Advocacy – Page 18 – Delaware Association of the Deaf (DAD)

The New Castle Chat will be on December 11^th, at the Newark Senior Center at 10:00am. I will be presenting at both meetings with the topic being “Emergency Preparedness” with some specific tips for those of us with hearing loss. I will be bringing one of my “Bug out Bags”, so you can actually see what you might need if you were forced to evacuate your home on short notice.

Also, please note that dues for 2026 are now due. Dues are only $20 and help to defray the few fixed operating expenses we have. I ask that you fill out a new membership form with your dues payment so we can assure that our records are up to date. I will have forms with me, or you can go to our web site, www.hearinglossdelaware.org and download a form from the membership tab. Cash or checks payable to HLADE are acceptable and you can also include an additional donation if you want.

Russ Zehnacker, President
hearinglossde at gmail dot com

Dear Members & Friends

Please click the link below for the video about Tri-State Youth & Family Gathering which was held on August 16th. Also please read below.

https://youtu.be/dS8m_mmgVYQ

Tri-State Youth & Family Gathering 2025 – Event Recap!

Saturday, August 16, 2025
Marie H. Katzenbach School for the Deaf (Ewing, NJ)
10:00 AM – 3:00 PM
Indoor/Outdoor – Shine or Rain!

What an amazing day it was at the Tri-State Youth & Family Gathering (TSYFG) — bringing together Deaf and Hard of Hearing children (ages 0–21), their siblings, and families from Delaware, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey for a day of connection, learning, and fun!

Highlights of the Day

Opening Ceremony & Welcome Remarks set the tone for a day of collaboration and community.

Early Childhood (0–4): Sensory bins, fruit matching, and hands-on learning.

Elementary (5–11): Creative art sessions with flowers and slime activities.

Middle & High School (12–21): Self-advocacy workshop encouraging leadership and confidence.

Parent Session: Personal stories shared by families navigating Deaf and Hard of Hearing journeys.

Lunch: Variety of pizzas, wraps, and snacks, including vegetarian and gluten-free options.

Afternoon Activities: Ice cube painting, coloring, and interactive family fun.

Panel Discussion: Deaf role models shared their experiences with youth and parents.

Closing Ceremony: Remarks, raffle, Rita’s Italian Ice, and event survey.

Huge Thanks To Our Amazing Team

Tri-State Leaders:

Octavio Cuenca Maldonado (NJ) Co-Host and Sponsorship Coordinator

Darlene Sarnouski (NJ) Co-Host and Interpreter Coordinator

Annmarie Buraczeski (NJ) Volunteer Coordinator (NJAD President)

Feta Fernsler (DE) IT and Survey (DAD President)

Kathie Gray-Plotkin (PA) Workshop Coordinator (GPC of PSAD President)

Youth Activities Team:

Heather Osowski (NJ) – Youth Activity Co-Coordinator, Campaign for Language and Literacy Excellence

Tiffany Narciso (NJ) – Youth Activity Co-Coordinator

Kim Arrigo (NJ) – Self-Advocacy Presenter

Moderator: Alli Bloom (PA)

Presenters: Connie Wallace (PA), Elisabeth Morrison (DE), Stephanie Renart (NJ)
Panelists: Ayanna Brown (DE), Christopher Johnson (PA), Debra Fleetwood (NJ), Michael Papili (DE) and Vishu Kharbanda (PA)

Hosted By

Delaware Association of the Deaf (DAD)

New Jersey Association of the Deaf (NJAD)

Greater Philadelphia Chapter of Pennsylvania State Association of the Deaf (PSAD)

In Partnership With Campaign for Language & Literacy Excellence (CLLE)

Marie H. Katzenbach School for the Deaf (MKSD)

Special Thanks To Our Sponsors & Donors

Sponsors: Deaf Fest • ASL Interpreter Referral Service, Inc. • DHCC • New Jersey Relay • PSAD • NJRID • ZP Better Together

Donors: ASL Matters • Rita’s • Herr’s • Shore Consulting Training & Equipment • Starbucks Coffee • Styles & Stuff

We appreciate every volunteer, family, interpreter, and community member who made this day possible.
Your energy, smiles, and participation made it a true celebration of unity and empowerment across our Tri-State Deaf community.

#TriStateYouthAndFamilyGathering #DeafCommunity #DeafFamilies #DeafYouth #ASL #Inclusion #Accessibility #DeafEvents #NJAD #PSAD #DAD #CLLE #MKSD #TriStateDeaf