HAPPENINGS AND ACTIVITIES
THIS page describes projects and services of ALDA-MAINE. We are all VOLUNTEERS and your contributions are needed. THANKS in advance!
SAVE THE DATE: THURSDAY, DECEMBER 6, 5:30 TO 7:30. CIVIL RIGHTS INFORMATION AND DISCUSSION, AT MCD, WITH CART. HOLIDAY POT LUCK. RSVP SOON VIA EMAIL TO ALDA-MAINE, AND CHECK BACK HERE ON DATE IN CASE OF WINTER WEATHER, ALSO TELEPHONE MCD THAT SAME DAY IF WEATHER A QUESTION. (207) 797-7656 TTY/V | 797-9791 FAX
1-800-639-3884 TTY/V outside the Portland calling area
OCTOBER 2nd, 2007, 500 PEOPLE AT THE PORTLAND LIBRARY SPECIAL EVENT with ALDA-ME!
Richard Russo, award winning Maine author was the attraction. The place was filled. ALDA-ME was so proud to introduce and pay for CART for all there! It was an educational event, and part of our outreach for new members and supporters.
Here is the three minute 'introduction' offered for all interested in the audience - it got a loud round of applause! We hope some there join us, with hearing, or with hearing loss, so we can expand our programs and welcome more to our chapter of ALDA-ME.
"Hello all, can you hear me?" (Lots of smiling faces). My name is Lauren Storck and I am president of ALDA in Maine, a new chapter of a wonderful national all voluinteer association for hard of hearing and deafened people of all ages and families too. Ninety-five percent of over 30 million people with hearing loss in our coungry will never use sign language because we live in the hearing world. We need captioning (CART) as we have tonight on the screen for all to enjoy. ALDA-ME is pleased to provide this with our CART professional (Shari Majeski).
Most hard of hearing and deafened people will not be with us tonight, having stopped coming to these wonderful public events because it's too much of a struggle to understand the words. We hope you will pick up our brochure and join our efforts in Maine for more resources. Look us up online too.
If you know anyone who is HOH, please let them know about ALDA-ME, and also tell them they are allowed, by Federal and Maine Laws, to rquest Captioning for any public event - at their own library, for a town meeting, a doctor's appointment, at school, at work, and in other places.
Finally, I'm so much looking forward to "hearing" with my eyes, what Richard Russo has to share with us tonight. His writing about people, families, and relationships is why we are all here, and I hope one day he will write a story about the experience of losing hearing also! Thank you everyone. "
Monthly meetings have been continuing in Windham at the Windham Public Library all year. November and December will conclude the group's agenda with ALDA in Maine. Get in touch for new locations and planning going on now. We thank Edna Rollins in Windham so very much again, for all her energies and contributions to the Windham group over the entire year.
With input from Barbara Keefe, thanks Barbara!
August 28, 2007 -- ALDA-MAINE IS HAPPY TO SAY THANKS! to the following MAINE COMPANIES for their SPONSORSHIP OF TV Captioning on Maine Station WCSH 6:
NEWS CENTER - OAKHURST DAIRY, NORTHEAST BANK, AND PATRIOT SUBURU
PROGRAM "207" at 7:00pm - GORHAM SAVINGS BANK
Bill Green's Maine has MAINE BANK & TRUST
TV CAPTIONS are vital for ACCESS for all of us with hearing loss in Maine - we are over 100,000 people in Maine, of all ages.
We invite these companies to contact ALDA-MAINE to offer a program for our membership, or to contribute support to our all voluntary non profit for hearing loss issues in any way they can.
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Year 2, June 2007 - May/June 2008
June, meeting in Windham/Portland with CART - Our Annual General Meeting announced our first Board of Directors (Officers) and thanked the Windham group for their hospitality. Items discussed included outreach for new members, planning for future months, and fundraising.
Note: The Windham meetings continue for November and December, 2007. New location in planning for 2008. Contact us for more information.
July, Rockland Public Library Speaker with CART - about 30 people, including some ALDA in Maine members, enjoyed the speaker, CART, and the entire special evening in the beautiful Rockland Public Library. (Education, outreach, social.)
August, Great Diamond Island/Casco Bay meeting with CART - An ALDA ME member used CART provided by our Chapter to participate fully in an important annual meeting of an association that has been prominent in that family's life. With serious hearing loss, the ALDA-ME member was able to have full communication access. ALDA-Maine was pleased to support a member in this way, and the event was both educational and outreach to that entire community and region.
October 2, Portland Public Library, see above summary.
November, EMS Training with CART, Rockland
ALDA BOARD meeting with CART - time and place to be decided
December? Holiday Party? - Open for members' planning
January 2008? Feb 2008? through May 2008 - Open for members' planning.
June 2008 - ALDA-MAINE Annual General Meeting for reports, planning forward; time and day to be announced.
Year 1, April 2006-May 2007
CART provided from several donations for member meetings around the State (Rockland, Rockport, Gorham/Portland, Augusta, others). Donations were from individuals, companies, and families. DoD paid for two meetings. DHHS paid for one.
In April 2007, our grant application made in the Fall of 2006 was awarded as seed money for us (from the Maine Community Foundation; see details on separate link page here).
Several members, from day one, made valuable donations in kind, e.g. refreshments, copying costs, raffle items for June 2006 Deaf Conference in Portland).
***ALDA-MAINE is able to educate our communities about hearing loss and the resources needed to continue an active and healthy life. Please get in touch soon to help us include CAPTIONING for one of your own favorite community events.
***ALDA-MAINE has members serving on Maine State councils and committees concerned with hearing issues for all Maine citizens, be they deafened, hard of hearing, deaf, or hearing. We all live together.
***ALDA-MAINE sends ADVOCACY letters to State and National legislative and executive leaders for the needs of deafened and hard of hearing people in Maine.
***ALDA-MAINE is a member of a new national coalition called COAT for all people with disabilities. This coalition meets regularly to shape important legislation that protects our rights.
Others
ALDA-MAINE ONGOING PROJECTS INCLUDE MEETINGS FOR MEMBERS AND GUESTS, A MEMBERS' ONLY ONLINE FORUM FOR INFORMATION AND SUPPORT, THIS PUBLIC WEBSITE TO INCLUDE INFORMATION ABOUT HEARING LOSS AND RESOURCES, AND ADVOCACY FOR ALL MAINE PEOPLE WHO NEED HEARING ASSISTANCE.
ADVOCACY AND EDUCATION ARE DAILY ACTIVITIES. SPEAK UP AND BE COUNTED WITH US. YOUR VOICES ARE NEEDED.