Meet some of our athletes and volunteers!

Morgan Vitou

Athlete

“2023 Athlete of the Year”

Envision’s 2023 Sports Camp Athlete of the Year was awarded to Morgan Vitou. Morgan has been a participant with Envision since she attended Summer Camp in 2014. She is a junior in high school now with aspirations to be a pro-athlete, write books and music, and study psychology in college. When asked about her favorite sports and activities she didn’t limit her answer. She highlighted swimming, paddleboarding, track and field, and wrestling as just a few of her favorites. However, Morgan ultimately listed goalball as her favorite, “because it’s a sport actually designed for people with a visual impairment so I feel like it’s actually something I can play that doesn’t have to be 100% adapted.” 

The knowledge and skills she has acquired at Envision have transferred to her life outside of camp. In school, Morgan has built confidence in both her social and athletic life, allowing her to be herself and try sports such as weightlifting. She feels that “with Envision, it’s made it a lot easier to know how to apply those skills of adapting to something new like that (weightlifting).” Morgan has also enjoyed skiing with Envision since she was about 8 years old. One of her favorite memories with Envision is the ski trip to Maryland a few years ago where she got to stay in the ski lodge with one of her long-distance friends whom she met through Envision. They spent their days skiing together, relaxing in the lodge, and getting to know everyone.

Morgan’s advice to other blind and visually impaired athletes who might be interested in pursuing sports is to “not be afraid and to just do it. If you don’t like it, that’s fine, but you’ll never know if you don’t try your hardest at it. It’s better to regret something you did do than something you didn’t do.” For example, Morgan would never have tried two of her favorite activities, paddleboarding and wrestling, if it had not been for her time at Envision.

Morgan truly embraces Envison’s motto of  FEAR LESS, DO MORE!

Dylan Lemaster

Athlete

“2022 CAMPER OF THE YEAR”

Our 2022 Camper of the Year was awarded to Dylan Lemaster. For ten years now, Dylan has been traveling from Northeast Ohio to actively participate in Envision Blind Sports Camp. He is awarded this title because he is a focused and determined camper who serves as a role model to others. Each year, Dylan is eager to reconnect with previous camp friends and counselors as well as welcome those who are new to the program. He finds camp to be exciting and enjoyable because of the variety of engaging activities offered that are accompanied by volunteer counselors who have a passion for what they’re doing. Dylan expresses his appreciation in his own words stating that “Camp means a lot to me because there are not many other camps like this that take everyday sports and activities and properly adapt them for people like me who are visually impaired. Some of these sports would be almost impossible for someone who can't see. The counselors take their time and make sure that, most importantly, everyone has fun and stays safe while participating in these various sports.”

While at home in Ohio, Dylan continues to participate in sports. With the confidence that Envision has aided him in building, he had a desire to become involved with his school’s track program. With the support from his school, coaches, and teammates he competes in the 100m dash. 

In a final note, Dylan shared that “Envision Sports Camp is a highlight of my summer and thank you to everyone who makes this camp possible.”

Will Rastatter

vOLUNTEER

“2022 VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR”

Written by Will

Hello, my name is Will Rastatter and I have been volunteering for Envision Blind Sports for almost 10 years now. I was first introduced to Envision through a good friend of mine, Ryan Fagan. He said his mom would love some extra help at her annual summer sports camp, and needless to say, I had no idea what I was getting myself into. Being a sighted individual who had no prior experience or exposure to the blind and visually impaired community, I was first accompanied with a lot of nerves. However, as soon as I was introduced to the Envision family, friends, and athletes my attitude quickly changed to excitement and love for what our organization encompasses and stands for. We strive to provide sport and physical activity to promote lifelong wellness for blind and visually impaired people. That might be our mission statement, but over the past 10 years of experience, I have seen Envision do so much more than that. We have created an inclusive community that promotes independence and excellence from our athletes, exposing them to countless opportunities that help advocate for our athletes’ well-being. We promote friendships, self-advocacy, and a safe place to learn about our peer’s functional vision capabilities. Not only does Envision promote these traits towards our athletes, but our sighted volunteers, donors, and community as well. Envision strives to educate the community around us and expose every person we can, sighted or not, to the limitless number of capabilities our athletes have.

Personally, Envision has done so much for my life. From the moment I started with Envision, back when it was still a VIP sports camp, I knew that working with this community was what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. It has given me the opportunity to pursue a career in vision studies to become a certified orientation and mobility specialist and teacher of the blind and visually impaired. Envision has taught me so much about how to be a friend, an advocate, a motivator, and most importantly, how to be fearless. I can personally thank all of our athletes for this because they are role models and are living proof of our motto “fear less, do more”. Most importantly, however, I would like to thank Frank Barnes for paving the pathway for all of our athletes and this motto. He was the strongest, most courageous advocate for all of our athletes. He never let his vision define who he was or what he stood for, and I strive to be like him every day. I was beyond honored to receive the 2022 Frank Barnes Counselor of the Year award this past summer. I hope to someday be able to make just half of the impact Frank made on all the counselors and athletes he met. Just like I know Frank would, I would challenge any and all to participate and experience the greatness that Envision Blind Sports has to offer, because for me, it has truly been the most eye-opening experience of my life.

Emma Papariella

Athlete

My name is Emma Papariella and I am a proud member of ENVISION Blind Sports. I first got connected with this organization through my eye doctor and teach or the visually impaired (TVI). Ever since I have started doing Envision events, my life has been changed in so many ways. This organization means so much to me. They helped me realize that I only had a disability if I made it into one. Before I started attending, I wanted to hide the fact that I had a visual impairment and I was scared when people would ask me about my vision. When I started attending Envision I was able to meet and connect with people who were going through the same things I was going through and I realized that having a disability shouldn’t change me and that I shouldn’t let it stop me from doing anything my sighted peers do. Envision has given me so many great opportunities. I’ve been able to do so many sports like, skiing, goalball, five-a-side (blind soccer), blind ice hockey, and so many other sports. I would’ve never imagined that I would be able to go skiing down a mountain, and now just after 2 years of skiing, I am going down black diamonds and loving every minute of it. I also have joined the Pittsburgh Penguins Blind Ice Hockey team, again ice hockey is something I would’ve never imagined being able to do in my life but Envision found a way. I could never fully explain how much Envision has changed my life and how thankful for them I am. I have learned that you shouldn’t let your disability stop you from doing anything. I have also found something that I am passionate about and that is adapted sports, anyone should be able to participate in sports if they want to. When I go to college in the next couple of years, I want to further my education in adaptive sports so I can give visually impaired and any disabled athlete the same opportunities I have gotten. I am forever grateful for all of the volunteers who give up their days and weeks to spend time with us as we do crazy adventures. I can’t wait for my next adventure with Envision and I hope to meet new athletes at every single event!