Blindfold Dinner Fundraiser for Guiding Eyes Set for Via Vanti!
The services provided by Yorktown-based Guiding Eyes for the Blind have a special meaning for Carla Gambescia, the owner of Via Vanti! Restaurant & Gelateria in Mount Kisco.
The restaurateur has family members who are blind, so it’s natural that she is hosting for the second year in a row a special fundraising event for the school while offering a unique dining experience.
On Sunday, March 1 from 1 to 4 p.m. Via Vanti! will hold Dining in the Dark. Participants will wear blindfolds while they eat a five-course meal and gelato.
The event will also include a meet-and-greet with Guiding Eyes puppy in training Wrangler of “The Today Show” fame. Wrangler is currently being raised on set at NBC’s Studio 1A.
Last year, it proved to be so popular that Gambescia is reprising the event. She hopes to top the $7,000 mark, which was the amount raised from last year’s dinner.
“This year we are offering a different delicious menu with interesting harmonious flavors and flavor contrasts, textures and aromas to heighten the mindfulness of the diners,” Gambescia said. “Not only is Dining in the Dark a fun and unique experience, it’s also for a great cause.”
Participants will be blindfolded before each course and can take off the blindfolds after each dish, Gambescia said. They’ll write down what they thought they ate.
There will be a progression in the food courses from simple to more complex, Gambescia said. Eating without looking at what you are eating is a different experience, she said.
Guiding Eyes, which opened in 1954, is a nonprofit organization that provides guide dogs to people with vision loss and service dogs to children with autism. Guiding Eyes, which is dependent on contributions, provides its services at no charge.
Gambescia, a dog lover, said the animals trained by Guiding Eyes help the blind to live independent lives.
A Guiding Eyes administrator thanked Gambescia for her efforts.
“We are excited for the opportunity to raise awareness of our mission by partnering with Via Vanti!” said Becky Barnes, Guiding Eyes’ manager of consumer relations and graduate support said. “I love being able to share the experience of savoring delicious food without vision.”
Tickets for Dining in the Dark are $75 per person. Seating is limited and reservations are required.
Via Vanti! Restaurant & Gelateria is located at 2 Kirby Plaza in Mount Kisco. For reservations and more information, call Via Vanti! at 914-666-6400 or visit www.viavanti.com.
For more information about Guiding Eyes for the Blind, visit www.guidingeyes.org. or connect with the school on Facebook and Twitter.
