KEENE, N.H. (MyKeeneNow) The Keene Lions Club will bring back one of its most memorable fundraisers on Saturday, Nov. 1, when Dinner in the Dark returns to the Keene Country Club. The event invites guests to experience dining while blindfolded — offering a firsthand look at the daily challenges faced by people with vision loss.

Christine Greenwood-Smart, treasurer of the Keene Lions Club and chair of the event committee, said the evening blends education, empathy, and community service.

“Guests are guided through a full dinner experience while blindfolded,” Greenwood-Smart said. “It’s about understanding how people who are visually impaired navigate something as simple as a meal — where the chicken might be at one o’clock, the vegetables at four. You start to realize how quickly your other senses take over.”

The featured guest will be Randy Pierce, president and CEO of Future In Sight, a Concord-based organization serving the visually impaired. Pierce, who lost his sight in his 20s due to a neurological disease, has since run multiple Boston Marathons, climbed many of New Hampshire’s 4,000-foot mountains, and completed the grueling Tough Mudder endurance challenge.

Pierce spoke at the 2023 Dinner in the Dark and will return this year for a Q&A session to share insights from his life experiences. “He’ll help guide participants through the dinner and talk about how to adapt, focus, and let go of fear,” Greenwood-Smart said. “It’s always eye-opening — no pun intended.”

The evening will also feature a presentation from the club’s Keene Comes Alive program, which introduces local third graders to historical figures through live skits. Actors portraying Jonathan Daniels, Catherine Fiske, and other Keene figures will give a brief performance during the event.

Proceeds from Dinner in the Dark will support the Lions’ extensive vision and community programs. In the past year alone, the Keene Lions Club has donated about $50,000 to local causes — including camp scholarships for youth, support for Hundred Nights Shelter, and contributions to diabetes programs and Kurn Hattin Homes.

The club also invests heavily in eyesight services, providing around $10,000 annually for free eye exams and eyeglasses to children, adults, and seniors. Its volunteers screen nearly 4,000 students and preschoolers each year — more than any other Lions Club in New Hampshire.

“We’ve been quietly giving back for nearly 90 years,” Greenwood-Smart said. “This event is a way for the community to see — and feel — what our mission is all about.”

The dinner runs from 5 to 8 p.m. at the Keene Country Club and will be catered by the club’s kitchen. Tickets are available online at www.keenelions.com