V.I.P. Fishing Tournament

Our very own Lion Wayne Faber presented us with information about the Visually Impaired Person (V.I.P.) Fishing Tournament at our meeting July 19th, 2012. The North Carolina Lions VIP Fishing Tournament is a non-profit organization celebrating its 30th anniversary in 2012. The project brings in 525 participants from across North Carolina for three days of recreation, fellowship, and independent living workshops designed to help visually impaired persons (VIPs). It is the largest gathering of visually impaired in North Carolina and is believed to be the largest event of its kind in North America. Services to the VIPs include education and an extension of the rehabilitation programs provided by the North Carolina Services for the Blind. Through educational and recreational activities, the VIPs are provided opportunities to eliminate negative attitudes often associated with blindness and to accommodate their need to enter mainstream America. Research and development may eventually find a cure for blindness, but there are currently more than 20,000 visually impaired people in the Tar Heel state. The VIP program touches the lives of a small percentage of those persons who are attempting to conform to a world of the sighted. The Tourmanent takes place oct 15th thru the 17th 2012