We invite you to join us at the 8th Annual Vision Beyond Sight Gala, taking place on Thursday, March 27, 2025, at 5:00 pm in the ballroom of the beautiful Mile Square Golf Course in Fountain Valley, CA. The gala celebrates and champions those with visual impairments who overcome obstacles to achieve their full potential. Attendees and supporters share our vision of a world where all children, no matter their abilities, are equipped to live full and rewarding lives,
Your Support Matters
Beyond Blindness delivered the most innovative and advanced Journey of Care to 2,200 individuals in 2024 and – with your help – will reach our bold goal of serving more than 2,680 children and family members outlined in our strategic plan. Each year, we provide approximately 500 children and 1,000 family members with life-changing resources that provide hope for a brighter future.
75% of children served at Beyond Blindness come from low to moderate-income households and we are only able to provide our services with underwriting through philanthropic financial support provided by generous benefactors. We believe children can overcome any obstacle given the right tools and with family and community support. With your support, Beyond Blindness will empower kids and their families with integrated services that support their child’s development and the whole family.
Featured Artist: Laurie Rubin
The New York Times wrote that Laurie possesses:
– “compelling artistry, communicative power, and earthy, rich, and poignant qualities.”
“A young mezzo-soprano whose voice is darkly complex and mysteriously soulful and who adds intense emphasis to every word of text.” says the LA Times.
Laurie Rubin is a world-renowned vocalist and performer, who is blind. She has collaborated with The Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center and premiered compositions by eminent composers such as John Harbison, Gabriela Lena Frank, and Gordon Beeferman among many others. She has portrayed various operatic roles, including the witch in Lisa Bielawa’s “Vireo,” which debuted at Ravinia with Frederica Von Stade in 2015. Her other notable roles include Rossini’s La Cenerentola, Britten’s “Noye’s Fludde,” and Poulenc’s “The Human Voice.”
In addition to her performing career, Laurie co-founded the Musique à la Mode Chamber Music Ensemble is a founding member of the Baroque ensemble Callisto Ascending, and is also a co-founder and artistic director of Ohana Arts in Honolulu.
Beyond her musical achievements, Laurie Rubin is an accomplished author. Her memoir, “Do You Dream in Color? Insights From a Girl Without Sight,” offers a compelling reflection on her life and career as an internationally recognized opera singer who happens to be blind.
Los Angeles Times lauded Rubin’s “charismatic, multi-textured performance (which) seems to have an especially acute intuition about the power and subtleties of sound.”
Honoree: Pacific Life Foundation
2025 recipient of our Founders Award, the Dr. Wilhelm de Nijs Vision Award
Together with Pacific Life, the Pacific Life Foundation has made philanthropic investments totaling $159 million to nonprofits over the past four decades. In addition, the Pacific Life Volunteers program generates thousands of hours of service to our communities every year. In 2025, Pacific Life will make $9.5 million in charitable contributions, with a focus on investing in community impact-driven programs that provide confidence for current and future generations to thrive, including career and college readiness, food security, and ocean health initiatives. Our support of Beyond Blindness aligns with Pacific Life’s purpose of building confidence for generations and doing the right thing for our communities. A recent $100,000 capital grant in support of building a new playground at Beyond Blindness’ Santa Ana location will positively impact hundreds of children for generations. The Foundation consistently ranks as one of Orange County’s largest philanthropic funders every year, while earning national recognition from Points of Light’s Civic 50 as one of the 50 most community-minded companies in the United States.
Gala Planning Committee
Co-Chairs:
Kristin McKay & Cary Wheeland
Committee Members:
Irene Brown, Mychal Ferguson, Lisa Hill, Yvette Lavery, Teresa Madden, Gunjan Nanda, Victor Nwaba, Devon Pfeil, Nora Perez, Heather Ready, Carol Trapani, Mollie Tribe, Allison Williams
2025 Vision Beyond Sight Sponsors:
CHAMPION SPONSORS
VISIONARY SPONSORS
CHANGEMAKER SPONSORS
The Dean Family
UPLIFTER SPONSORS
TABLE SPONSORS
Ashish Mehta, MD
Barbara Alvarado
Bob & Angie Rowe
Carol Trapani
Cary Wheeland
Gunjan Nanda
Max Trichet & Hemant Mistry
The Dean Family
Thompson Family Foundation
Check Out Photos From Last Year’s Gala!
