By Rachel Farley
As Winter has seemingly come to an end and Spring has finally sprung, many of us are looking for a way to shake off the doldrums and awaken our senses. Look no further, as the perfect opportunity awaits you at the Chautauqua Harbor Hotel in Celeron New York on Friday, April 21.
The Chautauqua Harbor Hotel is hosting the “Dining in the Dark” fundraiser for the CBA (Chautauqua Blind Association) vision rehabilitation services. The event will give the unique experience of eating without seeing, as guests will be dining while blind-folded. The event will begin at 5:30pm with cocktails and a silent auction and seating for dinner is at 6:15pm.
The silent auction includes a wide variety of items to bid on. There are cooking themed baskets, a cupcake basket, and a plethora of wine baskets. Spectrum eye care has donated designer sunglasses for both men and women, and the Fenton History center donated a history themed basket. Besides baskets, the auction items will include a Buffalo Bills jersey and handcrafted furniture, including live edge wood tabletops. Speaking with Joani Blackman (Executive Director of the CBA), two of the most anticipated items in the auction include a Von Miller autographed football from Texas A&M and a beautiful hand-crafted wooden wine rack, created by a board member of the CBA who is legally blind.
After the silent auction at 6:15, each guest will be blindfolded and led into the dining room by sighted guides trained by the CBA staff. The sighted guides stay with their table of guests and will assist them with their meal. Dinner consists of three courses and a blindfold. The gourmet dinner offers choices of steak, chicken, fish and a vegetarian option as well as a beet salad and dessert. This is the 11th Dining in the Dark fundraiser and they are aiming for 150 guests, they currently have 91 reservations.
All proceeds of the fundraiser will benefit the CBA Youth Vision Screening Program. The program serves Chautauqua and Cattaraugus counties and screens over 3000 children between the ages of 3 to 6 for early childhood eye disorders. Joani stated that last year alone the program screened 4,387 children, checked to see if they were meeting developmental milestones and then refers their families to an eye dr. if needed. Joani also wanted to make sure that attention was also brought to another CBA program that works in conjunction with the Youth Vision Screening Program, The Dr. Tim Grace Sight for Success Program. The program provides funds for families that have children who need to be seen by an eye doctor but cannot afford to do so. She noted that funds from the event go towards that program as well, but both programs have the same goal of screening and helping children.
Tickets for the event are $65 each and reservations are required. Reservations will be accepted until April 11th. You can purchase your reservation by phone by calling 716-664-6660 or online at CBAVison.org. If you cannot attend the event but would like to donate to or sponsor this wonderful event, you can also do that on the CBA vison website.
If you are coming to support the CBA and enjoy Dining in the Dark, you may as well make it a weekend vacation. The Chautauqua Harbor Hotel is offering a discount to all of the dining guests. Prices range from $179 a night to $199 a night. Just let the front desk of the hotel know that you are coming to the event and want to stay the night. Sounds like the perfect weekend get away! Come for the fundraiser, bid on unique items at the silent auction, enjoy a gourmet meal using all of your senses except sight, and explore all that the area has to offer!