(Kevin Frost and Lewis his companion dog at a training session. Kevin is a three-time Canadian World Champion deaf/blind speed skater. You can meet Kevin at the upcoming Lions Club’s bottle drive. Sadly, after years of beloved companionship, Lewis recently passed away. Photos: Kevin Frost)
Hold onto those empties! In support of White Cane Month, the Stittsville Lions Club will be holding a roadside bottle drive on Saturday, October 15th from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. in front of the Lions Hall (1339 Stittsville Main Street).
October is White Cane Month, with International White Cane Safety Day taking place on October 15th. The white cane is a symbol of the independence, confidence, and skills of those who rely on it to guide their walk through life. “The white cane is important for raising public awareness of the challenges facing Canadians living with vision problems,” says Lion Beth Lewis.
Special guest Kevin Frost will be joining the Lions at their bottle drive. Kevin is a Deaf/Blind three-time World Champion Canadian speed skater residing in Ottawa. His Usher’s Syndrome has left him with a 10% hearing capacity and 3% vision. Over the last 25 years, Kevin has won sixteen gold medals and set nine world records in blind speed skating. He has also ranked 8th in the world against able-bodied master speed skaters, winning 80 medals against able-bodied skaters. In addition to speed skating, Kevin has trained with Development Canada in blind rowing, blind running, and tandem cycling, placing 2nd at the Canadian Championships on the indoor track/road racing. Kevin made the Canadian Standards in all sports venues.
Kevin skated 100km on the Ottawa canal in 2009 to help raise $5,000 for the Rotary Home. He volunteers for missions in third-world countries, has helped 29 deaf children to hear again, and has helped get visual aids to many children over the past 20 years. Kevin won the 2010 Community Builder Award for United Way and in 2015 was honoured in the House of Commons for being a role model for Deaf-Blind Canadians. He has given over 300 presentations as a motivational speaker.
After taking up blind golfing in 2016, Kevin has won tournaments and continues to build momentum. This summer he won Overall StableFord Champion in Simcoe at the Provincial/Canadians event. He has been invited to represent Canada at the 2023 World Blind Championships in South Africa.
To meet Kevin Frost and help the Stittsville Lions support White Cane Month, be sure to gather up your empties and bring them by the Lions Hall on Saturday, October 15th between 10:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m.