Orientation and Mobility Division

This year, we’re finally going to do Stand. One reason is that I wanted something 80s themed. Another is that it’s a great O&M song as it uses compass directions). Finally, we do our “flash mob” for fun and information, not for our skill as dancers, so we’re going to go for it.

The designs are something that I start thinking about then ask for input from others. Once we come to a consensus, we start asking for “models” for the design and send photos to our designer. For our 10th year, we did the Van Halen design with white canes because I wasn’t sure we would be in person and the people who are the models are always given a shout out at our events and the previous year had been cancelled, so we would still have people to recognize if we were in person. Also, that design with the canes just looks cool. There are 10 canes for our 10 years.

We sell shirts so that we can help pay for the ones we give away to students, which is usually around 250. Donors help but don’t cover it all. When this was going to be a 1-time event and I realized I might have more money than I needed to put on this event – and it wouldn’t be my money – I wanted it to go somewhere important. The Wisconsin Council for the Blind and Visually Impaired has a White Cane Fund that is used to give free white canes to Wisconsin residents. That seemed like the best place for the excess funds to go. I learned to keep some seed money back for future years (I was fronting all of the money on my own the first couple of years). I’ve lost track of what we’ve given to the White Cane Fund, but I think it’s around $10,000. We’ve also used some of the funds to help support our annual high school O&M trip to Chicago.

Our choreography was originally done by the Milwaukee Public Schools O&M Specialists. We’re not dancers, so we ran out of ideas quickly. We then asked the Adaptive PE teacher and a PT at one of my schools to help – they did fitness dances for their students. Lately, we’ve had Lacey Long (a COMS and a wheelchair dance coach) and our PT friend doing the choreography as the APE teacher retired. We create a video of the dance with verbal descriptions so people can train for the big event.

On the morning of the event, we rehearse at one of my schools. The Milwaukee County Transit System (one of our partners) comes to the school with buses, and they talk to our students about how to ride the public bus and let the kids ask all the questions they want. They then drive us to the Milwaukee County Courthouse where the Milwaukee County Office for Persons with Disabilities) has secured us a spot to do our dance, hand out White Cane Law bookmarks, and share other information about blindness. At noon, we do our dance. Following that, we have White Cane Day proclamations from local officials. If the officials can come or send someone on their behalf, they will read their own. If not, we ask students to read them. They are available in large print and braille thanks to our partners at Audio and Braille Literacy Enhancement (ABLE).

All of the shirts are sorted and mailed by volunteers. We’ve often had over 500 shirts to get off to people. It’s another time-consuming task but it’s fun to see the piles of shirts on someone’s dining room table.

• At the start of the 2022 school year, a para educator and a general education teacher reached out to me about my fourth-grade student with low vision because some of his classmates had difficulty understanding how to interact with him. Our team wanted to find a way for him to share more about himself with his class. We decided, what better way to do that than to make a video about White Cane Day. The hope in creating the video was to help spread awareness about the event, while at the same time allowing his peers to learn a little bit about what he goes through. With the permission of his mom, we created the video and shared it with his class. In the video, the student was asked a series of questions; “What is a White Cane? “What is White Cane Day?”, “Who is White Cane Day for?”, “Why is White Cane Day Important?”, “When is White Cane Day?”, and “What does independence mean to you?”. After the interview, there are video clips of my student demonstrating how he uses his white cane. My student and I talked about the importance of audio descriptions. We discussed how it’s necessary to include in videos so that people who are blind and visually impaired will know what is happening on the screen. Sharing this video with his class helped his classmates get a better understanding of what he goes through on a daily basis. It provided an opportunity for students to ask questions and gave a small glimpse of the types of accommodations he needs in order to access certain materials

• A list of different activities agencies/individuals do for White Cane Day.

• Develop a press release on White Cane Day

• Develop draft of a state proclamation for White Cane Day. (See Massachusetts ‘s Proclamation)

• White Cane watch parties for those who can’t attend an event.

• Involve Consumers (Adult & children) to speak during a white cane event

• Work with State agency for electronic billboards for outreach PSA directed towards drivers.

• Work with State DMV and driving schools on outreach

• OCTOBER IS WHITE CANE AWARENESS MONTH
  The white cane is a symbol of independence and blindness. The white cane allows an Individual who is legally blind to travel independently.  In 1931, the Lions Club began promoting the use of white canes for people who are blind as a national identification program. International White Cane Day is October 15. All states and many other countries have White Cane laws, which allow pedestrians, who are legally blind, the right of way at street crossings. Most people who are legally blind have some usable vision. When in doubt, ask if the person needs assistance.  Do not grab the person, cane or guide dog. Do not pet or distract a guide dog. Massachusetts White Cane Law states that All motorists, when they see a pedestrian who uses a guide dog or a white cane at a street crossing, must come to a complete stop.

