Happy New Year!
From the President’s Desk
While ending 2024 and with the work continuing into 2025, the Council has paved the road for its journey and involvement into the New Year.
White Cane Week (February 2 through 8) is always at the forefront of planning and involvement of our members and chapters, and this year the B.C./Yukon Division holds their annual kickoff with an educational webinar.
The Council welcomes back its National Curling Bonspiel, being held this year in Sydney, Nova Scotia. Many participants have been practicing intently for this event, and we welcome a new entry from New Brunswick. Wishing good curling to all the participants!
There is no shortage of work with our advocacy team. On January 22nd, members of the CCB advocacy committee will be proud to continue their work with Via Rail, finalizing testing of the Good Maps app into its Ottawa station. They will also ensure testing meets standards prior to moving into other Via stations throughout Ontario and Quebec. As you will read in this newsletter, Via Rail also announced they have secured funding to upgrade accessibility on their cross Canada fleet. CCB is very proud of its long-term involvement with Via Rail, in lobbying for Government to fund this major revamp of the Via Rail fleet into Western Canada.
Work will continue with our vision partners on the National Eye Care Strategy, well into 2025, and CCB is pleased to have a strong voice in the ongoing structure of this plan.
My sincere congratulations to our Calgary, Alberta Chapter, who on March 15th, 2025, will be celebrating its 90th anniversary. A wonderful achievement, and the CCB is so proud of our Calgary Chapter! The Chapter has been through many changes but continues its fine work proactively providing many programs key to the longevity of those it serves, since 1935.
Well done, Calgary!
We will continue to provide updates on Council events through our Visions newsletter. Please check regularly, as this is only a snapshot of events happening in our first quarter. This wonderful work transpires while our advocacy committee continues its work on ensuring accessibility, and our membership and women’s committee continues its work on building membership, all integral to the long -term success of the Council.
The CCB is very proud of its many members and staff team who continue delivery of core programming such as Get Together with Technology (GTT), while supporting the many Chapters partaking in White Cane Awareness efforts across Canada.
On behalf of the National Board, staff, volunteers, sponsors and donors, a huge thank you for supporting the work we do, ensuring accessibility is at the forefront.
I would be remiss if I did not thank our many partners and collaborators who continue to support our efforts year after year. Please remember to get your eyes checked on a regular basis and have a wonderful White Cane Week!
Jim Tokos
National President
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Honouring Shelley Ann Morris, 2024 Canadian Association of Optometrists Vision Champion Award Winner:
CCB’s very own Shelley Ann Morris was recently recognized by the Canadian Association of Optometrists for her outstanding advocacy and contributions to improving accessibility and opportunities for blind and visually impaired individuals.
From conquering the CN Tower’s 1,776 steps and co-hosting a pioneering radio show to championing accessible public transit and fostering inclusive sports for people with visual impairments, Shelley Ann Morris has never let obstacles stand in her way. This year, her relentless efforts to break down barriers and improve the lives of those with vision loss earned her the prestigious 2024 Vision Champion Award from the Canadian Association of Optometrists.
“We applaud Shelley’s impactful achievements in broadening perceptions and creating opportunities through her tireless commitment to improving the lives of those with visual impairments and by setting an example of resilience and perseverance,” wrote Dr. Martin Spiro, President of the Canadian Association of Optometrists.
The Vision Champion Award celebrates Canadians outside of the optometric community who have made significant contributions to public eye health and vision care, and there’s no doubt that Morris fits the bill. Her commitment as an athlete, advocate, and dedicated employee of the CCB has positively impacted countless lives across Canada.
Advocacy has always been close to Morris’ heart. “When you’re born with a disability, you have to become an advocate, whether you like it or not,” she says. In her hometown of Ottawa, Morris collaborates with various festivals to improve accessibility and inclusivity. She’s also a key member of the Alliance for Equality of Blind Canadians, where she successfully advocated to reverse a city decision on push-button doors for the Light Rail Train system.
Through her work with the Active Living Alliance for Canadians with a Disability, Morris has played a crucial role in enabling blind and visually impaired people to participate in physical activities and sports, improving their physical, mental, and social well-being. As a visually impaired athlete herself, Morris is deeply committed to promoting inclusivity and accessibility in sports and recreation. From tackling physical challenges such as the CN Tower Stair Climb (“My sister dared me!” she laughs) to competing in running events and triathlons with sighted guides, Morris is proof that with the right support and mindset, there are no limits to what people with visual impairments can achieve.
