NEWS  

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE  

October 2011 

PROCLAMATION
“MEET THE BLIND MONTH”
and
“WHITE CANE SAFETY DAY" 

The National Federation of the Blind (NFB) was founded in 1940 to end discrimination against the blind and to secure first-class citizenship for all blind persons. Today the Federation, representing more than 50,000 members across the country, continues to work to secure equal rights and opportunities for the blind. The National Federation of the Blind (NFB) works to change attitudes about blindness by providing information about blindness to parents, teachers, school administrators, and business, political, social and civic leaders. Since blind people and blindness are still frequently misunderstood, the National Federation of the blind has developed a public education campaign, “Meet the Blind Month” to create opportunities for the people of South Carolina to learn firsthand that blind people are basically like everyone else. The South Carolina affiliate of the National Federation of the Blind, now in its 63rd year, invites neighbors, co-workers, and classmates to join them at various “Meet the Blind” events throughout the month of October to learn how blind people lead full and active lives.  

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT I, Joseph T. McElveen, Jr., Mayor of the City of Sumter, do hereby proclaim the MONTH OF OCTOBER 2011 as  

 “MEET THE BLIND MONTH”
and 
 OCTOBER 15, 2011
as 
 “WHITE CANE SAFETY DAY”
in the
CITY OF SUMTER 

and urge all the citizens of Sumter and surrounding areas to join me in observing this day and to accept this invitation to meet members of the National Federation of the Blind, the voice of the nation’s blind.  

Joseph T. McElveen, Jr., Mayor