The newspaper’s article, “Group marches for blind awareness,” published on Oct. 20, was well done and appreciated.

I would like to clarify the dating of White Cane Safety Day, however. On Oct. 6, 1964, Congress passed a joint resolution designating Oct. 15 of each year as “White Cane Safety Day” to recognize the contributions of Americans who are blind or have low vision.

On Oct. 11, President Barack Obama issued a presidential proclamation in which he acknowledged the important roles that blind and visually impaired persons have played in American life and culture.

Thus, White Cane Safety Day started in 1964. I am not sure how many years White Cane Walks have been held in Maine. I joined Pine Tree Guide Dog Users in 1999 and have participated in White Cane (Guide Dog) Safety Walks since that time. I know White Cane Walks have been held in Portland for at least that length of time.

Pauline Lamontagne, presidentPine Tree Guide Dog Users


Only subscribers are eligible to post comments. Please subscribe or login first for digital access. Here’s why.

Use the form below to reset your password. When you've submitted your account email, we will send an email with a reset code.