By Katherine Gibson (Contributor) – Email
Print Edition: September 11, 2013
UFV students are taking an active role in supporting research for blindness in Canada by walking around Mill Lake park.
On September 20, Sophie Smit, president of the Social Work Student Association (SWSA) and five other members will take part in The Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB)’s Night Steps lake walk in memory of a beloved UFV social work faculty member, Dr. Abebe Teklu.
The event is a 5 kilometre night walk taking place in cities accross Canada that raises funds for programs and services for the blind. It will include the walk around Mill Lake, as well as a barbecue and live music for participants.
Smit saw the event as an opportunity to honour Dr. Teklu, who was blinded by smallpox at the age of nine in Ethiopia and passed away earlier this year due to liver cancer. A source of inspiration to his students, Dr. Teklu has left those who knew him wanting to make a difference and raise awareness for those living with vision loss, Smit explains.
“I was in one of his classes and he was just brilliant,” she says. “He overcame so many obstacles – it was just really inspiring to be around him. He was an amazing person.”
Earlier this year, SWSA organized a pub night in Dr. Teklu’s memory, hoping to raise funds for a scholarship aimed at helping support UFV students who have also overcome obstacles.
“We put on a legacy fund pub night with mostly social work students and raised $2000 for the scholarship,” Smit explains. “The scholarship will be given to students who exemplify characteristics similar to those of Dr. Teklu.”
So when CNIB approached SWSA with the opportunity to get involved with their Night Steps walk around Mill Lake, SWSA was more than willing to participate.
“CNIB initially was just looking to get students involved with helping take care of the children who were going to be at the event,” she notes. “But when SWSA realized what this event was about, we thought, ‘we can do more … we want to take an active role.’”
Although raising money for CNIB is the ultimate goal of the fundraiser, Smit emphasizes that this event is just as much about building understanding and community. She admits to becoming more aware of the challenges of living with a disability from Dr. Teklu’s example and hopes others can gain the same awareness.
“If we raise money, that’s great, but if students can’t afford to donate money, that’s fine too,” she continues. “Our main goal is to get students supporting this event, and through their support [raise] awareness for this cause.”
