Contact:  Alicia Hefty                                                                             3107 N. Davis Hwy

alicia@ibwest.org                                                                               Pensacola, FL  32503     

850-477-2663                                                                                            www.ibwest.org                                    

March 19, 2010

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

$20,000 raised to help fund education for blind individuals at 8^th Annual Eye Ball

Independence for the Blind of West Florida (IB West) raised more $20,000 March 6 at its 8^th annual Eye Ball, a fundraiser held at the Hilton Pensacola Beach Gulf Front that helps fund education for blind and visually impaired individuals of all ages throughout ten counties in Northwest Florida.  Comedian T. Bubba Bechtol emceed the event and encouraged the crowd to bid on the wide variety of auction items that had been donated by businesses and individuals throughout Escambia and Santa Rosa Counties. 

Leigh Hoskins, an instructor and former client of IB West, gave a moving presentation about her own experience losing her eyesight in her mid-thirties.  Hoskins also spoke about the upcoming summer camp IB West hosts each year for blind teens:  Summer Transition that helps prepare them for the workforce, higher education, and adulthood.  When Executive Director Russell Rieder asked the crowd of 190 attendees to help fund the program, several people raised their hand and contributed over $2,500 for Summer Transition.

The main event of the evening was the “Dancing with our Stars” competition.  The crowd cheered on Center Stage Ballroom professional dancers who partnered with local “stars” Bill Dagnall, Kim MacQueen, Shiela Martin, and David Tuyo.  Each team had been rehearsing their routines for several weeks.   Judges Malcolm Ballinger, Donna Clark (winner of the 2009 Eye Ball), Kevin Doyle, and Sheriff David Morgan scored and commented on each performance.  Sheila Martin and her partner won the competition after wowing the judges and the crowd with their own version of the “Jitterbug”. 

IB West is a 501 (c ) (3) non-profit organization, funded in part by the Florida Department of Education, Division of Blind Services, whose mission is to teach blind and visually impaired individuals skills to live independently. 

For more information about IB West and to view pictures from the 2010 Eye Ball, please visit their website at www.ibwest.org.

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