The Year: 1964
The People:
Two young boys at the Foundation for the Junior Blind (now Wayfinder Family Services) are joined by Academy Award-winning actress, Jane Wyman, to celebrate White Cane Safety Day. The day is dedicated to the achievements of people who are blind or visually impaired, and also celebrates the independence symbolized by the white cane.
The Moment:
The Lions Club International are champions of the white cane and, since our founding in 1953, Wayfinder Family Services has received generous support from dozens of Lions Clubs and hundreds of Lions. The introduction of the white cane in North America can be attributed to Lions Club International and George A. Bonham. In 1930, Bonham, president of the Peoria Lions Club, watched a man who was blind attempting to cross a street with a black cane. Motorists could not see the man’s cane, so Bonham proposed painting the cane white with a red stripe to make it more noticeable.
August 29, 2018