Editor’s Note: Jeremy Opperman is a member of Rotary’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion taskforce and a regular contributor to this blog on issues related to disability inclusion.

By Jeremy Opperman, Rotary Club of Newlands, Cape Town, South Africa

I had just finished keying in my pin number on the card reader at the supermarket checkout counter recently when the cashier turned to my friend and asked, “how does he know which buttons to press.”

Being completely inured to this sort of thing, I watched with interest to see how my friend would react. It is peculiar that when encountering a person with a disability, many people very often address the person accompanying them rather than addressing us directly.

As I expected, my friend, being worldly and level-headed, responded perfectly. She smiled (with her eyes, as her mask would have hidden her actual facial alteration) and said, “Why don’t you ask him, he is standing right in front of you.”

To her credit, the cashier did exactly that, although with some hesitation.

I enthusiastically explained the apparent magical mystery of how a blind person can key in their pin number into a card reader. The cashier was particularly fascinated to learn that every keypad has a raised dot on the 5 button allowing us to orientate to the other numbers on the keypad.

By Lucia Francis

Homestead High School Interact club collected over 700 pounds of food this past weekend in support of Family Sharing.   The high school members of the club under the leadership of Josie Campbell and Kassidy Hill, Co-Presidents, organized the drive and distributed flyers announcing the food drive. Dressed up in costumes, the Interactors went Trick or Treating for Hunger.  

This food drive is an annual tradition for the club and this year students toured the Family Sharing food pantry and thrift store. Julie Hoover, Executive Director of Family Sharing provided students with significant information about the needs of others and how the community works to support those in need. Congratulations to the Interact students, their effort will make a difference in the lives of many. 

The Mequon-Thiensville Sunrise Rotary Club sponsors the Homestead Interact club.  Their successful food drive was supported by the donations of Rotarians, visited neighborhoods, the Frank L. Weyenberg Library of Mequon-Thiensville and club members.  

Thank you to all the donors. 

Top Photo: Jamie F. De Jesus Sr. and Natraj Shanker spoke to our club this morning on the Rotary Community Corp program on Formerly Incarcerated Individuals Rehabilitation Services. Pictured from left are Jamie F. De Jesus Sr., Natraj Shanker and club President Matt Wolf. Photo by Bob Blazich.

Bottom Photo: We also inducted our newest member Matthew Wolak during this morning's meeting. Pictured from left are Stacy Wolak, Matthew Wolak and Brian Monroe. Photo by Bob Blazich.