For over 100 years, Lions clubs across the globe have been dubbed the Knights of the Blind.
In 1925, at the Lions Clubs International Convention, noted disability rights advocate Helen Keller challenged the Lions to be the knights of the blind in the fight against darkness. In the century since this initial challenge, Lions clubs have helped the blind and visually impaired in a myriad of ways. This includes both the 100 Mile House Lions Club and the 108 Mile Lions Club, which both support the 100 Mile House & District Blind & Visually Impaired White Cane Club.
On Saturday, May 3, members of the White Cane Club led by Lori Fry, director of public relations and fund development, decided to honour the work of the Lions by inviting them to a catered three-course meal at the Farrier Pub. The only catch? All attendees had to wear blindfolds for a full three hours to get an authentic Dining in the Dark experience.
"It was an event to honour the Lions' legacy and commitment to Helen Keller. We put together the Dining in the Dark event so we could provide not only a celebration honouring the Lions and their works and commitment to the blind community, but also to provide an education component to all the attendees," Fry explained. "Just to give them a moment of being in someone else's shoes, just for a couple of hours."
All told, around 50 people attended the Dining in the Dark event. While most were members of local Lions Clubs, members of the media, local politicians and other supporters of the White Cane Club were also in attendance.
Each attendee was met at the door and given a blindfold to wear throughout the night. They were then escorted to their tables and encouraged to socialise with their neighbours. When each meal was served, the guests had to do their best to eat without being able to see the plate with varying degrees of success.
One of the Lions in attendance was Dr Neil VanderHorst, the 100 Mile Lions Club's membership chair. VanderHorst said that the dinner was both fun and a very humbling experience as everyone sat blindfolded and engaged in the challenge of eating without their eyes.
"I have sat with Lori at several Lions Club dinners over the past few months, and was aware more than most of the challenges that she faces with her low vision, but sitting blindfolded for three hours, socializing and eating, was a profoundly eye-opening experience; metaphorically speaking," VanderHorst remarked.
"With no vision through the blindfold, I found my posture was all askew; instead of sitting straight and facing the people I was talking with, I found that I was slouching and leaning over the table. Did having my eyes closed make me feel sleepy? Did it just not matter to look someone in the eye while you’re talking to them, if you couldn’t see them? Thankfully, the other dinner guests couldn’t see me either, but I’m sure it looked rather silly to the evening sponsors who could see what was going on."
VanderHorst noted that eating the meal itself without his sight was its own challenge. His solution was to probe the food on his plate with a finger before stabbing into it with a fork. He praised the quality of the food and noted he was able to stay relatively neat and clean until dessert, where he accidentally spilt it across the tabletop.
"As an optometrist, it was humbling to see how easy it can be to underestimate the challenges faced by our low vision community. As a member of the Lions Club, what is humbling to recognize our responsibility to understand and advocate for the needs of the visually challenged," VanderHorst remarked. "As an individual, I was humbled to realize how much perseverance my friends in the low vision community put into what might otherwise seem daily, mundane tasks for the rest of us."
Fry remarked she's wanted to organize a Dining in the Dark event for years and had originally planned to do one in 2020 before the pandemic hit. When she realized the 100th anniversary of Keller's challenge was coming up, she decided this year would be the perfect time to do it.
"I just really wanted to express my own gratitude, but also on behalf of the low vision and blind community," Fry said.
Before hosting the dinner, Fry said she talked with an old colleague, who is blind, who used to work at a dining in the dark style restaurant down in the Lower Mainland. Thanks to this and other research Fry decided to do a small event, rather than a large 200-plus dinner at the 100 Mile House Community Hall she'd originally been considering.
While not everything went exactly to plan on Saturday, May 3, Fry said she was proud of the event she and her fellow volunteers were able to put together. If the club ever runs another dining in the dark dinner, thanks to this experience, she says they now know what to expect.
"There were lots of things that were tested out and not tried out, but overall I think we're all pretty pleased with the event," Fry remarked. "I enjoyed the effects on behalf of the attendees. I enjoyed that everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves."
Fry said that after the dinner, she chattered with several different attendees who shared the different ways being without their sight for so long affected them. Many reported feelings of anxiety, others fear, with many remarking that the amount of noise in the room was overwhelming at times.
"Even having a mask on for an hour was going to put (people) out of their comfort zones. It's not going to be nice, we knew that. The majority of people did it for three hours," Fry said. "I can't compliment them enough."
When asked if she would ever run another Dining in the Dark event, Fry said that while she has joined the 100 Mile Lions Club herself this year, she is looking to slow down. She noted, however, that some of the Lions discussed possibly turning the dinner into a fundraiser, and she would be willing to offer advice to them if they do.
"I'm trying to head to somewhat of a little bit of semi-retirement. Coming up in six months, I've been doing this for 35 years," Fry said. "I've done a lot of big events in the last 10 years... so I think this, to me, was kind of my grand finale when it comes to me being so hands-on."
VanderHorst thanked the White Cane Club for honouring the Lions and giving them all a chance to walk for three hours in their shoes.
"It was three hours that I will never forget," VanderHorst remarked.
