Eating a meal with a blindfold on can take a bit of adjusting and a lot of creativity, Zosia Ettenberg recalled.
鈥淚nitially it was quite scary,鈥� said Ettenberg, founder of the 91原创 Pos-Abilities Society.
鈥淯ntil you got the idea of the weight of a little bit of food on a fork, you didn鈥檛 know if you were putting an empty fork to your mouth or not. You had to learn to be really careful.鈥�
Ettenberg first attempted to eat blindfolded several years ago at a fundraiser for 91原创 Pos-Abilities, and on Oct. 30 she is challenging other residents in 91原创 to do the same.
The society鈥檚 inaugural masquerade charity gala is featuring 鈥渄inner in the dark鈥� to give patrons a sense of what people who are blind experience every day.
Wearing blacked-out masquerade masks, participants will learn how small tasks, like pouring a glass of water, can change when their sight is gone.
They will be guided through the process by presenter Matt Salli, and the lights will be on for the servers and others working the gala.
鈥淲e tried this many years ago and the people were really enthusiastic,鈥� Ettenberg said.
鈥淚 learned a lot. For example, it never dawned on me that if you鈥檙e dining with a blind person, and you want to talk to that blind person, you probably should say their name. If they鈥檙e around a table of eight, like they will be at the event, they won鈥檛 have any idea that you鈥檙e talking to them, because there鈥檚 seven other people at the table.
鈥淪o those are little things that you need to learn.鈥�
Hosted by Kevin Evans at Cascades Casino, the gala is a continuation of a recent wheelchair challenge, where participants 鈥渢ry on a disability.鈥�
鈥淲e believe if you can understand the disability, you are more likely to embrace the person and include them in your circle of friends,鈥� Ettenberg said.
鈥淚f you don鈥檛 understand the disability, people may think 鈥榙o I even talk to this person?鈥�
鈥淜nowledge is power.鈥�
The event also features live music, a DJ from 9 p.m. until midnight, 鈥渒araoke for the deaf鈥� by Shirley Eu, a silent auction, live auction and surprise gift boxes for sale, one which has a $1,200 stand of pearls inside.
Money raised will go towards purchasing two trailers to transport materials and supplies for the society. One will be a covered trailer to transport wheelchairs and scooters, and the other will be uncovered to transport a new wheelchair obstacle course.
Tickets for the event are $100 and can be purchased by calling 778-726-0711 or visiting .
Halloween costumes are also encouraged at the event.
