Adam Prudhomme
Editor
Springside Park’s iron fence was ‘yarn bombed’ Thursday morning, signifying the start of Deafblind Awareness Month.
Yarn bombing involves affixing knitted designs of all colours the fence that run alongside the Napanee River waterfall as well as a nearby tree, a symbol of coming together and sparking conversation about the need for Deafblind services in Canada. The knitted squares represent something that can be felt and touched, a sense that many who are deafblind rely on heavily.
The initiative is organized by the Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB) Deafblind Community Services. This marks the second year the local chapter has yarn bombed the fence at Springside Park, joining communities across the country doing the same, covering local landmarks with yarn for the month of June.
Greater Napanee council has declared June to be Deafblind Awareness Month in the municipality. The month is designed to help Canadians develop an understanding and comfort of people in their community who are deafblind. The month of June was chosen in recognition of the birth month of Helen Keller. Born on June 27, 1880, Keller’s political activism, lecturing and writing make her one of the most internationally known deafblind person in history. Deafblindness is quantified as the loss of sight and hearing to a degree that impacts a person’s communication, mobility and access to information.
CNIB’s eastern Ontario chapter is located at 826 Princess St. in Kingston. Their phone number is 343-550-1309 and they can be found online www.deafblindservices.ca or on Facebook by searching CNIB Ontario.