On Saturday, October 17, from 10 until 11:30 am, the Columbia Chapter of the National Federation of the Blind of South Carolina will conduct the third annual White Cane Walk. This event is designed to bring awareness to the ability of blind people in the community and raise money for the Federation Center of the Blind on Kilbourne Street and the Columbia chapter of NFB of SC.

The walk begins at Rosewood Market, travels to the FCB office, and back to Rosewood Market. Entry for the walk is $25 and tee shirts will also be for sale. Julie Bible, who is organizing the event, reminds everyone that October is

Meet the Blind Month,

which is a good time to get acquainted with people who can’t see and understand how capable most of them are. Julie knows firsthand – her husband Ed is unable to see. He has a German Shepherd named Colt who assists him in his daily activities.

More than anything else, blind people, and organizations that support them, strive to get the message out that the stereotypical blind person is fiction. Most people without sight are capable of functioning in society and only want the opportunity to prove it.

The NFB of SC has over 2000 members and 60 organizations, most of them local chapters like the one in Columbia. There are divisions of the chapter for students, merchants, and parents of blind children. The National Federation of the Blind receives no tax money at any level.

The NFB has over 50,000 members nationwide and is the largest and most influential organization in the country that offers support and advocacy to the blind. The group is represented by over 700 affiliates nationally and has chapters in all 50 states, Washington DC, and Puerto Rico.

Shannon Cook is the local chapter president. She and her husband Steve have both been blind since birth. Cook says, “The purpose of the walk is to bring awareness to blindness issues. We want to promote a positive attitude about capabilities of blind people.”

The Federation Center of the Blind can provide more information about the White Cane Walk and

other events during Meet

the Blind Month or general questions about raising awareness about blindness issues. Their phone number is: 803-254-3777. The website for the NFB of SC is nfbsc.net.