TASP PRESENTS DINNER IN THE DARK

13 Jan TASP PRESENTS DINNER IN THE DARK

We don’t often eat dinner in total darkness. But at Dinner in the Dark, a January 19th fundraiser organized by Telluride Adaptive Sports Program, guests will have the chance to do just that. They’ll dine on a three-course gourmet meal entirely in the dark and have the chance to listen to guest-speaker Erik Weihenmayer, the first blind climber to summit Mt. Everest. Cocktails will be served, and a live auction will follow the presentation.

Erik Weihenmayer became the first blind man to summit Mt. Everest in May of 2001. He has since gone on to summit all of the world’s major summits, one of only 100 people to do so. Weihenmayer was a contestant on the “No Barriers” team on the ABC series, Expedition Impossible. He has written two books, Touch the Top of the World and The Adversity Advantage.

Dinner in the Dark helps to raise funds for Telluride’s No Barriers Summit, a four-day event in August of 2013 geared towards people with disabilities. No Barriers will bring together scientists, artists, and guest speakers and will feature hands-on clinics, outdoor excursions, art, music, and leadership exercises. The symposium hopes to attract between 400-600 participants.

Courtney Stuecheli, executive director of TASP and one of the key organizers of Dinner in the Dark and the No Barriers Summit, says she hopes “both events inspire a change in the typical way we approach situations and encourage us to break the perception of our own barriers.  These lessons are important for everyone regardless of ability level.”

Tickets cost $125; limited seats are available at Weihenmayer’s table for $250. The event takes place Saturday, Jan. 19, starting at 5:30 p.m., at the Hotel Madeline. To purchase tickets go to No Barriers or call 728-5010 for more information.

Click on this podcast with Courtney to hear more about Dinner in the Dark and the No Barriers Summit.