[NFBMO] 2019 White Cane Awareness Proclamation Signed By The Governor

[Daniel Garcia]

Dear Missouri Federationists:

Today marks the beginning of October which is Meet the Blind Month. Although we educate the public about the capabilities of the blind year round, it is during October that we make an extra effort to tell the public how blindness does not hold us back. The most important date during Meet the Blind Month is October 15 which marks White Cane Awareness Day. It was in the 1960's and 1970's that the NFB passed Model White Cane Laws across the country to combat the perverse notion of contributory negligence, the idea that a blind person was to blame for whatever accident he was involved in merely because he is blind. White Cane Awareness thus helps to promote the value of the White Cane as a tool of independence for the blind and to encourage people to realize that blind people are quite capable of living fully rewarding and productive lives

Governor Parson recently signed a Proclamation Declaring October 15 to be White Cane Awareness day. It is attached and below my signature.

Regards

Daniel Garcia, Corresponding Secretary
National Federation of the Blind of Missouri
dangarcia3 at hotmail.com
(816) 621-0902
www.nfb.org
www.nfbmo.org
Live the life you want


***


WHEREAS, the white cane, which every blind citizen of our state has the right to carry, demonstrates and symbolizes the ability to achieve a full and independent life and the capacity to work productively in competitive employment; and

WHEREAS, the proper use of the white cane, by allowing every blind person to move freely and safely from place to place, makes it possible for the blind to participate fully in and contribute to our society and to live the lives they want; and

WHEREAS, since 2008 the National Federation of the Blind, through its free white cane program, has been offering free white canes to blind and visually impaired individuals, helping them to become independent members of society; and

WHEREAS, every citizen should be aware that the law requires that motorist and cyclists exercise appropriate caution when approaching a blind person carrying a white cane or using a dog guide; and

WHEREAS, Missouri law also calls upon employers, both public and private, to be aware of and utilize the employment skills of our blind citizens by recognizing their worth as individuals and their productive capacities; and

WHEREAS, the State of Missouri, through its public agencies and with the cooperative assistance of the National Federation of the Blind of Missouri, can and should facilitate the expansion of employment opportunities for and greater acceptance of blind persons in the competitive labor market.

NOW THEREFORE, I, Michael L. Parson, GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF MISSOURI, do
hereby proclaim October 15, 2019, to be

WHITE CANE AWARENESS DAY

in Missouri and do call upon our schools, colleges, and universities to offer full opportunities for training to blind persons; upon employers and the public to utilize the available skills of competent blind persons and to open new opportunities for the blind in our rapidly changing society; and upon all citizens to recognize the white cane as a tool of independence for blind pedestrians on our streets and highways.

IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused to be affixed the Great Seal of the State of Missouri, in the City of Jefferson, this 16th day of September, 2019.

Michael L. Parson
Governor
Jay Ashcroft
Secretary of State



-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: 2019 White Cane Awareness Proclamation Signed By The Governor.docx
Type: application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.wordprocessingml.document
Size: 29656 bytes
Desc: 2019 White Cane Awareness Proclamation Signed By The Governor.docx
URL: <http://nfbnet.org/pipermail/nfbmo_nfbnet.org/attachments/20191002/652f88d2/attachment.docx>