You want to plan the perfect evening, and you decide dinner and a concert is just the ticket. You figure out what to wear, make preparations for a babysitter for the kids, and arrive at the venue. You are escorted into the venue... and the room is completely dark.
Was there a power outage? Is this a horror movie rather than a concert? No, it's neither of these. It's an experience you'll never forget, one that will open your heart and mind to other senses besides your eyes in a safe, fun and meaningful environment.
Welcome to the Blind Cafe, a blind awareness fundraising dinner and full concert held January 26, 27, and 28 at the Church of Christ, 1903 University Avenue in Austin. All of the waitstaff are sight-limited. The meal consists of delicious vegetarian dishes prepared by Austin chef Brian Henderson, along with a concert featuring musician Brian "Rosh" Rocheleau, founder of the Blind Cafe, and the band One Eye Glass Broken. Members of the audience can also take part in a Q&A discussion on issues related to blindness, all conducted in a completely darkened room.
Part of the proceeds from the three-day event will go toward the Bell Program, which helps young blind children learn valuable life skills. Richie Flores, head of the Bell Program and President of the Austin Chapter of the National Federation of the Blind, will be the keynote speaker.
The Blind Cafe has had great success in several cities around the country besides Austin, including Boulder, Portland, and Cincinnati. It's a chance to make new friends, build community, advocate for the blind, and discover firsthand what it's like to live life without sight.
Austin resident Elizabeth Lehr, who attended a previous Blind Cafe event, was greatly affected by the experience. "My husband Aaron and I made a date night out of the Blind Cafe, and it actually made a pretty big impact on our marriage," she said. "I realized (again) how important it is to just enjoy the life I've been given, so since then, I've been cutting back on things that to me are superfluous, and focusing on what's really important."
Tickets for the Blind Cafe range from $45 to $95. If you'd like to volunteer, or find out more information, visit the event website at:
My son James is moving in with me, and preparing to start technical school in January. For the past couple of months, I've been keeping his dog, Gus, for him until he moves in.
Gus is quite a character. He's part Rat Terrier, part Chihuahua, and weighs about 15 pounds, friendly to everyone. His favorite sleeping place is on top of my sofa, like a cat; in fact, James teases him all the time about it. This photo was taken of him by my girlfriend in just such a pose. Enjoy!
When Rohan Murphy was four years old, doctors were forced to amputate both his legs, due to a birth defect that caused them to be deformed. Afraid of not fitting in with other kids, Murphy wore prosthetics rather than use a wheelchair. As he grew older, however, he made up his mind not to let his disability define who he was. He put away the prosthetics and now uses a wheelchair.
"When I was a kid, I used to look at being disabled as a curse," Murphy told me in a phone interview from his home in Long Island, New York. "But as I got older, I got wiser and started to realize that being disabled could actually be a gift, that I could actually go out and use this gift to inspire other people."
The turning point in Murphy's thinking came when he joined his high school wrestling team, and had great success in the sport. He was able to carry that achievement with him to Penn State, where he excelled in wrestling at the collegiate level, and graduated with a degree in kinesiology. Though he no longer competes as a wrestler, he has participated in international power lifting competitions, and is currently training for the 2012 Paralympics. He has appeared in a Nike commercial, and travels the country as a motivational speaker to tell his story.
Murphy will share that story here in Austin this weekend, and will serve as Honorary Ambassador to the Easter Seals of Central Texas during their Walk With Me Austin Family 2K event on Sunday at the Domain. The walk is one of the nonprofit organization's biggest annual events, with funds going toward providing services for people with disabilities and their families, so they can fully participate in their comunities.
To be successful in life, Murphy says, everyone has to overcome some type of adversity. He hopes his presence and short speech after the Walk With Me event will send a positive message to people with and without a disability. "You should never give up," Murphy said. "You should always try to find a way to make something happen. You should always think about what you want out of life, what you want to accomplish... and what you're willing to do to make your dreams become reality."
If you'd like to register for the walk, or find out more information about Easter Seals of Central Texas, visit the Walk With Me Austin website at: www.walkwithme.org/austin.
