Reported by Cassie Tammy Wang
“White Cane Safety Day” is a national observance in the United States, celebrated each year since 1964. It is set aside to celebrate the achievements of people who are blind or visually impaired and the important symbol of blindness and tool of independence, the white cane.
On October 6, 1964, a joint resolution of the U.S. Congress, H.R. 753, was signed into law. This resolution called upon the people of the United States to observe such a day with appropriate ceremonies and activities. President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the first White Cane Safety Day proclamation within hours of the passage of the joint resolution. In 2011, White Cane Safety Day was also named Blind Americans Equality Day by President Barack Obama.
According to the website of the National Federation of the Blind, in 1963, a comparatively small number of blind people had achieved sufficient independence to travel alone on the busy highways of our nation. In 1978 that number has not simply increased but multiplied a hundred fold. The process began in the beginning of the organized blind movement and continues today. There was a time when it was unusual to see a blind person on the street, to find a blind person working in an office, or to see a blind person operating machinery in a factory. This is still all too uncommon.
But it happens more often and the symbol of this independence is the white cane. The blind are able to go, to move, to be, and to compete with all others in society. The means by which this is done is that simple tool, the white cane. With the growing use of the white cane is an added element-‘the wish and the will to be free’-the unquenchable spirit and the inextinguishable determination to be independent. With these the prospects for blind people become bright. That is what White Cane Safety Day is all about.
Greater Princeton AYLUS (GPA), NJ Branch, cares about blind people that are in need of help, therefore GPA promoted “White Cane Safety Day” and served our community along with our year-round “Humanistic Care” project on December 29th. GPA’s President Cassie Tammy Wang, Vice Presidents Elizabeth Chang and Xin Chen served the 2018 event from 12 to 4 p.m. at the Menlo Park Mall in Edison, singing and playing joyful holiday songs and music. Numerous Mall shoppers were appreciative of the music performance and enjoyed it very much especially during this holiday season. In total $221.87 of donation was received by the end of the fundraising event, and forwarded to the LCI Foundation for cataract surgeries performed through SightFirst-a program saving and restoring sight to people around the world.
Keep up the great work, Greater Princeton AYLUS team!
