Dining in the Dark
Friday, April 11, 2025
6:30-9:30 PM
Hyatt Regency Lexington
(401 W High St, Lexington, KY 40507)
BCB will once again host this one-of-a-kind event in Central Kentucky, Friday, April 11, at the Hyatt Regency Lexington.
Guests will have the option to enjoy a delicious dinner under blindfold or vision impairment simulation glasses, while helping to raise money that goes to change the lives of people who are blind or visually impaired in Kentucky. Tickets for the evening include a sit-down dinner, cash bar, silent auction, vision impairment experience stations, 50/50 raffle and free parking.
Early Bird tickets will go on sale in January…stay tuned!
Silent Auction
Click here to see the wonderful items donated to our 2024 Dining in the Dark Silent Auction! Thank you so much to all our donors and bidders!
End-of-year Food Drive to Benefit Kentuckians Struggling with Vision Loss Starts September 13
Bluegrass Council of the Blind Asking Community’s Help During Blindness and Visual Impairment Awareness Month in Providing Supplemental Food
LEXINGTON, KY – Our food stocks for our clientele are low going into the holiday season; please support our end-of-year food drive this October in observation of Blindness and Visual Impairment Awareness Month.
Imagine doing your grocery shopping with little or no sight: just trying to move through the store, much less finding the right items. Imagine navigating public transportation to that store because you can no longer drive due to your vision impairment. Shopping, something those who are sighted may consider a simple weekly chore, can be stressful and difficult for people who are blind or visually impaired. That’s why the Bluegrass Council of the Blind (BCB) distributes supplemental food packages every month to our clientele in addition to serving meals at our monthly Lunch & Learn gatherings.
“Shopping is a challenge for those of us with vision challenges. BCB’s food distribution program is a way we try to reduce the stress of shopping, which is even more challenging during the holiday season, and provide easy-to-prepare foods to those with low to no vision,” said Theresa Thomas, BCB Executive Director.
October is Blindness and Visual Impairment Awareness Month, a time to heighten awareness of the realities of living with limited or no sight.
“The majority of BCB consumers are seniors, and beyond vision impairment, most also have some form of additional medical conditions such as hypertension, diabetes, obesity and other conditions we try to address by teaching healthier eating habits and providing healthier foods,” Thomas added. “Like everyone else, we are experiencing a rise in food costs, especially when purchasing healthy options, which food banks also struggle to provide. That’s why we’re reaching out for help from the community.”
“The extra food means a lot,” said one BCB client. “It has helped supplement my home meals, my financial situation. I live by myself, I’m totally blind and I take care of myself. I’m limited on my funds, and it has allowed me to free up a few dollars. And it has helped supplement my meal menu. I really appreciate it.”
“The end of the month gets tight,” said another, “and this food helps me not have to schedule another trip to the store. You have no idea how much that helps. It takes half a day to go anywhere when you can’t drive and have to take Wheels or ask somebody to drive you.”
If an individual or a group would like to participate in providing supplemental groceries and items to fellow Central Kentuckians who are blind or visually impaired, they can visit BCB’s Amazon Wishlist at this link to purchase canned goods and other items. For those who would prefer to shop locally, here are some suggestions:
Hoped for items:
Most shelf-stable items welcome. Many of our clients are diabetic so items that are low or no sodium, low or no sugar added and low in carbs are ideal.
Canned meats
Canned vegetables (low or no sodium)
Canned fruit (in natural juices or no sugar added)
Canned or dried soups (low sodium)
Canned meals (pastas, stews, etc.)
Powdered or shelf-stable milk
Low-sugar cereals
Bottled water (for support meetings)
Paper goods for meals at meetings (dessert plates, paper towels, plasticware)
Assorted color plastic tablecloths for 6 ft. tables (100 needed for the year)
Sugar-free candies for holiday goodie bags
Facial tissues
Clorox or other cleaning wipes
Soft soaps (pumps)
Coffee pods (standard sized k-cups) regular and dark roast preferred.
