Latest update February 14th, 2025 8:22 AM
Blind Society gets donation of canes from US-based family
A Guyana-born family residing in the United States decided to return to these shores to celebrate the ‘Golden Jubilee’. However, the plan was to have a two-pronged affair.
Three of the Wilburg siblings, from left, Desiree, Aubrey and Lyndon) hand over the canes to Mr Cecil Morris.
The Wilburg family, who migrated to the United States several years ago, was anxious to lend support to the Guyana Society for the Blind by donating a quantity of canes.
The donation was made available, compliments of the Wilburg siblings: Aubrey, Lyndon, Terrence, Desiree, Carol and Patricia.
Speaking at a ceremonial handing over event on Wednesday, Aubrey Wilburg explained that his grandfather, Arthur Williams, who was blind, was very involved in the Blind Society many years ago.
According to him, because of his grandfather’s blindness and association with the society, his mother, Veronica Wilburg, developed an affinity for helping people, particularly the blind. “She chose the blind because she could relate to that situation more than any other,” said Aubrey Wilburg.
He explained that when his mother celebrated her 60th wedding anniversary she decided to do something meaningful which was characterised by her donating the canes to the Blind Society. The donations would continue for a few years but lapsed for a bit.
But according to Aubrey Wilburg, it was the passing of his mother earlier this year that prompted him and his siblings to revive a tradition that his mother started several years ago. “We know how much this meant to her so we said let us continue what she was doing. We know there is a need for canes in the country. We know that she always wanted to help and this was an ideal way to do it to honour her memory. We have decided to continue a process that our mother started,” said Aubrey Wilburg.
He went on to commend the work of the Blind Society and added, “We are proud to be a part of that at this unique time.”
The variety of canes donated can cater to the young as well as the old. According to Aubrey Wilburg, he anticipates that his family will continue to support the Blind Society in the future. “My mom always said even if you are sightless, it doesn’t mean that you are less than anybody else. Blind people are able of doing things but they need resources to do what they have to do; to feel independent both children and adults need to learn to move around,” Aubrey Wilburg asserted. “We felt this is a way to help them to accomplish that,” he added.
Accepting the donation of canes was President of the Blind Society, Mr Cecil Morris, who regarded the endowment as very meaningful. According to him, for the past two or three years “we have been really running short on canes. We haven’t had a major donor of canes in a long time.”
The recent donation of 10 canes to the Blind Society, Morris noted, was not nearly as sufficient to meet the constant demand for canes.
“People all over this country call us for cane to help somebody who is blind…so this donation is really timely because we were really, really in need,” Morris added.
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