Press Releases

New York City’s Lighthouse Guild Teams Up with U.S. Association of Blind Athletes for Oct. 28 Breakfast with Champions

October 17, 2022

In celebration of National Blind Sports Month, Lighthouse Guild in New York City is hosting a breakfast and then live-streaming the 13th annual U.S. Association of Blind Athletes’ (USABA) Breakfast with Champions presented by Anthem, on Friday, Oct. 28 at 9:30 a.m. EDT. USABA’s Breakfast with Champions is being simulcasted from the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Museum in Colorado Springs, Colo.

Registration is required for the in-person event at Lighthouse Guild and is free and open to all through Oct. 27. Sign-up can be found here. For more information on Breakfast with Champions or to register to watch virtually at home, visit usaba.org/BWC.

The Breakfast with Champions program features three Paralympic medalists with visual impairments. USA Goalball medalists John Kusku and Eliana Mason will share their personal experiences earning an education, following their career dreams, and the impact of sport on both. U.S. Paralympics Track & Field gold medalist David Brown will join the celebration from the first USA Blind Soccer Team Selection Camp in Chula Vista, Calif. Brown, a three-time Paralympian in track and field, is attempting to qualify for the inaugural USA Blind Soccer National Team.

Breakfast with Champions is USABA’s annual fundraising event with options to attend in-person and virtually. USABA Board Chair Mark Ackermann will be in attendance at the Lighthouse Guild event at 9:30 a.m. EDT in New York City, along with four-time Paralympic goalball athlete and two-time Paralympic medalist Tyler Merren.

“Breakfast with Champions is a fantastic yearly event hosted by the U.S. Association of Blind Athletes that consistently showcases some of the world’s top Paralympic athletes,” said Ackermann. “We are excited to expand Breakfast with Champions this year to include virtual experiences around the country, including the one hosted by Lighthouse Guild in New York.”

“Lighthouse Guild is dedicated to helping people who are visually impaired attain their goals, and sports can be a powerful way to cultivate a sense of self-reliance and social inclusion, as well as a tool for physical and psychological health for people of all backgrounds,” said Dr. Calvin W. Roberts, President and CEO of Lighthouse Guild. “Lighthouse Guild is honored to virtually host the USABA’s Breakfast with Champions to help bring this inspirational event to the community of those we serve and beyond.”

About U.S. Association of Blind Athletes 
The mission of USABA is to empower Americans who are blind or visually impaired to experience life-changing opportunities in sports, recreation, and physical activities, thereby educating and inspiring the nation. A member organization of both the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC) and US Soccer, USABA is certified by the USOPC as the national governing body for the Paralympic team sports of goalball and blind soccer. Since its founding in 1976, USABA has reached more than 100,000 individuals through its multi-sport programming. The organization has emerged as more than just a world-class trainer of blind athletes, it has become a champion of the abilities of Americans who are legally blind. In 2022, USABA expanded its offerings of endurance sports events with the launch of its Team Tethered Together program for visually impaired runners and their guides. Learn more at www.usaba.org.

About Lighthouse Guild

Lighthouse Guild provides exceptional services that inspire people who are visually impaired to attain their goals. We provide coordinated care for eye health, vision rehabilitation, technology, and behavioral health as well as related services. Our podcast series, “On Tech & Vision with Dr. Cal Roberts,” offers information and insights about technological innovations that are tearing down barriers for people who are blind or visually impaired. For more information, visit Lighthouseguild.org.

USABA Contact: Bill Kellick, 719-354-6580, bkellick@usaba.org.

Lighthouse Guild Contact: Bryan Dotson, 917-796-8632, bdotson@mannersdotson.com,

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Lighthouse Guild is dedicated to providing exceptional services that inspire people who are visually impaired to attain their goals.