A group is pictured at a past Dining in the Dark event to benefit CBA Vision Rehabilitation Services.

CELORON – CBA Vision Rehabilitation Services will host its annual Dining in the Dark event on Friday, April 4, at the Chautauqua Harbor Hotel in Celoron.

Dining in the Dark is a one-of-a-kind sensory adventure that offers guests the opportunity to have a dining experience without the use of their sight. Doors will open at 5 p.m. with a cash bar, silent and live auctions, and a 50/50 giveaway. The silent and live auctions will provide guests with the opportunity to bid on a variety of items, with all proceeds going towards CBA Vision Rehabilitation Services. Credit cards will be accepted for the live and silent auctions. At 6:15 p.m., guests will begin dinner seating, where each person will be blindfolded and escorted to their table by a trained, sighted guide. The dining experience will include a three-course meal.

The event is in its 13th year as a fundraiser for CBA’s programs, which are aimed at education, prevention and supporting individuals with visual impairments. Programs include Vision Rehabilitation, Orientation and Mobility Training, Vocational Rehab, and the Youth Vision Screening program for both Chautauqua and Cattaraugus counties.

CBA continues to partner with JCC’s Occupational Therapy Assistant Program, the State University at Fredonia’s Pre-Health Professions Club and the St. Bonaventure OT department to teach the students how to support and work with visually impaired individuals. The students help guide the guests around the dinner tables throughout the evening, assisting them as they navigate their meals.

“This event has become somewhat of a community tradition and provides such a unique experience,” said Megan Maynard, CBA Vision Rehabilitation Services executive director. “Guests not only can enjoy a beautiful venue and meal, but they will also gain insight into the vital programs that CBA offers. I believe everyone has encountered someone in their life who has experienced some sort of vision impairment, whether it’s a family member, neighbor, friend, or colleague. This event offers a fun yet educational opportunity to step into the shoes of someone visually impaired and to listen to inspiring stories about our programs.”

CBA has been serving the community for more than a century and has several programs aimed at helping the visually impaired. Formerly known as the Chautauqua Blind Association, CBA Vision Rehabilitation Services provides one-on-one training to legally blind clients both at home and in the community. In 2024, the agency conducted vision screenings on nearly 4,500 children in Chautauqua and Cattaraugus counties to identify children with vision disorders and eye abnormalities, collaborating with schools to refer these children to local eye care professionals for further evaluations and treatment. As a result, CBA has reached numerous children and families who may not have sought eye care otherwise.

The Sight for Success Program was established in 2019, specifically for children from families with financial needs for eyecare. After the untimely passing of Dr. Timothy Grace, many individuals contributed donations and memorials in his honor which led to the renaming of the Dr. Timothy Grace Sight for Success Program. It continues to uphold Dr. Grace’s dedication to promoting eye health.

Reservations for Dining in the Dark are $65 per person and include a choice of a three-course meal. Dinner reservations are due March 21 and can be made online at www.cbavision.org, or by calling CBA at 716-664-6660.

Several business sponsorship levels are also available for the event. For more information about sponsorships, call or email director@cbavision.org. The sponsorship deadline is March 14.

Those who can’t attend but want to support CBA Vision Rehabilitation can make a tax-deductible donation online at cbavision.org or by sending a check to CBA, 510 W. Fifth St., Jamestown, NY 14701.

CBA Vision Rehabilitation is a United Way community partner.