Originally Published : Coastal View News • Jun 29, 2023
To view original Article: https://issuu.com/coastalview/docs/cvn41_9f2a020fe69bb6
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​Published Santa Barbara Independent https://www.independent.com/events/blind-fitness-surf-clinic/

​Goleta Lions Club Joins Blind Fitness to Empower Visually Impaired Individuals Through Adapted Surf Clinic 
The Goleta Lions Club is proud to announce its collaboration with Blind Fitness to organize an adaptive surf clinic at Santa Claus Lane Beach on June 22nd. This annual event is open to participants of all ages who are blind or have low vision and wish to experience the thrill of riding waves under the guidance of professional surf instructors. The surf clinic aligns with Blind Fitness’ mission of empowering visually impaired individuals through sports, recreation, and physical activity.

 Blind Fitness, founded by Brianna Pettit, is dedicated to addressing the unique challenges faced by individuals with vision impairments when it comes to accessing outdoor recreational activities. By organizing convenient and accessible events, Blind Fitness offers visually impaired individuals a diverse range of activities, including monthly walks/runs, surfing, cycling, kayaking, and hiking adventures. Recognizing the value of community involvement, Blind Fitness encourages sighted community members to volunteer and assist visually impaired participants during their fitness activities, fostering a sense of unity, belonging, and shared achievement. Currently, around 100 people, including volunteers and those with vision loss, are actively involved with Blind Fitness.

Demonstrating their support of Blind Fitness, the Goleta Lion’s Club will provide lunch at the upcoming adapted surf clinic. Beginning at noon, the Lions Club will ensure that all participants and volunteers are provided with a meal, showing their commitment to contributing to events that promote worthy causes. “We’re so excited to be a part of this meaningful event,” said Bobby Blessing, President of the Goleta Lion’s Club. “Supporting the profoundly positive impact Blind Fitness has on the lives of visually impaired individuals within our community is truly rewarding.”

The Goleta Lions Club focuses its volunteer and support efforts on programs related to sight, hearing, and children’s causes. The club actively engages in events and initiatives that benefit the community, and provides financial support to local nonprofit organizations. The Goleta Lions Club takes pride in their community-wide sight and hearing screenings. They recognize that eyesight and hearing related conditions during early childhood can have consequences on a child’s social, developmental, and educational well-being. By detecting these issues early and providing treatment, it is possible to minimize and even eliminate the effects of these conditions. In addition to their ongoing recreational programs, Blind Fitness has organized several notable events to date. Last October, in support of White Cane Awareness Day, the organization led a group of blind and low vision walkers and runners along the Santa Barbara beachfront, raising awareness about the challenges faced by the vision-impaired community. The event also included a guided blind-fold opportunity for sighted attendees to gain insight into the daily experiences of visually impaired individuals. Additionally, Blind Fitness facilitated the participation of blind and low vision individuals in the Santa Barbara Half Marathon last year, where they joined over 3,000 runners.

The Goleta Lions Club and Blind Fitness invite individuals of all ages who are blind or have low vision to join the upcoming adaptive surf clinic. The event will be held at Santa Claus Lane Beach (South end) on June 22nd from 10am-2pm. Participants will have access to all necessary equipment and will be provided with lunch. In order to support Blind Fitness in their efforts to organize future events for the community, participants are encouraged to make a donation.

To RSVP or get more information about this event, visit https://blindfitness.org/events/blind-fitness-adaptive-surf-clinic/.

About Goleta Lions Club: The Goleta Lions Club is a service club based in Goleta, California dedicated to improving the lives of individuals in the Goleta and Santa Barbara area. Through volunteer work, community-wide screenings, and various activities, the club strives to make a positive impact and support those in need. Website: https://www.goletalionsclub.org/

About Blind Fitness: Blind Fitness is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering people who are blind or have low vision through sports, recreation, and physical activity while educating the public of their abilities. Blind Fitness provides services to those with vision loss that make fitness and recreational activities more accessible and convenient.
Website: https://blindfitness.org/

If you’ve ever staggered out of tree pose after following a yoga instructor’s cue to attempt it with your eyes closed, you may have concluded it’s impossible for visually impaired people to pursue sports. Brianna Pettit wants to set you straight.

Pettit founded Blind Fitness in 2021 to provide a holistic, mind-body approach to fitness for people with impaired vision. “Vision loss can be very isolating,” said Pettit, who has a master’s in special education and provides orientation and mobility training to people with vision impairment. Noting that spending time outside got her through the monotony of the pandemic, Pettit said the goal of her nonprofit organization is to find ways for people with vision loss to enjoy the outdoors and the healing power of nature. To make it happen, they need volunteers.

I arrived at the Cabrillo Pavilion on a sunny but cool Saturday morning for the Blind Fitness monthly beach walk/run. Pettit led a brief training for new volunteers on how to serve as a guide for a blind athlete: We learned to always ask if the athlete would like help, find out which side they like to be guided on, and to offer our arm rather than a hand. Then we learned what it’s like to be guided. Pettit handed me a cane and a black mask to strap over my eyes, and then paired me with Brian Walters, an Antonio Banderas lookalike and veteran of the London Marathon. He tolerated my cold hand on his arm and patiently instructed me in how to use my cane (sweep, don’t tap) and walk down stairs using the cane to gauge the depth of the step. Then it was my turn to try my guiding skills with Brian: We practiced passing through narrow spaces single file and transitioning from one walking surface to another, such as from pavement to sand.
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By the time the training was over, a sizable group of athletes and volunteers had gathered, along with some guide dogs, including Marvel the golden retriever. Pettit asked us all to form a circle and introduce ourselves, and then she paired athletes with guides based on preference for walking or running. Walters, who’s been guiding runners since 2015, got paired with an athlete who wanted to run. Fortunately for me, Joseph Colunga wanted to walk, and upon meeting me, he immediately asked if I would be his guide, without waiting for Pettit to pair us.
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