 |
 |
 |
 |
How to Acquire a White Cane
Using a cane takes practice and training if you want to live through it. Buying a cane for someone who has no training is as irresponsible an act as any other foolish thing can be. With that little bit of self-righteousness out of the way, here are some sources for canes for those of you who know what you want.
Free Cane
The National Federaqtion of the Blind (NFB) has a no-strings attached free white cane program. Click that link to get an application and read their spiel. This is some of what they say: "We believe the long white cane is a means to independence. The white cane has proved a useful tool to millions of blind people in navigating their environments with confidence and safety. It is a tool which allows blind people to travel where and when they want, and as such leads to self-sufficiency. We believe that independence and freedom to travel are so important to the quality of life of blind people that every blind person should have a cane, regardless of ability to pay. We are giving, free of charge to the user, straight fiberglass canes." The canes are available from 25 to 63 inches long.
Short List of Cane Sources
When comparing prices be sure to factor in all the charges. Often a company that has free shipping will charge more for the item than the company with regular shipping. Nothing is really free, but some prices are better than others in the final tally. We like Amazon because, so far, they have been unfailingly reliable, but definitely do shop around. They have many canes for sale, both directly and on behalf of other vendors and offer a very big selection. They ship UPS for free with no minimum order if you can wait perhaps a week.
Independent Living Aids, also known as ILA, also has a good selection. They ship UPS.
MaxiAids sells canes as well as many nifty things, and will ship orders over twenty five dollars for free if you're not in any hurry.
If you are in a hurry, call SAAVI in Tucson at 795-1331 to go in and pick up a cane right away. They have a good selection and excellent prices, and they have people on staff who know what they're talking about and who won't try to push anything on you.
A very small local company that we think is run out of a private home is called Assistech. They have canes at good prices too and they are located in the west end of Tucson at Ajo and Kinney. We haven't used them yet, but you can call them at 866-674-3549.