Taking out the trash and recyclables is getting a little bit easier for the City’s blind or visually impaired customers who read Braille. Beginning June 5, the City of Broken Arrow will be the first municipality in the area to offer recycling and garbage labels for each cart written in Braille. “We pride ourselves in being inclusive, and we’re interested in making sure that everybody can participate in the programs that we release to the public,” Jerry Schuber, Director of Solid Waste and Recycling, said. “These labels are a great example of another way we have enhanced the essential service of Solid Waste and Recycling collection for our customers.”
Ronita Smalley is legally blind and serves as the Rehab and Community Outreach Manager for NewView Oklahoma, an empowerment agency benefitting people living with blindness and low vision. She says steps like these are moving the city in the right direction. “Your self-esteem and ability to do things on your own builds your confidence and helps you feel like you can take care of yourself and be more independent,” Smalley said. “We all need help from time to time, but the more we can do on our own, the better we feel about ourselves.”
Schuber is excited to provide this service to the community. “If someone has a sight disability or is visually impaired and can read Braille, this gives them the opportunity that hasn’t been a part of our program,” Schuber said.