Creating a deeper connection between the community - and those who are visually impaired.
That’s the purpose of a Santa Barbara County organization called Blind Fitness.
Brianna Petit links local volunteers with people who are visually impaired to help them be more active.
Whether it’s walking, running, or even surfing - she aims to boost physical and emotional health.
Petit says this population is already prone to isolation and depression - which got worse during the pandemic.
Through Blind Fitness, she hopes to break down barriers for the visually impaired and for them to feel more a part of the community.
“Getting outside, breathing fresh air - taking a walk. That’s personally how I got through a lot of those difficult times through the pandemic and I wanted to make sure that was available to people with vision loss,” said Brianna Petit, Blind Fitness Executive Director.
Daniel Broz is one of the athletes who is impacted by vision loss. He started as an athlete with Blind Fitness and eventually became one of the organization's brand ambassadors.
“This is a sense of community," said Broz. "This is a sense of people coming together to hey, I wanna learn how to guide. I want to learn how to run while visually impaired. I want to learn how to lead someone who is visually impaired - and that type of acceptance and inclusion brings us out of our shells.”
About 100 people, between volunteers and those with vision loss, are involved with Blind Fitness.
Saturday is White Cane Awareness Day - and Petit hopes to raise awareness surrounding vision loss and get more people involved with her organization.
Find out how you can help at www.blindfitness.com.
