by Mike Walsh

Hello! WE are back! I am proud to announce that Flight for Sight is back and now has a team that is ready to take the world by storm. What started as a personal campaign where I went around the world to raise awareness about vision issues is now a full-fledged 501(c)(3) giving travel grants to blind and low vision individuals.

The Flight for Sight comeback idea took off in 2019, when I met Rosalie Chandler, a non-profit fundraiser and grant writer at United Hospital Fund of New York in New York City where we both live. She took an interest in my campaign. We discussed how we could turn what I did into a platform for others to travel while continuing the mission to educate others about blind and low vision lifestyles and experiences. She then presented a framework for turning Flight for Sight into a 501(c)(3). Her strategic thinking, writing abilities, and fundraising experiences were the turning point for me to believe Flight for Sight could not only be revived, but thrive!

I am proud of the board we have established. Along with Rosalie, we have my brother, Johnny Walsh. He is a lawyer at Axley Brynelson in Madison, Wisconsin. Rounding out our board is Megan Kennedy, a Senior Director of People Accessibility at Amazon who resides in St. Louis, Missouri. Johnny, Megan, and I have Usher Syndrome. Along with hearing impairments, we have a visual condition called retinitis pigmentosa. It is a condition in which our vision is slowly disappearing.

Today, we are looking for the next traveling Rock Stars! Are you blind or low vision? Do you love to explore and adventure? Do you enjoy engaging with others? Could you educate the world in a fun and creative way about the lifestyles and experiences of blind and low vision people? If so, apply today for a $10,000 travel grant! We will be your concierge along the way coordinating the mundane details so you can focus on being a traveling and educating Rock Star! See details here!