Sight Center offering audio description of Zenobia Shrine Circus

TOLEDO, Ohio (WTVG) - The Sight Center has been working with the Zenobia Shrine Circus and the Glass City Center to provide an audio-described circus experience for a special group of area residents who live with vision loss.

The Sight Center has invited several sight-impaired volunteers and their guests to be among the group that will enjoy the performance on March 16 at 6:30 p.m.

“The idea originated when Michelle Chester recently called The Sight Center to learn if the local nonprofit agency was still offering an audio-described circus experience as they had done in the late 1980s when her son was young,” said the Sight Center. “At that time, WSPD radio personality Rich Hoffer volunteered his own time to describe the circus for clients of The Sight Center.”

This year, The Sight Center says the audio-description will be done by the circus Ringmaster, who was eager to offer his services to The Sight Center for this experience. Listening devices are being made available by the Glass City Center for the occasion.

According to The Sight Center, the Ringmaster, Timothy Tegge, and The Sight Center Executive Director Tim Tegge have become friends in recent years because they share the same uncommon name. This bond was instrumental in coordination this special treat for The Sight Center Group.

The Sight Center’s Tim Tegge, who is visually impaired, says he’s excited to offer this outing to the group in the hope that more public events and community activities become accessible and inclusive for people living with vision loss.

“Tremendous progress has been made in the 100 years since our founding” said Tegge. “One of our goals at The Sight Center is to demonstrate what accessibility and inclusion can actually look and feel like.”

The Sight Center says while this audio-described experience is limited this year, Tegge looks forward to a day when such events are commonplace.

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