Orientation & Mobility Month
October is Orientation and Mobility month at Braille Institute!
Join us, have fun moving and learn something new!
During the month of October, Braille Institute is raising awareness of Orientation & Mobility (O&M) by hosting free online workshops and events focused on everything that has to do with O&M! Whatever activity you choose for Orientation and Mobility month, you’re sure to be more active.
- Free amazing online webinars you can take from the comfort of your home – scroll below to view and register,
- Celebrate White Cane Awareness Day on October 15,
- Participate in Braille Institute’s Second Annual Virtual Move-A-Thon!
2021 Virtual Move-A-Thon — October 1-29
Join us for our Second Annual virtual Move-A-Thon which runs from October 1-29, 2021. The top two individuals in each age-group that log the most time (minutes) will receive a White Cane for First Place, and a gift card for Second Place! We look forward to you joining us in this healthy and fun way to promote physical activity among the visually impaired community, even during a global pandemic. Be sure to register as an individual, and you can also register your friends, family, or neighbors. Everyone who registers, gets a free visor!
How to Participate
- Register for the Move-A-Thon, here.
- Participate from anywhere, whether you stay indoors or take it outside; all activities are welcome! You can walk, run, dance, jump rope, or any other physical activity you can think of. Just get moving! And don’t forget to involve your four-legged friends when you can.
- Set your personal goals.
- Post and track your daily time (minutes) spent by:
- Looking up your registration by your name, or your virtual bib number
- Clicking the Log Activities link
- Recording your time spent moving daily, beginning October 1 through October 29, at Noon PDT.
- A Virtual Finish Line Event will be held on Friday, October 29, at 1:00 pm PDT to announce those who placed and to celebrate! A TEAMS link will be emailed to all Move-A-Thon participants to join in.
If you would like to support Braille Institute during Orientation & Mobility Month, click here to DONATE. Thank you!
White Cane Safety Day
The white cane is a tool of independence for many people who are blind or visually impaired.
White Cane Safety Tips for people who are sighted:
Stop your car at least 5ft from a crosswalk. Pedestrians who are blind may use the sound of your engine to locate crosswalk boundaries. If any part of your car is in the crosswalk, a blind person may misjudge the safe area.
Avoid honking at individuals using a white cane. People who are blind have no idea why you are honking.
It is okay to ask if assistance is needed. Ask the blind or visually impaired person permission before trying to assist, unless it is an emergency. If the person asks you to help guide them, offer your arm. They will hold your arm just above your elbow to follow your path.