Members of the Deaf Community from throughout the Catholic Diocese of Wilmington and their families are invited to a Synod Session specifically for the Deaf Community on Saturday, June 4 from 2-4pm in the Junior High School Building on the campus of Holy Cross Parish, in Dover, Delaware.The session will be led by Deacon Billy Griffin, who is Deaf. Attendees are asked to RSVP to the Diocese of Wilmington at pastor@stjudelewes.org by May 31.The Session will conclude with an interpreted Mass in the chapel of the Junior High School building for the participants of the Synod, where interpreters will sign / speak accordingly.– Thanks to Kathi Riley for sharing the news.
Ways to Donate
- Real Estate / land
- Direct donations (i.e. cash, stock)
- Time / Volunteer your services
Donating real estate
- A gift of real estate could lead to significant savings on income or estate taxes.
- You may receive a charitable income tax deduction for the appraised value of the property.
- You would also be freed from paying real estate taxes, maintenance costs and insurance on the property, as well as capital gains taxes on the property’s appreciation (otherwise known as tax on profits from the sale).
Real estate can be included as part of a trust or will or estate plans. Your financial advisor can help you figure out which method is best for you. Contact us for more information.
Tax Identification Info:
Delaware Association of the Deaf
EIN: 38-3825119
Link: IRS Non-Profit reference for DAD
DDSC thankful for support
As president of Deaf Delaware Senior Citizens (DDSC), I am delighted to report that our raffle fundraiser held in conjunction with showings of the movie “CODA” at the Clayton Theatre in Dagsboro generated just over $6,000 from the hundreds of viewers who supported this effort. This money will be used by the World Federation of the Deaf to assist deaf Ukrainians impacted by the Russian invasion.
I thank the DDSC members who donated and solicited items for the gift baskets, attended the 11 showings of the movie along with volunteer sign language interpreters, and arranged for the delivery of the baskets to the winners. I am extremely grateful to Joanne Howe, who hosted the fundraiser at the Clayton Theatre and donated a percentage of the admission receipts.
The generosity of donors who helped make the gift baskets so special is greatly appreciated. These donors include Su Casa Furniture, Cripple Creek Golf & Country Club, Bear Trap Dunes, Lord’s Landscaping, Inland Bays Garden Center, Patti’s Hallmark Shop, Banks Wine & Spirits, Porto Pizza and Grill, Jayne’s Reliable, author Michelle Meadows and Realtor Rich Meadows, Good Earth Market and DiFebo’s Market.
Allen Talbert, President
Deaf Delaware Senior Citizens
UD Covid Vaccine Survey
UD/Center for Disabilities Studies (CDS) is doing a study about people with disabilities and the COVID-19 vaccine. We want to know if people with disabilities, their families, and their caregivers are having trouble getting COVID-19 shots.
Participants will complete a 30-minute interview over the phone or Zoom. People who volunteer for the interview will receive a $10 Amazon gift card for their time. If you would like to be interviewed, you can:
- Email: devaccinestudy@gmail.com;
- Call or text: 302-385-6480; or
- Complete a quick, anonymous online survey:
Please consider volunteering for this interview because it is important that people with disabilities, their families and caregivers share their experiences.
Survey ends @May 17, 2022.
ASL Instructor job (Newark)
Newark Free Library is in search of an ASL instructor to provide ASL classes for children ages 6-12.
Beginning Fall 2022. Day of week to be determined. (In the past it co-taught by Kathy P. & Nicole J. on alternating Sundays)
Instructor may bring their own child(ren) to register for free if within the age range of 6-12.
Pay rate to be determined (ie. $25+/hour, includes planning time as well)
If you are interested, please email Barbara Jo German (retired DSD SLP & POC for Newark Library’s request) at hugo477 at aol.com.
P.S. The children’s librarian is trying to secure state funds for interpreting special programs for deaf students as well. They offer many after school activities.
– info came from DSD Mary Hicks
Bringing American Sign Language to local weather alerts
Burglund is deaf.
While she followed her instincts to pull over into a parking lot, she didn’t know what was going on. Moments later, a giant tree fell nearby, she said. If she had stayed on the road, she realized, she would have been risking her life.
Severe weather is one of the main reasons people tune in to local news stations. Broadcast meteorologists are able to share minute-to-minute details such as location, timing and storm tracks. Yet Burglund — and nearly 1 million other people in the United States — don’t get the same weather information most people rely on their local broadcast meteorologists to provide.
“I rely on my family to interpret when there is bad weather, and when they are not home I can barely tell what is going on,” said Burglund. “Having access to the same safety as others would help so much.”
The National Weather Service has made efforts in recent years to better reach those who are deaf or hard of hearing. Weather radios are available with strobe lights or vibrating alert features for emergencies. Many cities offer storm spotter classes in American Sign Language (ASL). And national catchphrases such as “when thunder roars, go indoors” have been adapted to “see a flash, dash inside.” Weather Service meteorologist Trevor Boucher says this phrasing and imagery can benefit the hearing and deaf community alike.
But there is still a critical gap when it comes to the “nowcasting” provided on local television. ASL is the primary language for more than 500,000 Americans, and unfortunately, it’s not a language that many broadcast meteorologists are familiar with, although there are some examples. Brek Bolton, a meteorologist at Fox 13 in Salt Lake City, has been using ASL on social media for years. In the 2010s, meteorologist Robert Gauthreaux III delivered ASL forecasts for the Baton Rouge area.
Read the rest of the story at https://www.washingtonpost.com/weather/2022/04/15/asl-weather-sign-language-severe.
Help Wanted
Delaware recently started showing open captioned movies and we need your help tracking information. Contact Jamie Burke or Feta Fernsler via the contact us page at https://www.delawaredeaf.org/contact-us.
Gallaudet and U.S. Naval Academy debaters to address deaf people serving in the military
The Gallaudet University debate team, fresh off a top-eight performance in the Social Justice Debates at Morehouse College last month, is now preparing for its second intercollegiate debate of the 2021-2022 academic year. They will compete with – not wholly against – the United States Naval Academy on Friday, April 29 at 6 p.m. in Peikoff Alumni House. The event will be livestreamed.
The debate topic is “Deaf people should be allowed to serve in the United States military.” The affirmative side is required to make the case that on balance, allowing deaf people to serve in the U.S. military is in the public interest of the United States. In contrast, the negative may concede that allowing deaf people to serve in the U.S. military has unique benefits but that the status quo or an alternate solution is more beneficial for the country.
Interpreter Shortage Challenges Appropriate Medical Care For Deaf Patients
Deaf residents report frequent issues with sign language interpretation at Connecticut hospitals and health care facilities, hindering their ability to understand medical care fully.
And though video remote interpreting (VRI) services are widely available at Connecticut hospitals, patients have reported mixed experiences with the technology.
The issues persist more than 30 years after passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which requires interpretation for patients and family members under the “effective communication” section of the law. In the last three years, the U.S. Attorney’s Office has negotiated four settlements with medical facilities in Connecticut for complaints related to communication with deaf patients.
“At one point, ADA and accessibility seemed to be very good,” said Marissa Rivera, an advocate with Disability Rights Connecticut (DRCT). “And now, in 2022, it has completely collapsed.”
The reasons are multiple and complex but often attributed to an ongoing interpreter shortage, which makes it hard to consistently secure in-person interpretation, especially during unplanned emergency room visits.
Read the rest at http://c-hit.org/2022/04/14/interpreter-shortage-challenges-appropriate-medical-care-for-deaf-patients.
2022 BLACK ASL NATION EXPO EVENTS
More info and details at https://blackaslnationexpo.com.
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