Grandpa's White Cane
Being Shared Worldwide
Every year in the US, White Cane Day is October 15. In Canada, White Cane Week is the first week of February.
Helen Keller showed the world what inclusive education can achieve. She was an author, educator, and activist who became a global advocate for disability rights. In 1925, Hellen Keller challenged Lions Clubs to become “Knights of the Blind,” which included the improvement of the quality of life for people who are blind and visually impaired. With the help of MD5 Spearfish SD Lions Club and MD19 Washington Lions Clubs Knights of the Blind Committee, the book Grandpa's White Cane by Jim Hoxie and Joanna Jones, Alex Portal Illustrator, has shared over 3,000 hardback books and 2,000 paperback books.
As Lions Clubs around the world have learned about the book, over 300 presentations have been made to school children, adult organizations, church groups, and senior centers.
US States where the books have been shared: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oregon, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming.
Countries where the books have been shared: Canada, England, Finland, Germany, Holland, India, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Mexico, Philippines, South Africa, Sri Lanka, and Uganda.
Additional projects: The book was displayed on the Spearfish Creek Book Walk in 2021. Fourteen two-page displays allowed walkers to see the pictures and read the book as they walked the creek path shown on the cover of the book.
In Chilliwack, British Columbia, Canada, the Lions Club placed a hardback book in all 19 elementary schools. Then the book was displayed in a front window of a bookstore in Chilliwack.
In Fargo, ND, Lion Crystal Dueker placed a book in all 92 first and second grade classrooms, as well as the school libraries.