SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) — During White Cane Day, a national celebration, Utah students are taking a trip to the zoo for this year’s event. Here’s what you should know.
Every year in October, the Utah Schools for the Deaf and the Blind (USDB) and its surrounding community hold an event for children who are blind or visually impaired and their families and friends. In previous years, hundreds of people attended the event.
This year’s event will take place on Oct. 7 at the Hogle Zoo from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., according to a press release.
There will be a range of accessible activities, info booths, and snacks for students who are blind or visually impaired and their communities. The activities will include interactive tables by seven animal habitats, according to USDB.
In order to participate in this year’s celebration, families will need to register by Sept. 30. The event will be free for students with a visual impairment and their immediate families, USDB said. Teachers, vision professionals, and friends are also invited to the event.
To register for the event, follow this link.
White Cane Awareness Day, recognized annually on October 15, began in 1964 when Congress designated the day that now provides a symbol of independence for the blind and visually impaired community, according to the National Federation of the Blind.
Prior to the 1960s, the NFB says people who were blind were not supposed to navigate outside alone according to societal standards. Congress adopted the resolution, in part, to recognize that “white canes enable blind people to travel safely and independently,” the site says.
Fun local community events are a common way to celebrate White Cane Awareness Day. This year’s trip to the zoo will not only bring the community together but will also celebrate the empowerment and independence of those who are visually impaired.
