Up and Coming Weekly is a weekly publication in Fayetteville, NC and Fort Bragg, NC area offering local news, views, arts, entertainment and community event and business information.
Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/125344
e Kiwanis 62nd Annual Fayettevill Talent Night Showcase SINGERS • DANCERS • MUSICIANS Cape Fear Regional Theatre May 10, 2013 • 7 p.m. With Special Guests The Kidsville Kids! Tickets $5.00 (proceeds going to local Kiwanis projects for children) 1st, 2nd & 3rd Place Winners lace Winners nner r in Four Categories: $2,000 Pre-school - 2nd Grade 6th - 8th Grade 3rd - 5th Grade 9th - 12th Grade In Cash, Trophies and Scholarships For more information go to www.fayettevillekiwanis.org or contact Bill Bowman at 910-391-3859 Special thanks to to UP & COMING WEEKLY www.upandcomingweekly.com of Cumberland County www.kidsvillenews.com/cumberland Invest In Advertising Opportunities We can show you how to market your business! 910.484.6200 www.upandcomingweekly.com 18 UCW MAY 1-7, 2013 Out of Sight Dining: An Eye-opening Experience by DR. SHANESSA FENNER Vision is a precious thing that should not be taken for granted. In Cumberland County, there are more than 653 registered visually impaired people. Fortunately, there is a place that is committed to assisting them. Vision Resource Center, a nonprofit organization works daily to improve the lives of the visually impaired. On Friday, May 17 it is holding its 2nd annual Out of Sight Dining Event at Highland Country Club from 7 p.m. -11 p.m. "The purpose of this event is to give people an opportunity to dine blindfolded in order to see how it feels to be visually impaired," said Terri Thomas, executive director of the Vision Resource Center. "It will show you why the Vision Resource Michael Macias will perform at the Out of Sight Center is important." Dining Event. Thomas added that it is her goal to find more visually impaired people in Cumberland County and offer them assistance and let them know there is a place that they can go and trust someone for support. The evening will begin with a social hour at 7 p.m. followed by fine dining and live entertainment. People might find it harder to eat with their blindfolds on! The speaker for the event is Zoie Zavala, a visually impaired youth, with an amazing story to tell. There will be a silent auction and two Lasik eye surgeries, spa packages, and unique art will be given away. There will be a special performance by 14-year-old Michael Macias and '80s Band '80s Unplugged." "He is so gifted and has never had any formal training," said Thomas about Macias. "You can tell him what to play and he can play it." There will be a booth set up so people can see what it is like to experience macular degeneration, glaucoma, total blindness and other visual impairments. The founders, The Association of the Blind, opened the Vision Resource Center 76 years ago to provide services to the visually impaired adults and children of the Cape Fear Region. "The goal is to keep them independent and socializing," said Thomas. The center provides transportation to and from the center for all activities, a healthy living program, arts and crafts classes, Braille classes, summer camps for youth ages 6-18, independent living workshops, self-defense classes and medical transcription classes. Some of the activities include horseback riding, gambling cruises, plays, concerts, shopping and other fun activities. "We started off with three visually impaired kids for our youth program and now we have 36 kids," said Cory Worrell, volunteer youth program director of Vision Resource Center. "We take the kids on once-a-month activities such as surfing, deep sea fishing, horseback riding and flying airplanes." Worrell added that they have self-defense classes to teach the students how to protect themselves from bullies. "The goal of this event is to have a full house at Highland Country Club and Cliff's Bar with 250 people," said Thomas. "We would love to raise $18,000 from the event this year." Tickets are $75 for individuals and $125 for couples. Sponsorship levels are Gold-$1,000; Silver-$600; and Bronze -$300. Tickets are $75 for individuals and $125 for couples. Sponsorship levels are Gold-$1,000; Silver-$600; and Bronze -$300. For more information call 672-5017 DR. SHANESSA FENNER Contributing Writer. or to purchase tickets visit COMMENTS? Editor@upandcomingweekly. www.capefeareye.com. com. WWW.UPANDCOMINGWEEKLY.COM