Area Lions Join With AVI, RIL, and NY Commssion for the Blind to Observe White Cane Day

The Lions of District 20 R-1 (N Westchester / Rockland Putnam) joined with Association for the Visually Impaired, Rockland Independent Living, and the NY Commission for the Blind Tuesday October 15, at Palisades Mall to mark White Cane Day.   Blind and visually impaired people in many countries use the familiar white cane with a red band at the bottom.  Originated in 1921 by James Biggs in Bristol, England, who painted the bottom of his cane red to be more visible to motorists, the white cane today provides blind persons a legal status in traffic and serves as a universal  "symbol of independence".   On hand for the observance were Brian Daniels, Assistant Commissioner for the NY State  Commission on the Blind, State Senator (and a Nanuet Lion) David Carlucci (NY Senate 38th),  AVI President Laura Geberth  and AVI Placement Counselor Yolanda Rihlman and Lion Past International Director Bob Klein (North Rockland), Lion Past Council Chair Angelo Purcigliotti  (Somers), and District Governor Barbara Chuck (Nanuet).   PID Bob Klein gave an overview of the history of the white cane and its emergence as a symbol of independence.   District Governor Barbara Chuck presented a $250 donation from District 20 R-1 Lions to AVI.    DG Lion Barbara, expressed her appreciation to Shoprite, Stiarbucks, and the Palisades Mall for their support of the event.   Along with Lion Brad O'Dell, Lion Donna Ehrenberg, District PR Co-Chair Pat Hart, ZC Gerry Jamieson, Lion Barbara Greenberg, Lion (State Senator) David Carlucci, and Lion Club President Lou Ramos from District Governor Barbara's Nanuet Club, Lion Second Vice District Governor Steve DeName, (Croton), Lion Chuck Cohen (Pearl River), Lion   Cary Smolen (North Rockland), and Lion   Maybelle Twohie (Ramapo)  were on hand to support the White Cane Day event.   In 1930,  George A.Bonham,  President of the Peoria Lions Club  (Illinois), introduced the idea of using the white cane with a red band as a means of assisting the blind in independent mobility.   Today white cane laws are on the books of every state in the US and many other countries, providing blind persons a legal status in traffic. The white cane now universally acknowledges that the bearer is blind.