Notes Bring Hope & Touch Tour 2026: Inspiring Confidence Through Music and Hands-On Discovery

Mark Fitchett, PPV children, families, staff and volunteers 

TORRANCE, California June 27th, 2026 — 

Partners for Pediatric Vision (PPV) and Vistas for Children joined together to provide Notes Bring Hope free ukulele lessons on June 27th, 2026, at the Torrance Airport community room. Volunteer musician Mark Fitchett of Fitchett Guitar School in Torrance, introduced the ease and fun of playing ukulele with children who receive vision education and support services from Partners for Pediatric Vision. Volunteers from Junior Vistas and the Peninsula Chapter of National Charity League were paired with a child with vision loss.  All the children took home their ukuleles to continue building their skills and playing for fun, thanks to the Guitar Center Music Foundation.

NCL volunteer Vienna encourage Gabriella to explore the ukulele

Pablo gets a helping hand from dad

Aliyah and Mahizhan learning about the strings on the ukulele

Colton finding the second string

A short walk away, the Western Museum of Flight welcomed the children and families for a hands-on experience with aircraft and space exploration. Volunteers guided the children with visual impairment through experiences that included sitting in the cockpit of a fighter jet and touching engines, missiles, and models of planes and the solar system.

Gabriella and Pablo both use mobility canes and were excited to meet

"We really enjoyed this event. It was so adorable that Pablo met another child using her white cane. Our dream is for him to live a life as normal as possible." - Pablo's parents

Nicole and Family arriving to the Touch Tour at the Western Museum of Flight.

"This was a beautiful event where we finally felt included. We have never attended an event where Nicole enjoyed herself this much, thank you," - Nicole's mother. 

Children who receive services from Partners for Pediatric Vision learn experientially because of their vision loss. Hands-on opportunities like ukulele lessons and up-close museum tours are essential learning experiences and meaningful family events where parents of children with visual impairment can meet one another.

Nicole trailed the length of the plane to help her picture its' size

Pablo had a hands-on opportunity to help him learn the parts of the plane. 

Colton exploring the model of the fighter plane on display 

Nicole was guided into the jet cockpit by a docent and her mom

Aliyah came with her aunt Rosanna who is PPV's Lead Child & Family Vision Specialist

ABOUT PARTNERS FOR PEDIATRIC VISION: 

Partners for Pediatric Vision (PPV) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Its mission is to turn possibilities into achievements for visually impaired children and their families by providing a critical link between a vision diagnosis and comprehensive support services. PPV provides free education, support and enrichment activities for children with visual impairment ages birth to 18 and their families in the South Bay and throughout Southern California. Learn more at www.partners for pediatric vision.org 

PPV's Mackenzie Bello-Ponce, Rosanna Munoz, Tori Schladen and Irene Takahashi 

Photo credits: Rosanna Munoz

Want to see more photos and video? Check out this Reel on Facebook: https://fb.watch/Iek6NBWJAV/?mibextid=wwXIfr&fs=e