Lions Club plans seventh Dinner in the Dark

Anita Fieldsa wants Pequea Valley-area businesses and residents to know more about the annual Paradise Lions Club Dinner in the Dark. She recalls the first time the Bank of Bird-in-Hand, where she works, reserved a table at the event. "The first year we had four people, and it was so much fun," she noted. Last year, more bank employees attended. "The staff (members who attended) said it brought them together on a whole different level," noted Fieldsa. "It's a good team-building activity."

The Paradise Lions Club's seventh Dinner in the Dark will give attendees a unique opportunity to eat a meal with limited or no vision. This year's dinner will be held on Wednesday, Oct. 9, at 6 p.m. at White Chimneys, 5117 Lincoln Highway, Gap. In addition to the meal, there will be presentations by VisionCorps, which will benefit from the dinner. A silent auction, which will feature up to 35 items, will be held during the reception.

During the dinner, attendees will learn about the work of VisionCorps, and part of that presentation will be education about vision loss and how different vision impairment issues impact people in their daily lives.

At each table, diners will have the opportunity to experience eating with vision limitations by choosing from items they can use to change their dining experience. Items that will be available to utilize will include blindfolds, modified safety glasses, and other implements that can simulate impairments such as macular degeneration. VisionCorps will provide the basics for staging a dinner by instructing diners to envision the plate as a clock, putting meat at 12 o'clock, a vegetable at 3, and potatoes at 6. Fieldsa noted that diners may choose which implements to try and how long to try them. "It's their choice whether to participate, or they can participate only for a minute," she said. "(Participation) is not required."

On the menu for the event will be baked chicken, roast beef and gravy, red skin potatoes, baby carrots, string beans, rolls and butter, and a tossed salad. Dessert will feature pumpkin and apple pies and chocolate cake. Beverages, which will be lemonade, coffee, beer, and wine. Yoder's Catering of Gordonville will handle food service for the event. "They're wonderful," said Fieldsa.

Past silent auction items have included signed sports memorabilia, trips to theme parks, overnight stays, and home goods. Traditionally, themed baskets have included a chocolate basket, a fall decor basket, and a carpet cleaning kit. According to Fieldsa, organizers try to gather items that will appeal to a variety of tastes. "Last year, we had Longwood Gardens tickets and Coach and Michael Kors handbags," she said.

More than 76 area residents attended the 2023 dinner, which raised nearly $4,000 for VisionCorps. "My goal is to get more businesses to bring more people," said Fieldsa, who detailed the benefits of attending as including raising awareness of vision impairment issues, team building, and raising money for VisionCorps. "It has so many benefits," she stated.

Both individual tickets and sponsorships with recognition are available. Those wishing to attend may purchase them by calling 717-278-5482 or 717-826-2935 or emailing heather.valudes@gmail.com or afieldsa@bihbank.com.