GALLERY: Helen Keller Days raises $2k for local Federation of the Blind Chapter

The 2nd Annual Helen Keller Days took place with members of the Southern Nye County Chapter of the Federation of the Blind coming together with community supporters for an afternoon of fun and excitement, all in the name of fundraising.

Taking place June 21 at Sanders Family Winery, Helen Keller Days was declared a huge success, leaving event organizers delighted with the results.

“The event was amazing, everyone enjoyed themselves,” Ellie Wilshusen told the Pahrump Valley Times afterward. “Sanders Winery was very accommodating and helped us put on a great event.”

Wilshusen got her start with the Federation of the Blind as a result of her involvement with the Ms. Senior Golden Years Pageant in 2022, where she took home the title of queen. Her pageant platform at the time was advocacy for the blind and though she has since passed on the crown, she continues to pursue that platform on a daily basis.

Helen Keller Days saw a crowd of about 80 attendees who were treated to a meal catered by Port of Subs, which Wilshusen raved was excellent, along with entertainment, raffles, a 50/50 drawing and more.

“Our entertainment was provided by MaRia Apodaca-Shaddy and Sharon Crisp of the Classy Rhythmettes and by EC Adams, a talented entertainer, singer and songwriter from Las Vegas, who provided us with some get-up-off-your-chair-and-dance music,” Wilshusen detailed.

The event’s entertainment also included a fashion show that featured styles from the popular Sunflower Fashions, compliments of the now-retiring Patti Vitz. Taking to the spotlight as the models in the evening’s fashion show were April Gibbs Creech and 2024 Ms. Senior Golden Years Queen Debbie Forrest and her court, consisting of Laura Horn and Star Stewart, as well as past Golden Years queens Teri Rogers, Marla Quercia and Wilshusen herself.

One of the biggest highlights of the event was the inclusion of guest speaker Raquel Silva-O’Neill, whose remarks Wilshusen described as “very motivational.”

“She gave a talk on her life and how she overcame her blindness to complete her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees at UNLV and became a licensed clinical social worker,” Wilshusen said. “Raquel lives a daily example of empowering others to see every potential that life may hold.”

The 2nd Annual Helen Keller Days helped raise around $2,000 to support the local Federation of the Blind Chapter, which will put the money to good use as it continues its mission of advancing the general welfare of those with blindness or vision impairment.

“The Federation of the Blind has had a wonderful last year,” Wilshusen enthused. “We’ve had the ability to work with the Pahrump Senior Center to provide transportation to our blind and visually impaired members, we’ve had the Retired Senior Volunteer Program out to speak to the members and provide them with information so they can get help at home with chores they need done or to be able to get to doctor appointments, or the store for shopping. Really, any type of help they need, this organization will help them.

“We’ve had the Nevada Vocational Rehabilitation Bureau of Services to the Blind and Visually Impaired out to provide services to our members, we’ve had the Lending Library for the blind from Las Vegas out to loan equipment that will help members with everyday needs,” she recounted. “We’ve chartered a bus and taken members to the Blind Center in Las Vegas, we’ve participated in the Easter egg hunt and provided books, puzzles and games for children. We’ve participated in National White Cane Day at Home Depot, we’ve attended the state convention and we’re now looking into providing Braille classes for members, if there is enough interest. We’ve also moved our meetings to the Great Basin College, as there is more room.”

The Southern Nye County Federation of the Blind meetings are held the second Wednesday of each month at 12:30 p.m. at Great Basin College, Room 107.

For more information contact Delores Joyner at 775-513-0954 or Sue Moore at 775-751-9728.

Contact reporter Robin Hebrock at rhebrock@pvtimes.com