Vision Bowl provides big boost for Blind Association

From staff reports

The Venango County Association for the Blind held its annual Vision Bowl awareness fundraiser last week at Seneca Lanes, and the event provided the agency with a 71% profit.

The funds will go toward providing specialized services to the blind and visually impaired individuals of Venango, Clarion and Forest counties.

The fundraiser is designed to be fun and to also call attention to what life is like for people with vision impairments.

Participants wore simulator glasses in their first game that allowed them to experience what it is like to have macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma/retinitis pigmentosa or cataracts.

Participants were also given the chance to bowl alongside people with visual impairments.

The competition was fierce this year as 17 teams competed for the traveling trophy that the Blind Association offers every year.

This year’s champs were the Oil City Polish National Alliance Lodge bowlers. They had the top overall score as well as the highest score in the vision impaired game.

Team members were Kimberly Slater Heil, Sue Kase, Nancy Klemm and Joan Slater.

The Polish National Alliance has been a gold sponsor of the event all five years it has been held.

Anyone who would like to participate in next year’s Vision Bowl, which is tentatively scheduled for Aug. 13, 2020, can contact the Venango County Association for the Blind at (814) 676-1876.