[Nfbc-info] Fw: white cane safety day

[Randy Cummings]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: Randy Cummings 
To: nfb 
Sent: Saturday, October 10, 2009 1:02 PM
Subject: white cane safety day


I have not heard on the list serve any of the chapter's events for white cane safety day this coming week.

I searched for a blank proclamation on the nfbcal website but could not locate one to give to the county in which I live.  

This county, El Dorado has the most population of seniors with vision problems and I am the only rehabilitation instructor for the county.  I am able to get a few people to use white canes but most of the seniors with visual problems tried to hide it until they trip over a parking block breaking bones or something worse.

Some of my clients and many others, with low vision   hide their   blindness and still   drives a car.  It is scary     when a client parks their car, exits the car-unfold their cane, and inter the store.

There are very few safe street crossings and the two places where the traffic is not so cluttered with cars, bicycle and occasionally a few horses, the button to activate the street crossing is six feet away from the corner and behind a fence. By the time, the button is pressed and the person is lined up in the crosswalk the light has changed.  

I am planning a talk with the city and county supervisors next week and to introduce them to the hazards of the county and to let them know that there are Organizations in California to give guidance when needed.  

Randy Cummings