Food donations can be dropped off Monday through Thursday from 9 AM to 4 PM at BCB’s office: 2265 Harrodsburg Road, Ste. 102, Lexington. We can also accept financial donations for the food drive on our website at www.bcbky.org/donate; please type “Food Drive” into the notes field. If you would like to know other ways you can help in providing food to those with low or no vision, please contact us info@bcbky.org or call 859-259-1834. We appreciate your support!
About Blindness in Kentucky
The American Foundation of the Blind reports that some 162,000 Kentuckians suffer from vision loss. In 2019, the National Institutes of Health estimated the number of Americans experiencing vision loss would double by 2050. Kentucky ranks 8th in highest incidence of diabetes, the leading cause of blindness in the U.S. Diseases such as diabetes, cataracts, glaucoma and macular degeneration rob adults of their vision, along with their independence, safety and health. A Pocklington Trust study shows a link between visual impairment and depression. Statistics from the National Federation of the Blind show more than 70% of adults who are blind or visually impaired are not employed, leaving most in poverty. BCB strives to serve as a resource for cutting-edge technology, training, support and information to meet the needs of this rapidly growing population in Kentucky.
About BCB
The Bluegrass Council of the Blind is the only nonprofit exclusively serving the needs of adults who are blind or visually impaired in Central Kentucky. BCB services are free of charge to clients and available to any clients affected by vision loss, including family, friends and professionals working with people with low to no vision. BCB helps Kentuckians who are blind or visually impaired safely manage their health and maintain their independence. Our primary service area includes Fayette and surrounding counties however, due to a lack of available services in other Kentucky counties, we do provide information and services to persons in other counties upon request and as we have resources available. The mission of Bluegrass Council of the Blind is to increase independence, security and quality of life for Kentuckians affected by vision loss through peer support, technology, training and additional resources. For more information, please visit our Web site at www.bcbky.org.
Open House at New Location July 31
BCB is inviting our friends, neighbors and partner agencies that have not visited our new facility yet to an open house for a quick tour, refreshments and an opportunity to say hello to our staff! You can stop in any time between 2 PM and 6 PM, Monday, July 31, 2023, at 2265 Harrodsburg Road, Ste. 102. If you will be using Wheels, a good time to schedule might be a 1:30 to 2 PM pickup and a 3 to 3:30 PM return. (Unfortunately, Wheels passes cannot be reimbursed, as this does not fall under client services.) RSVPs are not required, but if you know you’re going
to attend, please call the office at 859-259-1834 or email info@bcbky.org to
let us know, so we plan accordingly.
BCB’s FINAL SEE Cruise on Sunday, June 25, at O’Neill’s was so much fun! Thank you to everyone who sponsored, attended, volunteered, bought package and 50/50 raffle tickets, danced and played in the band! It was a wonderful day bringing in much needed funds to provide life-changing services for Kentuckians who are blind or visually impaired.
Special thanks to:
- O’Neill’s – What a great venue, and the drinks and food were awesome!
- CONCH Republic – You all rocked!
- Everyone who donated packages and items for the raffle (see the list here) – So much generosity!
- Our hard-working volunteers – We couldn’t have pulled this off without you!
- And of course, our WONDERFUL SPONSORS!
2023 SEE Cruise sponsors!
Party Barge Sponsors
- JQ Financial Solutions
- Talent Financial Group, LLC
Port Sponsors
- Davis & Plomin Mechanical
- Kentucky Health Solutions
- Stratton Eyes
Tugboat Sponsor
- Bluegrass Parrot Head Club
2021 SEE Cruise
presented by Gates Ford
BCB’s 2021 SEE Cruise presented by Gates Ford on Sunday, Oct. 10, at O’Neill’s was so much fun! Thank you to everyone who sponsored, attended, volunteered, entered the package and 50/50 raffles, ate and drank (O’Neill’s donated 15 percent of food and drink!), danced and played in the bands! It was a wonderful day bringing in much needed funds to provide life-changing services for Kentuckians who are blind or visually impaired.
Special thanks to:
- O’Neill’s – What a great venue and the drinks and food were awesome!
- Sammy’s Left Eye and CONCH Republic – You all rocked!
