[Ohio-talk] Ohio you should be using this in your education efforts WHITE CANE SAFETY DAY

[Sheri Albers]

Hello President Payne,
I just want to put the text of the updated White Cane proclamation below.
This day is now referred to as White Cane Awareness Day. Here is information
from the NFB website discussing the name change:

The History of White Cane Awareness Day
While it was not uncommon throughout history for blind people to use a stick
or cane to navigate, society largely didn't accept that blind people could
travel by ourselves until recently.
In the 1960s, the National Federation of the Blind became a leader in
fighting for the rights of the blind and in pioneering innovative training
programs using the white cane. At our urging, the United States Congress
adopted a joint resolution in 1964 designating October 15 of each year as
White Cane Safety Day. This publicly recognized that white canes enable
blind people to travel safely and independently. You can read more about the
rich history leading to this joint resolution and about the first
proclamation of White Cane Safety Day by then president Lyndon Johnson in
this article by Dr. Marc Maurer <https://nfb.org/white-cane-safety-day> .
While the white cane keeps blind people safe (because drivers and other
pedestrians can easily see it), it is also a tool that blind people use to
explore and navigate our environment. For this reason, the emphasis of White
Cane Safety Day has shifted over time away from safety, and toward
independence and equality. We believe that it's important to celebrate this
history and recognize the white cane as the tool that allows the blind to
"come and go on [our] own" as President Johnson said back in 1964.
To emphasize the shift in focus from safety to independence, and to continue
to use the white cane as a symbol, we have chosen to refer to this day as
White Cane Awareness Day.

PROCLAMATION:
STATE OR CITY OF (name of state or city)

WHITE CANE AWARENESS DAY PROCLAMATION (Sample)


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

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

WHEREAS, (name of state) 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 (name of state), through its public agencies and with
the cooperative assistance of the (name of Federation affiliate), can and
should facilitate the expansion of employment opportunities for and greater
acceptance of blind persons in the competitive labor market:

NOW, THEREFORE, I, (name of Governor/mayor), Governor of the State of (name
of state or city), do hereby proclaim October 15, _________, as

WHITE CANE AWARENESS DAY

in (name of state) 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.


Best Regards,
Sheri Albers, Vice President
National Federation of the Blind of Ohio
513.886.8697
Sheri.albers87 at gmail.com

The National Federation of the Blind knows that blindness is not the
characteristic that defines you or your future. Every day we raise the
expectations of blind people, because low expectations create obstacles
between blind people and our dreams. You can live the life you want;
blindness is not what holds you back.


_____________________________________________
From: Ohio-Talk [mailto:ohio-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Richard
Payne via Ohio-Talk
Sent: Saturday, October 6, 2018 10:55 PM
To: 'NFB of Ohio Announcement and Discussion List'
Cc: Richard Payne
Subject: [Ohio-talk] Ohio you should be using this in your education efforts
WHITE CANE SAFETY DAY


	WHITE CANE SAFETY DAY
	FOR COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES

	WHEREAS, the white cane, which all blind citizens of the (school
name) community have the right to carry, demonstrates and symbolizes their
ability to achieve a full and independent life and their capacity to work
productively in competitive employment; and

	WHEREAS, the white cane, by allowing all blind people to move freely
and safely from place to place, makes it possible for them to participate
fully in and contribute to the enrichment of our campus community; and

	WHEREAS, motorists should be aware that the law requires that blind
pedestrians using a white cane or a guide dog shall have the right-of-way;
and

	WHEREAS, this body recognizes that it is respectable to be blind and
that the blind are equal in every way to their sighted peers, different only
by the characteristic of not having the physical ability to see; and

	WHEREAS, through the efforts of the (name of school) community and
with the assistance of the National Federation of the Blind of Ohio, we can
look forward to a continued expansion of educational opportunities for and
greater acceptance of blind people in the competitive labor market; and

	WHEREAS, the National Federation of the Blind has declared October
Meet the Blind Month and takes this opportunity each year to educate the
public about the abilities of blind citizens:

	Now, therefore, the Student Senate of (name of school) hereby
proclaims October 2018 Meet the Blind Month and October 15, 2018, 

	WHITE CANE SAFETY DAY

for the purpose of bringing the (name of school) community to a greater
understanding of blindness and what it means to be blind and calls upon
every academic institution to offer full educational opportunities to all
blind students.
WHITE CANE SAFETY DAY PROCLAMATION

	WHEREAS, the white cane, which all blind citizens of our
(city/county) have the right to carry, demonstrates and symbolizes their
ability to achieve a full and independent life and their capacity to work
productively in competitive employment; and

	WHEREAS, by allowing all blind people to move freely and safely from
place to place, the white cane makes it possible for them to participate
fully in and contribute to our society; and

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

	WHEREAS, the National Federation of the Blind has declared October
Meet the Blind Month and takes this opportunity each year to educate the
public about the abilities of blind citizens; and

	WHEREAS, through the public education and outreach efforts of the
National Federation of the Blind of Ohio, citizens of this (city/county) can
look forward to a continued expansion of employment opportunities for and
greater acceptance of blind people in the competitive labor market:

	NOW, THEREFORE, I, (name), Mayor/City Manager/Commissioner of the
City/County of (name of city/county), do hereby proclaim October 2018 Meet
the Blind Month and October 15, 2018, 

	WHITE CANE SAFETY DAY

in the City/County of (name of city/county), for the purpose of bringing a
greater understanding of blindness and what it means to be blind to the
citizens of this city/county and call upon our schools to offer full
opportunities for training to blind people; public and private employers to
use the available skills of competent blind people and to open new
opportunities for the blind in our rapidly changing society; and all
citizens to recognize the white cane as an instrument of safety and
self-help for blind pedestrians on our streets and highways.


Richard Payne,  President
National Federation of the Blind of Ohio
937-396-5573or 937/829/3368
Rchpay7 at gmail.com
The National Federation of the Blind knows that blindness is not the
characteristic that defines you or your future. Every day we raise the
expectations of blind people, because low expectations create obstacles
between blind people and our dreams. You can live the life you want;
blindness is not what holds you back

 << File: Untitled attachment 00022.knfb >> 
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: winmail.dat
Type: application/ms-tnef
Size: 11522 bytes
Desc: not available
URL: <http://nfbnet.org/pipermail/ohio-talk_nfbnet.org/attachments/20181007/d5742c0b/attachment.bin>