---------- Forwarded message


"Almost One Hundred and One Ways To Decorate Your Cane by Cortney
Osolinski
     This letter to the editor of the Braille Monitor is from
Cortney
Osolinski, who turned eleven years old last August.  It was
published in
the
July, 1996 issue of the Braille Monitor along with a picture of
Cortney
in a
parade wearing her gorilla costume with an ivy-covered cane, and
another
picture of Cortney with long blond hair standing next to a
Christmas
tree,
holding what looks like a candy cane with a bow below the handle.

     I would like to share with all my [National Federation of the
Blind]
friends some of my ideas on how I decorate my cane, but first let
me tell
you why I decorate it:  for holidays, sports events, parties, and
just
for
fun!  I love my cane now.  I didn't when I was little, but now I
think
even
my sighted friends wish they had one.  In fact, some of my ideas
came
from
them.  They're always telling me what they would do if they had
one.
     I disguise my cane at Halloween so it will not give me away,
and it
really adds to my costume.  Last year I won second prize in a
contest.  I
would have won first, but I didn't get my plastic bananas in time. 
I was
a
gorilla, and my cane was covered with fake green vine.  No one knew
it
was
me, and some of the little kids thought I was a real ape!  In the
parade
I
stopped and pounded my chest every few feet and made gorilla calls.
     My mom said I have to include her rules for me when I decorate
my
cane so:
1) Keep the handle clear so I still have a good grip;
2) I can't go outside at night with my cane covered in dark colors;
3) I have to use my old cane or not damage my good one;
4) Only do to my cane what I know is safe (and fun).
     I'll start with Christmas because everyone loved my "candy
cane,"
and
it was my NFB chapter President Mrs. Everlee Dow who said I should
share my
ideas with Braille Monitor readers.

The Candy Cane: Start at one end and wrap with red garland or
ribbon,
leaving one-inch spaces all the way up.  It looks great like that,
but
you
can add a piece of curved Styrofoam and wrap it too.  You can put
a big red
bow right where you taped the Styrofoam on.
Lights Alive: Spiral-wrap a battery-operated string of about twenty
lights
the whole length of your cane.  This one's great at night, and all
my
friends want a turn holding it!
Are you Listening: Tie bells near the handle.  Mom likes this one
when we're
in a hurry because everyone hears me coming and steps out of my
way.  We
can
even run through the mall.
O Tannenbaum: Cover your cane with green shiny paper.  Add garland
and
little silk or plastic balls all over it.  I think I'll ask Santa
to put
presents around it too.  He is blind, you know.
Christmas Flowers: Tie fresh or fake poinsettias near the handle of
your
cane.
Frosty: Cover your cane with white cotton.  Put a little plastic
top hat
just under the handle, button eyes, and a paper carrot nose.
Yummy Cane: Tape mini candy canes or any wrapped Christmas candy
all over
your cane.  This is my favorite.
Shepherd's Staff: This is for when you're in a school, church, or
club
play.
You can be a shepherd when you go Christmas caroling.

New Year is next:
Celebrate: Tape a "Happy New Year" banner lengthwise down your
cane.
Party Animal: Dangle streamers of many colors all over your cane.
Numbers: Tape the number of the New Year once or all over your
cane.

Super Bowl Sunday, or any sports event:
Pigskins: Tape brown cut-out footballs dangling from your cane.
Home Team: Wrap your cane in your team colors.
Cheers: Tape a shaker or pompon near the handle.
Mascot: Hang a stuffed animal or picture of team mascot on your
cane.
Hokey Hockey: Cut out the club part of a hockey stick and tape it
onto
the
bottom of your cane.

Now some things for Valentine's Day:
Cupid's Arrow: Put feathers at the top and a cut-out paper arrow
point
near
the tip.
Love and Kisses: Cover your cane with red hearts and Hershey's
kisses.
Love Stinks: Dangle a paper cut-out of a skunk and red hearts from
your
cane.
Wrapped with Love: Wrap your cane from top to bottom with red foil
heart
garland.
That Someone Special: Dangle the picture or the name of your
Valentine
from
the cord or handle of your cane.