Beyond her athletic accomplishments and advocacy work, Morris has made significant contributions to supporting the public’s visual welfare. In 2013, she co-founded the CKCU-FM radio show “Welcome to My World” alongside Kim Kilpatrick, founder of the CCB’s Get Together with Technology (GTT) program. “It was a show by, for, and about people with disabilities,” she says. “We had a seven-year run and it was a real joy.”
A longtime participant in the GTT program, Morris is a strong proponent for the role of technology in empowering people with disabilities. “It’s an incredible program,” she says.
It’s inspiring to see Morris recognized for her remarkable achievements and dedication to improving the lives of those with visual impairments. She truly embodies what it means to be a Vision Champion.
By Tania Amardeil
White Cane Week 2025:
Get ready for a fun and exciting awareness week from February 2 to 8. This year’s events will include lots of local activities. Please visit the CCB website to keep yourself updated on the many exciting events that will be taking place this year across the country. And stay tuned for reports on events in upcoming newsletters!
Canadian Vision Impaired Curling Championship (CVICC)
February 2025, Sydney Nova Scotia
With less than one month to go before the return of this exciting event, after an absence of several years, the CVICC organizing committee has been hard at work planning for what promises to be a great week of curling and fellowship.
The 2025 CVICC will take place at the Sydney Curling Club 619 George Street, Sydney NS, from February 3rd to 7th.
There will be 2 draws, (games) per day on the Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, at 9am and 1pm, with a single draw on Thursday at 9am (unless a tie breaker is required in the afternoon at 1pm).
On the Friday both the playoffs take place at 9am with the gold medal draw taking place at 1:00pm, (note, all times are Atlantic). If you happen to be in or around the Sydney area, why not stop in and support the VI curlers.
Louise Gillis, who I’m sure many of you know for her many years of dedicated service to the CCB as National President, is the event’s local host. “We are extremely excited to welcome the curlers from across Canada to Sydney,” she said. “It has been several years since the championship has taken place and I did not want to see it end, so that is why we stepped up to take it on this year so that it may continue well on into the future.”
This is the first time ever that the event, with a rich almost 20-year history, has been held somewhere other than Ottawa.
We look forward to welcoming the following rinks who will be participating.
BC, skipped by Eric Rosen
AB, skipped by Bruce Macdonald
SK, skipped by Darcy Sherbrook
MN, skipped by Norm Lyons
ON, skipped by Lloyd Pike
NS, skipped by Louise Gillis
NB, skipped by Denis LeBlanc
CA, skipped by Natalie Morin (Team Canada defending champs)
The event is a full round robin championship.
While in Sydney curlers will be staying at the Simon Hotel and we thank them for there support and hospitality.
The Sydney Curling Club members have been simply outstanding in their support for the event. A big thanks goes out to them in advance.
Although not written in stone yet, we anticipate that AMI audio will be broadcasting the games live on Friday. Please check with them for more details as the date draws near. We will also advise via the CCB social media channels. If this does happen, remember to adjust the listening times for where you are in Canada.
Event results will be posted on the CCB National Facebook page as well as in this newsletter in March.
Good luck to all the curlers, we look forward to a great event during White Cane Week 2025!
Submitted by the CVICC organizing committee.
The Secret to Life Balance
Zoom meeting – January 29th, 2025, at 6:00 to 7:00 PM (Atlantic Time)
We always seem to be busy.
Are we getting organized enough in the new year to be less busy and more productive?
Do we feel like we are trying to fit everything into one day?
Time to reflect and review how we balance our days to give ourselves more peace, time to volunteer, time to perhaps, take up a hobby that we always wanted to do but feel we don’t have time?
Join us on January 29th, 2025, at 6:00 to 7:00 PM (Atlantic time) to talk about how to achieve balance in your world.
For your Zoom link, email Louise at: lburley@ccbnational.net
See you there?
Louise and Mr. Fig!
A Festive Visit to the Mississauga GTT VIP Group:
On a recent visit to Toronto to spend time with family, my wife and I had the pleasure of attending the Mississauga VIPs Group’s Christmas banquet. The event was a highlight of our trip, as it gave us the chance to connect with a vibrant and inspiring community in person.
