Forget Master Chef and My Kitchen Rules, an event being organised by a small but dedicated team of Wollongong volunteers will require diners to read and decode a braille menu, eat a meal in the dark and hold and consume all drinks with their non-dominant hand.
The inaugural Vision Australia Dinner in Dark will be held at Villa D’Oro restaurant on Friday 17 May 2013. The event was suggested, and is being organised, by Wollongong resident and Vision Australia volunteer, Ms Tracy Preston.
“I have volunteered with Vision Australia for about five years and am aware there are lots of challenges facing people who are blind or living with low vision. I wanted to hold an event which gives people some comprehension of how other people live and let them walk in their shoes.”
The lights will be dimmed and diners will wear blindfolds to eat one course of the three course meal and will be fined if they hold their drinks with their non-dominant hand.
“People who are blind and vision impaired often have a cane or other equipment in their dominant hand and have to do everything with their other hand. People can see how it feels, it’s not just the lack of vision but how other things are impacted too”, Ms Preston said.
Dinner in the Dark is being held during National Volunteer Week and will raise funds for Vision Australia to continue to assist those living with blindness and low vision.
It is hoped over 150 people will attend the Dinner in the Dark event which includes a three course meal and entertainment from local band The Blue Rays.
Tickets for the event cost $80 and are available from Moshtix or the Vision Australia office: (02) 4220 4300. A balloon raffle will be held on the night and corporate support of the raffle is welcomed.Download the Dinner in the Dark media release