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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link="#0563C1" vlink="#954F72" style='word-wrap:break-word'><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black'>From Dominic Calabrese<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black'>Governor McMaster Salutes White Cane Day</span></b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black'> </span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black'>Leaders of South Carolina's blind community, including NFBSC President Jennifer Bazer and NFBSC Federation Center Chair Ed Bible, joined South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster today for a special presentation saluting White Cane Day.</span></b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black'> </span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black'>Signed into federal law by President Lyndon B. Johnson in 1964, the day celebrates the achievements of Americans who are blind and recognizes the white cane as a symbol of independence.</span></b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black'> </span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black'>Governor McMaster read a state proclamation in honor of White Cane Day, urging all South Carolinians to "renew their dedication to eliminating barriers for persons who are blind and visually impaired and to recognize their value as individuals, employees, and productive members of our communities."</span></b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black'>He noted that the 1972 White Cane Law, enacted by the South Carolina General Assembly, was a 20 year forerunner of the landmark Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) which is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year.</span></b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black'>Other guests who attended today's ceremony, which was held outside the Governor's Office, included Commissioner Darline Graham of the South Carolina Commission for the Blind; State Representative Rita Allison; Lions District Governor Judy Scott; Jolene Madison, director of special education at the South Carolina School for the Deaf and the Blind; Lions Vice District Governor Jim Barbare; Steve Fullerton, a manger at Clemson University; Billy Irwin, a young blind man who has successfully found employment at Clemson; an area blind student, Matthew Duffell-Hoffman; Julie Bible; and Dom Calabrese, who helped organize the event.</span></b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black'> </span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black'>Following the presentation, Governor McMaster posed for a group photo.</span></b><span style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black'> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black'> </span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black'> </span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black'> </span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><span style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black'> </span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></body></html>