Boston Common - Niche Media - A side of Boston that's anything but common.
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The Grousbeck family at the 2008 gala Anne Sullivan and Helen Keller both studied at Perkins. over the teaching, so we could focus on nurtur- ing and parenting," says Corinne. "That was a huge gift to us." Since Campbell was born the Grousbecks have had a "divide and conquer" attitude toward the cause of blindness: Corinne focuses on providing the best possible educa- tional opportunities as the chair of the Perkins Trust Board, while Wyc puts his energy into find- ing a cure as chairman of Massachusetts Eye and Ear, the largest ophthal- mology research center in the world. While the Grousbecks work closely with Perkins throughout the year, the annual gala is a chance for the community to see the school's daily lessons school's 175th in action. After attending the anniversary bash in 2005, Corinne was inspired to launch the Perkins Possibilities Gala the following year, in order to bring the fundraising crowd to the school's nearly 40-acre campus. The formal seated din- ner raised $1.5 million in 2011, and the Grousbecks hope to push that figure over the $2 million mark on May 3. The event has been a sold-out affair for the past few years, with nearly 600 people descending onto Perkins' campus for the evening. "Because Corinne created this event and decided to have it on the campus, fea- turing the kids, a growing number of great Bostonians have been able to connect deeply with Perkins and join the mission," says Wyc, who grew up in Weston and has cochaired the gala twice. "So many people didn't know what Perkins does or how important it is worldwide, incorporated the students into his performance in 2011, and Natalie Merchant even toured the campus and donated money for computers formed at reveal after the gala. this she per- (Corinne calls her the "real deal.") Corinne won't Corinne and Wyc at the 2010 gala, which featured Bob Weir the board of "Because the gala is on campus, Bostonians have connected deeply with Perkins and joined the mission. "—wyc grousbeck and when they found out they came on board enthusiastically." Perkins' influence is indeed felt across the globe, as teachers from all over the world come to the school to study in the Educational Leadership Program. They take college courses, participate in workshops run by Perkins' staff, and lead classes at Perkins. The teachers then return to their homes with knowl- edge and skills to help the deaf and blind. Students get involved in the gala by perform- ing songs and leading the narrative about Perkins. The event also attracts world-class musicians. Livingston Taylor's rendition of "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" moved the audience to tears, Peter Wolf happily continued on page 62 bostoncommon-magazine.com 61 opportunity audience a year's per- former, as it is a surprise for the students, but she insists that the event is more about giving the students a once-in-a-lifetime than giving fabulous the concert. "It's about empowering our stu- dents," says Corinne, who is chairing this year's event along- side Friends executive producer Kevin Bright entrepreneur and hospitality Joe O'Donnell. "These are kids who are gener- ally marginalized from society, and they now have a moment in their lives where they are val- ued, honored, listened to, and get to perform with a famous musician." The event makes the students feel like stars. The Grousbecks have shown their apprecia- tion to Perkins in other ways as well. The Grousbeck Center for Students & Technology, which opened this past fall, was funded in part by a $10 million gift from the Grousbeck Family Foundation. The new building includes a stu- dent center for recreation, a tech center, an Internet radio station, and a digital recording studio. The interactive equipment is largely photography courtesy of the perkins school for the blind (sullivan); michael blanchard (corinne and wyc); dave gordon (family)