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

This year's Santa Barbara Half Marathon attracted 6,000 runners with a record number of them being visually impaired. 
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"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.
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"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.

Blind Fitness teams volunteers with those who have impaired vision for everything from running to kayaking. A big fundraiser is set for Saturday.

It’s a beautiful, warm morning at Santa Barbara’s East Beach. Brian Walters and Daniel Brose are preparing to go for a run. The two men walk from the beach to the sidewalk.

Seeing the two men run looks pretty normal at first, until you notice Brose has a little tether, connecting him to Walters. The tether helps keep him on track, because he is blind.

Walters is a volunteer, and Brose is a client in a unique Santa Barbara based non-profit to help people with vision loss.

"Blind Fitness is a 501-C3 non-profit, and our mission is to empower people who are blind, or have low vision to be active through sports, and recreation, and physical activity, while also educating the public about their abilities," said  

Brianna Pettit, the founder, and Executive Director of Blind Fitness. It offers activities like hiking, running, surfing, cycling, and kayaking to people with vision issues.

"This all came about during the pandemic, where I, for my own mental health, needed that ability to get outside. Just being able to bring that to other people brings me joy," said Pettit.
 
Brose said Blind Fitness allows him to take part in activities like running, and kayaking that the 41-year-old man hasn’t been able to do for years.

He had a eye disease similar to retinitis pigmentosa, which started at birth, and is a genetic condition. It began with him having night blindness, and led to him being legally diagnosed as blind at the age of 24.
 
His running guide, Brian Walters, talked about how he became one of the program’s volunteers.
"I have glaucoma, and I'm at risk of becoming severely visually impaired. I've lost about half the field of vision in my right eye. My left eye is virtually unaffected," said Walters.

But, between the two eyes, he has nearly 20/20 distance vision. He looks at helping others as paying it forward, knowing that someday he might be the one needing help.

Walters is 62, but is the picture of fitness. He actually serves as a guide in marathons, running with others who are blind or vision impaired. 

Bob Burnham is another Blind Fitness program participant. He’s a client, but is also very involved in helping others as the non-profit's president.

"I've been totally blind since birth...I am 72...I have had a wonderful life, with a supportive family, friends, really a life of success," said Burnham.

He has been married for 40 years, and worked for Santa Barbara's Metropolitan Transit District for 32 years, mostly as a radio dispatcher.

He said he like taking part in the Blind Fitness programs, but also likes to encourage others to take part.

One of his favorite things to do is to walk on Santa Barbara’s beaches. While most of us see the surf, the sand, and the sun, Burnham says he enjoys being here using other senses, like smell, and sounds.

Blind Fitness is only about two years old, but news about the non-profit has spread quickly. It’s working with more than 60 people. Those involved with the program say while the activity is important, just as vital is the new community that’s developed connecting people who are blind, and sight impaired.

The organization is holding a big fundraiser on Saturday, October 7. It's a benefit concert at Santa Barbara's Trinity Episcopal Church. It begins at 2 p.m. A donation of $20 to help Blind Fitness is suggested.

Published by David Powdrell in EdHat July 1, 2023, 10:02 am
https://www.edhat.com/author/big-wave-dave/​​

Next time you surf, I challenge you to close your eyes while riding the wave.
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Here’s what prompts the challenge: Last week, my friend Chris Keet (Surf Happens) called and asked if I’d come down to Santa Claus Lane to shoot a few photos of blind or sight impaired (mostly teenagers) surfing. I’ve discovered in my lifetime that among the most inspiring, interesting, fun people to hang around with are people with challenges. These teens were no different. Happy, grateful, funny, brave, and inspirational, all rolled up into one.

It’s important to celebrate the strength, resilience, and determination of individuals facing challenges and to support initiatives that provide them with opportunities to pursue their passions.
The event was a brilliant collaboration between a number of local nonprofits; Surf Happens, Blind Fitness, Wayfinder Family Services, and the Goleta Lions Club.
I’ll let the photographs do the speaking. Thank you, Chris, Brianna, and everyone involved with the event. I look forward to doing it again next year! > Read more! pictures and comments here

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.
> See Pictures and Read More

By: Genelle Padilla
Posted at 4:24 PM, Oct 14, 2022
​Creating a deeper connection between the community - and those who are visually impaired.