An experience of darkness - Charity Walk

THOSE who have always wanted to know what it is like to be blind will have a chance to experience “temporary blindness” during a 2.3km charity walk on June 28.
The occasion is the Walk for Sight event whereby a sighted person would lead a blindfolded sighted person along the route to create awareness, especially among youths and students, on the disabilities and needs of the visually impaired.
State Health, Welfare, Caring Society and Environment Committee chairman Phee Boon Poh told a press conference yesterday that the organisers were targeting about 5,000 participants for the event.
The main objective of the event, organised by the Region 1 Lions Clubs and Leo Clubs and St Nicholas Home Penang in partnership with the Penang State Sports Council, is to raise funds for the home.
Phee said the organisers hoped to raise about RM75,000 to help the visually impaired, and to revamp their low vision equipment at their Low Vision Centre.
“Participants will walk in pairs with one of them being blindfolded, and they can switch roles along the walk. This gives those with sight the opportunity to experience blindness, to value sight and appreciate teamwork, to have fun and also to raise funds for a good cause,” he said.
Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng is expected to flag off the event, which would begin and end at the Padang Polo in Jalan Sepoy Lines, at 8am on June 28.
He said registration was RM15 per person, while children between seven and 12 years only needed to pay RM10. He said donations were tax exempted.
The registration centres are the St Nicholas Home in Jalan Bagan Jermal, the Kwong Wah Yit Poh office in Presgrave Street, and the Penang State Sports Council office in Jalan Sultan Azlan Shah.
For details, call
04-2290800,
019-4487738
012-4889289