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Council proclaims White Cane Safety Day, Domestic Violence Awareness Month and honors Mentoring Positives' 20th anniversary
Summary
The Common Council issued three ceremonial proclamations recognizing White Cane Safety Day (Oct. 15), Domestic Violence Awareness Month (October) and Mentoring Positives' 20th anniversary; speakers emphasized pedestrian safety, survivor services and youth mentorship.
At the start of its Oct. 8 meeting the Madison Common Council read three proclamations and invited recipients to speak.
Mayor Rhodes Conway read a proclamation designating Oct. 15, 2024, as White Cane Safety Day. Denise Jess, executive director of the Wisconsin Council of the Blind and Visually Impaired and a Transportation Commission member, accepted the proclamation and urged motorists to heed the state's white‑cane law and improve driver behavior: "One of the most important areas that sometimes we struggle with is our driver behavior...Failure to yield by cars really zooming through the pedestrian crosswalk on Regent Street," she said.
The council then recognized October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month (Legistar 85,489). Mary Donahue of Domestic Abuse Intervention Services described the prevalence of domestic violence in the community and flagged looming funding threats to frontline services; Virginia Guiten Escudero of Unidos Against Domestic Violence also urged community education and support and referenced statewide homicide-report figures.
Finally the council congratulated Mentoring Positives on two decades of youth mentorship (Legistar 85,493). Will Green accepted the recognition and reflected on the program's impact and a 20th‑anniversary event at the Goodman Center.
Each proclamation was moved, seconded and recorded as a unanimous or enthusiastic unanimous vote as noted in the meeting record.
