[Nfbf-l] White Cane Safety Day! "Daytona Beach"

[petercerullo at aol.com]

My Florida FederationFamily,
The NFB Greater DaytonaBeach Chapter held a White Cane Safety Day and Pedestrian Awareness EventSpectacular.  Friday October 21st2011on the courthouse steps of the Fifth District Court of Appeal in thedowntown historic district of Daytona Beach. The stage was set and the walktook place at 10:00 a.m. at the intersection of Orange Avenue and Beach Street.There was over one hundred people in attendance which included twenty-fourmembers of the NFB Greater Daytona Beach Chapter, Handy Cap Adults of VolusiaCounty, Disability Solutions for Independent Living, Halifax Council for theBlind, Daytona State College Occupational Therapy Department, Center VisuallyImpaired, Lions Conklin Center for the Blind, Rehabilitation Center for theBlind and Visually Impaired, TPO ‘Transportation Planning Organization’, VotranTransit, Kings Transportation, Division Blind Services, Talking Book Library,Boys and Girls Club of Volusia County, Our Lady of Lourdes ‘Lourdes Academy’, VeteransAdministration, the Great City of Daytona Beach; Mayor Glen Ritchie and staff,Daytona Beach Police Chief Mike Chitwood and the DBPD, Fire Chief Bland, Lt.Larry Stony of the DBFD, Commissioner Kelly White zone 3, Volusia countyCouncil Chair Frank Bruno, Andy Kelly plus other dignitaries from variousgovernment offices Congressman John Mica “John Booker”, Senator Marco Rubio “SusanFernandez”, Congress woman Sandy Adams “Don Pardue”, VFW “Commander ChaplinRoger Lee Tiffany”, Father Phil Egitto, Halifax Urban Ministries “David James“and radio personalities WELE 1380 “Roman Via”, WNDB 1150 “Greg Blose &Dave Lang”, WHOG FM “Sticks” along with other media hosts that covered theWhite Cane Safety Day event; In Motion “Jean Marie Applebee”, News Journal  “Michael Kelly”, Eleanor Roy and Andrew Gant”and TV news 13, 6 and Fox 35 “Kelly Jones.” We would also like to thank the Daytona Beach Partner Association “AlSmith”, Daytona Beach Chamber of commerce “James Cameron”, BT’s music “Butch”and a great big debt of gratitude to US Marshall Ty Berdeaux. (FDCA) 
 
The weather remained sunnycrisp and clear as Peter Cerullo president of the NFB Greater Daytona BeachChapter announced “Good Morning, Welcome to the 2011 White Cane Safety Day andPedestrian Awareness Event.” Mr. Cerullo went on to proclaim that FridayOctober 21st 2011 had a dual purpose; first being the celebrationthat commemorates the forty-fifth anniversary of the signing of White CaneSafety Law by President Lyndon B. Johnson in 1966. This civil rightslegislative law was modeled and written by Jacobus Tenbroek founder of theNational Federation of the Blind.  Thiscivil rights law was designed to protect blind or visually impaired personscarrying a white cane or using a service animal and also for mobility impairedpersons using a wheelchair, walker or crutches, that when entering a cross walkat anytime a motorist must come to a complete stop giving the blind or mobilityimpaired person the right of way. The local leader went on to say that secondlyit was the commitment of the organized blind to campaign that all pedestriansneed to be protected and kept safe. Cerullo said “whether you are blind orsighted, mobility impaired or able bodied a cyclist, runner or biker, Father,Mother and child everyone needs to be kept safe.” God Bless America was sung byMs Sandy Doefler, the proclamations were then read first by City CommissionerKelly White and then the Volusia County Council Chair Frank Bruno.  The preliminary celebration ended with an invocationby VFW Commander Roger Lee Tiffany along with the playing of taps for all thefallen military service personal and civilians that died this past year bycareless motorists in the state of Florida. The official White Cane Safety Dayand Pedestrian Awareness Walk took place.
 
Truly Grateful,
Peter Cerullo / President
NFB Greater Daytona BeachChapter
386 265 2527