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www.insideHALTON.com | OAKVILLE BEAVER | Thursday, April 30, 2015 | 36 Artscene Oakville's Molly Burke recently teamed up with comedians to help give some Comic Vision. The 21-year-old motivational speaker shared her story at this year's local stop of the Comic Vision tour, which was held yesterday (Wednesday) in Mississauga. The tour supports The Foundation Fighting Blindness, Canada's largest charity funding vision research. It's research that helps fuel Burke in her hope that one day she may be able to see again. At age four, she was diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa, and at 16, she was almost completely blind. "I realized I'd never drive a car, never pick out my wedding dress, never see my kids smile someday," she said. "I began wrestling with depression. I felt like I didn't know who I was anymore, or what I was going to do with my life." It was the support she received through the Toronto-based Foundation Fighting Blindness that she says helped change her life. More than one million Canadians live with eye diseases According to the foundation, more than one million Canadians live with blinding retinal eye diseases, such as retinitis pigmentosa and age-related macular degeneration, for which there are no cures. "Raising funds for research gives me hope that someday I will see again, and Comic Vision is a fun way to raise that money and fuel that hope," said Burke, who is a long-time champion of The Foundation Fighting Blindness, and has been a motivational speaker with Me to We and a Free the Children ambassador. Comic Vision has raised more than $7 million for sightsaving research at hospitals and universities across Canada. "Connected to your Community" Oakville's Molly Burke speaks at local stop of Comic Vision tour I realized I'd never drive a car, never pick out my wedding dress, never see my kids smile someday. I began wrestling with depression. I felt like I didn't know who I was anymore, or what I was going to do with my life.... Raising funds for research gives me hope that someday I will see again, and Comic Vision is a fun way to raise that money and fuel that hope. Motivational speaker Molly Burke Molly Burke and her guide dog Gypsy at the Comic Vision 2014 event, which was held at the Oakville Conference Centre. Burke spoke at this year's GTA West tour stop in Mississauga.| Oakville Beaver file photo The annual charity comedy tour is visiting six Canadian cities, including the Lakeshore Convention Centre, 806 Southdown Rd., in Mississauga yesterday (April 29). The tour continues in Toronto and Halifax, N.S. It visited Calgary, Vancouver, and London, Ont., earlier this month. An evening reception opened at 6:30 p.m., followed by the start of the show at 8 p.m. On the comedy docket are comedians Ivan Decker, Arthur Simeon and host Graham Chittenden. The night included cocktails, a candy table, live and silent auctions, and "laugh-out-loud" fundraising games, proceeds of which go to The Foundation Fighting Blindness. To purchase tickets or for more information about the tour, visit www.comicvision.ca or call 1-800-461-331, ext. 226. To learn more about The Foundation Fighting Blindness, visit www.ffb.ca. White Oaks S.S. art students get Framed in QEPCCC exhibition The artistic talents of White Oaks Secondary School students is currently on display at the Queen Elizabeth Park Community and Cultural Centre (QEPCCC). The students, who are graduating from the Oakville school's International Baccalaureate (IB) Visual Arts Program, have their original works showcased in the art exhibition titled Framed. Show on until June 12 The art show officially opened earlier in March and will be on display at the 2302 Bridge Rd. community centre until June 12. The IB Visual Arts Program is a two-year course where students learn and examine the creative process and hone their artistic technical skills, cultural awareness and selfdevelopment. At the start of the program, each student artist chooses a particular theme around which to base their artwork. This year's prospective graduating students, Jasmine Brioux, Annie Chen, Ivan Prijono, Ksheel Shetty, and Raya Wahbeh chose the themes of compassion, identity and memories. Also included in the QEPCCC's exhibit is a collaborative clay wall sculpture. The piece was created by students from the Grade 10 Advanced Learning Program Visual Arts and Grade 11 Visual Arts, both from the Oakville school's standard and IB streams. See page 37 for some of the works on display. BIG MOVIES, SMALL PRICES! 171 Speers Road (at Kerr) Oakville 905-338-6397 www.film.ca facebook.com/filmca @FilmCaCinemas General: $8.50 Children ( 3-13): $6.50 Furious 7 (PG) APril 2 the lonGest ride (PG) APril 10 PAul BlArt: MAll CoP 2 (PG) APril 17 the AGe oF AdAline (stC) APril 24 AvenGers: AGe oF ultron (stC) MAy 1 seniors ( 65+): $6.50 tuesdays: $5.00