• October Is White Cane Awareness Month     
  Stop for White Cane And Guide Dog Users At Street Crossings It’s the LAW! Massachusetts White Cane Law: General Law Chapter 90 Section 14A For more information, contact the Massachusetts Commission for the Blind or 800-392-6450-V 800-392-6556-TTY www.mass.gov.ma.us/mcb

• Collaborate with Talking Information Centers & Talking book Library

• NFB Webpage: https://nfb.org/programs-services/blind-equality-achievement-month/white-cane-awareness-day 

• Many cities have a place on their website to submit proclamations. I submitted the following a few years ago with a desire to hear city officials express intentions toward inclusion. Text: PROCLAMATION  WHEREAS, Blind Americans Equality Day began as White Cane Safety Day, authorized by Congress in 1964 to recognize the contributions of people who are blind or have low vision and is proclaimed every year by the United States President; and  WHEREAS, the long white cane and dog guide are mobility tools used by people who are blind or have low vision to travel independently; and  WHEREAS, increasing numbers of community members are experiencing vision loss leading to challenges with mobility, daily living, communication, employment, and recreation; however, people who are blind or have low vision can learn to live independently, maintain family dynamics, have gainful and meaningful employment, and contribute to their communities; and  WHEREAS, the City of Spokane values the talents and abilities of people with vision loss, and supports inclusion of people with vision loss through the continued removal of physical and societal barriers that can prevent community participation:  NOW, THEREFORE, I, Nadine Woodward, Mayor of the City of Spokane, on behalf of the citizens of Spokane, do hereby proclaim October 15, 2021 as BLIND AMERICANS EQUALITY DAY  in Spokane and encourage community members to recognize the long white cane and dog guide as symbols of freedom and independence, and to seek the inclusion of people with vision loss in the family, workplace, and community.  I, Nadine Woodward, Mayor of Spokane, do hereunto set my hand and cause the seal of the City of Spokane to be affixed this 6th day of October 2021.

• Have students featured in an article in their local paper describing what the cane means to them, their independence in travel, and anything else they want their community to know about their travel and O&M in their hometowns!

• White Cane Day 5K

• Video for school to play in each classroom with tips and tricks of how to interact with someone who is blind/VI starring students from the school

• Made a flyer to hand out to local businesses!

• Knowing and living safely in one’s own natural surroundings (home, schools, and workplaces) is a basic human right issue; consequently, White Cane Day provides an opportunity to actualize accessible, a safe, and loving environment for all person with visual impairment. 

• This activity is pulled from the Virtual ExCEL Camps  summer during the of 2020!   Imagine if you could create a monologue or dialogue for your long cane, guide dog, or monocular, a different perspective. Use your creative skills to give a voice to your long cane, monocular, or guide dog. https://www.aph.org/if-my-cane-guide-dog-or-monocular-could-talk-what-would-it-say/\

• Demonstrate human guide technique

• T-shirts and a white-cane dance.

• We are celebrating 175 years of service at the Illinois School for the Visually Impaired so, we completed a campus beautification project this morning. 

• Create small long white canes participants can wear on their clothes or make earrings

• The white cane use in children with cerebral visual impairment even in presence of near normal visual acuity is a unique application of this useful assistive device and should be highlighted in White Cane Day. I would be willing t discuss this and provide lived-in experience form CVIers. [email protected]

• In North Texas, we have done an event at our Region 10 Education Service Center. We had 110 students come to this event with their parents or teachers. We did the proclamation, march from one building to our other building, and then did a ECC carnival event. We had an activity in each of our rooms for each ECC event. They were 1) exploring Goal ball skills for Rec/Leisure 2) craft room 3) makeup and shaving skills room 4) make a brownie in a cup for independent living and so on….

• I email a coloring sheet, provide a tactile activity for my students, and go around and present in each of my student’s classes!

• White Cane Day Song

  (Verse 1)
  Waking up to a brand new day,
  With my cane by my side, I’ll find my way.
  Every step I take, I feel the ground,
  In this world of sound, my path is found.

  (Chorus)
  It’s White Cane Day, let’s celebrate,
  A symbol of strength, it opens the gate.
  With every tap, I’m standing tall,
  Together we rise, we can all have it all.

  (Verse 2)
  Navigating streets, I hear the call,
  Of laughter and hope, we’re breaking down walls.
  Side by side, we’re paving the way,
  For a brighter tomorrow, come what may.

  (Chorus)
  It’s White Cane Day, let’s celebrate,
  A symbol of strength, it opens the gate.
  With every tap, I’m standing tall,
  Together we rise, we can all have it all.

  (Bridge)
  With courage and grace, we’ll lead the way,
  Shining our light, come join the fray.
  No barriers here, just open hearts,
  In this journey of life, we’re all a part.

  (Chorus)
  It’s White Cane Day, let’s celebrate,
  A symbol of strength, it opens the gate.
  With every tap, I’m standing tall,
  Together we rise, we can all have it all.

  (Outro)
  So raise your voice and let it ring,
  In unity and love, together we sing.
  On this White Cane Day, we stand proud and free,
  Hand in hand, we’ll write our own story.

  Written by Chat GPT