This annual gathering, hosted by the Mississauga VIPs chapter of Get Together with Technology (GTT) program, was a celebration of the holiday season and the meaningful work this program has accomplished throughout the year.
The banquet featured a traditional turkey dinner with all the trimmings—a feast that perfectly complemented the festive atmosphere. It was a joy to meet many of the clients who have benefited from GTT’s efforts in empowering individuals through technology. Their stories of resilience and achievement brought the mission of the program to life.
The leaders and volunteers of this chapter are to be commended for their great work. Their dedication and passion were evident in every aspect of the afternoon, from the warm welcome to the seamless organization of the event. It was clear that their efforts have created a supportive and uplifting environment for everyone involved. My wife and I left the banquet feeling inspired and grateful to have shared in such a meaningful celebration.
Submitted by David and Jennifer Greene.
CCB’s GTT Tech Tips:
Each month we will be highlighting a tech tip that is intended to make your life a little easier! These may include tips on such things as smart phones, apps and websites. Below is our first Tech Tip installment:
Using “Hey Siri” on your iPhone
Did you know, you can say “hey Siri” to do the following tasks when using an iPhone with the latest operating system:
-Restart my phone
-Power off my phone
-Raise or lower your volume
-Take a screen shot
And for Android fans out there, the CCB GTT group also has an Android users’ group that meet monthly as well!
CCB’s GTT is highly active and has many types of meetings that you are welcome to join each month to learn about new assistive technology. Whether you are a beginner, or an advanced user, there’s always something new to learn!
If you would like assistance with your smart phone or computer, as well as a complete list of GTT contacts and meetings, please visit the GTT blog at www.gttprogram.blog
News from Via Rail!:
CCB fully supported this initiative with a letter to the Government of Canada lobbying for the funding that Via Rail requested.
New Trains from Coast to Coast:
VIA Rail is pleased to announce the launch of the Requests for Qualification (RFQ) for locomotives and cars to replace its Long-Distance, Regional and Remote (LDRR) fleet. These RFQs mark the first phase of this transformative project as VIA Rail seeks a supplier for this new fleet that will deliver a modern, comfortable, accessible, and sustainable travel experience, and contribute to building a more connected Canada. This means that in a decade, all VIA Rail trains will be replaced across the country.
“We are thrilled to launch the Requests for Qualification for our pan-Canadian fleet, a key step in VIA Rail’s ongoing transformation,” said Mario Péloquin, VIA Rail’s President and Chief Executive Officer. “This milestone, made possible by the Government of Canada’s commitment, ensures we can maintain coast-to-coast services, continue to connect communities, and inspire more Canadians to choose passenger rail. These new trains are central to our vision of offering a modern, accessible, and sustainable travel experience for all regions of Canada.”
A Historic Investment in Canada’s Passenger Rail Services
The replacement of the pan-Canadian fleet is a symbol of VIA Rail’s new era. Announced as part of the 2024 Federal Budget, it is the latest and most significant in a series of investments in the transformation of VIA Rail and the future of passenger rail services in Canada. Building on the successful entry into service of VIA Rail’s new Corridor fleet, this marks the first time in the Corporation’s history that a new fleet will be deployed across the entire country, ensuring an unparalleled level of service and connectivity for Canadians and tourists alike.
Highlights and Benefits of the New Pan-Canadian Fleet Include:
Accessibility: Designed to meet the highest accessibility standards, the new trains will provide a seamless travel experience for passengers of all abilities.
Comfort and Innovation: Featuring nine different types of cars, the fleet will offer enhanced comfort and modern amenities, setting a new benchmark for passenger rail services worldwide.
Sustainability: The new fleet underscores VIA Rail’s commitment to sustainability, reducing the environmental impact of rail travel while connecting communities across Canada.
Rail as an Essential Service: This new fleet will allow VIA Rail to continue to provide essential connections for many remote and Indigenous communities.
Economic Impact: Boosting regional economies and supporting tourism by providing a world-class travel option across Canada.
National Connection: Continuing to unite communities from coast to coast to coast, reaffirming rail as a vital part of Canada’s national transportation infrastructure.
Making story time accessible with Inside Ability Books:
Krystle Boateng realized story time wasn’t accessible for low-vision parents like her, so she wrote her own happy ending.
