Deafweekly August 31, 2005

deafweekly

August 31, 2005
Vol. 1 No. 46

Editor: Tom Willard

Deafweekly is an independent news report for the deaf and hard-of-hearing community. It is mailed to subscribers every Wednesday morning and available to read at www.deafweekly.com. For information, contact mail@deafweekly.com.

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NATIONAL
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NAD MONITORING SITUATION IN NEW ORLEANS

The National Association of the Deaf said in a statement this morning that it is monitoring the effects of Hurricane Katrina on New Orleans, where the organization plans to hold its biennial conference next summer. A Marriott representative has told the NAD that there was no structural damage to the New Orleans Marriott Hotel when the conference will be held. "The NAD is exploring its options," said president Andy Lange. "As of now, the 48th biennial NAD conference will be held in New Orleans." He urged the community to focus on those who have bee affected by the disaster and suggested donations be made to the American Red Cross (www.redcross.org) or Mercy Corps (www.mercycorps.org). "The devastation of New Orleans, a vibrant, exciting and wonderful city, is heart-wrenching," Lange added.

ELDERLY BALTIMORE MAN'S DEATH CALLED 'SUSPICIOUS'

An 82-year-old deaf man was found dead in his North Baltimore, Md. apartment last Monday (Aug. 22) and police are calling the death "suspicious." Carlton Crawford was pronounced dead at the scene after being found on the bedroom floor of his fourth-floor apartment by a security officer at the Louis W. Foxwell Memorial Apartments. Sgt. Kenneth Norris of the homicide squad told the Baltimore Sun that Crawford had lived in the building since 1983 and had no next of kin. There were no signs of forced entry or ransacking, he added, but the victim's body showed obvious signs of violence and an autopsy was planned. WBAL reported that the attacker escaped but was later caught by police and identified by a staffer of the federally funded apartment building.

POLICE ARREST SUSPECT IN MURDER OF ELDERLY PENNSYLVANIA WOMAN

Police in Wilkes-Barre, Pa. have arrested a suspect in the murder of Mary Leo, an 87-year-old deaf woman whose body was found in her apartment over the family restaurant where she had worked most of her life. Brian Jones, 35, told police in a confession that he had watched Leo over a two-week period and figured she was an easy target for cash, WNEP reported last week. Court papers show that on August 3, Jones watched the victim sitting on her back porch for 15 minutes, then followed her inside and demanded money. When she fought back, he grabbed a knife and killed her. He returned that night, stepping over Leo's body and searching the place for cash and valuables. The reason for all this, said District Attorney David Lupas, was drugs. In a jailhouse interview, Jones told the Times Leader he expects to spend the rest of his life in a jail cell. "I fit the mold for somebody who should never see free society again," he said.

SCHOOL INTERPRETER JAILED ON CHILD PORNOGRAPHY CHARGES

A school interpreter in Fort Myers, Fla. was arrested Saturday on child pornography charges. William Allen Lane, 34, a Fort Myers High School employee, was jailed after allegedly attempting to pay for a tattoo with pornographic images of children, reported the News-Press. He faces from five to 20 years in prison if convicted. Federal documents released Monday show that Lane had been communicating with a local tattoo artist via an AOL chat room for Fort Myers residents. He wanted a "joint male and male symbol" tattooed on his shoulder but couldn't afford the fee, said Doug Molloy, chief assistant U.S. Attorney in Fort Myers, so he sent pornographic photos of children electronically. The alleged exchange took place last Friday when schools were closed because of Hurricane Katrina.

UNIVERSITY OF IDAHO STUDENT DIES SUDDENLY IN RESIDENCE HALL

A former Gallaudet University student died suddenly in her residence hall at the University of Idaho, reported KTVB News in Boise. Elizabeth Chassin Prehn, of Syracuse, N.Y., was with other students when she collapsed last Wednesday afternoon during the first week of school. Paramedics arrived almost immediately, but Prehn was pronounced dead upon arrival at a local hospital. Officials said Prehn, 36, had suffered from ongoing health problems, though the cause of death was not immediately available. An English major, she had been completely deaf since birth. The university is offering grief counseling to those who knew Prehn.

