Seattle Lighthouse’s Summer Social

Lighthouse Employee of the Year Salvador Huizar speaks to the crowd at Redefining Vision Summer Evening Out
Lighthouse Employee of the Year Salvador Huizar speaks to the crowd at Redefining Vision Summer Evening Out

In true Seattle style, the nearly 100 event attendees and volunteers appreciated the warm afternoon at our August 14th Redefining Vision Summer Evening Out.

Guests enjoyed the delicious hors d’oeuvres, beer from Georgetown Brewing Company, and wine from Davenport Cellars while mingling in Ethel L. Dupar’s Fragrant Garden. The smooth jazz provided by Lighthouse employee and DJ, Larry Irvin, offered a great background soundtrack for chatting with old friends and meeting new ones.

Guests also had plenty of opportunities to learn about The Lighthouse for the Blind, Inc.’s mission and training programs by taking a tour of our Machine Shop or participating in a hands-on technology, Braille Literacy Program, or Orientation and Mobility Program demonstration.

A big thank you to our employee speaker Salvador Huizar for sharing his story of upward mobility and leadership training as one of our 2013 Employees of the Year. As always, we were delighted to hear from President and CEO Kirk Adams as he thanked our community for its continued support and shared a little about the Lighthouse’s recent accomplishments.

Thank you also to our premier event sponsor, Amber Janitorial Inc., and Rep. Sharon Tomiko Santos for attending this lovely outdoor event.

Our small silent auction raised over $1,800 and included some incredible items such as Dinner and Jazz with Kirk and Ros Adams, Chihuly Gardens and Glass Arts and Excursion Package, tickets to Bumbershoot 2014, and more!

Will this be an annual event? We’d love to hear your thoughts. Please comment on this post or contact our Events and Annual Fund Coordinator Andrea Travis at atravis@seattlelh.org  to share your feedback and ideas for summer 2015!

Making Connections at the Redefining Vision Luncheon

Check out full audio of the event, or download an mp3 by right-clicking the “Download” link below:
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Our 2014 Redefining Vision Luncheon was one of our best events yet!  Thank you to all our community supporters for joining us at The Westin on Wednesday, April 9th and helping us raise $100,000 to benefit The Lighthouse for the Blind, Inc.’s annual Deaf-Blind Retreat!

Seahawk Derrick Coleman, Jr. at the Meet and Greet portion of the Redefining Vision Luncheon
Seahawk Derrick Coleman, Jr. at the Meet and Greet portion of the Redefining Vision Luncheon

It all started with a special VIP Meet & Greet with our featured speaker, Derrick Coleman Jr., fullback/running back for the NFL Super Bowl Champion Seattle Seahawks.  He shook hands, signed autographs, took photos, and met about 30 employees, board members, and Lighthouse community members.  Derrick was personable, relaxed, and funny!  We were so glad to have him at the Luncheon!

Lighthouse employees and musicians Andrew Stauffer (left) and Peggy Martinez (right) performing at the Redefining Vision Luncheon
Lighthouse employees and musicians Andrew Stauffer (left) and Peggy Martinez (right) performing at the Redefining Vision Luncheon

At 11:30 a.m. we enjoyed the musical stylings of several Lighthouse employees, Peggy Martinez and Andrew Stauffer.  They played several fun and upbeat covers as well as an original acoustic piece written by Andrew.  They are both incredibly talented musicians and it was nice to have some entertainment while guests socialized.

Our emcee, Rep. Cyrus Habib of the 48th Legislative District, Washington State house of Representatives, started the program at noon while lunch was served.  Cyrus is a natural public speaker and he easily kept the audience engaged and excited for every moment of our incredible program full of inspirational stories of empowerment and independence.

Rep. Cyrus Habib emcee'ing the Redefining Vision Luncheon
Rep. Cyrus Habib emcee’ing the Redefining Vision Luncheon

Cyrus shared some of his own journey as a young blind child growing up in public schools and being left alone on the playground.  He reminded everyone that teaching children and adults the proper skills such as braille, adaptive technology, and orientation and mobility is essential for building confidence and becoming a thriving community member.  He explained that that’s why the Lighthouse’s mission is also so important in creating those opportunities for independence and self-sufficiency for people who are blind, Deaf-Blind, and blind with other disabilities.