With all the statistics about the divorce rate getting higher and higher, here's a change of pace: a couple who was married 72 years, and ended up passing away together. Read this incredible story by clicking here:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2051047/Gordon-Norma-Yeager-married-72-yrs-die-hour-apart-holding-hands.html?ito=feeds-newsxml
This past week has been one of deep reflection for me. No, I'm not going to espouse philosophy or anything; it's quite simple, really. The devastating wildfires here in the Austin area, along with the 10th anniversary of 9/11... both events have stirred a myriad of emotions in me, and, I'm sure, in many of you as well.
We probably know at least someone who was affected by the wildfires in some way. I know three people personally who had to evacuate, but thankfully they were able to return to their homes with little or no damage. But there were countless others who lost everything, including their homes, and my thoughts and prayers go out to them.
You always hope that there is no loss of life with these events, but unfortunately, two people died from the wildfires, and my heart goes out to their families as well.
Even if many of us weren't directly affected by the tragic events of September 11, 2001 in the sense of losing loved ones or friends, I don't think we can ever forget the sense of horror and outrage we felt when the terrorists struck. Our country was being violated, and it didn't matter whether you lived in New York or Austin, if you saw the images on television or heard about it on the radio, you felt as if you were right in the thick of it.
The dominant thought running through my mind as I ran through both events this week is the way people pull together in times of tragedy or great crisis. We worry and complain daily about our local, state, and federal government, about the economy, the unemployment rate, health care, etc. But when something or someone threatens our community, state, or country, all that goes out the window. When you hear about people opening their homes to total strangers because they had to evacuate, or give generously of their finances or material possessions, it shows more than just a sense of duty or responsibility. It demonstrates real compassion, a feeling of togetherness. It's one of the many reasons I'm proud to be an American.
Most of us are familiar with the Miss America pageant, which has been crowning winners from all over the country since 1921. There is another pageant you may not be as familiar with, but is no less important in its concept. The Miss Plus America pageant is dedicated to celebrating the inner beauty of women, along with their commitment to the communities in which they live, and the 2011 Miss Plus America Elite winner lives here in Austin.
Spruce Dickerson competed with women from all over the United States last month to capture the Miss Plus America Elite crown, which is the highest honor in the Miss Plus America pageant system.
I first met Spruce several months ago, when we were paired as co-emcees for the Statewide Independent Living Council Convention. Her positive, energetic personality and passion for advocating for the voice of plus-sized women is both refreshing and unmistakable.
"All women are worthy, and all women have a voice," she told me as we talked in my office recently. "It doesn't matter what our size is. All women are beautiful." Her mantra: "love who you are, where you are."
All contestants are required to choose a platform, and Spruce chose volunteerism, because, as she put it, "I already do that. It's not a hat that I put on and take off. My life is volunteerism."
Spruce is excited about her opportunity to represent the Miss Plus America Elite crown, which is not affiliated with the Miss America contest. She will have numerous opportunities throughout the year to promote her volunteerism platform, and her theme, "give... so that others can live." In December, she will travel to Nigeria to speak and emcee at the Miss Plus Nigeria pageant. While there, she will visit orphanages and schools, where she'll be passing out school supplies. She is also currently working on a campaign called Flip Flop To Nigeria, to collect flip flops to hand out to people during her visit.
For more information about Spruce, or to line her up for a guest appearance, email Melissa Stamper at:
director@missplusamerica.com
You may also visit Spruce's website at:
http://www.sprucedickerson.com/
Actress Betty White has been asked out on a date--by a Marine, no less!
The 89-year-old actrss was invited to a Marine ball through a YouTube video from Sgt. Ray Lewis. Check it out here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=wAkurLwCmEw
Have you ever seen or felt what Braille is like? Have you ever run your fingers across a page of Braille? If not, have you always been curious to find out?
Your chance comes this Saturday, June 25, as the Austin Council of the Blind hosts a Braille Awareness Day at Barnes & Noble, 10000 Research Blvd. in the Arboretum from 1 to 4 Pm.
