by Sylvia "sugar" Lopez
[Editor's Note: As we did with our spotlight on the San Francisco Chapter, Fall BC 2015 where we also included an article about their major fundraising
activity, so here in addition to the Fresno Chapter spotlight, we are delighted to add this article about their major fundraiser. Here is how Sylvia introduces
herself.
"I have been a CCB member since the year 2000, and a member in the Fresno Chapter for the past 7 years or so. I was President for The Inland Empire Chapter
before I moved to Fresno.
For the BC I used to write a recipe corner called "Cooking with Sugar"; I truly enjoyed it. I am currently on the Membership Committee with Ardis Bazyn
and 4 other members. In the past I have sat on several boards for disability rights and in the City Of Commerce and for Riverside. I enjoy helping, assisting
and learning from the CCB. I want to help others with the same opportunity that I have been shown when I first had my sight taken from me 18 years ago."]
Greetings fellow CCB members, it has been a while since I wrote anything for
the BC and I am happy to do so again.
My name is Sylvia Sugar Lopez and I want to share a little about the CCB Fresno Chapter's Dining in the Dark fund raiser event that was held on Saturday
September 19, 2015. The event was held at Yosemite Falls Restaurant in Fresno. Our chapter sold tickets for this event and we had about 100 guests in attendance.
Blind-folds were available for those who wanted to experience how it is to eat a full meal being blind. It was very exciting and amusing hearing and seeing
those who used the blind-folds as they tried to relate to those of us who are blind. Attached to the blind-folds were pamphlets that spoke of CCB and our
chapter and what we stand for. It was nice to hear guests talk out loud in amazement as they recognized how much we members of the blind community are
capable of accomplishing what needs to be done if we all work together. A fine example for all walks of life.
As our guests entered the restaurant they were assigned a number if they wanted to participate in our silent auction. We had volunteers who came and assisted
the guests to the back of the room where each auction item was on the table. In front of the item was a small picture frame with the name and how much
it was going for. If you were interested in purchasing it, you just had to write your number on paper with your name, again there were volunteers to assist
with whatever was needed.
For this fundraiser, our chapter sent out donation letters, physically went to several stores, restaurants and many different places around Fresno to collect
donations to use for our event. We sold tickets for $40 each or $70 for two. Our event started at 3 PM and ended around 7.
Not only were our volunteers very helpful but they were also our live entertainment. They call themselves First Avenue and they were great! We also had
individuals of our chapter who spoke about themselves and how they have used their blindness to advocate for themselves and for the community through CCB.
The dinner consisted of salad, beverage and a choice of either tri-tip-chicken or a vegetarian plate with all the fixings including dessert and coffee.
Members of the Fresno Chapter all wore different colored T-shirts with a big heart on the front saying, "I love CCB," and on the back in both print and
Braille puffed dots it read, "Ask Me About CCB." Our Chapter also sold T-shirts with all of the names of sponsors and places/individuals who were kind
enough to donate items for the silent auction.
With proceeds from our event, we sponsored Central Valley Blind Babies Beeper Egg hunt. We also donated a mini iPad for a Blind/visually impaired high
school student. The student had to submit an essay giving us a reason about how this item would benefit them as a blind student. The essay was a good one
and the winner expressed that she was newly blind and lived with her grandmother. She had nothing to communicate with and was very eager to learn more
about CCB and thanked the chapter for allowing her to begin to learn to be more independent. Our chapter also sponsors local Junior Blind Olympians.
With everyone's cooperation and hard work I am happy and proud to announce that we had a successful fundraiser and that we were able to raise $2,000 for
the CCB Fresno Chapter. We are now focusing on our next event and finding more ways to bring CCB into our community to make Fresno more aware of blindness.
Thank you for the opportunity to share on behalf of my chapter; it is truly appreciated and thank you to all who have taken time to read about the CCB
Fresno Chapter's Dining in the Dark.
Blessings,
Sugar Lopez
