June 26 - Vernon, BC

Happy birthday, Lyle!

 I am truly blessed to have Lyle in my life.  He is a rock of support and encouragement.  The picture above shows Lyle waiting patiently on the benches outside the Vernon museum at the beginning of our walk there.   Without his patience and of course his driving skill, I doubt that the White Cane Connections project would be happening.

In many ways it was surprising that we were able to arrive in Vernon at all!  Highway #1 was blocked west of Revelstoke for many hours due to a mud slide.  Traffic was stopped on the other side of the pass at Golden because there was no room for any additional cars and trucks to park at Revelstoke.  When the highway finally opened, we drove through to Revelstoke and on to Sicamous.  There we were again detoured because floods had washed on Higway 97 to Vernon.  We had to proceed further west to take an alternate route south. It was a long trip but we finally got to Vernon.

At the end of our walk today, I did stop in at the Vernon Library. In spite of the library being housed in a new building, none of the computer stations had audible programs installed. Likely this was because of the licensing expense. I am writing to the Okanagan Library System to express my disappointment with this.

On the plus side, many of the intersections in Vernon have audible signals at the traffic lights. The interesting part was that at the newer lights, the push buttons were painted with a bright yellow orange colour, making them stand out from the metal gray. Good job, Vernon.

June 25 - Cochrane, AB

Today’s walk began from the Nan Boothby Library in Cochrane. This library has a special regard for library clients who have visual challenges.  Zoomtext, an audible large print program with voice overlay has been installed at one computer station. I was impressed! Not many libraries have this particular accommodation. Personally I use JAWS, a screen reading program that eliminates the need for the use of a monitor or a mouse. Everything that I type is read back to me. I am also able to hear my emails. I find all this quite amazing.

As a library client, I am an avid reader.  Usually I read (or listen to) an average of two books per week. However, this week it might only be one.  I am reading Sea Biscuit, which has a listening time of over twenty hours.  

The recording and distribution of audio books and other material has greatly enhanced the lives of many print disabled people. Unfortunately, there are far fewer audio books then there are printed versions. Some audio books are available only in a condensed version while many, many other books are only available in print.

Tomorrow our walk starts from the museum in Vernon, but this is only one block away from the new library facility so I am eager to check this out as well. Until then...

June 18 - Lethbridge, AB

I enjoyed my day in Lethbridge. It was a busy morning. Bob had arranged for an interview with the Lethbridge Herald and also another short interview with AMI (Accessible Media Inc.). I’ll post the link to this when it becomes available. In the afternoon when we arrived at Henderson Park, the rain started and for the first time in the walk series we moved to an alternate location in an indoor shopping mall. The added attraction here was a stop at a juice stand after the walk.

Over assorted juice drinks, Cory, Matthew, Lyle and I talked generally about many things and specifically about the problem of unemployment and underemployment among people who are blind or partially sighted. I think that it would be true to say that this ratio appears to be far greater than the rate of unemployment for people who are sighted. 

Employment opportunities for people who can’t see are extremely limited. To begin with, there is only a narrow range of jobs from which to choose. For instance, it would be unsafe for a blind person to drive or to operate heavy-duty machinery. Nor does a person without sight think that he or she will become a commercial pilot or a brain surgeon.  However, many people without sight have abilities and capabilities that are not being utilized.  

In our post walk conversation near the juice counter; we put forward the idea that perhaps people with sight challenges are fairly stable employees. Job security is important to them and they are unlikely to risk a sure thing when they know the difficulty of finding something else. Consequently, it behooves employers to recognize that any initial training or accommodations made to equipment to enhance the work experience of someone without sight is worth any time or expense involved. Really this is just a solid investment.

So, that is my rant for today – a little on the heavy side perhaps, but an issue of great importance to many young people who want to be a part of the work force. Soon I will post the dates for my next set of walks. When you see these, you will notice that I am backtracking into British Columbia. I had planned this series of walks for April but was unable to complete them at that time. After BC there will be another couple of walks in Alberta and Saskatchewan and then Lyle and I will be moving into Ontario.

Thanks to everyone who has been following the White Cane Connections progress on the blog.  Did you see that we have nearly surpassed 2,000 page views? I can almost imagine that you are all walking with me on this cross country trek to promote white cane awareness.

Thank you!

June 16 - Medicine Hat, AB

Our time in Medicine Hat has been super. It all began yesterday when I had an opportunity for a spot on the local radio station – CHAT 94.5 FM. Our friend, Norma had arranged this prior to our arrival and it was all great fun and a wonderful chance to share some of the news about the White Cane Connections project. I might add that I was more than a little nervous, but the radio hosts, Jim and Lexi were excellent and my few minutes on air went without a hitch. The following picture shows the three of us in the broadcasting studio.

