BVA members and their supporting casts at Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) facilities will wrap up White Cane Day activities during the week ahead. In the meantime, reports of recent events are beginning to circulate and reach BVA National Headquarters.

Particularly noteworthy is an account submitted today for BVA Happenings by Heartland Regional Group President Jeanie Murphy from the Caribbean! Jeanie’s White Cane Day events were not in the Caribbean, of course, but that’s where she and husband Robert are now “convalescing,” also unexpectedly awaiting Tropical Storm Melissa by the way, after a long summer!

Let me start with our Eastern Kansas Health Care System White Cane Day event in Topeka, right on October 15. It was a very good event. There were 50-plus people that stopped by and took the brochures. They listened as I explained some of the tools that I use personally. That would include the bill money reader, the patriot viewer, the OrCam Reader, the Beecher Telescope, Meta Glasses, and the Monocular Telescope. Of course, my focus was on the cane that I use daily.

Robert and I both thought that it was a great event. I was in the lobby of the Topeka VA Medical Center with a display table and caught many people coming in, offering cookies and water provided by Veterans Services. Visual Impairment Services Team (VIST) Coordinator Dawn Clouse was very instrumental in connecting me with the Veterans Services Coordinator to provide help to set up.

The following day (Thursday, October 16), we had the opportunity to set up a table at the Junction City North Community-Based Outpatient Clinic. Again, Veterans Services provided cookies and water to offer to the veterans and their families/caregivers that came in for their appointments that day.

Happily, BVA member Marlene Williams from Kansas City, Kansas, was able to accompany Robert and me for a few hours in Junction City. She spoke with several people and handed out information regarding the visually impaired and the importance of White Canes. I again set up some of the tools that I use daily basis and elaborated on the use of the cane.

I hope that all our BVA members were able to enjoy their own White Cane Day functions as much as we did!