Glasses are worn by many, many children and adults to help them see better, but for many people glasses are not enough to give them full access to all the visual wonders of the world.
Being legally blind can take many forms from complete darkness to visual problems that prevent people from reading, driving a vehicle or seeing clearly.
The Cariboo White Cane Chapter in Williams Lake is part of the Canadian Council of the Blind that was founded in 1944 by blind war veterans to provide assistance, information and support for people with vision disabilities.
Jean Beaulieau is president and Denise Thompson is vice-president of the local chapter.
Beaulieau says the chapter has about 15 members who have varying degrees of blindness.
They meet regularly once a month at Baker Manor where some of their more vision impaired members live.
They enjoy lunch together, visit and share tips on ways to deal with problems that arise as a result of their visual problems.
With the help of sighted volunteers he says they also try to arrange outings for members such as bowling in winter and picnics in summer.
Sighted volunteers also help members with transportation to go shopping or to a doctor’s appointment or perhaps an appointment in Kamloops.
He says they also have some Rotary volunteers in Vancouver who will pick people up at the airport, put them up overnight and take them to their appointments.
“It is really, really hard to get out in the winter,” Beaulieau says.
In conjunction with the Canadian Council of the Blind the local chapter also works to provide information for the public about the many different types of visual impairment people can have, along with resource information.
Thompson says that periodically during the year they will set up an information booth in Boitanio Mall or at Safeway or Save-On-Foods..
“I carry a white cane children find interesting and so we talk about it and they like trying it out,” Thompson says. “I have a good time talking to them.”
For more information about the Cariboo White Cane Chapter of the Canadian Council of the Blind contact president Jean (John) Beaulieau 250-305-1071; or vice-president Denise Thompson at 250-989-1363 or e-mail payrollmama73@hotmail.com.
For more information about the Canadian Council of the Blind (CCB) BC-Yukon Division contact president Ann McNabb 604-795-3885 or 1-800-874-4666 or by e-mail at ann4council@telus.net. The mailing address is PO Box 531, Station Main, Chilliwack, BC, V2P-7V5.