Come see what the alphabet looks like in Braille, along with books that contain both Braille and print so blind and sighted children can read together, and watch a demonstration of different writing tools used to write Braille. As a special treat, have your name or a special message written in Braille for you to keep.
For more information about the Braille Awareness Day, visit:
http://www.acbaustin.org/bn_braille-awareness.htm
In conjunction with Braille Awareness Day, Barnes & Noble is also hosting a Book Fair, with a portion of the proceeds benefiting the Austin Council of the Blind. The Book Fair will run from June 25 through June 30. Virtually any item purchased at Barnes & Noble can be used to support the Book Fair. If you shop online, all you have to do is enter the code 10512481 at checkout, and a percentage of your purchase price benefits the Austin Council of the Blind.
For further instructions on how to shop in support of the Book Fair, visit:
http://www.acbaustin.org/bn_bookfair_2011.htm
William and Kate are about to hire a housekeeper-dresser for their new London home. To find out more on that, and other goings-on with the Royal Couple, click the article below:
http://www.people.com/people/package/article/0,,20395222_20500584,00.html
Summer can often seem busier than other times of the year, with vacation, entertaining the kids while school's out, etc.
In the midst of all this activity, we sometimes forget that not everyone is able to do these things, particularly people who are homebound du to illness or other reasons.
That's why Meals On Wheels and More is so vital to our community, providing meals for people who are otherwise unable to cook for themselves. The organization relies on dedicated volunteers to transport 90 percent of the one million meals it distributes each year throughout the Austin area.
With summer approaching,MOWAM is facing a shortage of drivers to cover its routes, and more cancellations are expected due to summer commitments. 40 of these routes are currently open, which means they don't have regular drivers assigned to them, and are having to be covered by paid drivers. This raises administrative costs, including gas.
Meals On Wheels and More is looking for both regular and substitute drivers, particularly in north Austin and areas east of I35. If you can help, visit their website at:
http://www.mealsonwheelsandmore.org/volunteer.
When Rohan Murphy was four years old, doctors were forced to amputate both his legs, due to a birth defect that caused them to be deformed. Afraid of not fitting in with other kids, Murphy wore prosthetics rather than use a wheelchair. As he grew older, however, he made up his mind not to let his disability define who he was. He put away the prosthetics and now uses a wheelchair.
Most of us are familiar with the Miss America pageant, which has been crowning winners from all over the country since 1921. There is another pageant you may not be as familiar with, but is no less important in its concept. The Miss Plus America pageant is dedicated to celebrating the inner beauty of women, along with their commitment to the communities in which they live, and the 2011 Miss Plus America Elite winner lives here in Austin.
Spruce Dickerson competed with women from all over the United States last month to capture the Miss Plus America Elite crown, which is the highest honor in the Miss Plus America pageant system.
I first met Spruce several months ago, when we were paired as co-emcees for the Statewide Independent Living Council Convention. Her positive, energetic personality and passion for advocating for the voice of plus-sized women is both refreshing and unmistakable.
"All women are worthy, and all women have a voice," she told me as we talked in my office recently. "It doesn't matter what our size is. All women are beautiful." Her mantra: "love who you are, where you are."
All contestants are required to choose a platform, and Spruce chose volunteerism, because, as she put it, "I already do that. It's not a hat that I put on and take off. My life is volunteerism."
Spruce is excited about her opportunity to represent the Miss Plus America Elite crown, which is not affiliated with the Miss America contest. She will have numerous opportunities throughout the year to promote her volunteerism platform, and her theme, "give... so that others can live." In December, she will travel to Nigeria to speak and emcee at the Miss Plus Nigeria pageant. While there, she will visit orphanages and schools, where she'll be passing out school supplies. She is also currently working on a campaign called Flip Flop To Nigeria, to collect flip flops to hand out to people during her visit.
For more information about Spruce, or to line her up for a guest appearance, email Melissa Stamper at:
director@missplusamerica.com
You may also visit Spruce's website at:
http://www.sprucedickerson.com/
