VFI's Summer of Celebration
By Lois Thompson
Calling it a "summer of celebration," Steve Johnson is pleased that VFI – Voices for Independence – continues to be able to hold its annual fundraising events. Johnson, director of marketing for VFI in both Washington, PA, and Erie, was emphatic that every penny raised goes for services for folks who have disabilities.
"We're never looking to fundraise to line our pockets, to pad our wallets, or give ourselves raises; the sole reason behind fundraising for us is that – as happy as we are to serve the number of people we do, we know there is still a very long line of people waiting to receive services. The more we have coming in financially, the more people we can support, and faster."
VFI's 2025 fundraising activities include a July 28 golf outing, which will be held at Lake Shore Country Club in Erie. A special feature of that outing is what's called the "chair chip challenge." Johnson described it by saying that when golfers make their turn at the clubhouse, they meet VFI's CEO Shona Eakin, who herself is a wheelchair user. They then have the opportunity to sit in a wheelchair and try to chip closest to the pin. "Usually nobody is even close. When swinging a club, you don't realize how much you use your trunk and hips and legs. It's an eye-opener. You get just a small glimpse of what life is like when you're a wheelchair user. It makes me feel good to know that our fundraising helps people, and there's also an element of education; it gives folks a little more understanding."
“We provide them with a catered lunch, and a full day of music and dance and food and fun. It’s a big day of celebration to say thank you to the consumers we serve for trusting us with their care and to do right by them.”
After that is the No Limits Adaptive Fitness Challenge in Erie, August 23. "This is really special to us because you can't find it anywhere else," Johnson said of the event that is celebrating its 5th anniversary. He explained that rather than have separate events for separate levels of ability in this challenge, everybody in the heat works out side-by-side. "Everybody is included. We have adaptive devices and people there to help with accommodations. It's personalized; we meet you where you're at."
Rounding out the summer events is the Washington golf outing at Lone Pine Country Club September 8. "A wide variety of sponsors returns every year, and it's nice to know people are still investing in us in times like these when every dollar counts. That's why these fundraisers are so vital."
Johnson concluded, "As a nonprofit, we understand that people take part in many different annual fundraisers each year, because it's an organization that's near and dear to their hearts. I hope that as people get to know us, we become one of those organizations as well."
For more information, call 724-223-5115 or visit vficil.org