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| CANADA'S SOURCE FOR VISION IMPAIRED HUMOUR, PARODY, AND SATIRE
GANDER, NEWFOUNDLAND --It started as a one-time fundraiser for spectrum-challenged individuals, but it has turned into a full-time employment opportunity for the Colour Blindness Foundation (CBF). Originally set up as a summer program to employ colour-blind students, the "Colour Our World" house painting program is now in its second full year.
The interior/exterior painting program employs colour-blind painters, decorators, and designers. The program allows them to cut their teeth in a cut-throat industry and start to establish their reputations in the community, as well as build employable skills. Many of the students are setting their monochromatic sights to the future. "The response has been just fantastic," said Willie Wilchuck, director of the program. "Sure there have been a few off-colour remarks, but most people are extremely pleased with the results. Of course I'm seeing their work through rose-coloured glasses...at least I think they're rose-coloured." Herbert Tanner, the associate director, suffers from monochromasy (the complete absence of any colour sensation). Herbert is in charge of purchasing all of the paints, but is proud to point out that he very rarely over-rules a student-made choice. "These kids do a great job," said Herbert. "I'm not sure exactly what the colours are, but the names almost always go well together. Here, for example is a colour scheme for a new project: soft sage, sunny lemon and bright salmon. It's a delicious combination, and I'm getting hungry just reading this! You just know that the house that gets these colours is going to be especially vibrant." As part of the program the CBF has been painting houses at special rates to colour-blind home-owners, many of whom have been all-too-happy to give great referrals. "I'm really impressed with the job that the people from [CBF] did," said Ethel Pallington, who suffers from deuteranomaly, a condition that makes it hard to distinguish hues in the yellow/green region of the colour spectrum. "My house looks beautiful, I think." Other clients praise the painting team's work ethic. "They were really very professional," said Wilma Witherspoon, who does not suffer from any colour blindness, but has no sense of style. "My house stands out, and with our unpredictable Newfoundland weather, I could find it in a thick fog!" However, Bruce Macintosh, one of Ethel's neighbours, was not pleased with the CBF's chaotic colour palette. "I like the CBF's initiative," said Bruce, "but I don't want to look out at a home that's glows in eerie pastels. It's really an eyesore, and another example of the colour-blind leading the blind." Herbert suggested
that the students use a paint-by-numbers formula to avoid offending non-vision-impaired
people.
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