GPCIA News #10 – 2005
CONTENTS
Message from the SHHH Georgia State Office Director
News from the SHHH Chapters
It’s Time for Family Fun, Food, and “Agritainment”
Around the SHHH World
Let’s Hear It, Loud and Clear
Important Dates
FROM THE SHHH GEORGIA STATE OFFICE DIRECTOR
Connie Stratigos, Director
Another National Convention!
Each year I attend the Self Help for Hard of Hearing People (SHHH) national convention with such enthusiasm and each year when it is over I depart looking forward to the one next year thinking “I’m definitely attending more workshops and meeting more attendees who make the convention even more interesting.”
I consider the national convention the highlight of my volunteer work. I wish that more of our members would attend. Some conventioneers say this is a way to tour America. If only I had that kind of time.
Washington, D.C. was an exciting city to visit and so was the Research Symposium. Susan Waltzman, Ph.D., of the New York University Cochlear Implant Center, presented “Bilateral Cochlear Implantation: Potential Benefits and Risks.” The research was done at the Northern Virginia Resource Center for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Persons. You may find the report at www.nvrc.org.
This year there was sadness in the air. Rocky Stone, SHHH founder who passed away in August 2004, was not around to greet everyone with his jovial personality and amusing jokes. He always kept the fire burning in his heart about hearing loss. Let us all do the same, looking to help those as we were once helped.
Our next SHHH convention will be in Orlando, Fla., June 29-July 2, 2006. Remember, the national Cochlear Implant Association is now a division of SHHH, and cochlear implants are an important segment of the national conclave. I look forward to seeing you there!
FROM THE CHAPTERS
Georgia Peach SHHH Chapter
Richard Bowman, president
rbowman@alltel.net
Record attendance capped the Georgia Peach’s annual Cochlear Family Retreat, June 10-12 at Cohutta Lodge atop Fort Mountain near Chatsworth. There were 221 adults and children participating, breaking the previous record of 201.
Though the site was brushed with winds and “mountain mist” throughout the three days, altering some of the outdoor activities, the educational program came off as scheduled. Former Miss America Heather Whitestone McCallum inspired the audience with a keynote address, parents and children interacted in a successful children’s program, and several sessions helped couples develop new strategies for coping with hearing loss.
The retreat was notable for communication accessibility, which included captioning for plenary sessions, ASL interpreting, and assistive listening devices. More than a dozen exhibitors shared information and technology with participants.
Plans will be forthcoming for the 2006 retreat, at a site to offer appropriate physical access as well as total communication access. Look for an announcement of date and location later in August.
Next up for Georgia Peach is the annual picnic, scheduled for September 10 at the Rock Ranch, located in middle Georgia between Thomaston and Barnesville. The facility is owned by Chick-fil-A founder S. Truett Cathy. The picnic is a SHHH function, coordinated and funded through the efforts of state office director Connie Stratigos.
Atlanta Hears SHHH Chapter
Will Smith, President
wsmithfpbb@yahoo.com
Though some Georgia chapters are on summer hiatus, Atlanta Hears continues its educational programming during July and August. Scheduled meetings (third Monday of the month) will be held July 18 and August 15, starting 6:45 p.m. and running until 8 p.m. The August agenda will include an overview of role models for people with hearing loss.
Meetings are now held at the Auditory-Verbal Center located in the Century Center office complex off I-85 at Clairmont Road (1750 Century Circle, Suite 16, Atlanta, GA 30345, telephone 404-633-8911). You may wish to check the location via the AVC web site: www.avc-atlanta.org.
“On meeting days, we often gather around 5 p.m. for supper or a snack at the International House of Pancakes (IHOP), also on Clairmont Road on the other side of I-85 from the office complex,” reports Will Smith. “During summer months, we might decide to get together for an after-meeting coffee and dessert. Please come and join us.”
Woodstock SHHH Chapter
Cathy Fletcher
(678) 438-9135; scrapbookcathy@phydeaux.org
Chapter members continue to formalize the organization by writing a constitution and opening a bank account. Even though meetings are not slated during June and July, the board will meet for a planning session.
