Key West The Newspaper

Mayor Craig Cates October 15th as Dan & Leslie Spoone — White Cane Safety Day, named for the national committee chairs of the Council of the Blind.

Bruce Lieske accepted the proclamation on behalf of the Key West Lion’s Club. The use of white canes to provide a means of independent mobility originated with the Lion’s Club in 1930. Since then, it has been recognized worldwide as a tool for safe and reliable navigation for the blind.

It “is a symbol of the user’s skills and talents, mobility and independence,” reads the proclamation.

The Lion’s Club’s mission is to, through volunteer efforts, serve their communities, meet humanitarian needs, encourage peace and promote international understanding. One of the primary ways these volunteers serve is by crusading for eyesight. The Key West Lions Club was established in 1938 with the Dr. Jose Sanchez Lions Eye Clinic in 1960 which provides funding for eye examinations, eye glasses and cataract surgery for low-income Florida Keys residents.