Last night Norma and Norm had invited us and a few other friends for dinner. Of course it was wonderful to be with old friends, but I also couldn’t help but admire Norma’s capabilities as hostess. Norma is practically without any sight but had still managed to prepare a super meal and create a relaxed atmosphere for her guests. As we sat around the table, laughing and sharing stories, I wished that I had had our camera with us. Of the seven of us at the table, four of us were either blind or partially sighted, but I would have challenged you to guess just who was who.

The walk today was also great in spite of somewhat windy conditions. I was impressed with the audible signals at all of the traffic lights in the downtown section where we walked. Congratulations Medicine Hat! I gather that this upgrade to accessibility has been a recent push on behalf of the city and I can only say – Well done!

There were 11 of us on the walk itself - 3 with canes and 2 with guide dogs. We made an impressive crowd in the downtown sector and I certainly hope that the walk made its imprint on other citizens who saw our small parade. In the picture below you can see Joaquin, Norma with her German Shepherd Juanita, Megan with her Black Lab Gage, George, and Sue.

June 12 - Portage La Prairie & Brandon, MB

June 12 was the date for two walks – Portage La Prairie and Brandon – and I enjoyed them both. In Portage, I was most impressed by the audible signals at the traffic lights. This was especially significant because I began this walk by myself.  Lyle and Ron had driven to the end point and began walking from the other direction to meet me.

Are you wondering about Ron? Well, Ron is a member of the Ponoka Support Group and he has now been with us for seven of the White Cane Connections walks. I have received encouragement from many people for the White Cane project, but I do need to make a special mention of Ron. His friendship and commitment to the cause of white cane awareness have been huge.

Following is a picture of Ron and myself outside the Portage Public Library. I might add that this library also houses copies of my books in its collection.  To date, it is the only library in Manitoba to do so.

                         

In this next photo Ron and I are relaxing over coffee.

 

In Brandon, the White Cane Connections walkers convened at the Riverbank Discovery Centre. What an amazing place!  Lyle and I had arrived early and had time to explore the many displays inside the building where we learned about the history of past floods and enjoyed the displays of flora and fauna.

When the time came for the walk we struck off with a group of nine, including three white cane users. It was a beautiful day and we were able to walk without difficulty along the paved trails of the centre. The walk itself wasn’t a long one, but the conversation was stimulating. I like these walks where there is an opportunity to talk with everyone and to share some of our common experiences about vision loss. Following is a picture of some of our group.

                              

The Brandon Sun reporter and photographer were also there for this walk, and you can follow some of their comments at the link posted below. You will need to scroll through the ten “Top Photos” to find the one of the White Cane Connections walk.

www.brandonsun.com

Tomorrow we are headed back to Alberta for more walks there.

June 11 - Winnipeg, MB

Weatherwise, it was a wet and windy walk in Winnipeg today, but that didn’t dampen the spirits of the nine walkers. I. C. Clearly was the star of the show and possibly the warmest of us all in his fuzzy costume.  I. C. Clearly is the new Winnipeg CNIB mascot. He came into being this year just in time for the CNIB events of Vision Health month in May.  Basically, the mascot is a big carrot with the names of his sponsors on front and back. 

I had to smile a bit at the carrot image.  My father was in the Australian Air Force during World War II and the daily menu always included carrots.  After the end of the war, Dad was quite determined that he had eaten his full share of the orange carrots and would never need to eat another in his entire lifetime. Certainly carrots are a good food source for vision health, but as we now know, so are many other vegetables. 

The picture below is of I. C. Clearly, myself and Tracy, one of the other white cane walkers.

 The second picture is of a sign that Ron spotted while we were walking down Portage Avenue. It read “Blinds Are Beautiful”.  We thought it was quite appropriate for the White Cane Connections Winnipeg walk. 

June 11 - White Cane Connections on AMI-tv

Here is a video of the Edmonton walk that was filmed by Accessible Media Inc. It is currently playing on AMI-tv and on their Youtube channel:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yw5DLlrOizw&feature=plcp

Enjoy!

June 6 & June 8 - Stettler, AB & Regina, SK

Last Wednesday, after lunch with the Ponoka White Cane Support Group, Lyle and I drove on to Stettler to meet with the Stettler Sight Seekers. Luella, the facilitator of the group, along with several others and the reporter from the local paper, chatted with us over coffee and cookies. Luella led us on a short walk towards downtown Stettler. 

From Stettler on that same afternoon the wind swept us across the prairie towards Regina. Thankfully on Friday morning, the day of our walk there, the wind had stopped blowing and the sun was shining. It was a perfect morning for a walk around the lake.

All in all there were eighteen of us walking and of those, there were nine using white canes and one young woman with a guide dog. What a great representation!  We also broke another age record by having with us the youngest walker and white cane user so far in the White Cane Connections project. Emily is only nine years old and she walked the 4.3 kilometers with the group. 