BERRY SENTENCED TO TWO YEARS FOR PRESCRIPTION FRAUD

Robert Lee Berry was sentenced to two years in prison last Tuesday in Butte County (Calif.) Superior Court. According to the Chico Enterprise-Record, Berry was convicted of using his disability to obtain prescription narcotics from about 20 doctors and pharmacies in the area. He was initially charged with 15 counts of obtaining prescription pain killers by fraudulent means. A subsequent plea bargain caused all but one of the counts to be dropped. A Sheriff's Office investigation showed Berry had obtained 305 days worth of drugs in 25 fraudulent transactions in 69 days. At the time of his arrest in Oroville, Calif., he was being sought for allegedly defrauding several deaf women in New York and Pennsylvania. He is also suspected of molesting a 6-year-old girl in Massachusetts. So far, all three states have declined to extradite him.

CALIFORNIA TEEN REMAINS MISSING AFTER 10 DAYS

A 19-year-old student from the California School for the Deaf, Riverside, remains missing 10 days after leaving home with an unidentified man. Heather Estella Lopez of Fontana was seen by her mother on Sunday, August 21 getting in an older model blue pick-up truck with a Hispanic male, 35-40, 5'7", thin build with dark hair and dark skin. "Fontana police have been trying to find Heather since August 22 and are out of leads," said Julie Rems-Smario of Deaf-Hope, an agency that was contacted for assistance in the search. It is believed Lopez met the man through the Internet and it's possible she went to the San Jose area because of some old family ties there. Anyone with information is asked to call 909-350-7741 (v) or contact Tom Yarrington at tyarrington@fontana.org.

OHIO SCHOOL HOLDS GROUNDBREAKING CEREMONY AT NEW LOCATION

Lots of tears were shed at a groundbreaking ceremony Saturday for the new $3.7 million Ohio Valley Voices school, reported the Cincinnati Enquirer. Officials from the 31-student school, founded in 1999, spent three years looking for a new home. "I feared we were going to have to go to California to find land," said Maria Sentelik, the school's executive director. But the search ended closer to home, at a 5-acre site in Miami Township now occupied by the River Hills Christian Church. New buildings will be connected to existing church structures, including a sanctuary built in 1893. Plans call for the school, which emphasizes speech and lipreading, to open at its new location next fall. A fundraising drive has already passed the $1 million mark. "With this new school, we will never again have to put a child on a waiting list," said Sentelik.

MILLION-DOLLAR DONATION TO HELP FUND NEW GALLAUDET CENTER

Gallaudet University announced last week that it has received a $1 million gift from The Starr Foundation. The donation will be used to help build the new James Lee Sorenson Language and Communication Center, a teaching, research and outreach facility devoted to deaf people's language, culture, history and community. The Starr Foundation was established in 1955 by C.V. Starr, founder and first chairman of what is now the American International Group (AIG). Since its founding, the Starr Foundation has given away nearly $2 million for projects in education, medicine, science, human needs, culture, public policy and the environment. It's not the first time the foundation has assisted Gallaudet; four years ago a generous gift helped the school construct its Student Academic Center.

ROCHESTER AIRPORT INSTALLING INTERPRETYPE DEVICES

The Greater Rochester (N.Y.) International Airport is installing Interpretype systems throughout the airport, reported the Democrat and Chronicle. Airport officials believe they are the first to deploy the technology throughout an entire terminal. The system, which includes small dedicated messaging terminals, a cable and software, allows users to send typed messages back and forth -- like a TTY where both users are on the same spot. The devices will be installed at each airline ticket counter and car rental station, at the central security checkpoint and in three other locations. The devices "will help make travel easier and more efficient" for travelers with hearing loss, said Monroe County Executive Maggie Brooks.

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Still Time to Save on Products and Get Free Shipping

Harris Communications has extended our Back-to-School sale through Labor Day to give you a few more days to save on all the products you need for school. Our 10% discount applies to everything in our store*, including books, videos, DVDs, CDs, clocks and signaling devices. Order now and you will also receive free shipping on orders of $50 or more! This special offer is available until Sept. 5, 2005. *Some product restrictions apply. Free shipping offer available on UPS Ground shipments in the continental U.S. For more information, go to http://www.harriscomm.com/link/?www.harriscomm.com?sr=dw or contact us at mailto:info@harriscomm.com.

