The 2012 walk in Claresholm was organized by my friend, Joyce. At the time, Joyce was the facilitator of the support group there. The troops of white cane users and their friends had rallied around and Joyce had also invited representatives of the local newspaper. At Joyce’s invitation, I had walked with this group before at CNIB fund raising events, and also been a guest speaker at their support group meetings. It was good to see old friends and we will stop to see Joyce again on this trip – only outside visiting of course!
In Lethbridge, I remember that it rained – one of the very few days that we hit inclement weather for our walks. Fortunately, we were a small group that day and we were able to change the location of the walk to a more sheltered location. It was here that I met Matthew and Cory. Cory had very limited sight and Matthew had no sight. Both were young men, possibly in their twenties, and it was on this walk that I became more acquainted with the challenges of gaining employment faced by young blind and partially sighted Canadians. Both Matthew and Cory had excellent computer skills but at the time of our walk, neither had been able to find work. I was able to put forth this problem later in our time in Lethbridge when I was interviewed by AMI, the accessible TV channel. Thanks to Bob Short of Lethbridge who arranged both this and an interview with the Lethbridge newspaper.
In Medicine Hat, we were able to connect with our friend, Norma. Norma, blind herself, is a keen advocate on behalf of people who are blind or partially sighted. During our few days in Medicine Hat, Norma arranged to introduce us to her friend at the local radio station. I had been interviewed on radio before but only for short clips while standing on street corners and once by phone from my home. This was my first time in the studio. It was memorable.
After I had donned the head phones and fronted up to the microphone, the announcer told me that I would have two minutes to explain my walks. As it turned out, the two minutes extended for another ten. When I was asked about the challenges of crossing busy intersections in city streets, I happened to mention the benefits of audible pedestrian signals at traffic lights. Wouldn’t you know it but that the city had just that week installed audible signals at an intersection in the downtown area where I was to walk the next day. It was definitely a current topic for the radio interview.
On the whole, the media were very kind and supportive of my venture to spread an awareness of the use of white canes. At this point, I must mention two of the most impressive interviews for me. A young reporter in Outlook, Saskatchewan and another, a young woman in Waterloo, Ontario, presented me with the most thoughtful and insightful questions about blindness, partial sight and the challenges and accomplishments of people who use white canes. These two interviews and the subsequent press releases stand out in my recollections even these nine years later.
There has been much criticism of the media in current times but I must say that my experiences were good. Through the various forms – print, TV and radio – it was a privilege for me to be able to present myself as a white cane user and to talk about all that the white cane has meant to me and to others who are blind or partially sighted.
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