[NFBMO] [MissouriAffiliateLeaders] NFB of Missouri Press Release about White Cane Safety Day

Gary Wunder gwunder at earthlink.net
Mon Oct 12 21:26:18 UTC 2020


I love this. I hope it goes in our Blind Missourian.

 

From: MissouriAffiliateLeaders <missouriaffiliateleaders-bounces at nfbnet.org>
On Behalf Of Daniel Garcia via MissouriAffiliateLeaders
Sent: Monday, October 12, 2020 1:29 PM
To: NFB of Missouri Mailing List (nfbmo at nfbnet.org) <nfbmo at nfbnet.org>;
Missouri Affiliate Leaders (missouriaffiliateleaders at nfbnet.org)
<missouriaffiliateleaders at nfbnet.org>
Cc: Daniel Garcia <dangarcia3 at hotmail.com>
Subject: [MissouriAffiliateLeaders] NFB of Missouri Press Release about
White Cane Safety Day

 

Dear Friends:

 

Attached and below my signature is a press release about White Cane Safety
Day. Though we are sending this out through the Missouri Press Association,
it is still helpful if you can send it out to any local media contacts you
have. Since you have built a relationship with these individuals, they are
more likely to give this press release some consideration that if it came
from an outside source.

 

Regards 

 

Daniel Garcia, Public Relations Chair

National Federation of the Blind of Missouri

dangarcia3 at hotmail.com <mailto:dangarcia3 at hotmail.com> 

(816) 621-0902

www.nfb.org <http://www.nfb.org> 

www.nfbmo.org <http://www.nfbmo.org> 

Live the life you want.

 

 

***

 

For Immediate Release

 

National Federation of the Blind of Missouri Applauds Governor Parson for
Issuing Proclamation Declaring October 15 as White Cane Awareness Day

October is Meet the Blind Month and Blind Missourians Urge a Greater
Understanding of the Blind in Society

 

Kansas City, Missouri (October 12, 2020): The National Federation of the
Blind of Missouri applauds Governor Michael L Parson for recently issuing a
proclamation declaring October 15 as White Cane Awareness Day. The
proclamation serves as a means to acknowledge the usefulness of the White
Cane as a "simple yet effective tool of independence that contributes to the
self-sufficiency of individuals who are blind and visually impaired and
symbolizes their ability to achieve a full and independent life and their
capacity to work productively in competitive employment." The proclamation
also encourages "all Missourians to show respect for those who carry the
white cane, to honor their many achievements, and to reaffirm our commitment
to improving access to basic services and opportunities for persons who are
blind and visually impaired." In addition,  the Governor's Proclamation
recognizes the prominent role of the National Federation of the Blind in
bringing about public understanding of the blind by establishing "the annual
observance of 'White Cane Awareness Day," ' which "emphasizes the need for
all Americans to be aware of the presence of persons with disabilities in
our communities and to work together to keep the streets, highways,
sidewalks, walkways, public buildings, facilities, and places of public
accommodation, amusement, and resort safe and functional to the disability
community."

 

Though the National Federation of the Blind works year-round to increase
public awareness about issues affecting the blind, it is during October that
we put forth an extra effort. October is Meet the Blind Month, a time when
members of the National Federation of the Blind go into our communities to
spread the message that blindness does not hold us back from living
rewarding and productive lives. Due to COVID19 restrictions, this year's
Meet the Blind Month will be implemented in a socially distant and virtual
manner, but the message will still be the same. Blind people from across the
political spectrum will also make their voices heard this fall whether they
vote in-person or vote absentee. The importance of blind voters
participating in our Blind Voter Survey to report good or bad voting
experiences cannot be overemphasized. The National Federation of the Blind
will use this data to approach elected officials to make the voting process
more accessible for the blind. The Help America Vote Act provides for an
accessible voting machine at every precinct during federal elections. The
National Federation of the Blind of Missouri is thus working hard to
persuade the legislature to have accessible voting machines at every polling
place in local and state elections as well. We are also working with
election officials to ensure that in future elections, blind people will be
able to preserve their right to independently cast a secret ballot if they
choose to vote absentee.

 

Since our founding in 1940, the National Federation of the Blind has been a
leading force in promoting independence for blind people. In the 1960's and
1970's the National Federation of the Blind helped obtain passage, in all 50
states, of White Cane Safety Laws, which removed barriers to blind people
living independently. More recently, the NFB tackled the issue of quiet cars
by successfully helping to pass the Pedestrian Safety Enhancement Act,
signed into law on January 4, 2011. In 2017 the National Federation of the
Blind established a monitoring program to ensure that dog guide users are
not denied service by rideshare companies such as Uber and Lyft. The NFB is
also working with automobile manufacturers and elected officials to ensure
that blind people get access to fully autonomous vehicles once they become
available in the market.

 

"Over the past 80 years, the National Federation of the Blind has been the
most successful organization working to improve the lives of blind people,"
said Shelia Wright, president of the Missouri affiliate of the National
Federation of the Blind. "The many legislative, legal, and advocacy
milestones which we have achieved were the result of blind and sighted
volunteers willing to take action to accomplish the Federation's goals of
equality, opportunity, and security for the blind. Our continued success
depends on more people coming forward and volunteering their time, energy,
and talent. We invite you to visit our website www.nfbmo.org
<http://www.nfbmo.org>  to learn more about our programs and to find the
nearest chapter. Your involvement in the NFB will benefit you in many ways
and you will certainly get out of the experience more than you put into it."


 

###

 

About the National Federation of the Blind 

The National Federation of the Blind (NFB), headquartered in Baltimore, is
the oldest, largest, and most effective nationwide civil rights and
self-advocacy organization of blind Americans. Founded in 1940, the NFB
consists of affiliates, chapters, and divisions in the fifty states,
Washington DC, and Puerto Rico. The National Federation of the Blind seeks
to achieve the complete integration of the blind into society on a basis of
equality. To accomplish this objective, our programs aim to remove legal,
economic, and social barriers and to educate the public to new concepts
concerning blindness. Every day we raise the expectations of blind people,
because low expectations create obstacles between blind people and our
dreams. We can live the lives we want; blindness is not what holds us back.
You can learn more about the National Federation of the Blind of Missouri by
visiting our website: www.nfbmo.org <http://www.nfbmo.org> 

 

CONTACT:

Daniel Garcia, Public Relations Chair 

National Federation of the Blind of Missouri

(816) 621-0902

dangarcia3 at hotmail.com <mailto:dangarcia3 at hotmail.com> 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



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