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Sprint Relay Wireless, powered by GoAmerica®,
is available on the Sidekick/HipTop wireless devices. Sprint Relay Wireless is also accessible through the RIM 850, 857 and 950 devices running WyndTell® service.
Sidekick and HipTop wireless device users access Sprint Relay by clicking on the bright TTY icon directly from the chooser screen. To download and install Sprint Relay Wireless, access the device’s Catalog download feature. In the catalog, simply select Sprint Relay Wireless from the Applications list, and select Purchase to download and install the service for free. For more information on Sprint Relay Wireless, visit http://www.sprintrelay.com/ or email srw@goamerica.com.

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INTERNATIONAL
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INDIAN ACTIVIST DEMANDS RELEASE OF 3 DEAF PRISONERS

Outlook India reported Monday on three deaf persons who have been jailed for a dozen years even though "there has been no case against them." They were detained under the Public Safety Act, which does not allow detention for more than two years. Bhim Singh, chairman of the Jammu and Kashmir National Panthers Party, demanded that the three inmates and all others detained under the PSA be released immediately. He has filed a case against the state government before the newly formed Accountability Commission on behalf of the three deaf individuals, who he said cannot read or write or speak and have been in "illegal detention" in different jails for the past 12 years.

ITALIAN NUNS VOLUNTEER TO HELP CHILDREN IN AFGHANISTAN

Four nuns from Italy have spent the past year in Afghanistan, where they volunteer at a Kabul institute for deaf and mentally ill children. The institute is called the Afghanistan National Association of the Deaf, reported AGI on Monday, and the nuns work with volunteers to help disabled children who were abandoned by their parents. People in Italy have supported the nuns' efforts by donating 150 kilos of food (flour, sugar, pasta and rice), hundreds of toys, clothing, 100 pairs of shoes and soap and toothpaste, which are said to be very precious in Afghanistan due to their high price. The goal of the nuns, said the news report, is to "try to recover and educate the children to make them autonomous."

DRUNKEN THUGS ATTACK SCOTLAND TEEN, STEAL HIS HEARING AIDS

A deaf teenager attacked by drunken thugs in Glasgow, Scotland, was knocked unconscious and had his digital hearing aids stolen. Anthony Walker, 17, was not just hurt physically but also "lost his spirit," his mother, Caroline, told the Evening Times. The attack occurred July 25 after Anthony saw his girlfriend safely on to a bus. The first punch knocked him out cold and he was kicked repeatedly as another attacker joined in. He lay unconscious for 30 minutes and returned home with cuts and bruises. His parents were vacationing in Florida and he didn't tell them of the attack until they returned. His dad, Greg, said Anthony has been badly affected. "He was very confident but now he's not the same boy -- he is shocked, nervous and insular." The attackers remain at large, and "we want justice," he added. Anthony was due to start a woodworking program at Metropolitan College next month, but now he faces weeks of silence as he waits for his hearing aids to be replaced.

NEW ZEALAND PLANS CONFERENCE ON FUTURE OF THE DEAF

Approximately 450,000 people in New Zealand are deaf or hard-of-hearing, and their future needs will be the subject of a conference in Auckland next month. Foundations for the Future, sponsored by the National Foundation for the Deaf, represents the first time a diverse group of people have come together to identify the challenges and opportunities facing people with hearing loss over the next 10 years. "The NFD will take some of these issues forward by initiating projects that will help to eliminate barriers facing hearing-impaired and deaf people in New Zealand," said Marianne Schumacher, NFD's executive manager. For information on the Sept. 24-25 event, visit www.nfd.org.nz.

U.K. WOMAN'S HEARING DOG ATTACKED BY PIT BULLS

A deaf dog lover in Middleton, U.K. watched in horror as her beloved hearing dog "Tiggy" was viciously attacked by two pit bull terriers. According to the Middleton Guardian, Margaret Spooner was walking her dog in a neighborhood park when the two pit bulls attacked, ripping off part of her dog's ear. After the pit bulls' owners got control of the dogs, they told Margaret to go away and left with their vicious pets. Tiggy, an 8-year-old fox terrier cross, required surgery that cost Margaret and her husband James 350 pounds. The Spooners are frightened that the next victim could be a child, and they are appealing to people to be on the lookout for the dogs and contact the couple if they are found.

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Relay for Your Busy Lifestyle.

