Willemien Kleijn will talk about The White Cane Project of the College of Orientation and Mobility, SA Guide Dogs Association.

 Willemien Kleijn, of the South African Guide-Dogs Association, will talk about how white canes change the lives of people with visual impairments.

While guide-dogs are superb mobility aids for people with visual impairments, not everyone wants or needs a dog. The Orientation and Mobility Department, for which Willemien works, provides the alternative in the form of the white cane. The department serves people with visual impairments throughout Gauteng. It does so through orientation and mobility training and provision of canes and other assistive devices. This service empowers people with visual impairments to lead more fulfilling and independent lives.

Last Week

It was a Business Meeting that I, unfortunately, was not able to attend.

Next Week

 Johann de Wet of Dewetshof Wine Estate will talk about how they became a Chardonnay House and how the estate has developed from there.

International - Malta

The Rotary Club of Gozo has discovered a formula for civic and social media engagement: tell community members just how much they’re appreciated. After rolling out the glitzy Pride of Gozo Awards in 2022, the club saw a burst of interest in the work of Rotarians on Gozo, one of Malta’s three populated islands. “The event is our showcase of the year,” says Tom Welch, a past president of the club who proposed the ceremony, which is supported by the Times of Malta newspaper and a government ministry. “While not a fundraiser, it raises our profile: a touch under 40,000 views on Facebook, 600 new followers, and over 2,000 engagements. It also provides us with a collection of wonderful speakers and drives membership growth.”