Trips away were a highlight for some day centre participants. Here Bill Ford, Miss Turner and Mrs Davies view the beauty of Myrtleford from a lookout.1 x col. photographs1985 Myrtleford holidayassociation for the blind, kelaston home (ballarat)

Day centre participants enjoy an Easter Bonnet tea party. Ballarat 019 - Mrs Muir (blue flowers) and Miss Stoke (red trimmed sun hat) Ballarat 020 - Mr Joe Dean (tall orange and blue and green hat) Ballarat 021 - Mrs Blake (rabbit on hat) Ballarat 022 - Mrs Bennett (blue pinafore) and Mrs Joan Perry (white, yellow, pink flowers) Ballarat 025 - Mrs Davis (Daisy hat) Ballarat 026 - Mr Norm Batten (sun hat with yellow streamers)6 x col. photographs1981association for the blind, kelaston home (ballarat)

Mr Keith Stratton, Mr Stekelenburg and Mrs Hamill awaiting transportation for the day centre. To assist people in accessing service, volunteer drivers were used to facilitate transport to and from Kelaston. They were provided with a sticker for their front window to advise other people of this service when they were collecting people from their homes.1 x col. photographs1984association for the blind, kelaston home (ballarat)

Receptionist Chris Davies, welcomes Mrs Elsie Taylor to the official opening of the Low Vision Clinic and Day Centre Extensions on July 18, 19831 x col. photograph1983association for the blind, kelaston home (ballarat)

Occupational therapist, Jill Bothe, with Mrs Pat East, a visitor to Kelaston for the opening of the Low Vision Clinic and day centre extensions on July 18, 1983.1 x col. photograph1983association for the blind, kelaston home (ballarat)

Grounds at Kelaston Community Day Hospital.1 x col. photograph1984association for the blind, kelaston home (ballarat)

Sir Henry Bolte and the audience at the opening of the day centre at Kelaston, the Association for the Blind's home in Ballarat.2 x B/W photographsassociation for the blind, kelaston home (ballarat), sir henry bolte

Local newspaper photographs taken at the Association for the Blind's Kelaston home in Ballarat. 044 - View of the Kelaston sign and grounds in Howitt Street. 045 - Mr Roy King presented with a plaque in honour of his service. 046 - L to R: Lynne Klien, two residents, Mona Dynon, Laurie Hay (day centre coordinator) upon the occasion of Laurie's retirement. 052 - L to R: Ruby Blake, Don Dunstan (manager of Kelaston) and another nursing home resident. 054 - L to R: unknown, Dianne Kerr, Bob de Little and a visitor look on in the craft room.5 x B/W photographs of Kelaston nursing homeassociation for the blind, kelaston home (ballarat), dianne kerr

Sister Pat Parker during the lunchtime break at Bairnsdale, on a day centre trip to Lakes Entrance.1 x col. photographsister pat parker, kelaston home (ballarat)

Occupational therapist Jill Bothe during her time with the Association for the Blind. 058 - July 18, 1983 opening of the Low Vision Clinic & Day Centre Extension. Jill Bothe with a display of items. 069 - Mrs Jill Bothe displays her gifts at her farewell in 1985. 078 - Jill Bothe and an unknown person in 1983 at hydrotherapy.3 x col. photographskelaston home (ballarat), jill bothe

The last day for Mrs Kathleen Reynolds, Director of Nursing at Kelaston Nursing home.1 x col. photographkelaston home (ballarat), kathleen reynolds

Destruction of existing building during day centre extension. 081 - Bob Smith and John Wonish, maintenance staff.5 x col. photographskelaston home (ballarat)

Front of the Day Centre attached to Kelaston nursing home.1 x col. photographkelaston home (ballarat), vision australia foundation

Ballarat Courier (?) article on knitted donations for Chernobyl children from residents at the Kelaston Nursing Home and Day Centre.1 x newspaper articlekelaston home (ballarat), association for the blind

A brief history of White Cane day outlining the use of the white cane in the United States and Australia.1 page typed sheet of informationwhite cane day, advertising

A leaflet produced to raise awareness of white canes. On the front a man's hand holds a white cane. Inside the leaflet reads "Bear in mind the white cane is a symbol of the visually handicapped" and was produced by the White Cane Committee, 247 Vulture Street, South Brisbane, Q, 4101.1 page with illustration of white caneIllustration of a hand holding a white cane on the front pagewhite cane day, advertising

Certificate reads "Awarded to Association for the Arthur Wilkins Northern Suburbs Day Centre. By the Australian Bicentennial Authority which was established to plan and coordinate a nationwide profram of celebrations in 1988 to commemorate the 200th anniversary of permanent European settlement in Australia" Signed by the Executive Director (illegible), dated 2nd July 1987. All text on this certificate is located on the bottom half of the document. 1 x paper certificate from Australian Bicentennial AuthorityThe top half is populated by a repeated stylised graphic of a map of Australia, in various shades of green and gold. There is also a gold version of the same logo, labelled with "Endorsed Bicentennial Activity" , situated above the official signatures. arthur wilkins centre, essendon, association for the blind