Life moves fast so don't let relay calls slow you down. Talk with your family and friends from wherever you are. My IP Relaysm on AIM® lets you use Instant Messenger to make your calls and connects you to an operator quickly. Simply add “My IP Relay” to your AIM Buddy List®. With MCI’s My IP Relay, you can connect with family, friends and businesses on any AIM-enabled PC or wireless devices (Sidekick, Ogo, or AIM-enabled Blackberry). It’s easy! For more information, visit www.IP-RELAY.com.

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IF YOU HAVE MORE THAN ONE VIDEOPHONE
VIDEO: More Than One Videophone- www.csdvrs.com/2vpscan.html

Video Relay Service (VRS) is a new concept. The purpose of VRS is equal access like TTY relay (TRS). Some people prefer VRS because communication is faster.

CSDVRS distributes free videophone equipment. Videophone equipment CSDVRS currently distributes is called ‘D-Link.’

With D-Link you can hook up more than one videophone to one Internet connection in the same location.

For questions about having more than one videophone, contact CSDVRS Customer Support:
LIVE ‘Signed’ Video:

Web: www.csdvrs.com or D-Link: help.csdvrs.tv

E-Mail: vrshelp@c-s-d.org

VIDEO: More Than One Videophone- www.csdvrs.com/2vpscan.html

CSDVRS Rocks!

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LIFE & LEISURE
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NATIONWIDE PROGRAM LAUNCHED TO OFFER HEARING HELP

Nine million Americans, primarily senior citizens, need hearing aids but cannot afford them, reports Senior Journal. In response, a new nonprofit organization has been formed to help them. The Northwest Lions Foundation for Sight & Hearing in Seattle launched AUDIENT earlier this year. Formally known as the AUDIENT Alliance for Accessible Hearing Care, the program uses federal tax returns or Social Security statements to give qualified individuals greatly discounted prices on new digital hearing aids and refer them to a provider from a nationwide network of hearing care professionals. No other asset test is required and a financing plan is also available. "The system was designed to make it as easy as possible for someone to find the kind of help they need," said Mike Langhout, president of the AUDIENT program. For information, call 1-877-283-4368 or write to info@audientalliance.org.

RESEARCHERS SEEK DEAF AND HEARING SIBLINGS FOR STUDY

A nonprofit organization called Sister Brother Deaf Inc. has received a grant from the Laurence W. Levine Foundation to study the relationship between deaf people and their hearing brothers and sisters. The research program actually started two years ago, but the grant will allow additional siblings to be interviewed. Researchers Judy Jonas and Marla Berkowitz are seeking deaf adults over 18 in Washington, D.C., Boston, metropolitan New York/New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Ohio, who have hearing adult siblings in metropolitan NY/NJ and Washington, DC, and are willing to be interviewed. Write to JAJonas@verizon.net or MCBNYC@aol.com.

SHHH SEEKS LETTERS OF SUPPORT FOR HEARING AID TAX CREDIT

Self Help for Hard of Hearing People is working with other organizations to get a tax credit for hearing aids by passing HR 414 in the U.S. House of Representatives. Very few health insurance plans cover hearing aids, and Medicare excludes them from coverage. As a result, Americans with hearing loss are often forced to pay out of their own pockets for hearing aids that can cost up to $3,000 each. According to SHHH director Brenda Battat, advocates have been meeting with Congressional representatives to get them to co-sponsor the bill. "Staffers have asked to receive letters from constituents before considering the bill," she said. Individuals who feel strongly about the issue are asked to write their own representatives to make their views known.

CHURCH IN CALIFORNIA PLANS DEAF MINISTRY PROGRAM

The Holy Angels Church of the Deaf in Vernon, Calif. is planning a 16-week deaf ministry formation program for hearing-impaired parishioners who want to become certified as catechists or in other church ministries. Larry McGloin, a hearing parishioner and master catechist for 18 years, will oversee the training, which begins October 15. He told The Tidings the program is designed to allow the deaf community "to have ownership of the direction of the parish." McGloin, father of two deaf children and husband of a hard-of-hearing woman, says teaching the program will be a challenge. "The problem is that the language can get confusing," he said. "Some words just can't be translated in simple sign." But he expects it to be a wonderful learning experience on both sides of the podium. For more information, contact him at larrymcgloin@sbcglobal.net.

