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PAGE 2. WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARy 4,1981, WHITBY FREE PRESS. Meetingewîth blind sheds new light on their needs By S. GREENAWAY Free Press Staff Ifs the best meol deol gong. Our 100% pure beef single burger with "More Burger Thon Bun ý-A smail order of crispy, golden tries. Vour fovorite smoil drink. And, to top if off, o cool ond creomy 5 oz, DAIRY QUEEN Sundoe. Ail for oniy 00 Gel o good deol on o full meol. Heod for your porlicipoting DAIRY QUEEN' BRAZIER* store. b z e g AM Do Corp, 1951 1003 Dundas St. E., Whitby In order to acknowledge "White Cane Week" and recognize the new "Disability Awareness Program 1981" implemen- ted by the Ontario March of Dimes, Mayor Bob Attersley met with representatives of the Humeresque Blind Organization and the field director of the Ontario Mar- ch of Dimes lest Friday. After having spent January 5 confined to a wheelchair, from which he conducted the dai's business, Attersley, in an at- tempt to further understand the various needs of disabled people, attended the hour meeting blindfolded, in fur- ther recognition of The In- ternation Year of the Disabled Person. During the course of the meeting, Vera Siblock and Pat McConnell of the Blind Humeresque Club and Carolyn Lawson, field direc- tor of the March 0f Dimes, gave the "blind" Mayor At- tersley a crash course on braille reading, bingo and card playing. Siblock and McConnell in- formed Attersley of new ad- vancements in technology to aid in a blind person's day- to-day life. Such advan- cements as an electronic talking watch. Then Siblock and McCon- nelI lead the blindfolded mayor through the corridors of the town hall. He was aided by a white cane and the two blind ladies. "Meeting with the blind has made me understand the extension of services AT THE. LOWEST PRICES EVER' *NO TAXIl THE NEW EXPLORERS HAVE ARRIVED! EXAMPLE BRAND NEW 1981 F100 Serial No. 2FTCF1OE5BCA6O285 $6636005 Freight & PDL Included GOVERNMENT REBATE e [ici LICL E RC. S AE ITD required and the support we should offer in the imn- plementation of reports recognizing individuality as well as generality," said At- tersley. Lawson then explained to the mayor their education awareness program which will be taken to sehools in the Durham Region. "The objectives of thîs project are to increase the student's and staff's awareness of people who are disabled, dispel some of the myths and fears about disabilities and encourage a more positive attitude towards disabled peoplý, "said Calvin Struthers, project co- ordinator, prior to the meeting. Lawson also outlined a fund raising programn called "The Great Line of Diines" aimed at collecting dimnes in an imaginary walk across Ontario, a distance of 2,230 kilometers. "If Y'i assume that each dime we colleet represented one meter, we would need 2,240,000 dimes ($224,000) to travel from Cornwall to Kenora, " said Lawson. Attersley spoke of future meetings of the Mayor's Task Force on the Disabled which will meet again February 26, in the council chambers of the Whitby Municipal Building. He stressed that these meetings were open to al memnbers of the public. "We will concentrate on the ability flot the disability in helping our disabled people integrate' into the communi ty, " said Attersley. "Our task force will review both the physically and mentally disabled. However, I would like to see CONT'D ON PG. 10 Mayor in the dark As an encore performance to, spending a day in a wheelchair, Mayor Bob Attersley met last week with two members of the Humnersque Blind Organization and the fleld direetorof the ontario March of Dîmes, blindfolded in recognition of the International Year of the Disabled Person. Attersley is seen here being led through the lobby of the town hall by Vera Siblock and Pat McConnell of the Humeresque Blind Organization. During a one-hour meeting, Attersley learned of the unique day-to-day difficulties facing a blind person, trying to write in braille, play bingo and even perform a card trick with out the aid of sight. -Free Press Photo by Stephen Greenaway HERITAGE DAY SKm ÀATE. date: SATURDAY, Feb. 21,9 1981 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. location: Iroquois Park Arena Whitby