I enjoyed this walk for a number of reasons. The weather was amazing, and the distance was long enough that I was able to talk with nearly everyone who participated. I heard about the improvements made to the lake trail over the past decade and about some of its history. I learned more about guide dogs from Michelle and her dog, Jimmy. I listened carefully when another member of our group told me how much more vulnerable she felt when she used her cane as opposed to walking with her guide dog.

This latter is an interesting point. While I have never been attacked myself, I have heard stories from other people – women mainly – who have been the victims of taunting and robbery. Lily (from Edmonton) had had two such experiences. Once she had her purse stolen and on another occasion two teenagers walked backwards in front of her making faces, waving their arms in the air and calling her names. Lily had just enough sight to detect all of this, but not enough sight or mobility to do anything about it. 

I am including two pictures with this post. The first is of some of the group as we were about to set off from the Regina CNIB office, and by the way, thanks Lisa, for gathering the group, organising the route and generally taking charge of the day. Lisa is the Orientation and Mobility Specialist at the Regina CNIB Office. 

The second picture is one taken of Emily and myself. Emily is using a very short white cane, but as she grows older, the cane will be exchanged for a longer one to suit her height.

All in all, this was a great day!

June 5 - Red Deer, AB

In Red Deer, Lyle and I walked and talked with a wonderful group of people. They were so encouraging of me and the White Cane Connections project. The walk itself proved to be just the right length for us all and the overcast weather didn’t dampen our spirits. We walked and we talked and then we talked some more over coffee.

Most of the group belonged to the Red Deer Private Eyes support group – but not all. Nevertheless, the gathering was inclusive. We were there for a common cause – to promote an awareness of the white cane and in the process to discuss some of our common challenges and the difficulties we sometimes encounter without full sight.  

I felt very much supported by this group of people. They portrayed the true meaning of what a support group is all about. Now, the day after this walk, I will be meeting with the White Caners support group in Ponoka and I anticipate that there will be a continuation of this feeling of good will.

June 3 - Camrose, AB

Today Lyle and I joined the Camrose VIP support group for their annual fund raising walk for CNIB. VIP stands for Visually Impaired persons, but it could also stand for Very Important People. Joyce and Randy, the facilitators of the group, always put so much time and effort into the planning of this walk that it becomes a pleasure to participate in the actual event.

The long title of the walk was The Ron McVee Memorial Walk Towards Independence. Ron was one of the original facilitators of the Camrose support group. Today’s walk, the thirteenth annual fund raising walk, raised close to $3,000. This money will be used to fund CNIB services for clients in Alberta.

June 1 - Saskatoon, SK

Today was our first foray into the province of Saskatchewan and there seemed to be white canes tapping every which way I listened. As we gathered in the entryway of the Saskatoon CNIB Office, Gerry welcomed us to the walk. Serena, president of the white Cane Club brought greetings and Lee, Saskatoon CNIB office manager read a brief history of the white cane. Then we set off walking, some striding, some straggling, but all of us ready for the venture. Several of the CNIB staff tried on blindfolds or simulator glasses and used borrowed white canes. Lyle counted twenty-five of us at the beginning of the walk and four more showed up as we crossed the finish line. 

Probably the main topic of conversation was the Trekker Breeze. I was wearing mine, Gerry was using his and there was another on loan from the CNIB office. A number of the walkers took turns in trying out this handy location device. 

At the end of the walk, most of us reconvened and some of the sighted staff shared their feelings about being blindfolded and relying on the cane or a sighted guide. Bill mentioned that he felt the tension in his leg muscles. It was a feeling that I easily identified with. For me, the tension seems to come from the necessity to concentrate on where I am at any given moment.  Today, Lyle guided someone wearing a blindfold.  As a guide, he too felt the need to concentrate.

Thanks to everyone who participated and thanks to Gerry for organizing the afternoon.  It was a great opportunity for white cane users to connect with each other.

The picture below shows a number of the group at the starting point of the walk.  Lyle counted nine white canes in the picture.

May 30 - Wainwright, AB

It was a lovely day for a walk on Wednesday and there were ten of us who left the Battle River Lodge in Wainwright to go for a short stroll. The walking pace was leisurely, but the conversation was lively. In fact, after our walk we continued to chat over coffee for the next hour or so. Mostly we talked about vision loss, but we also discussed the added challenge when loss of sight is combined with loss of hearing.  At the invitation of Donna, Activities Coordinator at the lodge, Lyle and I stayed on for lunch.  Lyle enjoyed a conversation with Don about their mutual love of flying.  Don was a pilot of a Wellington bomber during the war and he had many stories to tell about his experiences. 

I know that I shouldn’t get into the habit of mentioning names, but I think that I would be remiss if I didn’t add that Pearl has now broken the age record of my walking companions with White Cane Connections. Pearl walked and talked with us and not for a moment did I guess that she was 96 and would soon celebrate her 97th birthday.

Thanks for the warm welcome, Wainwright.