- SEE Captain Bill Meck (7 years running!) – You not only brought great weather with you, but you always make sure the SEE Cruise sails along smoothly!
- Everyone who donated packages and items for the raffle (see the list here) – So much generosity!
- Our hard-working volunteers from the Junior League of Lexington and the UK School of Pharmacy – We couldn’t have pulled this off without you!
- And of course our WONDERFUL SPONSORS!
Jeffrey & Libby Barber
Davis & Plomin Mechanical
Tugboat Sponsors:
Blue Grass Parrot Head Club
Leah Bryan
Kentucky Academy of Eye Physicians and Surgeons (KAEPS)
R. Allen Schubert
Thank you for sailing with us on the BCB 2020 SEE Cruise, presented by Gates Ford! If you didn’t have the winning bid on an item, please consider making a donation to BCB by Oct. 31 by clicking here and adding a notation that it is for the SEE Cruise. We have a little ways to go to reach our goal, and all donations are needed!
Thanks to the fantastic efforts of our sponsors, donors and fellow cruisers, we raised almost $15,815 this year toward our $20,000 goal, with proceeds going to support life-changing programs for Kentuckians who are blind or visually impaired.
Please join us again for SEE Cruise 2021!
Thank you to our sponsors:
The Bluegrass Council of the Blind is partnering with the Lexington School for Recording Arts to broadcast the 2020 SEE Cruise – Sailing the Air Waves, presented by Gates Ford.
Ship Sponsor
Gates Ford-Lincoln
Party Barge Sponsor
Port Sponsors
- Anelle Congleton, in memory of Bill “Congo” Congleton
- Davis and Plomin Mechanical
- Mark Corrado
- Kentucky Institute for Eye Health & Surgery
- United Healthcare
Tugboat Sponsors
- Susie Basham, Realtor, The Agency
- Melody Bell, Independent Insurance Agent
- Bluegrass Parrot Head Club
- Cassie and Jason Collins
- The Delta Gamma Foundation
- Kentucky Academy of Eye Physicians & Surgeons
- Kentucky Health Solutions
- Rick & Brenda Satterwhite
- The Sam Shubert Foundation
And thank you to the following businesses who have donated gift items:
- Ale-8-One
- Board & Brush
- Churchill Downs
- Cycle Bar
- Dart Rush
- Evans Orchard
- Graeters
- Historic Boone Tavern
- Holiday World & Safari Splash
- Kayla Weber Art
- Kentucky Horse Park
- Malibu Jack’s
- Marriott Hotel-Downtown
- Michler’s
- Movie Tavern
- Nothing Bundt Cakes
- Raising Canes
- Red River Gorge Zipline Tours
Click here for the SEE Cruise 2020 sponsor kit! Please consider sponsoring this fun event!
Attention, Eye Care Professionals!
Please join us for BCB’s first-ever Wise Eyes Trivia Night on Wednesday, January 22, 2020, from 5:30-8:30 p.m., at Comedy Off Broadway, located at 161 Lexington Green Circle, #C4. This fundraising event is generously sponsored by:
- Retina Associates of Kentucky – Guiding Sponsor
- Dr. Anthony Bisotti – Leading Sponsor
- Erie Insurance – Leading Sponsor
- United HealthCare – Leading Sponsor
The evening begins with a Networking Hour from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m., which includes one free glass of wine and heavy hors d’oeuvres, as well as a full cash bar throughout the evening. Trivia begins promptly at 7 p.m., with awards presented upon conclusion.
We invite you and your colleagues to create teams of two to six people each and stir up some friendly competition for a great cause! We hope you will consider this for a company activity or a team-building opportunity to bring your co-workers and employees closer together while engaging in community philanthropy and a bit of “healthy competition.” You might not think of trivia as a team building activity, but it offers all the needed elements of a great team-building exercise: getting to know your colleagues, sharing knowledge, working as a team, a social element, plus one other important benefit – everyone can play!
Teams can have up to six (6) players. Early-Bird Registration before Jan. 20: $35 per person or $175 per table of 6. After Jan. 20: $40 per person or $200 per table of 6. This private event has a maximum capacity of 140 participants, so please act now!
