White Cane Day to return to Fulton Oct. 4

Annual Lions Club event helps local people who have vision impairments

September 27, 2013 at 6:00 a.m. | Updated September 27, 2013 at 6:00 a.m.

Susan Colvin and Emery Smola prepare to receive donations at Moser's during the Fulton Host Lions Club's spring White Cane Day drive. The Lions will return to Fulton grocers Oct. 4 to collect money to help people in the local community afford eye exams and glasses.
Susan Colvin and Emery Smola prepare to receive donations at Moser's during the Fulton Host Lions Club's spring White Cane Day drive. The Lions will return to Fulton grocers Oct. 4 to collect money to help people in the local community afford eye exams and glasses.

Twice a year, shoppers at the Fulton C&R Market, Moser's Discount Foods and Walmart see people with signs and cups asking for donations at the entrance.

What many of those shoppers might not realize is those donations help local people who can't see very well at all.

The event is the Fulton Host Lions Club's White Cane Day, returning 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Oct. 4. The donation drive helps people in Callaway County afford eye screenings and glasses.

White Cane Day was established in 1965 by President Lyndon B. Johnson to aid in visual impairment awareness. Susan Colvin, Fulton Lions Club secretary and treasurer, said the event had always been observed by Lions Clubs internationally to help people in their local communities.

"Donations we get are kept to be used in the community, and we specifically earmark that money to be used to assist those to buy glasses," Colvin said.

To help the tornado-stricken people of Dumas and surroundings, donations can be made to the Delta Area Disaster Relief Fund, care of the Delta Area Community Foundation, P.O. Box 894, Dumas, AR, 71639, or through the Arkansas Community Foundation, 700 S. Rock St., Little Rock, AR, 72202.