A presentation on hearing loss is being developed by the chapter, the content for which may be adapted for a statewide SHHH speaker’s bureau.
South Atlanta SHHH Chapter, Peachtree City
Katherine Hazelwood, President
(678) 364-9648; (770) 487-0215; ttfancher@aol.com
Networking for the South Atlanta Chapter continues throughout the community during July and August when we “vacation” from our monthly meeting schedule. But chapter members and others with an interest in improved hearing should prep for a great Fall season.
The chapter will kick off the monthly programs on September 1 with a “Get-Together and Social.” This will be at our regular meeting site at Peachtree City First Baptist Church, Room C-100, 208 Willowbend Rd., 7-8:30 p.m.
For the October 6 meeting, Dustin Murphy will present an informative “CPR Demonstration.” Mr. Murphy is the quality control technician and safety committee chairman for Florida Rock Industries.
On November 3, Doug Burasco will present on the “Georgia Relay Service.” Mr. Burasco manages the statewide relay service.
December 1 will see the chapter’s traditional “Christmas Party and Social.” Members will bring a plate of “goodies” to share.
Remember that the South Atlanta chapter emphasizes full communication access with assistive listening devices, computer note-taking, and a room loop system.
Another note of interest: a local rehabilitation professional has reduced costs for a speech reading program.
Rome SHHH Chapter
Ron Vickery, President
(678) 921-4505; vickery@GeorgiaSHHH.org
The Rome chapter will resume its meeting schedule in the Fall.
Augusta SHHH Chapter
Dave Welter, President
(706) 738-2796; dave.welter@comcast.net
Augusta SHHH Chapter is taking a breather this summer by not meeting in June, July, and August. There will be a planning meeting at the home of Neina Thompson at 11 a.m. on Saturday, August 13. Call (706) 738-2796 or e-mail dave.welter@comcast.net for directions to her house.
August SHHH Chapter will be led by a group of members who will be in charge of the monthly meetings. If you have not signed up for a monthly meeting, please do so.
Dr. Geoff King and his wife, Arlene, will start the year with a program on the SHHH convention in Washington, D.C., this summer. That will be Monday, September 19. Don’t miss it!
As we begin SHHH Augusta Chapter’s eighth year, we realize again how valuable its members are. The formula is simple; you help SHHH and SHHH helps you! Plan to be a part of this exciting year and actively become involved in all of its missions of support, advocacy, self help, and education for those who do not hear well.
Contact information: postal mail, 505 Henderson Dr., Augusta, GA 30909-6108; phone, (706) 738-2796, and e-mail dave.welter@comcast.net.
AROUND THE SHHH WORLD
It’s time for family fun, food, and “agritainment”
All SHHH Chapters and other hearing loss groups in Georgia – in fact, all families and professionals affiliated with hearing loss in the state – are invited to the SHHH/GPCIA Picnic, Sept. 10, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., at the Rock Ranch in middle Georgia. This promises to be a “biggie” social – and it’s all free.
The picnic is an outgrowth of the annual picnic sponsored by the Georgia Peach Cochlear Implant Association, which for the past three years has been held at the Martha Berry Museum in Rome. GPCIA always invited other groups to participate, and now that GPCIA is a SHHH Chapter there is more incentive for total state participation. Invitations will be issued throughout the SHHH network, ALDA, AG Bell, and the many Deaf organizations.
SHHH/GPCIA will furnish meat, bread, and drinks. Guests whose last name begins with A to M should bring vegetables and salads to share. Guests whose last name begins with N to Z should bring a dessert or fresh fruit.
We are honored to have the picnic on the private property of S. Truett Cathy, founder of Chick-fil-A. The Rock Ranch is a 750-acre working cattle ranch and “agritainment” center for invited civic groups, corporations and others who appreciate the attributes of this unique site. The ranch is located at The Rock, between Thomaston and Barnesville, about 58 miles south of Atlanta and 38 miles northwest of Macon. (See The Rock Ranch web site: www.therockranch.com.)