Next is St. Patrick's Day:
Luck of the Irish: Make a giant shamrock by wrapping your cane with
green
paper and cut out four leaves to tape just under the handle.
Top of the Mornin':  Put a paper Leprechaun near the top of your
cane,
colored paper going down the length like a rainbow, and a paper
picture
of a
pot of gold near the tip.
Kiss Me, I'm Irish: (Mom's favorite) Put a "Kiss me, I'm Irish" pin
on
your
cane, short, coat, hat, or socks.
Shamrock Special: Cover your cane with shiny shamrock stickers.
Glowing Green: Remember at Christmas to get extra green lights and
use a
battery-powered string of twenty lights to wrap up your cane.

Next is Easter:
The Egg Hunt: Wrap string around green Easter grass covering your
cane.
Then glue little plastic eggs in.
Peter Cotton Tail: Glue or tape lots of colored cotton balls all
over
your cane.
Jesus Died for Me: Cut white paper to make your cane into a cross
and
tape
it on.  Braille and print your favorite Easter verse across the
cross.
Haul a Nail: Tape a nail on your cane as a reminder.
Tastiest: Tape covered chocolate Easter eggs all over your cane.

Fourth of July and the National Convention:
Star Spangled Banner: Tape red ribbon stripes around your cane,
leaving room
for blue star stickers in between.
Flag Pole: Tie a small flag near the top of your cane.

OK, now for my favorite: Halloween.  Make your cane into something
that
goes>with your costume, like:
French Maid: Create a feather duster on your cane.
Cheerleader: Tie a pompon or shaker to your cane.
Jail Bird: Attach a painted-black Styrofoam ball and chain to your
cane.
Witch: Make your cane into a broom stick.
Indian: Your cane can be a totem pole.
Barber: Turn your cane into a barber's pole.
Baby: Make it a lollipop.
Queen or Fairy: Do some magic of your own and make a magic wand.
Devil: Make a pitchfork.
Native: A spear.
Tarzan, ape, or dinosaur: Wrap your cane with fake green vine.
Stranded Island Survivor: Your cane can become a palm tree.
Farmer: It's a hoe.
Clown: Make it a leash and add a paper dog.
King: Make a scepter.
Fisherman: It becomes a fishing pole.
Mummy or Grave Digger: It can be a shovel.
Bride: Attach a bouquet of flowers and a draped veil.
Bunny: Turn your cane into a giant carrot.
Cave Man or Dog: Make it a big white bone.
Accident Victim: It can become a crutch.
Really Bad Accident Victim: Tape a small plastic baggie with
ketchup at
the
top of your cane; then tape one end of a red shoe-string licorice
whip to
the bag and the other end to your arm.  It's an IV pole.
Band Leader: It can be a baton.
Sailor: It can be a lighthouse.  Use a little flashlight at the
top.
Cave Man: Make it a club.
G.I. Joe: You can make a rifle.
Henry the Eighth: Turn your cane into a turkey leg.
Bo Peep: Make the Christmas candy cane without the stripe.
Casper: Turn your cane into Uncle Stretch.
Scarecrow: The cane becomes a skinny bale of hay.
Hawaiian:  Cover it with flowers.

     In the fall you can make your cane into a big sunflower.  When
I was
little, my mom always put something on the cord of my cane to keep
my
hands
busy, like snap-together beads or toy chain links.  She says that
if she
had
a cane, she would put a stress ball on it.  You could put Rosary
beads or
a
picture of your children or family on it.  I think that my mom's
best
idea
is getting the plastic eyes you can buy at the craft store for
making
stuffed animals and taping them near the tip of your cane.  I think
it
helps
new kids I meet and even adults understand what a cane is.  It
explains
itself this way and saves me from having to try.
     I always have lots of fun with my cane.  I love my cane. And
since
we'll be together for a long time, I plan on having lots more fun
with it.
I hope you do, too.
     Look for my next article on "One Hundred and One inventions to
help
me
and other blind people, like a cane/umbrella and a toothbrush whose
handle
holds the toothpaste -- just one pump, wet, and you're set.  Well,
I
don't
want to give too much away.>     You think that I'm insane
     Because I love my cane?
     It might just bring me fame;
     See, now even YOU know my name."