Charlie Brennan of KETC-TV and KMOX Radio Will Be Among VIPs Honored at The Visionary Gala Hosted by St. Louis Society for the Blind & Visually Impaired

Douglas D. Koch, M.D. will receive the Society’s Internationally Distinguished Leslie Dana Gold Medal

Join leaders in business, medicine, media, philanthropy and social work as St. Louis Society for the Blind & Visually Impaired (http://www.SLSBVI.org) hosts The Visionary Gala awards dinner on Saturday, April 13, 2013, at The Palladium Saint Louis.

The Society’s Visionary Gala will feature a cocktail reception, dinner and wine service, superb desserts, live music and presentation of the internationally distinguished Leslie Dana Gold Medal to Douglas D. Koch, M.D. Dr. Koch is a foremost scholar, clinician, surgeon and Professor of Ophthalmology who is The Allen, Mosbacher, and Law Chair of Ophthalmology at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas.

Charlie Brennan of KMOX Radio and The Nine Network (KETC-TV) will receive the Society’s James Butler Award for his efforts to ensure that the State of Missouri maintained a health care program for low income blind individuals. Sierra Gregg, a visually impaired student at Truman State University, will receive the Society’s Student of Achievement Award for her initiative to make historical documents from the U.S. Presidential Libraries & Archives accessible to people who are blind or visually impaired. 

The Visionary Gala will occur at The Palladium Saint Louis located at 1400 Park Place in Historic Lafayette Square, St. Louis, Missouri 63104. Dr. Nicholas and Mrs. Sabra Engelbrecht are chairing the event and are joined by sponsors AT&T, Northern Trust, Bethesda Health Group and Nidec Motors. The evening is black tie optional.

Dr. Robert Drews is Honorary Chair of the Visionary Gala. The Society’s Drews Low Vision Clinic is named in honor of Dr. Drews and his late father, Dr. Leslie Drews, who helped guide the Society as members of the Board of Directors and Advisory Board for many years. Dr. Robert Drews said, “The Society is a vital community asset that helps children, adults and seniors overcome vision challenges and discover new ways of living, working and enriching their lives.”

Society President David Ekin, ACSW, LCSW, said, “The Society is proud of our 101-year heritage of providing programs and services for blind and visually impaired people and their families in greater St. Louis. The Visionary Gala celebrates our nonprofit service tradition.”

Chris Pickel, Chair of the Society Board of Directors, added, “The Visionary Gala will be an enjoyable occasion for celebrating the Society’s unique role of serving people of all ages who are blind or visually impaired.”

The Visionary Gala begins with a cocktail reception at 6:00 p.m. Dinner and wine will follow with presentations of the Leslie Dana Gold Medal Award, the James Butler Award and the Student of Achievement Award. The Visionary Gala tickets are $175 per person.  A portion of the ticket price is tax deductible. Underwriting options that are tax deductible are available.

For reservations or sponsorship information, please call the Society at 314.968.9000 or visit the website http://www.SLSBVI.org.

Founded in 1911, the not-for-profit St. Louis Society for the Blind & Visually Impaired enhances independence, empowers individuals and enriches the lives of people who are blind and visually impaired and their families. Its caring, committed staff provides specialized Vision Rehabilitation, Orientation & Mobility, Adaptive Education, Assistive Technology, Children’s Services and Support Services. It provides older adults who are newly visually impaired or blind due to age-related eye conditions with home-based services, specialized agency services and community activities. It also renders services to school-age students in Illinois and Missouri. It is the only agency of its kind serving greater St. Louis, and the second oldest of its kind west of the Mississippi River.

For more information about Society programs and activities, please visit the Society website at http://SLSBVI.org/ or call David Ekin at 314.968.9000. The Palladium phone is 314 799 8886. Media relations contact: Jeff Dunlap at 314.993.6925.

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