The Educational Center for the Visually Impaired (ECVI) is pairing with the Springfield Art Association of Edwards Place to offer a Canvas + Cocktails fundraiser to benefit the ECVI on Friday, March 29 from 7-9PM. At this Canvas + Cocktails, you’ll be reverting to your childhood and using your fingers to create a colorful masterpiece through finger-painting. It is open to people with any or no level of sight, aids will be present and textural examples will be available for everyone to be able to experience the visual arts regardless of visual acuity! The event will by held at the Springfield Art Association located at 700 North 4thStreet, Springfield, IL 62702.
Proceeds will benefit the ECVI programming and operations to individuals in central Illinois who are blind or visually impaired.Tickets are $35, online register at www.edcentervi.org or www.springfieldart.org. To learn more about the event or see how you can support our efforts, please contact Peggy Dyson, Executive Director at (217) 303-9062 or email at edcentervi@hotmail.com.
The ECVI was established (formerly as the Brandt-Thomas Educational Center) in September 2014 by Evelyn Brandt –Thomas in honor of her husband, Gordon Thomas, to improve the quality of life for individuals who are blind or visually impaired. The ECVI is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization.
Our mission is to provide high quality education, training and development opportunities for these individuals through innovative services and programs. Our vision is to support people who have a desire to learn from talented and compassionate individuals in our community in order to reach their full potential. There is no charge for our classes and students can learn to use computers, iPhones or how to adapt to the loss of their eyesight in our Daily Living Skills course. We also offer orientation and mobility classes to help individuals to get around town. We have art appreciation classes and a book club that meets every other Friday to discuss a book selection.
