Lions Ask Funds To Aid Blind

Lions Ask Funds To Aid Blind
Seeking funds to carry out its program of help for the blind and the near-blind, the Ann Arbor Lions Club is sending out approximately 5,000 letters this week to residents of the Ann Arbor area. The envelopes contain a white pencil, a return envelope and a letter pointing out some of the projects of the local service club.
Last year the club netted approximately $2,600 in its fundraising drive.
Gov. Williams has proclaimed April 22 through 28 as White Cane Week in Michigan, a period dedicated to the idea of special consideration of the blind who use white canes. The idea of using white canes to help blind persons through traffic originated in the Lions clubs and since has been adopted widely throughout the country. The Michigan law requiring motorists to give right of way to those carrying white canes has become a model for other states.
At the present time there are more than 11,000 blind or nearly sightless persons in Michigan using the white canes.
The Ann Arbor Lions Club helps those with sight handicaps in a number of ways, including annual contributions to the Leader Dog School at Rochester, paying for eye examinations and glasses, ceiling readers and Braille equipment. Blind persons also are remembered on Thanksgiving and Christmas.