Blind and Visually Impaired Receive First Sensory Tour of
The Simeone Foundation Automotive Museum
Foundation Automotive Museum in Philadelphia. Held in honor of Blindness Awareness Month and hosted by Jim Egan and Jeff Tertel of Grubb and Ellis Company, the sensory tour was the first of its kind for the museum and for the attendees.
The private, behind-the-scenes tour featured the museum’s extensive collection of vintage racing sports cars and focused on the sounds, scents, and feel of the automobiles. Presented by Dr. Fred Simeone, Executive Director of the Museum, the specially designed sensory tour stimulated the visitors’ tactile senses.
"The Simeone Automotive Foundation Museum spotlights racing sports cars whose lines and colors may not be visually appreciated by the visually impaired, but their beauty and motions can be heard and felt, and therefore appreciated by all," said Dr. Fred Simeone. "In addition, many visual art forms cannot be touched, but the auto, with its sleek lines and streamlining designed to cheat the wind, provides a sleek surface which rouses visitors’ tangible sense."
Participants were able to distinguish between the rumble of a 1916 Stutz Bearcat and a 1956 Jaguar D-Type, and were able to feel the smooth lines and aerodynamic designs characteristic of the racing cars through the years. Dr. Simeone also opened the tour up to answer any questions the attendees had.
"I loved every minute of this tour," said Daisy Morgan, ASB visually impaired staff member. "Listening to Dr. Simeone as he explained the differences in the cars and then getting to actually feel those differences was incredible. Understanding why certain parts, like the mirrors, were put in various places to further enhance speed, and hearing the engines growl to life were things I’ll never forget."
"ASB is extremely grateful for the opportunity provided by Dr. Simeone and Jim and Jeff from Grubb & Ellis," said Patricia C. Johnson, President and CEO of ASB. This incredible tour gave individuals who are blind or visually impaired the ability to experience an art form most never get to, sighted or not."
With Blindness Awareness Month recognized in October, Jim Egan, Senior Vice President, and Jeff Tertel, Associate Vice President, of Grubb & Ellis Company, invited and sponsored the tour for ASB.
"The Simeone Museum has one of the most historically significant and unique collections of cars in the country," said Tertel. "Jim and I are incredibly passionate about these cars, and we’re thrilled to be able to share that passion with individuals who are blind or visually impaired."
For more information about The Simeone Foundation Automotive Museum Sensory Tour, please contact ASB Public Relations Officer, Lauren Scarpa at 215.627.0600 x3242 or email her at lscarpa@asb.org.
About The Simeone Foundation Automotive Museum
The Simeone Foundation Automotive Museum is a 501(c)3 non-profit corporation whose mission is to educate the public on the beneficial effects of competition. Assembled by renowned neurosurgeon Dr. Frederick Simeone over a span of 50 years, the Museum contains over 60 of the rarest and most significant racing sports cars ever built.
About Grubb & Ellis Company
Named to The Global Outsourcing 100™ in 2009 by the International Association of Outsourcing Professionals™, Grubb & Ellis Company (NYSE: GBE) is one of the largest and most respected commercial real estate services and investment companies in the world. Our 6,000 professionals in more than 130 company-owned and affiliate offices draw from a unique platform of real estate services, practice groups and investment products to deliver comprehensive, integrated solutions to real estate owners, tenants and investors. The firm’s transaction, management, consulting and investment services are supported by highly regarded proprietary market research and extensive local expertise. Through its investment subsidiaries, the company is a leading sponsor of real estate investment programs that provide individuals and institutions the opportunity to invest in a broad range of real estate investment vehicles, including public non-traded real estate investment trusts (REITs), tenant-in-common (TIC) investments suitable for tax-deferred 1031 exchanges, mutual funds and other real estate investment funds. For more information, visit www.grubb-ellis.com.
About ASB
With roots dating back to 1874, ASB has as its mission to promote self-esteem, independence, and self-determination in people who are blind or visually impaired. ASB provides a full spectrum of rehabilitation and life skills education from computer training to hands-on gardening, multilingual outreach, and support groups. ASB also produces approximately eleven million pages of Braille per year. ASB is the largest non-profit organization in Southeastern Pennsylvania serving people who are blind and visually impaired. To learn more about ASB, visit us online at www.asb.org.