Rock Ranch offers a picnic pavilion and a total recreation package to delight everyone in the family. In fact, we think the adults will have as much fun as the children.
The facility is open to our group from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Lunch is scheduled for noon to 1 p.m., followed by swimming (12-4, with lifeguards), volleyball (2-4 p.m.), train ride (2:15-3:15 p.m.), merry-go-round (3:30-4:30 p.m.). Tennis (11 a.m.-2 p.m.) is another option, and the package also includes fishing, horseshoes, basketball, petting zoo – just about anything one would desire for an ideal outing in the country.
The Rock Ranch, 5020 Barnesville Hwy., The Rock, GA 30285, is located on State Rt. 36 near the town of The Rock, about 14 miles west of I-75.
Weather Alerts Available
People with hearing loss are sometimes the last to know of emergency weather alerts from various county and state officials. But in Fulton County, Georgia, the Atlanta-Fulton County Emergency Management Agency is reaching out to people with hearing loss through its message center. The agency now sends weather alerts (tornado, hurricane, thunderstorm, and earthquake warnings) via e-mail, TTY text message, and fax to all those on their need-to-alert list.
SHHH members who want to be added to the Atlanta Fulton County EMA notification list should contact Jim Cook at jim.cook@co.fulton,ga.us, fax (404) 730-5625.
Bring on the Popcorn
Regal Entertainment is now providing open captioned films in many community theaters around the country through a new technology called DTS-CSS (Digital Theater Systems, Inc.,-Cinema Subtitling System).
According to spokesperson Kenny Ernstes, Regal has for years provided open captioned films but with the enhanced DTS-CSS technology Regal will increase the availability of open captioning.
“Moviegoers do not have to use any special equipment to view the captions and can sit anywhere in an auditorium to read the text,” says Ernstes. “The sound is ‘on’ so that hearing impaired and non-hearing impaired patrons may enjoy the movie together.”
Film title and show time information for open captioned films can be found in a local newspaper and at www.REGmovies.com (click on open caption). Regal’s internet partner www.Fandango.com also provides information for all open captioned films shown by the Regal Entertainment Group theaters.
Cochlear Implants for Adults
SHHH has collaborated with Cochlear Americas to produce an informational brochure on cochlear implants for adults. Titled “Questions for Adults to Ask the Surgeon When Being Evaluated for a Cochlear Implant,” the document is ideal for chapters to distribute at workshops, health fairs, and meetings that reach people with hearing loss. For copies, contact SHHH at www.hearingloss.org.
Using Advocacy to Reach New Markets
Most of us know that SHHH is the Number One advocacy group for people with hearing loss. But you may not know that SHHH is making good use of technology to reach mainstream America with information and education about hearing loss.
According to Executive Director Terry Portis, the first three months of 2005 saw10 million hits to the SHHH web site. SHHH also has message boards with 1,200 participants, and 6,000 people receive the SHHH biweekly electronic newsletter. That’s advocacy at work, an extension of the grass roots effort by the SHHH chapters. In every meeting and public gathering, be sure to let folks know that SHHH is helping people with hearing loss to a better quality of life.
On-Line Newsletter
Cochlear Americas is the latest group in the hearing loss community to abandon a snail-mail newsletter and replace it with electronic communication. Nucleus News is the new periodical, replacing the print journal Soundings. It will advise cochlear implant users and candidates about new product developments and promotions, and also strategies for hearing better in difficult listening environments. To subscribe to Nucleus News, visit www.cochlearamericas.com/community and sign on.
Call for Papers
SHHH has just wrapped up the 2005 National Convention in Washington and has issued a Call for Papers to be presented at the 2006 National Convention, June 29-July 2 at Orlando, Fla. Application forms for presentation papers are available at the SHHH web site: www.hearingloss.org/word/CallforPapers.doc
Among the awards presented at the 2005 convention, Ron Vickery of Rome received special recognition as the 2001-2004 Georgia State Office director. Ron continues as treasurer of the State Office.
Let’s Hear It, Loud and Clear
by John Weber
“It is time that advocates for people who are hard of hearing start to make some noise about serious funding inequities that are found throughout the country.”
