc. As we go through our busy lives, complaining about our problems, we must realize the great things we have if we just look around. This does not mean we should feel sorry for people with vision loss and she would be the first to agree. After all, this person leads a very full and successful life. It is just different and we need to be aware and considerate of these differences, just as we would if a person who did not speak our language or understand our culture. It is ironic that Dining in the Dark has made me see the light and experience the world with greater vision. – Gina DeRosso