Deaf-Blind Retreat Coordinator aj granda speaking at the luncheon
Deaf-Blind Retreat Coordinator aj granda speaking at the luncheon

Cyrus then introduced our employee speaker aj granda, Deaf-Blind Education and Retreat Coordinator.  aj started her presentation by explaining to the audience that as a Deaf-Blind individual, she relies on physical connection.  Since she cannot see or hear the audience, she asked us to stomp on the floor and create vibrations that she could feel to know she wasn’t alone in the room.  She also had everyone reach out and touch the person next to them and then showed us the sign for “connection” in American Sign Language.

Luncheon guests connecting with one another during the program
Luncheon guests connecting with one another during the program

We were all very excited to hear about The Lighthouse for the Blind Inc.’s annual Deaf-Blind Retreat that takes place in beautiful Seabeck, WA each August.  aj shared that the Retreat offers Deaf-Blind individuals access to information and relationship-building activities in a fully-accessible environment.  The Retreat features educational seminars, recreational activities, and most importantly the chance to network and make connections with other members of the Deaf-Blind community.  She shared that none of this would be possible without the 120-150 volunteer interpreter/guides who put in nearly 7,000 of volunteer time in a one-week period.

We are incredibly grateful to have the support of such a great community!  As aj reminded us, Seattle has a world-class Deaf-Blind community and it takes your support year-round to make this possible!

Finally, Cyrus introduced Derrick Coleman, the first offensive deaf player in the NFL.  Derrick answered several questions, asked by aj granda, about his childhood, communications strategies, and experiences as a deaf person.  He inspired us with his confidence and story of empowerment.  He made the audience laugh when he said “If someone tells me I can’t do something I say, watch me!” and deepened our own independence by saying “nothing more painful than the pain of regret.”

Featured guest Derrick Coleman, Jr. of the Seattle Seahawks (right) speaking during the Luncheon
Featured guest Derrick Coleman, Jr. of the Seattle Seahawks (right) speaking during the Luncheon

It truly was an incredible event and thanks again to our community for your ongoing support!  A special thank you to our volunteers, table captains, Luncheon Committee members, and sponsors!

If you were unable to attend but would still like to support our mission, you can make a gift online.  Thank you!

 

 

Ethel L. Dupar Fragrant Garden Blooms with Support for the Lighthouse

King County Master Gardener Helen Weber leading a guided tour at Redefining Vision In Bloom
King County Master Gardener Helen Weber leading a guided tour at Redefining Vision In Bloom

Submitted by Julie Brannon, ECS Support Services Manager  & Braille Instructor

It was a great pleasure to spend time with our guests at the Redefining Vision In Bloom event on Saturday, August 17th.  We had about 20 guests join us that beautiful morning for a fun and educational presentation.  It’s always an honor for me to get to talk to people about the benefits of braille, which I did that morning with the added delight of connecting it to experiencing the Ethel L. Dupar Fragrant Garden.  Guests also had the opportunity to hear details about The Lighthouse for the Blind, Inc.’s history from our President and CEO Kirk Adams.  And as always, our guests were fascinated by the personal tour by King County Master Gardener Helen Weber. The Redefining Vision In Bloom events have raised nearly $4,000 in support of our mission.  If you haven’t had the chance to have hors d’oeuvres, drinks, and a personal garden tour then you need to join our final event of the season on September 14th, 11:00am to 1:00pm.  Sign up on our RSVP page.

The 2012 Redefining Vision Luncheon Was a Great Success!

Keynote Speaker Patricia Walsh speaking at the 2012 Redefining Vision Luncheon
Keynote Speaker Patricia Walsh speaking at the 2012 Redefining Vision Luncheon

 

Thank you to all of our guests and sponsors who participated in the 2012 Redefining Vision Luncheon!  We hope you were inspired by the stories of opportunities and empowerment for individuals who are blind, Deaf-Blind, and blind with other disabilities. The event generated over $75,000 toward Lighthouse accessibility initiatives.  We are so grateful for your commitment to the Lighthouse.

We would also like to thank our wonderful volunteers, our emcee Cyrus Habib, our Accessibility Manager Peggy Martinez, and our Keynote speaker Patricia Walsh.

Listen to Keynote Speaker Patricia Walsh’s remarks here: [powerpress]
If you were unable to attend the event but would like to support Lighthouse accessibility initiatives, it’s not too late!  DONATE NOW