Attendees and dignitaries are pictured at the 2024 White Cane Safety Awareness Day Walk held at St. Bonaventure University.

CBA Staff and supporters gathered to walk around the St. Bonaventure campus recently to learn about the importance of the white cane and share information and refreshments provided by CBA and a donation from TOPS Markets in Randolph.

Dan Stone, a member of the CBA Board of Directors, read a proclamation from Allegany Mayor Gregory Pearl’s office declaring October 15 as White Cane Awareness Day in Allegany. Staff and students from the Occupational Therapy department at St. Bonaventure co-hosted the event and took part in the walk to learn about the white cane and the experiences of those with visual impairments.

“We enjoyed beautiful weather and a fantastic turnout for our third White Cane Awareness Day Walk. It was a pleasure to co-host this event with the St. Bonaventure Occupational Therapy department and to hold it in Cattaraugus County this year. The support from CBA friends, board members, clients, and their families, as well as the students and staff from St. Bonaventure, was wonderful,” said Megan Maynard, executive director of CBA Vision Rehabilitation Services, the local vision rehabilitation and orientation and mobility provider for Chautauqua and Cattaraugus counties.

CBA Vision Rehabilitation Services provides support to individuals who are legally blind in Cattaraugus and Chautauqua counties. The white cane is a universal symbol of blindness and visual impairment. In 1964, the United States Congress passed a joint resolution naming October 15 each year as White Cane Safety Day. This day acknowledges the empowerment that white canes provide, allowing blind individuals to travel safely and independently. It also serves as an opportunity to raise awareness about traffic safety laws related to the use of white canes. CBA Vision Rehabilitation Services celebrates this day to promote awareness among residents in our counties.

For more information on the services that CBA provides and to see photos of the event, visit cbavision.org., a United Way partner agency, or by calling 716-664-6660.