Going blind for the blind

I noticed a few things about being blind...
It was at a fundraising event for Egoli Blind, called Dinner in the Dark, on Friday evening.

We were blindfolded and had to eat our "dinner in the dark"!


Thoughts on being blind:

- I don't like being blind! (That's the point!)

- I get sleepy as soon as my eyes are not working.

- Conversation was hampered because I could not see the rest of the people at the table.

- Food tastes different when you can't see it.

- It was a whole negotiation to get my glass filled, and we did not know how to get the attention of the waiters. Keeping our hands in the air did not seem to work.


In the end there was a little lot of peeking happening, and we had great fun!

It made me aware of how difficult it must be to be in perpetual darkness, and to negotiate your way in a visual world.

I work with a blind colleague, and he makes it seem so easy!
He does not see anything as a barrier.
When something has to be done, he is off with only his walking cane in his hand!

Hats off to all the blind people who "see" and do everything!


I am copying the Mission of Egoli Blind, who are mainly operating in the southern Gauteng area of South Africa. They are on Facebook as well: Egoli Blind.

"In order to achieve its vision Egoli Blind provides the following to its members as well as the visually impaired community within its area of operation:

o Support to recently blinded people;o Assistance to visually impaired people with reference to job placement and the improvement of working conditions.o Advise people of and refer where necessary to rehabilitation facilities.o The collection and dissemination of information relevant to visually impaired people.o  Creating awareness among visually impaired people of the services provided by Blind SA i.e.:

•  Braille training;
•  Literature;
•  Study bursaries;
•  Loan facilities;
•  Education;
•   Employment and careers;
•   Advocacy;
•  Blindness-related information;

o Orientation and mobility;

• Support to parents of visually impaired children ‘and’ visually impaired learners relating to educational matters;
• Support to visually impaired senior citizens;
• A forum for networking among visually impaired people;
• Creating an awareness among the sighted public of blind people and blindness-related matters"

Shadow waiters at Spur

The French students

The things you do for fundraisers! The teen and the French tour of the French class next is year is becoming more of a reality. The first payment needs to be made, and the budget is tight! And the tour gets more expensive it seems as the bookings are being made…

We organized a fundraiser with a local Spur (steak ranch) in our area. The French students had to shadow with the waiter, and they got 10% of the proceeds of the evening. Some got nice tips as well… I can recommend it to anyone. No stressing about selling of tickets before the time like we did with the Barnyard fundraiser earlier.

The students had a great time. They had a new experience as well learning about working in a restaurant. The teen’s waiter told us that she is a quick learner, and that she did very well for her first evening as a waiter.

The toddler kept us busy because she discovered the play area, and Dad especially had to follow that pointy finger! She was awake until nine when we left, but slept the minute the car was moving! Which is of course a very nice bonus for any evening!

The parents enjoyed the whole evening as well! We had a lovely meal and could catch up with friends again…

What do you recommend doing for a fundraiser that does not involve too much stress?

Fundraiser – things we learnt

The things you do for your children… Phew! The D-Day for the Fundraiser for the French tour of the French class at school finally happened on Friday. It was nail-biting and worrisome because we (Yvonne, the children and me) were fretting about getting in enough money to pay for the venue and show. Super Troupers, at the Barnyard at Cresta Mall in Johannesburg. Not even about starting to begin raising money for that French tour…


But we made it, and could pay back our due money last Tuesday already. And we made some money extra for the girls as well. We have declared it a success! But never again! You hear!

From now on my head will shake “NO!” when confronted with any misguided attempt of responsibility towards the school.

The things you learn when trying to raise money:

• There are lots of very nice people who really try to support you. Some people even gave us donations when they couldn’t make it on the evening.


• It took a lot of organizing between two of us to keep the ball rolling. I think it could have become too complicated when other become involved as well.


• The children help a lot with fundraising. Involve them!


• It helps to organize a fundraiser around a show and venue. We only worried about getting the tickets sold.


• Posters and flyers do not bring in the sales. It is your own network of friends that’s worth the most when trying to get a venue full.


• There are mean people out there. We got constant competition from a teacher at the school who organized the same type of event with the same show. We announced a long time before him what and when we were planning to do our fundraiser. (Very strange!)


• That same teacher made a lot of promises, but never followed through. (Why?)

We are very relieved, and very glad about the money raised. The children have a bit more in their banking accounts. It will be able to cover the visas, al least. Every bit helps!

Thanks to everybody who supported us!

The things you do for your children

I have found myself in strange situations because of my child(ren). I am not the baking/sewing kind of mom, but I have found myself at school in a kitchen helping out with food. Or washing large stacks of table cloths and ironing it. For the school! And afterwards always swearing never to say yes again...


I’ve done it again. The teen wants to go on that French tour next year. Another friend’s mom, Yvonne, and I decided that we should organise something to raise some funds. Now we are organising a fundraising event in two week’s time. And we are seriously worrying about getting all the seats sold to be able to pay back the hosting company. Why, oh why, don’t we learn?

Note to self: when toddler comes home with letters from the school to tick, or with open spaces to put my name in... Don’t do it! Take a deep breath. Let the guilt (parents are supposed to help out at school-guilt) pass! I don’t have to say yes to all, especially since I am a working mom.

We thought it was a good idea to identify a venue and show. I still think it is... Not the extra worries of organising and setting up a venue, or having to pay for the entertainment. We only have to worry about selling the tickets. Now we find it is hard enough to sell all the tickets.

Barnyard Theatre at Cresta Mall in Johannesburg is currently running Super Troupers, a musical show of Abba, the Bee Gees and the 70s. What are you doing the 17th of September? Please support us!