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NEW RELAY OPTION >>>

Introducing i711.com, the newest Internet relay service. i711.com delivers the best relay call experience, but is much MORE than relay. i711.com also has an online community, with exclusive articles on deaf culture, employment and technology, community news headlines, open captioned movie information and more. Visit i711.com to have a great experience when you make your Internet relay calls. But you'll also love i711.com's community connections, news, and content you can't find anywhere else.

i711.com: Better call experience. Better call tools. Community and
customized for you. Try www.i711.com today. It's Relay and Beyond.

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Deaf Awareness Vacation

Excitement cruise vacations for all hard of hearing and deaf people. My name is Terzino Bomprezzi, deaf owned and licensed travel agent of The Sunset Cruise Agency. Have done many trips with all groups since 1996. All trips come with professional and licensed ASL interpreters. Please visit this exciting website at www.deafcruises.com. You will find many interesting information and plenty of photos to see. Your trip will guarantee be the wonderful and best time of your life. Contact me fax at 870-339-4117 or email me at BomprezziTravel1@aol.com. Will look forward to hear from you all.

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WORKING WORLD
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DEMAND FOR TV CAPTIONERS EXPECTED TO GROW TENFOLD

There are only about 300 highly skilled, real-time captioners nationwide, reports Medill News, but soon that number will require a tenfold increase. That's because of the Telecommunications Act of 1996, which mandates that most programs be captioned by January 1. Sen. Tom Harken (D-Iowa) has introduced a bill to provide grants to educational institutions to help fill the void. The Senate passed the bill last month and the House will soon take action. Salaries for TV stenographers range from $50,000 to $80,000 a year, with freelancers earning $75 to $100 per program hour. Many start as court reporters and are drawn to the field by a desire to help people with disabilities. Roughly 90 percent are women. "I just feel like I'm really helping people when I do this," said Jessica Bewsee, who switched to TV captioning after 18 months as a court reporter. "It's definitely a small field. I wish it were larger."

SORENSON OPENS 11 MORE VIDEO RELAY SERVICE CENTERS

Sorenson Communications announced Monday that is has opened 11 more video relay service (VRS) interpreting centers throughout the United States. Cities with new Sorenson VRS centers are Albuquerque, Baton Rouge, Boise, Colorado Springs, Hartford, Houston, Kansas City, Knoxville, Little Rock, Pittsburgh and St. Louis. With the addition of these centers, Sorenson now maintains 30 VRS centers nationwide. "We're experiencing a tremendous increase in demand for our video relay service," said Sorenson's Chris Wakeland, who noted the company offers free videophones to deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals.

SOUTH DAKOTA MAN NAMED CHAIRPERSON OF TWO STATE AGENCIES

Tom Kober, a 10-year employee of Communication Services for the Deaf, has been appointed chairperson of both the State Board of Vocational Rehabilitation and the Statewide Independent Living Council. "It seems that I am the only deaf person in America who holds the chairmanship for both state boards," said Kober, who is CSD's director of purchasing and accounts payable. He is also in his second term as president of the South Dakota Association of the Deaf. "Tom Kober is the epitome of an involved corporate citizen and one who has always gone above and beyond to further the rights of disability groups and deafness in general," said CSD CEO Benjamin Soukup.

MAGAZINE RANKS GALLAUDET NUMBER ONE FOR VALUE

Gallaudet University announced last week that it earned the top spot in U.S. News & World Report's ranking of "Best Value: Universities - Master's" category for four-year liberal arts colleges and universities in the northern region. It is the second year in a row that Gallaudet has nabbed the top "Best Value" spot in the magazine's "America's Best Colleges" issue. In addition, the university ranks among the top 25 overall in its region. The magazine examined 572 universities in the "Universities - Master's" category, using a ranking formula that relates a school's academic quality to the net cost of attendance for a student who receives the average level of need-based financial aid. Gallaudet is also considered one of the best "Least Debt" universities, finishing fourth in the northern region.

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New Products from Compu-TTY, Inc.

The KA300 Alarm system is the newest and most affordable multi-room system. It monitors all types of audible alarms, such as smoke detectors, fire security and pool alarm, etc. in your home or office. The KA300 system has powerful bed shaker and strobe light with indicators for all alarms. Optional weather radio also works with the KA300 system for all types of emergencies, such as hurricanes, tornados, severe storms, etc. in your area. For more information, check out www.computty.com.

