TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (WTWO/WAWV) — Wednesday, Terre Haute Mayor Brandon Sakbun read a proclamation marking October 15th as White Cane Day.
White Cane Day symbolizes the white cane’s importance in blind and low vision communities, according to the Helen Keller Services.
“Several local advocates attended today, and I wanted to thank them for their help in planning improvements like the ones mentioned above, said Mayor Sakbun. “Their advocacy and proactive approach to this problem have helped local leaders improve our community for years.”
The National Federation of the Blind has celebrated White Cane Day since 1964, after President Lyndon B. Johnson signed a proclamation recognizing the day.
The white cane used by those visually impaired was first created by James Briggs in 1921. Briggs lost his sight due to an accident and was worried about car crashes near his home.
So, Briggs decided to paint his walking stick white so it could be more visible to motorists, according to the Helen Keller Services.
On Wednesday, Mayor Sakbun said the City of Terre Haute is working on improvements that would help those who are visually impaired.
Those improvements include adding audible pedestrian crosswalks near local schools and improving crosswalks to become compliant with the Americans with Disability Act.
“Individuals with white canes, we want to travel throughout the communities, and because of the work that’s been done by the city of Terre Haute with previous mayor and the current mayor and the ADA coordinator, we now have more accessible crossings,” said Danny Wayne Beemer, an advocate for people with disabilities. “We’d like to see more awareness for people with disabilities because they’re just as important
Americans with Disability Act Coordinator for the City of Terre Haute, Anne-Therese Ryan, said the city has a transition plan in place that will help the city, year by year, get closer to a “fully accessible city.”
Under the act, crosswalks must have a width of five feet and have a slope that matches the roadway. The slope of the crosswalk must also be under 2% for a crossing that has a stop sign and no more than 5% if there is no stop sign.
You can learn more about how to help the cause and celebrate White Cane Day by clicking this link.
