Dining in the Dark Is About More Than the Meal: It's About Helping Peterborough Better Understand Life With Vision Loss
/By Scott Arnold
For Yvonne Garvey, being diagnosed with a degenerative eye condition changed almost every part of her life. Now, through the Canadian Council of the Blind Peterborough Chapter, she's helping others understand the challenges of vision loss, while making sure people experiencing it don't have to navigate those challenges alone.
yvonne garvey will be one of the many volunteers and members of the canadian council of the blind in attendance for dining in the dark, taking place on Wednesday, november 4th, at boston pizza on rye street and monday november 9th at the chemong location (photo by scott arnold)
When Yvonne Garvey was diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa in 2018, she had no idea just how much her life was about to change.
At 36, she was still driving, working and going about her daily life without realizing she was living with a significant visual impairment. Within two weeks of her diagnosis, she had lost her driver's licence. Everyday activities she had always taken for granted suddenly required a different approach.
"I am legally blind," Garvey explained. "When I first got diagnosed, I had a real hard time identifying as a blind person."
Garvey has severe tunnel vision, meaning she retains some sight but has significant limitations in what she can see. That presented its own challenges, including coming to terms with how others might perceive her.
"You almost feel like a little bit of a fraud. You're not quite blind, not quite sighted."
She remembers feeling anxious about using a guide cane, even though it was something she needed to help her get around safely.
"I could be walking through a store and run into lots of little old ladies," she said.
Even using a cane could lead to questions from people who didn't understand why someone who could still see certain things might have difficulty with others.
"Blindness is a spectrum and everyone has a different experience with it," Garvey said.
It's an important message, and one that will be at the heart of two upcoming Dining in the Dark fundraising events in Peterborough.
Organized by the Canadian Council of the Blind (CCB) Peterborough Chapter, the events will give people an opportunity to enjoy a meal at Boston Pizza while learning a little more about what it's like to navigate everyday situations with a visual impairment.
The first takes place Wednesday, November 4th from 5pm to 8pm at Boston Pizza South on Rye Street. A second opportunity follows Monday, November 9th, also from 5pm to 8pm, at Boston Pizza North on Chemong Road.
Guests can choose to wear a blindfold while eating, although participation is entirely optional. Members and volunteers from the local chapter will be on hand to share their experiences, answer questions and offer a few tips along the way.
And there is more to the experience than simply trying to eat without being able to see.
"How do you order off a menu when you can't see?" Garvey asked.
She explained that something as straightforward as finding a glass on the table can become a challenge. Rather than reaching blindly and potentially knocking something over, a simple technique is to slide your hand across the table until you locate it.
Ordering food can also require a different approach. Instead of expecting a server to read an entire menu, someone with a visual impairment might ask what dishes include chicken, what the specials are or what the server recommends.
The events will also give Boston Pizza staff an opportunity to learn more about interacting with customers who have vision loss.
"Maybe letting them know that they're walking away from the table," Garvey explained. "Myself as a visually impaired person, I'm often having a conversation with a person that left the table a long time before."
It's a small example of something many people might never consider, but it can make a meaningful difference to someone's experience.
Volunteers will visit tables throughout both events, sharing different perspectives. Some use canes, others have guide dogs and everyone has their own experiences and challenges.
The blindfolds can be removed at any time, and guests can even take a quick peek if they need to.
For Garvey, however, the bigger purpose is awareness.
"Vision loss can impact anyone," she said, noting that many Canadians are living with visual impairments without even knowing it.
Garvey herself didn't receive her diagnosis until she was 36.
"I had no idea."
She hopes the events encourage people to take their eye health seriously, get regular checkups and, just as importantly, think about what others might be experiencing before making assumptions.
That understanding is something Garvey has gained firsthand over the past eight years, including through her involvement with the CCB Peterborough Chapter.
After moving back to the area in 2022, she had a close call with a vehicle that made her realize she needed to find support and learn more about navigating life with vision loss. She began volunteering and became a member of the organization, which she credits with providing valuable information, knowledge and support.
The Canadian Council of the Blind is a national organization with chapters across the country. As Garvey explained, it is an organization "not for the blind, it's of the blind," with members of the community playing an active role in supporting one another.
Locally, that support takes many forms.
The Peterborough Chapter offers peer support, education and community activities, along with a lending library where people can access visual aids that may make everyday life easier. Those items include magnifying glasses, specialized lamps and CCTV cameras.
There is also an important social component.
Vision loss can make it harder to get out, travel independently and participate in activities that others might take for granted. That can lead to isolation, particularly when transportation becomes a challenge.
Garvey knows that adjustment all too well.
"Not driving," she said when asked about the biggest challenge she has faced.
"All of a sudden, I was driving and two weeks later I was not driving anymore."
She recalled being nervous behind the wheel, particularly when merging on Highway 401, without understanding at the time that her vision was contributing to those fears.
"I just thought that maybe I was a bit of a wimp when it came to driving, but it turns out I had every right to be terrified because I couldn't see what was going on."
Looking back, she said, "The fact that I didn't die or kill anyone else is a miracle."
Losing the ability to drive also meant losing some independence, something that can be particularly difficult in a community where getting around without a vehicle presents its own challenges.
The local chapter works to help members stay connected and take part in activities they might otherwise have difficulty accessing.
Last summer, for example, members visited the Peterborough Museum and Archives before heading out onto Little Lake together in a large canoe.
"That's not something that they would be able to do necessarily or we would be able to do on our own, but as a community, we can make that happen," Garvey said.
Even something as simple as getting together for coffee can require a little extra help. The chapter relies on sighted volunteers who can provide rides, with mileage covered to help members get where they need to go.
Money raised through Dining in the Dark will stay right here in the community, supporting those local activities, transportation assistance, resources and opportunities for connection.
This is the first time the Peterborough chapter has organized Dining in the Dark, and Garvey is appreciative of Boston Pizza for helping bring the idea to life.
Both events will run from 5pm to 8pm, with 10 per cent of sales supporting the local chapter.
Reservations can be made through the chapter's website, but walk-ins and takeout orders are also welcome. Even if you can't make it out to dine in, ordering takeout will still help support the cause.
Dining in the Dark
Wednesday, November 4th: Boston Pizza South, 821 Rye Street
Monday, November 9th: Boston Pizza North, 1094 Chemong Road
Time: 5pm to 8pm at both locations
Fundraising: 10 per cent of event sales goes to the CCB Peterborough Chapter
Participation: Blindfolds are optional. Walk-ins and takeout orders are welcome.