BCB’s Wise Eyes Trivia Night gives you an opportunity to network with others in the industry and to learn more about BCB and how we can partner together to serve our communities.
Here’s your chance to start out the new year doing something to support your community and have a good time! Host a team and sponsor an event that brings people together to support BCB, an organization like no other in this area, that empowers people affected by vision loss by providing information, education, referrals, training, and peer support to promote inclusion and independence for persons with vision impairments.
Join BCB and our generous sponsors, along with other stakeholders in our community who serve people with blindness or low vision for a social event planned for fun and enrichment.
Your gift is tax deductible to the extent allowed by law. Our 501(c)(3) nonprofit tax ID is (EIN) 61-0971827 – KY Gaming License: #2168 Thank you for your consideration. Your participation will make a difference in the lives of adults and families affected by blindness or vision loss in the Bluegrass. For more information and team application see link below.
2020 Complete Trivia Night Sponsorship Packet
The 7th Annual SEE Cruise 2019!
April 28 at Banners Bar & Grill
Join BCB on April 28 from 4 – 8 PM at Banners for the 7th Annual SEE Cruise event to benefit Bluegrass Council of the Blind. The evening will feature live music from Conch Republic, food and drink specials, raffles, live and silent auctions, dancing and more.
Slip on your favorite flip flops and get ready to party with a purpose! Every dollar raised goes directly to fund programs for Kentuckians who are blind or visually impaired.
Save the date – Sunday, April 28nd from 4 to 8 PM! No tickets necessary, admission is only $20 at the door.
Don’t miss out! We always have a ton of great items in the raffle and auctions, so come prepared for some awesome packages! Stay tuned to this page for Sponsor updates and more!
Presented by:
PARTY BARGE SPONSOR:
PORT SPONSORS:
Danielle and Tom Bozarth
TUG BOAT SPONSORS:
Kentucky Academy of Eye Physicians and Surgeons
University of Kentucky Federal Credit Union
—
Curtis and Judy Harlin proudly supports Bluegrass Council of the Blind
The following businesses generously donated to the Silent Auction. Show your appreciation for our generous donors by giving them your business!
THE BLIND SERVICES COALITION OF KENTUCKY PRESENTS
THE EYE OPENING SYMPOSIUM
Sponsored by Retina Associates of Kentucky
9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Thursday, October 18, 2018. Fayette County Extension Office, 1140 Harry Sykes Way. Lexington, KY 40504. 859-257-5582
Who should attend? (CEUs approved for ACVREP, Social Work and Pending for CRC)
Social workers, Rehabilitation counselors, Physicians, Low vision specialists, Educators, Vision rehabilitation & education specialists, Persons who have low vision to no vision, Families and friends of persons with low vision to no vision. Attendees can choose to attend a full day or half day, but all who attend need to register.
This event is presented by the following agencies:
Bluegrass Council of the Blind, Independence Place Inc., Fayette County Extension Office, ITNBluegrass, KY Office for the Blind, Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government Division of Aging and Disability Services, Radio Eye, University of
Kentucky-Visual Impairment Program, Lexington VA Health Care, and Visually Impaired Preschool Services
9:00 a.m. – Registration and Exhibits
9:30 a.m. – Cortical Visual Loss
Padmaja Sudhakar, M.D. – University of Kentucky College of Medicine
What is Cortical Vision Loss? How is this complicated neurological condition evaluated and assessed? How does it affect daily living for persons with this condition?
11:00a.m. – Advances in Technology
Sam Seavey – Bluegrass Council of the Blind
Technology is all around us. Learn how social media plays a role in resources and assistive technology. See how everyday consumer electronics can assist with daily living.