Hi, I’m Krystle, the founder of Inside Ability Books, the first company making story time accessible with large-print and high-contrast illustrated children’s books to accommodate kids and parents who have visual disabilities that make it difficult to read standard-size text.
I’m a natural born creative. Maybe it’s because I’m a Pisces, but I have always found a safe place in my dreams, aspirations and general imaginings. Thankfully, my actual vision wasn’t ever a requirement for me to envision.
This came in very handy at a pivotal time in my youth. As a Junior in college, living away from home, I began to lose my eyesight. Within months of diagnosis (idiopathic panuveitis) I was legally blind – or partially sighted depending on how I choose to see it on any given day.
My creative writing offered me an escape from the dread of vision loss. Blindness in itself is not dreadful. However, to live a whole life perceiving your world with your eyes and then abruptly having that ability reduced or taken away entirely is experienced as a trauma. And like any other trauma, there are phases of healing and grief.
In my writing, I found joy, laughter, self-made quandaries about how to advance a plot, as well as the mental gymnastics of poetic word play. This all provided the positive stimulation I needed to balance what felt unfair and deeply isolating.
With an uncertain future ahead of me, I created characters and delved deep into the concepts of emotion and the human spirit. I gave my characters the courage I needed, the advice and guidance that I needed, and I tasked myself with giving them happy endings that looked nothing at all like the way they expected them to look.
I was teaching myself, on a subconscious level, to be open to however my real-life story was going to unfold.
I graduated and forged ahead into employment. I was met with a meandering career path in search of the right fit. During this time, I had set aside my creative writing because I was “healed” from the hurt of vision loss.
Necessity (for a mom at story time) is the mother of invention.
When I became a mom, I encountered a new set of challenges – namely story time. I was all prepared to read with animation and liveliness, but I couldn’t find any books with large enough print for me to read.
That’s when my old friend – imagination – tapped my shoulder and said, “We never needed vision to tell a great story before and we don’t need it now!” Inside Ability Books was born on that day and since then it has been an amazing journey bringing it to market.
Making story time accessible
The text in my books is jumbo sized. The images are bold-outlined and depict zoomed-in views of scenes. I have received feedback that my design choices are lowering barriers for a great many people to participate comfortably in story time. Parents, teachers and librarians have also told me that the stories are engaging and are a great literacy tool.
Disability is a challenge, but our gifts and other abilities are what define us. Lean into your gifts, embrace the unknown, and always leave space in your mind for a positive outcome. Do this and life will unfold in ways you couldn’t imagine, and better than you expect!
Inside Ability Books is an outlet for Krystle’s creativity and passion for inspiring others and is allowing countless families who experience print disabilities related to text size and contrast to participate and enjoy story time strain-free.
To learn more about Inside Ability Books, visit www.IAbilityBooks.com. You can also follow Inside Ability Books on Instagram. For more of Krystle’s work, including inspirational poetry pieces published on artful canvasses, visit www.KttCDecor.com.
IN THE NEWS
Saskatoon Grade 12 student’s affordable braille device receives national accolades:
A Grade 12 student at Walter Murray Collegiate in Saskatoon is being recognized for creating an innovative device to help blind and deaf people communicate.
Joti Gokeraju said he was inspired after visiting his grandfather in India. “My grandpa is a very jovial person. He likes to call a lot and talk to us a lot. But when I went there, I was surprised to see him not as talkative, and I found out it was because he was slowly losing his hearing,” Gokeraju said.
He started thinking of what it would be like if he not only lost his hearing, but his eyesight as well.
“This would mean we would lose the ability to communicate with him completely,” he said. “This was a really scary reality.”
Once he got back to Canada, Gokeraju started researching blind and deaf resources, and found that there are around 160 million people who are either visually impaired or hearing impaired. He wanted to do something to help.
“I really only started working on it in 2023,” he said.
He gives a lot of credit to his teachers, who let him work on parts of the invention as class projects. He said he explained to his teachers how passionate he was about the idea.
“They gave me the green light. So, I went ahead,” he said. “After school I would spend a few hours on it every day, and that went on for about a year until I could actually finish my prototype.”
The prototype for his braille device was more cost-effective than other devices on the market — the display costs $99 instead of several thousand.