These meetings were held at the Kooyong office and the minutes include Present, Chair, Apologies, Minutes, Matter arising from minutes, Correspondence, Life governors, Election of members, Nominations, Reports from Regional Blind Members groups, White Cane Day October 15th promoted. Some highlights include: 3/12/1982 the film, 'A world that is dark', which was made by AFB for television release is now available on video. 31/8/1984 the Blind members' brochure includes sections titled 'Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow' which outlines the history, present position and the aims for the future of the AFB, 'Information about Blind Members' and Blind Members' Council', List of AFB homes and centres' and 'An invitation from Bryan Sitlington to be a Blind Member accompanied by an application form. It will be available to all visually impaired people, their family and friends, AFB staff and suitable for distribution at doctor's surgeries. 14/12/1984 it was reported 29 new Blind members were elected at the September meeting and the 1,000th member was among them. 8/6/1984 Mr John Blanch reported that the General Committee had approved, although rather reluctantly, Mr John Wilson's resignation and had appoint Mr John Cook as his successor. 13/9/1985 Mr John Blanch reported that following Mr Pat Lightfoot's resignation he had contacted Mr John Wicking to offer him the position of sighted representative on Blind Members' Council. John Wicking had been approached for role on the BMC however he was unable to attend Fridays. It was moved to move the meetings to the last Monday of the Month, after approaching John Wicking again. Council members agreed that if John Wicking took the position it would be good as would have been held by Pat Lightfoot and John Wicking, both past Presidents of AFB. Mrs Margaret Canavan and Mr Alan Cooper had been selected to attend a garden party at Government House with Her Majesty the Queen and His Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburg on Thursday March 6. Minute book for Blind Members Councilassociation for the blind, blind members council

Celebrating the International Year of the Volunteer, Vision Australia Foundation wished to acknowledge the volunteers and day program members who inputted ideas into the design of the centre's banner. Special thanks to the following for their contribution to the stitching, painting, tapestry, applique and embroidery: Margit Arends, Alice Austin, Judith Edwards, Pamela Harris, Shirley Reid, Margaret Isaacs, Gwenda Johnson, Helen Malone, Catherine Newton and Mary Tams.1 cream sheet with grey and black writingvision australia foundation, volunteers

Association for the Blind board member Hubert Opperman in his role as the Australian Minister for Immigration, visited the new Day Centre of the Jewish Blind Society at Stamford Hill, London. He discusses handwork with Mr Lew Dobrin and an instructress Mrs K. Amaral.B/W photograph of Hubert Opperman looking at a wicker basket made by a blind man.hubert opperman, association for the blind, jewish blind society

October 15, 1979 was the very first publicly proclaimed White Cane Day in Victoria. Announced by Premier Hamer, onlookers were invited to learn more about the various societies in Victoria that assisted the blind and vision impaired. Barry Humphries was the guest of honour, and spoke with a small group before venturing out with his own white cane to test out Melbourne’s wet streets. Caravans were set up along Swanston Street to distribute information. The RAAF band played and a square dance exhibition was held by vision impaired dancers in Bourke Street. 13 B/W photographs w/ 20 negatives and 23 col. negativesOn the back of BRIP381.11 is a partially erased pencil description 'Kathy Zwald' and 'Doris Nothling".white cane day, barry humphries, doris nothling, kathy zwald

October 15, 1979 was the very first publicly proclaimed White Cane Day in Victoria. Announced by Premier Hamer, onlookers were invited to learn more about the various societies in Victoria that assisted the blind and vision impaired. Barry Humphries was the guest of honour, and spoke with a small group before venturing out with his own white cane to test out Melbourne’s wet streets. Caravans were set up along Swanston Street to distribute information. The RAAF Central band played and a square dance exhibition by The Lightfooters (a group ofvision impaired dancers) in Bourke Street. 12 B/W photographswhite cane day, raaf central band

In 1980, the original week long session of planned activities to celebrate White Cane Day was jettisoned for displays and presentations in the new City Square. These included films, Swish demonstrations, children’s tactile artwork and photographs. It was a lovely sunny day, with crowds enjoying a performance by the Victorian Police Brass Band and their well known equine Gendarme, as well as the Lightfooters square dancing. The Minister of Health, Bill Borthwick, officially opened the program of activities.10 B/W photographs of White Cane Day celebrationswhite cane day, janene sadhu, bill borthwick, john cook, john wilson, lindsay mcmillan, phyllis gration, bryan sitlington

Minutes of the first White Cane Day organising committee, led by Bryan Sitlington, who organised events to celebrate the first proclaimed White Cane Day in Victoria.22 pages of typed meeting minutes on white paperwhite cane day, bryan sitlington, john blanch, blind members council, howard m. lightfoot, norman banks, derek pickard, adrienne kemp, lindsay mcmillan, c. poulson, royal guide dogs association, l. triggot, val whitehead, villa maria society, r. johnston, royal victorian eye & ear hospital, royal victorian institute for the blind, braille and talking book library, association for the blind

To keep current with media articles on how vision impaired people, blindness organisations and their activities were reported in the press, books of newspaper cuttings were created. News stories were taken from local, regional and national papers covering a variety subjects.1 red covered notebook with newspaper cuttingswhite cane day

To keep current with media articles on how vision impaired people, blindness organisations and their activities were reported in the press, books of newspaper cuttings were created. News stories were taken from local, regional and national papers covering a variety subjects.1 red covered notebook with newspaper cuttingswhite cane day

Sir Rupert Hamer, who proclaimed October 15 as White Cane Day for the State of Victoria, holding a white cane and standing between two blind ladies. The one on the right is possibly Mrs Alice McClelland.1 B/W photographwhite cane day, sir rupert hamer

Metal badge consisting of an oval shaped medallion coloured with a dark blue edge and light blue centre, white cane across length of medallion and inscriptions written around the edge. Clasp is silver coloured metal on both tie pins and badges. Marked: On front of badge : Association for the Blind.1 metal pin 1 metal badgeAssociation for the Blindwhite cane day, badges