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2020 Vision Quest is a non-profit organization founded by Randy Pierce of Nashua, New Hampshire, in the United States.〔(2020 Vision Quest Website )〕 Pierce is a totally blind man who planned to earn certification from the Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC) for climbing all 48 of the state's mountains over 4000 feet tall by the year 2020.〔(2020 Vision Quest blog entry ), 6/23/2010〕 Pierce completed his goal in August 2013, and was led on the trail by his guide dog Quinn, a yellow Labrador retriever, also called "The Mighty Quinn" by Pierce in appreciation of the dog's remarkable zest for mountaineering.〔 Pierce's goals for 2020 Vision Quest are: * to inspire others to overcome their challenges, * to educate and generate awareness of blindness as a social issue, and * to raise funds to support two charities that serve the visually impaired.〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=Donations page )〕 These charities are the (New Hampshire Association for the Blind ), which provides vision rehabilitation services, and Guiding Eyes for the Blind, an organization that trains guide dogs and matches them with owners at no charge.〔 Pierce is also very active doing presentations in companies and especially in schools, where he has reached thousands of young people with his message of being inspired by your abilities rather than limited by your disabilities.〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=For Educators page ) 〕〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=Donations page )〕 2020 Vision Quest was formed in the spring of 2010, and performs all of its fundraising through the New Hampshire Association for the Blind. Contributions to NHAB - 2020 Vision Quest are tax-deductible for donors, given that the NHAB is organized as a 501(c)(3) public charity.〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=Donations page )〕 ==About Randy Pierce == Randy Pierce was born in Nashua, New Hampshire, in 1966, and graduated from the University of New Hampshire in 1988 with a degree in electrical engineering. A year after graduation he had lost total vision in his right eye, and retained just a small area of tunnel vision in his left eye. Pierce's vision would continue to degrade until he slipped into total blindness in the year 2000.〔(''Dog helps blind man scale the heights'' ), Article in Nashua (NH) ''Telegraph'', 7/4/2010〕 In 2003, the disease that had destroyed his visual functions started affecting his cerebellum, causing him to suffer migraines and severe vertigo, and making him wheelchair bound.〔 Pierce undertook a series of experimental medical treatments to remap his brain functions, which returned some degree of balance, and he was able to begin walking on crutches, then with a walking stick, and eventually unaided. 〔 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「2020 Vision Quest」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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