Local resident hopes to make ‘big splash’ in fund-raising for White Cane Day and Walkathon
Local resident Doreen King wants to make a “big splash” for vision awareness and hopes the community will support her in her efforts to raise funds and recognition of a special day.
She will be part of three different events in October. First, there’s the 6th Annual Vision Awareness Walkathon to be held Saturday, Oct. 3, at Lakes Regional Park in Fort Myers. The kick-off is at 9 a.m. at the Park’s, Shelter D.
“That will be the meeting place for everyone from Southwest Florida,” King said.
Each walker contributes $25 and receives a complimentary lunch, T-shirt, a goody bag and a chance at several prizes.
“People that participate in the walk have opportunities to win a lot of nice things, including gift certificates worth $100 from the Honey Baked Ham store in Fort Myers,” she continued.
“We’re also going to have girls from The Professional Salon Academy giving manicures at the park,” King said. “There will be 15 of them. They will donate their time and give their donations from the manicures to the event. Last year that was very successful.”
Then on Thursday, Oct. 15, she will first be involved with many who will cross Pine Island Rd./Bayshore Road and Rt. 41 at Weaver’s Corners to bring awareness to what is known as “National White Cane Day.”
“What we want to do is educate people about the White Cane Act,” she said. “The White Cane Act is that people using white canes have the right-of-way crossing any street. On Oct. 15 we’ll have many people with white canes crossing in Weaver’s Corner in all directions.”
Supporters will be there from 8 -11 a.m. with the support of the local Sheriff’s Office.
And that’s not all. Later that day, King will be treading water in her community pool to raise funds for the Florida Council For The Blind.
She lives in Buccaneer Estates, and will be doing her part at the back pool there – asking for donations of a dime a minute.
“It’s 10 cents a minute or a donation of any kind – I’d appreciate it,” she said.
She herself is visually impaired – technically legally blind with only 5 percent of her sight.
“It happened overnight about three years ago, I was driving and things didn’t look right,” she said.
The trouble came from lack of blood from the optic nerve to her brain.
This is her second year raising funds in a pool.
“Last year I floated for four hours and 15 minutes, which totaled $770 in pledges,” she said. “Total fund-raising last year was $12,000. My goal this year is $1,000.”
This year she’ll treaded water rather than floating. And she said there is also a side bet. For those who know Doreen’s “gift of gab,” there are side bets on how long she can be quiet.
King enjoys working with the local Lion’s Club. She’s chairman of the membership committee.
“We need new members,” she said. Lions are well known for their work with vision.
The club meets the third Wednesday of each month at noon at Buddy Freddy’s Restaurant located on the corner of Pine Island Road and Business 41.
The agencies that will receive funds from the events include the Blinded Veterans Association, Cape Coral Lions for Lions Camp, Florida Council For the Blind Southwest Chapter, VIP (Visually Impaired Persons) Center in North Fort Myers and the Southeastern Guide Dogs – Florida’s only school that provides service dogs and guide dogs to the blind.
Other institutions that will benefit include “Pets For Patriots,” which provides guide dogs for blinded veterans of Iraq and Radio Reading Service.
“It is a reading station that provides the printed page of current newspapers and materials to visually impaired persons,” she said.
“Join us at the back pool, get a free Coke and hot dog and make this a social affair,” King said of her water fund-raiser. “We hope you will donate to this worthy cause. A Lions Club collection bin will be glad to accept prescription glasses, sunglasses and cases which are used both locally at schools and in Third World countries.”
Lions are known to champion sight, and this event goes goes a along with that mission.
“Also, if you have a cell phone that is no longer working, the Lions are accepting phones to recondition so veterans and children can call 911,” she said.
If you’d like to get involved or need more information, call King at 217-0174, especially to make that 10 cents a minute pledge.
If you have trouble accessing the Buccaneer Estates gate that day, hit number 163 for entrance.
The pool is located near the back of the complex. Take the main drive – Pirate’s Rest – until it comes to an end, take a left and the pool will be on your right.
“Please join us – no donation is too small,” King said.