All the translations in Gokeraju’s device are automated. “In a normal system, you’ll need someone who already knows how to convert English to Braille in order to talk to a deaf and blind person,” he said. “But in this system I can just record myself in English or French and all of that translation is done automatically.”
Gokeraju has already won an engineering innovation award and a gold medal at a national science fair for his work.
He said he’s happy to be recognized, but the project out there is more important to him.
“I want to be able to give this to every deaf and blind person around the world. It’s great to get the word out there because that really helps in the process,” he said.
“When you don’t have access to resources, it becomes very difficult for you to actually interact in society and have normal conversations,” he said.
Gokeraju said he is currently working on a provisional patent application and hopes to have the device patented soon.
By Darla Ponace, CBC News
I had coke-bottle glasses as a kid. My low vision has affected how I see the world, too:
As far as I can tell, the world perceives vision loss in black and white terms. You are either sighted or blind; you can either see or not see.
Movies often depict people with vision loss as fully blind replete with dark glasses and a white cane.
What about those of us who have partial vision and are able to navigate without the accoutrements of blindness? That said, I do have a white cane for identification purposes when travelling.
Growing up in white bread Newfoundland — homemade white bread that is — I was the only brown child in a class of white faces. To be fair, as a child of South Asian immigrants, this alone wasn’t just my experience. It was also that of my brothers and our South Asian friends. But the difference is they could see normally. I was the odd one out with my coke-bottle glasses and subsequent lack of self-awareness.
Having low vision carries the added weight of social awkwardness, which is a handicap in itself. We learn that eye contact with others is the first point of engagement. Not so in my case.
One recent Saturday, I found myself strolling through a fall fair. A man approached me.
“Hi Tara, I saw your daughter by the book stand,” he said to me.
“And you are?” I asked, studying the well-dressed older man for clues, but none came to mind.
“You can’t tell by my voice?” he chuckles after taking a leisurely sip of his coffee. “We met at church a while ago.”
I felt like saying, “How self-important are you?” as my indignation rose.
“Excuse me?” I said instead, “Who do you think you are, Louis Armstrong?”
Now he tells me his name. But it was too late. The damage was done. We could have had a nice conversation if he introduced himself in the first place, instead of playing games.
What people don’t realize is that some voices are similar to others, and no one should assume their particular voice sounds are unique.
As I sauntered through the bake stalls, I assume the vendor addresses me when she asks, “What would you like to buy?”
I opened my mouth to speak but am cut short when the woman beside me gives her order.
I suppose what happened was that the vendor looked at the other customer when she posed her question.
When I’m in a cluster of three or more, unless someone directs a question specific to me, I don’t know whom they are addressing. It happens all the time. Once that customer decided to buy out half the stall, the vendor approached me. I chose a chocolate cupcake.
“Those chocolate cupcakes are my best sellers,” the vendor says with a smile in her voice.
Now that I know for sure she is speaking to me, I can engage in friendly chit-chat.
With cupcake in hand, I head to a stall selling colorful afghans. There is one green and yellow one that catches my eye. As an aside, people are surprised to learn that my colour perception is as good as any full-sighted person. Apparently, my congenital cataracts don’t mess around with that.
“Is this afghan for sale?” I ask the vendor when she finishes serving the man ahead of me.
No response.
I repeat my question.
“No mama, she shook her head,” my daughter said as she came up behind me.
I turned away, annoyed.
“If she’s not going to use her words, then she’s not making any sale to me.”
How can I discern a response when people nod or shake their head?
This is a snapshot of day-to-day life.
When I had a book signing some time ago, a friend of my mother’s asked me who picks out my clothes for me. I sensed her sizing up my pink blazer and black pants with a handbag and shoes to match. Was I too matchy-matchy for her taste?
Taken aback, I said, “I do?”
“Oh, you’re so well put-together. I would never have thought,” she replied.
“Thought what?” I asked, enjoying her discomfort as she simmered in her preconceived bias.
“I didn’t think you had the vision to know. Can you sign my book, please?”
This friend of my mother’s first met me when I was an awkward kid. Now she’s meeting me as the self-confident author I am.
I’ve traded my old identity as the kid with the coke-bottle glasses to assume the identity of the woman who knows her own value — and wears it well.
By Tara Nanayakkara, CBC News
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