The Association for Visually Impaired Presents White Cane Day 2017

SPRING VALLEY, NY – The Association for the Visually Impaired (AVI) and the Rockland Community College Accessibility Service Department will mark 2017 Rockland County WHITE CANE AWARENESS DAY with the workshop “Demystifying the White Cane” on October 19 from 9 -11 AM in Room 3214 of the Nelson Mandela Activity Center (second floor) at SUNY Rockland, in Suffern.

White Cane Awareness Day, a national observance in the United States, is celebrated on October 15 of each year since 1964. The mission of White Cane Day is to educate the world about blindness and how those who are blind and visually impaired can live and work independently while giving back to their communities and to celebrate the abilities and successes achieved by blind people in a sighted world. The day is also set aside to remind people about the how the white cane is an important tool in helping the blind and the visually impaired live with greater independence.

AVI is a nonprofit organization serving Rockland and Orange Counties. The organization provides comprehensive vision rehabilitation, mobility instruction, employment placement, and social work services to visually impaired children and adults. For more information on the services AVI provides to the community, please visit www.avieyes.org.

Attendees will have the opportunity to participate in demonstrations wearing simulation glasses and hear personal stories of achievements from visually impaired and blind individuals. Guest speakers include: Rockland Community College graduate Kenneth Chi , a past client of AVI, who currently works as a Program Advocate at BRIDGES, and representatives from SUNY Rockland and AVI, who will discuss how people with blindness and visual impairments can access services to advance their education and employment opportunities.

Attendees will also have the opportunity to participate in a Guided Sight demonstration- wearing simulation glasses and learn about the latest Low Vision tools and technological advancements.

Vendors will demonstrate the latest low vision aids and devices available to help people with vision loss to remain independent.

We are pleased to have the following co-sponsors: Rockland Community College, NYS Commission for the Blind, BRIDGES and Lions Club District #20 R-1.