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Want quicker access to Video Relay Service?
Hamilton VRS encourages all D-Link consumers to add call.hipvrs.com to their videophone speed dial list. This will also enable consumers to connect with their choice of VRS provider.

To add the IP address for Hamilton VRS to your list:
1. Go to "Dial" button and click on the button to enter another prompt.
2. Go to "Add" to add the video relay service address in the Speed Dial list. You will see a prompt immediately after hitting the "Add" button that will contain information such as name, telephone number field, and address field.
3. Go to the address field and enter "call.hipvrs.com" and click on the "OK" button upon completion to save the address.

Contact Customer Support
Via Phone: 1-877-283-7687 V/TTY
Via Instant Messaging (AOL, Yahoo or MSN) at HamiltonVRSHelp
(from 8:30 A.M. to 5:00 P.M. (EST), Monday - Friday
Via E-mail: hipvrs@hamiltonrelay.com
Hamilton VRS hours are from 7:30 AM to Midnight EST daily.

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
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'SURVIVOR' WINNER TAKES ON NEW ROLE AS A. G. BELL SPOKESMAN

Recently retired New York firefighter Tom Westman has taken on many roles since winning a million dollars on the CBS hit "Survivor," but perhaps his proudest new role is spokesman for the Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing. Westman's interest is very personal, reported Newsday last week. His 9-year-old daughter, Megan, lost her hearing to meningitis at 18 months and received a cochlear implant at 2. Megan will soon enter fourth grade at a public school in a classroom of hearing children. In July, Westman, 41, met with Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) and Sen. Joseph Lieberman (D-Conn.) to help raise awareness for children with hearing impairments.

PERFORMING TROUPE ICEWORM ACQUIRES NONPROFIT STATUS

A Sacramento, Calif. performing troupe called Iceworm announced this week that it has acquired nonprofit status. With plans to provide theater interpreting, workshops, a summer theater camp, a year-round theater program and technical training, "We felt that being a nonprofit group would help us attain these goals," said Iceworm president Crom Saunders. The troupe also has a new member, Brendan Bonette, a deaf man who was a guest performer during the troupe's Southern California 2003 tour. "Iceworm has given me a portal for my insanity and actually keeps me sane," said Bonette, "since I have a chance to vent my madness upon the audience." He joins existing members Saunders, Keith Wann and Justin Callaway. Additional information may be found at http://iceworm02.tripod.com/.

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SPORTS
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CSDR FOOTBALL TEAM SEEKS TO BUILD ON LAST YEAR'S SUCCESS

The football team at the California School for the Deaf, Riverside, is out to prove that last year's success was no fluke, reported the Press-Enterprise on Saturday. CSDR made national headlines in 2004 by winning nine games and advancing to the Division 13 playoffs. Team members are confident that they can improve on that finish, but they'll have to do it without league Coach of the Year Len Gonzales, who left the program in June. Keith Adams, now in his fourth year with the school, has taken over for Gonzales. CSDR's primary goal is not to win another league title but to return to the playoffs and avenge last season's 41-27 first-round loss to Malibu High. "The kids believe we have a great team," said Adams. "They want to take the league championship again and do better than we did in the playoffs last year."

WEST VIRGINIA SCHOOL TO LAUNCH ARCHERY PROGRAM

About 20 students at the West Virginia Schools for the Deaf and Blind will take part in an archery program being launched this fall. The school will be the first of its kind to participate in Archery in the Schools, a national program launched in Kentucky in 2002 and now in 25 states, reported the Keyser Mineral Daily News-Tribune. Representatives of the National Wildlife Turkey Foundation will visit the school September 8 to present $2,000 worth of equipment, including bows, arrows, targets, a Kevlar back stop and ground quivers contained in custom-built boxes. Calling archery "an old sport with a lot of traditional history," athletic director Bob Haines said he and the students are anxious to get started. "It's such a neat sport that appeals to everyone," he said, "especially since we live in such an outdoors type of state where everyone likes to hunt and fish."

