HearSee Mobility hosted a one-of-a-kind BlackOut Banquet at Loveland Living Planet Aquarium. The formal event was designed to raise funds and awareness of HearSee's novel technology that assists the navigation of those who are blind or have low-vision.
Draper, Utah, October 18, 2024
HearSee Mobility hosted an unusual and remarkable event, The Blackout Banquet on October 17, 2024. Hearsee Mobility, a non-profit organization based in St. George, is committed to improving mobility for the visually impaired by utilizing a guide cane equipped with Bluetooth and RFID technology. Their ultimate goal is to enhance the visually impaired freedom to travel.
The Blackout Banquet was held in the dramatic, candle-lit ballroom at Loveland Living Planet Aquarium in Draper. Over 160 black-clad attendees were present, including eight sponsoring companies.
The dominant feature of the ballroom, a spectacular shark tank containing creatures from the ocean of all types, provided a mesmerizing backdrop for the event. Throughout the evening attendees snapped selfies with sharks, rays and sea turtles languidly drifting in the background.
HearSee provided attendees with VIP swag bags and a drink bar. Guests enjoyed a three-course meal and were invited to participate in a silent auction of paintings, somewhat resembling those of Jackson Pollock, painted by blind and low-vision individuals.
Guests were invited to don black eye masks and dine blindfolded to share in the blind experience with empathy and sometimes awkward moments.
HearSee Mobility's Susannah O'Brien emceed the event and thanked the generous donors, including the Gail Miller Family foundation for their support of the event. O'Brien introduced the speakers most of whom are blind or visually-impaired.
One of the speakers, a man named Kester who is visually impaired, provided tips to the attendees as they donned eye masks and attempted to eat while blindfolded, not always successfully: “Scan your table, the things you recognize, the people you are with. Use a clock in your mind to memorize what’s on your plate, 12 O’ Clock, 3 O’ Clock, 6 O’ Clock, 9 O’ Clock, feel your forks, spoons, etc.”
Tables were equipped with bells for people at the table to voice their support for ideas rather than applauding. The ringing of bells filled the room throughout the evening.
Blindfolded dining was certainly an unusual feature at any formal dinner, but in this case it was fitting and made dining at the event unforgettable and distinctive.
One speaker shared a story about taking the shuttle to Draper from the airport illustrating the daily challenges of having to rely on others for help in getting around busy public places. He asked someone to put his luggage into the shuttle bus for him. For reasons that are unclear, that person failed to do so, leaving the speaker without luggage, including his black formal outfit. Someone stepped up and supplied the outfit, but the anecdote illustrated how sighted people take for granted something as routine as visually making sure luggage was placed in a shuttle at the airport, instead of remaining on the curb. It highlights very real problems visually impaired people experience daily.
After dinner and the brief program, HearSee Mobility provided demos of their BlueTooth/RFID-enabled cane handles that, when paired with a smartphone, provides the user with helpful navigational aides while walking through a public building, airport, or other building that is equipped with low-cost RFID tags that work with the HearSee product.
The evening was authentic and meaningful, at times heartwarming and sometimes heartbreaking, to hear about the struggles and obstables blind people face in their lives as they navigate the world around them. It was a one of a kind experience that more people should definitely experience.
Read more about HearSee Mobility and their previous fundraising event, FuelFest, that took place earlier this year in St. George.
