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Fashion Industry Leaders to Dine in the
Dark
in Support of Sight-Saving Research
New York, NY — The Foundation Fighting
Blindness, a national
non-profit organization focused on vision-saving research,
will open guests’ eyes to the challenges of the visually
impaired community at its New York Fashion Ball: Dining in
the Dark event on Wednesday, May 30, at the Plaza Hotel.
Proceeds will benefit the Foundation’s cutting-edge research
efforts into preventions, treatments and cures for
vision-robbing retinal degenerative diseases like macular
degeneration, retinitis pigmentosa, Usher syndrome, and
related conditions.
Dining in the Dark is a distinctive sensory awareness
experience in which guests participate in an unforgettable
dining adventure, in complete darkness. For about 30
minutes, attendees enjoy their entrée using only their
senses of smell, sound, taste, and touch, to get a glimpse
into the lives of the blind. Visually impaired servers, who
are trained specifically for the dinner to use a system of
ropes and stanchions, will share their stories and help
guests navigate through this new culinary journey. Created
in Germany, Dining in the Dark is a one-of-a kind concept
that has been enjoyed by many people across Europe before
moving to America in 2005.
“Reactions to Dining in the Dark are truly
powerful because people often don’t realize the daily
challenges of living with low to no vision,” says Dinner
Chair Evan Mittman, of Armonk, NY. A Foundation Fighting
Blindness board member and CEO of Cipriani Accessories,
Mittman didn’t let a sight-robbing genetic disease called
enhanced S-cone syndrome stand in his way of building one of
the largest companies in the accessories industry. “We’re
thrilled to bring fashion industry leaders together to
support research in promising areas like gene therapy and
stem cells that offer hope to the more than 10 million
Americans affected with retinal diseases.”
Chairing the event with Mittman is fashion executive Jill
Granoff, who was honored with the Foundation’s Visionary
Award in 2011. Notable committee members also include the
evening’s keynote speaker Andy Hilfiger, fashion
photographer Patrick McMullan, respected stylist Mary Alice
Stephenson, LF USA CEO Rick Darling, Accessories Council
President Karen Giberson, Calvin Klein President and CEO Tom
Murry, and Vice President of PR for Dior Beauty Dianne Vavra.
Guests will enjoy entertainment by a performer from
Visionary Media, an organization that provides opportunities
and a voice for blind and visually impaired musicians. Among
the evening’s generous supporters is Innovator Sponsor Lucky
Zone (Shanghai) Co., LTD.
What: New York Fashion Ball: Dining in the Dark,
Benefiting the Foundation Fighting Blindness
Where: The Plaza Hotel
Fifth Avenue at 58th Street
New York, NY 10019
When: Wednesday, May 30, 2012
6 p.m. Reception
7-9 p.m. Dinner & Program
Individual tickets are available for $500 each and
sponsorship packages begin at $5,000. For ticket and
sponsorship information, contact Events Manager Jennie
Wexler at
JWexler@FightBlindness.org or (212) 244-1470. To
request media credentials or coordinate an interview with an
event spokesperson, contact Allie Gebhardt at 410-423-0643
or
AGebhardt@FightBlindness.org .
About Foundation Fighting Blindness
The Foundation Fighting Blindness is a national non-profit
organization driving research that will lead to preventions,
treatments and cures for retinitis pigmentosa, macular
degeneration, Usher syndrome and the entire spectrum of
retinal degenerative diseases that affect more than 10
million Americans. In its 40-year history, the Foundation
has raised more than $450 million as the leading
non-governmental funder of retinal research. Breakthrough
Foundation-funded studies using gene therapy have restored
significant vision in children and young adults who were
previously blind, paving the way for using this method to
treat a variety of retinal degenerative diseases, and
proving a cure is in sight. With a network of 50 chapters,
the Foundation also provides support and resources to
affected individuals and their families in communities
across the country.
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