 Grateful for YOU, our Blind Fitness community!This holiday season, we have every reason to be thankful for supporters like you. Blind Fitness began just 3 years ago with a small gathering of participants ready to explore the outdoors. Today we are a full-fledged non-profit with a growing community of over 600 people advocating and sharing resources with the blind and low vision community. This year we offered an impressive array of activities to our community:
And there are more ways to help! Please consider sharing your dedication to Blind Fitness this Giving Tuesday by posting a challenge on Facebook and Instagram! You may have seen others set giving goals on their birthdays, special occasions, or on Giving Tuesday. This allows us to expand our giving circle beyond our community to others who see your passion for Blind Fitness and may also choose to give and get involved! Please consider sharing our fundraiser to benefit Blind Fitness before Giving Tuesday on December 3, 2024. Join us on this special day, and let's amplify our collective impact to help Blind Fitness continue to thrive and grow! May your holidays be Merry and Bright. With gratitude, Brianna Pettit Founder | Executive Director
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 Listen or read original KSBY article by Juliet Lemar here: https://www.ksby.com/santa-barbara-south-coast/record-number-of-visually-impaired-athletes-race-in-santa-barbara-half-marathon Nearly 50 blind or visually impaired runners, ranging in age from 12-78, participated. This year's Santa Barbara Half Marathon attracted 6,000 runners with a record number of them being visually impaired.
"Dealing with going blind is scary. so running is a great outlet, a great way to deal with it, cope with it, and connect with people," said runner Dan Broz. Broz has slowly been losing his vision since birth. "And it just got really isolating, and then Brianna came along, made Blind Fitness and gave me direction," Broz said. Three years ago, Brianna Pettit began creating a support system for the visually impaired community in Santa Barbara. "Blind Fitness began to build because there were so many people that wanted to get outside and get fresh air and move their bodies," Pettit said. Blind Fitness has trained hundreds of guides to assist blind athletes in surfing, yoga, running, cycling, and more. "To be able to help some of these other people that are still shut in and scared to death, help them overcome their fear, try to overcome some of the stereotypes of what blind people can't do rather than what we can do," said Bob Burnham, Blind Fitness President. On Sunday, November 3, the Santa Barbara Half Marathon had 50 visually impaired athletes, ranging from 12 to 78 years old. United in Stride founder Richard Hunter says his goal is to help people be more active and combat isolation. "The relationship between the guide and the visually impaired fitness walker or jogger, they become their friends and then they're in a community, and that's super powerful," Hunter explained. And it’s not just the athletes who benefit from running with a partner. "We can all learn a tremendous amount from each other," said guide Brian Walters. Walters is paying it forward after a glaucoma diagnosis and says he’s learned a lot from his blind friends. "Just because someone is visually impaired or blind doesn't mean they can't lead a very full and fulfilling life," he said. Visit United in Stride to find a guide near you.  Dear Blind Fitness Participants, Volunteers, Partners, and Sponsors, We would like to extend our deepest gratitude to everyone who joined us for the Santa Barbara Half Marathon & 5k this past weekend. Your participation and support played a vital role in making this event a memorable success! This year we had the honor of hosting 25 athletes who are blind or have low vision, along with over 30 guides, many of whom were guiding for the first time. Several people competed in their very first 5k or half marathon race, and we even had two people fly out all the way from Maryland to join us! A special shout out to our panelists at our community banquet: Dan Broz, Tony Duenas, Dr. Vivienne Hau, and Courtney Mazzola. Your vulnerability and heartfelt messages made a significant impact at our event. (Read more about each panelist below in their bio) We also want to recognize some exceptional contributors:
Together, we fostered an inclusive and empowering atmosphere that showcased the spirit of our community. Your kindness and enthusiasm are what drives our mission at Blind Fitness. Once again, thank you for your dedication and support. We look forward to seeing you all again at future events to continue expanding fitness and community with the blind! 
Blind Fitness Community Banquet Panelist BiosTony Duenas
Marco A. Duenas (Tony), age 57, lost his vision at 42-years-old due to retinal detachments. Prior to his vision loss, Tony was not very physically active, but After losing his sight, he started with boxing, then jujitsu, and CrossFit. Then, one day, a friend invited him to run and 5-months later, Tony ran his first Los Angeles Marathon. After speaking with Richard Hunter, Tony did his first Olympic distance triathlon 4-months later. Tony has gone on to complete 11 marathons (3 of which were Boston), 2 ultra marathons, 7 half Ironman distance triathlons and 3 full Ironmans. More recently, Tony began cross country skiing which he really enjoys. Tony obtained his Masters in Assistive Technology and Human Services last year, and is currently learning ASL at the Braille Institute so he can work with the blind/deaf community. Daniel Broz Daniel, 42-years-old, lives in Santa Barbara, and has been a part of blind fitness from the very beginning. Daniel was diagnosed with Choroideremia when he was 15 and was legally blind at 24-years-old. He has experience with running, hiking, yoga and the gym. Daniel is currently working on his grant writing certification. Courtney Mazzola Courtney Mazzola is a somatic psychotherapist, supporting clients in living their best lives by addressing the whole person, mind, body, and spirit. She has worked with a diverse range of populations, including inmates at San Quentin, children who lost loved ones, and hospice. Blind from birth due to Labors Congenital Amaurosis, she brings a lifetime of experience working to promote personal and professional empowerment for members of the blind community. She currently lives between Santa Barbra, and Kauai,, and is inspired by inclusionism, self-growth, travel, adventure, delicious food, and having unique experiences of every kind. An accomplished equestrian, marshal artist, and sailor, her recent passions include surfing, skiing, hiking, and tandem cycling. Her latest conquest was learning to fly a plane and she is in the process of discovering what’s next. Vivienne S. Hau, MD, PhD Vivienne S. Hau, MD, PhD is a Clinical Assistant Professor with the Kaiser Permanente (KP) Bernard J. Tyson School of Medicine and a Permanente Partner retina surgeon. She is the Kaiser Permanente Riverside Area Vice-Chair of Clinical Research and a co-founder and director of Kaiser Permanente’s largest ophthalmology clinical research program nationwide focusing on age-related macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy. She has been the primary investigator of over 20 phase 1, 2 and 3 prospective randomized studies that have led to 4 FDA approved treatments and includes stem cell therapy and the first gene therapy at Kaiser last year. She has also guided a handful of different visually impaired runners in over a dozen marathons including the Boston Marathon as part of Team with a Vision, Achilles International, USABA and United in Stride. One of her proudest moments was being the co-captain with Richard Hunter in leading the first visually impaired team in the Mt. Hood to Coast 200 mile overnight race. She's also the mother to a most amazing 9 y/o daughter. |
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As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit in the state of California. Donations to Blind Fitness are tax deductible
EIN Number: 87-2740782 | IRS Determination Letter
As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit in the state of California. Donations to Blind Fitness are tax deductible
EIN Number: 87-2740782 | IRS Determination Letter
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