Noon – Lunch and Exhibits
12:30p.m. – Update on Retina Research
Belinda Shirkey, M.D. – Retina Associates of Kentucky
Learn about the latest research, technology and surgical techniques being used to treat patients with low vision. Sharing resources and clarification to better understand this new information and how scientists are using their discoveries to improve the treatment of low vision
1:30 p.m. – Panel: Living With Vision Loss
A diagnosis that leads to low vision or no vision does not have to put an end to a person’s dreams and desires. Hear from the following as they share their stories:
Brittany Clarkson is the mother of 7-year-old Addy and she will share their early intervention success stories. Kenny Williams will talk about living independently with blindness, how he maintains his home, works, shops and maintains a healthy family life. Curt Mathies shares his story of losing his vision later in life and his journey during the first year of his vision loss.
2:15 p.m. – Panel: Resources for Vision Loss
Bluegrass Council of the Blind, Visually Impaired Preschool Services, Kentucky Office of the Blind, Independence Place, ITNBluegrass, Lexington VA Health Care Systems, Radio Eye
3:00p.m. – Visit Exhibits and Network
THANK YOU SEE CRUISE 2018!This Ship Has Sailed! We want to thank all our sponsors, donors, volunteers and attendees who set sail with us from Banners on Sunday, April 22nd with great music from CONCH REPUBLIC, yummy food and drink specials from Banners, and more than 13,000 in donated items in the auctions and raffle! We couldn’t be more pleased
Port Sponsors: Kentucky Health Administrators, Kentucky Eye Institute, and Dr. Curtis and Judy Harlin Tugboat Sponsors: Bluegrass Parrot Head Club, Kentucky Health Solutions, ServiceMasters, and UK Federal Credit Union
We had some terrific volunteers from the Junior League of Lexington, Delta Gamma Sorority, BCB board members and friends of BCB. We certainly could not have done this without you! We are so grateful for all who worked so hard to make this such a fun and successful event. We hope you will enjoy the photos and we hope you will join us next year for the 7th Annual SEE Cruise event in April of 2019! |
We want to thank all who attended our event on Sunday and share a few photos. It appears that a good time was had by all! Our Honorary SEE Captain, Bill Meck, did a wonderful job, yet again, as our MC and Chief Weather-Watcher. What great weather we had and what fun with Capt’n Bill as he steered the ship for his fourth year with us at the SEE Cruise.
Thanks Bill!
Ship Sponsor: Retina Associates of Kentucky
We can’t thank the great folks at Banners enough for all their help in making this a fabulous event! Thanks to Ryan, Kyle and the whole staff for taking great care of our guests, for their generous donations and for giving us the venue so we can “party with a purpose”! And – not to be forgotten, a big shout-out to the band members of CONCH REPUBLIC for being our colorful entertainment exclusively for 6 years running! Thank you!
The 5th Annual SEE Cruise 2017 was a huge success!
We’d like to thank our 2017 sponsors:
SHIP SPONSOR:
PORT SPONSOR:
TUG BOAT SPONSORS:
Graviss McDonald’s Restaurants
ServiceMaster Fire and Water Restoration Services
John Judge in honor of Kate McCabe
Danielle Bozarth and Moss Hill Golf Club
The following businesses supported us in 2017, show your appreciation for our generous donors by giving them your business!
Lexington Parks and Recreation
Bob’s Heating & Air Conditioning
Southern Glazer’s Wine and Spirits of Kentucky
Others who have donated great items for the silent auction:
Small Indulgences
Friends of the Parrotheads
Pam & John White
Morgan Rich
Janice Vranicar
John & Lynn Morris
Mitzi & Dave Potter
Dawes Thomas
Debbie Vinson
Laura Williams
Cheryl Adams
Sandy Wiese
Paula Wiese
Betsy Keplinger
Angie King
Jim & Janet Tutt
Thank you to our donors and to the Bluegrass Parrot Head Club for supporting us!
Central Bank Thursday Night Live
Benefiting BCB and Featuring Conch Republic
Fifth Third Bank Pavilion at Cheapside Park
251 W. Main Street Lexington
Each summer, the Downtown Lexington Corporation (DLC) hosts Central Bank Thursday Night Live. Nonprofits are paired with a band on Thursday nights and receive all the beer tips from DLC’s beer tents. BCB is always excited about our night at CBTNL! BCB’s Executive Director is in a band – Conch Republic – and we coordinate our volunteer night with the band for lots of tropical fun.