Foundation Fighting Blindness To Honor Governor Ed Rendell & NetCarrier Chairman and CEO Brook Lenfest
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Philadelphia, PA (May 14, 2012) — The Foundation Fighting Blindness, a national non-profit organization focused on vision-saving research, will open guests’ eyes to the challenges of the visually impaired at its 3rd Annual Philadelphia Dining in the Dark on Monday, June 25, at the Four Seasons. To recognize their professional accomplishments and support for the fight against blindness, the Foundation will present its Visionary Award to two deserving honorees: The Honorable Edward G. Rendell, former Governor of Pennsylvania; and Brook Lenfest, Chairman and CEO of NetCarrier, Inc. and a Partner in LGL Partners. The unique event will benefit the Foundation’s cutting-edge research efforts into preventions, treatments and cures for sight-robbing retinal degenerative diseases including macular degeneration, retinitis pigmentosa, Usher syndrome, and related conditions. Dining in the Dark is a distinctive sensory awareness experience in which guests participate in an unforgettable dining adventure, in complete darkness. For about 30 minutes, attendees enjoy their entrée using only their senses of smell, sound, taste, and touch, to get a glimpse into the lives of the blind. Visually impaired servers, who are trained specifically for the dinner to use a system of ropes and stanchions, will share their stories and help guests navigate through this new culinary journey. Created in Germany, Dining in the Dark is a one-of-a kind concept that has been enjoyed by many people across Europe before moving to America in 2005. “People’s first-hand reactions to Dining in the Dark are truly powerful because many don’t realize the impact of living with low or no vision,” says Foundation Fighting Blindness CEO Bill Schmidt. “We’re thrilled to recognize two esteemed Philadelphia leaders as we come together to support cutting-edge research in promising areas like stem cell and gene therapies that offer hope to the more than 10 million Americans who are affected with blinding retinal diseases.” Visionary Award Honoree Ed Rendell is a former head of the Democratic National Committee, a current MSNBC senior political analyst, and a partner at Ballard Spahr LLP. Before becoming Governor, he turned heads as the beloved Mayor of Philadelphia who revamped the city’s difficult financial situation to cut the deficit and balance the budget. In his new book out in June called “A NATION OF WUSSES: How America’s Leaders Lost the Guts to Make Us Great,” Rendell revisits his rise to the top of Philadelphia, then Pennsylvania, then national politics, and examines the reluctance of America’s leaders to make difficult sacrifices for the greater good. He also teaches at the University of Pennsylvania and is a regular on Comcast SportsNet's post-game live show for the Philadelphia Eagles. The Visionary Award will also be presented to Brook Lenfest, who has been a leader in the telecommunications industry for more than 15 years and joined NetCarrier after serving as vice president for the largest cable company in the Philadelphia area at the time. LGL Partners is a private family office and investment firm for families and institutions where Lenfest serves as Director of Philanthropy. He’s supported several worthy programs through the Brook J. Lenfest Foundation, which he founded in 2000. Individual tickets are available for $350 each and sponsorship packages begin at $2,500. For ticket and sponsorship information, contact Judy Price at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or 410-423-0630. To request media credentials for the event or to coordinate an interview with a spokesperson, contact Allie Gebhardt at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or 410-423-0643.
About Foundation Fighting Blindness The Foundation Fighting Blindness is a national non-profit organization driving research that will lead to preventions, treatments and cures for retinitis pigmentosa, macular degeneration, Usher syndrome and the entire spectrum of retinal degenerative diseases that affect more than 10 million Americans. Since 1971, the Foundation has raised over $450 million as the leading non-governmental funder of retinal research. Breakthrough Foundation-funded studies using gene therapy have restored significant vision in children and young adults who were previously blind, paving the way for using this method to treat a variety of retinal degenerative diseases, and proving a cure is in sight. With a network of 50 chapters, the Foundation also provides support, education and resources to affected individuals and their families in communities across the country. |
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