Here's information on what took place in Austin, Texas, on Monday, october 15, 2007.
Austin has the largest White Cane Day celebration in the nation. It is a community event and everyone is welcome. Once again this year the White Cane Day Celebration Committee will be offering commemorative T-shirts.
Students at the Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired were invited to produce artwork depicting what White Cane Day meant to them. We selected nine pieces of artwork for the front of this year's shirt. The design is a collage of what kids created for this empowering day! The back of the shirt will have a raised-dot contracted Braille statement: "I'm not just blind … I'm out of sight!"
"Being blind is something to be proud of!! I know, because I am!!"
This statement also will be in print for non-Braille readers. There will be a tiny Braille quote on the back at the bottom of the T-shirts stating, "Ready to work … ready to contribute." This notation was on last year's shirt, and the plan is to continue to put this on T-shirts each year.
Call Caroline Barnes at (512) 377-0336, Alison Behringer at (512) 377-0480, or Scott Meyer at (512) 377-0332).
Hope to see y'all on White Cane Day!
The flyer for 2007.
Be sure to visit and thank the 2007 White Cane Day sponsors. All of these sponsors will be participating in the celebration in some way, whether by providing food, entertaining the children, or having another kind of booth or demonstration. Be sure to stop by their area on October 15 and see what each sponsor has to offer.
Here are a few of the agencies and groups for and of the blind that are participating in this year's event.
For immediate release
Oct. 12, 2007
Contact: Dolores Gonzalez, City ADA Coordinator (512) 974-3256, (512) 695-2733 (cell)
Pamela Buttner, 2007 White Cane Day Chair (512) 297-5928
www.whitecaneday.org
Hundreds of Blind Central Texans celebrate independence through Austin's White Cane Day
Climbing a two-story rock wall, demonstrating the use of power tools with industrial arts projects, and hitting a baseball out of Republic Square Park are a few of the traditional White Cane Day activities that challenge the public's preconceptions of blindness. However, it is no longer unexpected to routinely see blind Central Texans from all walks of life use the long white cane to travel independently throughout Austin. "Today, more than ever, thousands of blind people regularly participate in all aspects of community life, contributing their talents to our local workforce and fully enjoying all that Austin has to offer," said Lettie Jackson with the Austin Lighthouse for the Blind.
On Monday Oct. 15 at 9 a.m., an estimated 300 blind Central Texans of all ages will march from the State Capitol along Congress Avenue to Austin City Hall to celebrate Austin's Sixth Annual White Cane Day. Mayor Will Wynn will present a White Cane Day Proclamation to recognize the contributions of Austin's blind citizens and promote public awareness of the independence of pedestrians traveling with a white cane or dog guide. The proclamation ceremony begins at 10:15 a.m. in the City Hall Plaza, 301 W. Second St. Parking is available in the City Hall garage off Lavaca Street.
Austin's White Cane Day is regarded as the largest celebration in the nation. This day is known locally as an "Independence Day" for the estimated 25,000 individuals living in Travis and Williamson counties, who are blind or have significant vision impairment. Each year's event grows larger with participation by new sponsors and non-profit organizations of blind citizens. This year's celebration will include participation by a contingent of blind veterans from Waco.
In 1964, President Lyndon B. Johnson first observed White Cane Safety Day with a proclamation declaring the day as a safety reminder to promote courtesy and special consideration to the blind on this nation's streets and roadways. Since this first observance, White Cane Day has taken on greater meaning as a time to celebrate the independence of the blind and their right to participate fully in society.
All 50 states now have their own White Cane law, which not only addresses pedestrian safety for the blind, but more importantly, also guarantees civil rights protections. The Texas White Cane law also ensures the rights of individuals traveling with a dog guide to have equal access to all public places. Before the passage of our nation's white cane laws, blind persons traveling with a dog guide were routinely refused service in restaurants or excluded from public transportation. Others were excluded from employment or equal access to housing based solely on their status of blindness.
"Although much has changed in the decades since the first White Cane Day, there are still public misconceptions about blindness and the capabilities of blind people, " said Pamela Buttner, 2007 White Cane Day Chair. "Our main goal of White Cane Day is confronting public misconceptions about blindness with the hundreds of participating independent and confident blind people."
A key reason for greater confidence and independence among blind Central Texans is having two institutions in Austin that are national leaders of education and rehabilitation. Austin is home to the 150-year-old Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired, educating school-age blind students and the DARS - Criss Cole Rehabilitation Center providing rehabilitation training to blind adults from throughout Texas. For the students attending these centers of excellence, the long white cane is not only a mobility aid that allows the blind to travel safely; it also symbolizes the ability of the blind to live independently and to contribute actively to their communities.
Following the White Cane Day March, members of Austin's blind community, including the students and faculty of the Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired and consumers of the DARS - Criss Cole Rehabilitation Center will gather downtown at Republic Square Park for a Texas style BBQ. The park events include a live music stage with performances from Austin's own Blue Mist and others, art exhibits, a rock climbing wall, games and children's activities.
All White Cane Day events are open and free to the community through the generous donations from this year's sponsors:
NOTE TO EDITORS:
Persons are available for morning show or other studio interviews. For scheduling contact:
Gloria Bennett - (512) 206-9234 or
Scott Meyer - (512) 377-0332.
Spanish language interviews: Contact
Dolores Gonzalez (512) 974-3256
Everyone will gather in front of the State Capitol at 8:30AM. The Capitol is located at 11th Street and Congress Avenue. Marchers should gather behind the gate of the Capitol on the Capitol grounds. It is very important that people do not stand in the street. Do not wait on any stairs of the actual Capitol building as a permit is needed for that.
The march begins promptly at 9:00AM.
Start on the North side of 11th Street at Congress Avenue. March South on either side of Congress. Cross 11th, 10th, 9th, 8th, 7th, 6th, 5th, 4th, 3rd, 2nd and continue to Caesar Chavez (1st Street). Do not cross Caesar Chavez. Turn West (right) and cross Congress (if needed), Colorado, and Lavaca. After crossing Lavaca, City Hall will be to the North (right). Find a seat if possible. Please reserve seating for children, elderly, and others with physical disabilities.
The Austin Mayor will read the White Cane Day Proclamation at 10:15 AM. Following the reading of the proclamation, recognition awards will be given to all major sponsors and organizations. While receiving awards, each sponsor organization will have 1-2 minutes to give a speech. Please keep speeches short. We expect to finish everything at City Hall before 11:00 AM.
After finishing at City Hall, everyone should walk West (right of stage) to Guadalupe Avenue. Once on Guadalupe, marchers should walk north crossing 2nd and 3rd Streets. After crossing 3rd Street, marchers need to cross Guadalupe. After crossing Guadalupe, march North (turn right) and cross 4th Street and you will be at the Southeast corner of Republic Square Park.
The event is scheduled to conclude at approximately 4:00 PM. This event is kid-friendly.