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COMING EVENTS
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GLAD PLANS A 'DAY AT THE RACES' ON OCTOBER 1

The Greater Los Angeles Agency on Deafness will take over the infield of the Santa Anita Racetrack on Saturday, Oct. 1 from noon to 5 p.m. for a fundraiser called GLAD Day at the Races. Tickets are now on sale and cost $50 for adults and $25 for children and teens. Participants will enjoy an all-you-can-eat BBQ buffet, a full-service cash bar, a horse betting presentation, free parking, program books and more. Funds raised will be used to meet the needs of deaf and hard-of-hearing people of all ages throughout Southern California; an estimated 1 million deaf persons live within the GLAD service area. For information, visit www.gladinc.org.

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EMPLOYMENT
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Executive Director

Deaf Independent Living Association on the Eastern Shore of Maryland seeks an Executive Director. See position announcement for more info. at www.transitionguides.com. Send resume, cover letter. & salary req. to DILA@transitionguides.com preferred. Fax: 301-439-6638.

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COMMUNITY SERVICE SPECIALIST

Recruitment Period: 8/29/2005 - 9/16/2005
TOOL Number: 604-01-01-00-00-00-65

Location: LAS CRUCES
Agency: DEAF/HARD OF HEARING, COMM FOR
Assessment: Rated
Job Status: Term
Pay Grade: 60
Hourly Range: $13.07 - $23.24

Purpose of Position: Provide Communication Advocacy, referrals and distribute telecommunications equipment to deaf and hard of hearing citizens.

Education: Bachelor Degree in Social Science, Social Work, Rehabilitation, or Education.

Experience: Five (5) years program organization, adult education planning, coordinate and plan joint agency cooperation and/or multi-agency projects to include working with deaf and hard of hearing, deaf blind persons.

Conditions of Employment: Communicative fluency in American Sign Language is essential. Successful applicant must possess NM drivers license and be able to drive/travel. Criminal background check required.

Working Conditions: Using personal computers, TTY and other standard office equipment.

Agency Information: In addition to the State Personnel Office, please send duplicate application to NMCDHH, P.O. Box 5138 Santa Fe, NM 87505, Attn: Suzanne Ruble. Disabled individuals encouraged to apply.

You may apply online: http://www.state.nm.us/spo.

Any questions, please contact Suzanne Anderson Ruble at nmcdhh02@tmail.com.

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JOB COACHING POSITIONS AVAILABLE:

Are you are a high energy person? Fluent in American Sign Language? Have your own transportation? Allies, Inc. is currently searching for individuals to fill two job coaching positions. Part time and full time positions available in Northern & Southern New Jersey.

Successful candidates must be fluent in American Sign Language and should have extensive knowledge of Deaf culture and issues pertaining to being Deaf in the work place. You should also possess excellent writing skills. Please contact Alyse Betso, Coordinator of Deaf Services at Allies, Inc. v/ 609-689-0136 extension 147 or email Abetso@alliesnj.org for more information and to set up an interview.

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Hamilton Relay VRS
Equipment Installer for all 50 states
(We will accept resumes nationwide)

Hamilton VRS (HIPVRS) is seeking professional installers to support deaf and hard-of-hearing customers with installing the DVC-1000 videophones, routers, and webcams. These individuals will be responsible for troubleshooting network issues and training customers how to place video relay calls. This is a contract position.

Qualifications:
Excellent communication skills and a good understanding of deaf culture to be able to provide strong customer service to HIPVRS’ customers
Ability to report service-related issues and communicate with the HIP VRS technical support department
Must be familiar with all technical aspects of installing DVC 1000 products including networking, router configurations, and firewall issues and webcams
Bachelor's degree or equivalent work experience in a related technical or computer science background
Ability to effectively communicate in sign language (American Sign Language (ASL) preferred)
Show a willingness to work a flexible schedule to meet customers’ schedules and needs
Ability to find new customers for installations and promote to businesses, schools, and other private businesses about Hamilton Relay
Other needs as assigned
Mail, email, or fax resumes to:

Hamilton Video Relay Services (HIPVRS)
C/o Birnbaum Interpreting Services (BIS)
Attn: VRS Equipment Installer Position
8555 16th Street, Suite 300, Silver Spring, MD, 29010
(301) 565-0366 (Fax)
Email: installerposition@bisvrs.com

Please indicate the position name in the subject line of the e-mail or in a cover letter. Feel free to distribute this vacancy announcement.

Hamilton VRS (HIPVRS): call.hipvrs.com

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