This past Saturday, April 26, 2014, my wife Susan and I, along with Tony Cirelli and his wife Lynn, had the honor and privilege to attend Bosma Enterprises’ “Dining in the Dark”, a yearly Indianapolis fundraiser for the blind and sight-impaired, which provided a unique learning and appreciation experience.
The evening started off with a cocktail reception and a tour of the donated items that were up for auction to raise money for programs for the blind and sight-impaired. We then made our way to dinner, where every table had a Bosma Ambassador. Our ambassadors were Jason Bailey and his wife Courtney.
Why did we need an ambassador? Well, part of the “Dining in the Dark” experience was to eat our meal blindfolded and in the dark. The JW Marriott then was kind enough to turn off the lights to ensure we didn’t “cheat”. Jason was there to ensure that we understood what it was like to eat with no sight. I must say, it was a near impossible task… finding your fork, cutting your food, and then trying to add your food to your fork, and then trying to find your mouth? Quite the task! Salad slid off, and you had no way to know if the piece of chicken on your fork was too large for your mouth. And finding your glass to get a drink? Perilous! Some folks even tried walking around blindfolded. This proved dangerous to all the people trying to eat in the dark.
After a few inspirational speeches and learning the history of the Bosma Foundation, the band started to play, casino night commenced, and a few other fun events got started, including the diamond dig and the wine pull.
Team Bosma created a festive, fun environment that helped the foundation raise a record amount of money – $105,000.00 pledged on a $100,000.00 goal!
AscentERP was happy to sponsor our table and contribute to such a fantastic cause. We have gained a greater understanding and appreciation for people who live with blindness and have become active contributors to our society.
We look forward to participating next year and doing our part.
Dining in the Dark, Bosma, Yearly Indianapolis Fundraiser
Written by: Ascent’s Co-Founder and President Shaun McInerney
