The Through the Looking Glass Gala, an annual fundraising event for the Indiana Blind Children’s Foundation (IBCF), celebrates 13 years next month.
Founded in 1993, the Indiana Blind Children’s Foundation provides year-round resources and support to help Indiana youth who are blind or have low vision reach their full potential. IBCF’s annual Through the Looking Glass Gala — which takes place at 6:30 p.m. on Sept. 6 at the Embassy Suites by Hilton in Noblesville — includes a Fund-A-Need component to raise money for a specific area of need at Indiana School for the Blind and Visually Impaired.
This year, the gala is raising funds to support a preschool program and early learning interventions at the Indiana School for the Blind and Visually Impaired.
IBCF is partnering with Bradford and Bryan Manning of Two Blind Brothers, an innovative clothing company specializing in “ultra-soft designer clothing from natural fibers for the sole purpose of funding blindness research.” The Manning brothers will serve as the keynote speakers for the gala while also leading students from Indiana School for the Blind and Visually Impaired in an Entrepreneurial Workshop ahead of the event, according to a press release.
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“When Bryan and I were growing up, we were fortunate to have services just like this in Virginia,” Bradford Manning said in a statement. “We started learning braille and received some orientation and mobility support to navigate our schools. Beyond the skills training, our ‘vision teachers,’ as we called them, were not just teachers but mentors and friends that gave us confidence and accountability that was unique to the visual obstacles we faced. It’s a privilege to be able to help further this work so others can pursue their own lives as we did.”
Guests of the Through the Looking Glass Gala will enjoy red carpet treatment before being welcomed for a three-course dinner and complimentary drinks. Throughout the evening, guests can participate in live and silent auctions, wine and bourbon tastings, chances to win exclusive prizes and an after-party lounge featuring entertainment from Bourbon Revival.
Through the Looking Glass Gala begins at 6:30 p.m. on Sept. 6 at Embassy Suites by Hilton in Noblesville, 13700 Conference Center Drive South, Noblesville, IN. Tickets are $225 and can be purchased at indianabcf.org.
Contact Arts & Culture Reporter Chloe McGowan at 317-762-7848. Follow her on X @chloe_mcgowanxx.
Chloe McGowan is the Arts & Culture Reporter for the Indianapolis Recorder Newspaper. Originally from Columbus, OH, Chloe has a bachelor's in journalism from The Ohio State University. She is a former IndyStar Pulliam Fellow, and has previously worked for Indy Maven, The Lantern, and CityScene Media Group. In her free time, Chloe enjoys live theatre, reading, baking and keeping her plants alive.
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