Terry Portis
Terry Portis made his statement in a recent edition of the SHHH on-line newsletter, and again in the July-August issue of Hearing Loss. Terry is executive director of SHHH, and in this position has nationwide links to the SHHH family and individuals and organizations throughout the hearing loss community.
Terry’s “inequities” is a reference to state appropriations for ASL interpreter services for people who are Deaf and the lack of appropriations for services for people who are hard of hearing. It relates to the known axiom that when one asks a state for CART services, the state is likely to counter with, “Oh yes, I’ll get you an interpreter.”
Within Georgia, services for people who are deaf or hard or hearing were written into law in an age when “deaf” was a catch-all for people with “impaired hearing.” There was no provision for assistive listening devices (ALD), computer aided real-time translation (CART), or captioning. There was only a provision for providing “qualified interpreters” for people communicating in American Sign Language (ASL).
Today within Georgia, state-level offices such as the Georgia Commission on Access and Fairness to the Courts and individuals like SHHH State Office treasurer Ron Vickery are working to change the law to include hearing assistive technology (HAT) as a viable alternative to ASL interpreter services.
Changing the law to provide equal access is just one aspect of appropriate services for people who are hard of hearing. The other is education. We – the members of SHHH – should be telling legislators, agency administrators, educators, and the general public about hearing assistive technology. We should define the HAT components and explain how they are used to benefit people who are hard of hearing. You might even review cost, which generally is a fraction of the cost for interpreting services.
And – be sure to discuss the market for people with hearing loss. Of the estimated 28 million Americans with hearing loss, 94.8 percent are hard of hearing. You, the SHHH members, are the majority yet policy makers are unaware of your needs.
Like Terry, I believe the issue is not Deaf vs. Hard of Hearing but rather providing resources for people who need them. Simply, people who are hard of hearing are not receiving the resources and accessibility they need.
One reason we have missed receiving our fair share of appropriations is organization. The tightly woven Deaf community has networked, and its visual signals are well recognized. Until recent years, hard of hearing people have been the silent majority, with some people even denying they have a hearing disability. SHHH can be the link to network the entire hard of hearing community – but only if individual members elect to speak up and advocate for their rights.
Every conference, workshop, and civic presentation on hearing loss should include an advocacy component. Inform the audience about the size of the hard of hearing market, the availability of hearing assistive technology, and the need for government agencies to provide hard of hearing people with the accessibility that should be their right under the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Terry has thrown down the gauntlet: Make some noise.
John Weber is a SHHH member from Watkinsville.
Important Dates for SHHH Members
August 6 – Georgia State Office Meeting, Hellenic Tower, Roswell. 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Sept. 10 – Annual Picnic, Georgia Peach Cochlear Implant Association and SHHH Georgia State Office, Rock Ranch, The Rock, Georgia. 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Sept. 23-25 – SHHH National Leadership Training, Bethesda, Md. (12 leaders will be selected nationwide)
Oct. 1 – SHHH Georgia State Office Meeting, Hellenic Tower, Roswell.
Dec. 3 – SHHH Georgia State Office Christmas Party, Hellenic Tower, Roswell.
June 29-July 2, 2006 – National SHHH Convention, Orlando, Fla.
Our Newsletter
This GPCIA electronic newsletter is distributed periodically throughout the year. If you know of friends and professionals who would benefit from this newsletter, please have them send their e-mail address to John Weber at johnweber824@charter.net.
Thanks!
Newsletter staff: edited by John Weber; format and electronic coordination by Al Laframboise
Georgia Peach Cochlear Implant Association
PO Box 1172, Tucker, GA 30085-1172
SHHH State Office Administration:
Connie Stratigos, SHHH Georgia State Office Director
1580 Elgaen Place Drive, Roswell, GA 30375
(770) 992-9707; cs121033@juno.com
Carrie Welter, SHHH Georgia State Coordinator
505 Henderson Dr., Augusta, GA 30909
(706) 738-2796; dave.welter@comcast.net
Ron Vickery, SHHH Georgia State Treasurer
www.GeorgiaSHHH.org