Despite her fear of heights and visual impairment, Chester County resident Natanya Sortland took part in Eye Drop 2021, a fundraiser for VisionCorps where participants rappel 10 stories down from the roof of the Holiday Inn in downtown Lancaster to raise funds for the organization. In 2022, Sortland took the plunge again, this time with Christina Wagoner from the United Way of Chester County.

For Eye Drop 2023, set for Friday, June 9, Sortland has gathered a team of Chester County residents who will join her to raise funds for and awareness of VisionCorps and its effort to help the blind and visually impaired. "I have an eight-person team this year, (so) there will be nine people from Chester County," said Sortland.

Among the participants will be a woman from the Mid-Atlantic Blind Golf Association, a visually impaired Paralympian, members of the Coventry Lions Club and Chris Saello, president and CEO of the United Way of Chester County, as well as Alex Becker, lead pastor at Covenant Presbyterian Church in Malvern. "I am so ready. I'm excited," said Becker. "I actually used to go rappelling when I was a kid, but I haven't really since I have been an adult. I am excited to jump back in."

Sortland said she will continue to participate in Eye Drop to make more people in Chester County aware of how she personally benefited from the services that the organization provides, including training individuals on how to use a cane to navigate obstacles both at home and in the community.

"I am more upset to have people not get the services they need than I am going over a building," she said, noting that the experience is still frightening. "Inside, I am saying, 'Smile. Don't look terrified.'"

Sortland spends time speaking at various churches and organizations promoting VisionCorps. "Natanya is our most effective ambassador and has done wonderful things for us being a spokesperson for the organization," noted Carol Gifford, VisionCorps community relations specialist.

"When you are visually impaired, one of the first things you deal with is feeling useless," Sortland shared. "I have a mission, and I am grateful to VisionCorps for giving me one."

During Eye Drop, Sortland will once again be dressed as Lady Liberty. "VisionCorps has given me my freedom, life and liberty back," she said. "My goal is to show people we can be golfers, Paralympians and we can climb down buildings. We want the world to know that we are capable of just about anything. That is what VisionCorps has inspired me to do."

Eye Drop 2023 will take place from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Holiday Inn Lancaster, 26 E. Chestnut St., Lancaster. As part of the fundraiser, which is in its fourth year, individuals commit to raising $1,000 to go over the edge of the Holiday Inn. This year's goal is to raise $175,000.

Proceeds from Eye Drop 2023 will support VisionCorps services, including the education and prevention of blindness and rehabilitation and employment for individuals with impaired vision. More information about the fundraiser is available at http://www.EyeDrop2023.org. To support Sortland and her team members, visit https://give.visioncorps.net/TeamLiberty.