* Become an AADB Lifer!

OF THE AADB E-News October 2007

In This Issue: * Become an AADB Lifer! * AADB in Action—Virtual News Network Interview; Letter to FCC; Starbucks Coffee Symposium; Presentations and Outreach; Fundraising Committee * Special Magazine on Technology * New! AADB Brochure and Donation Form in Spanish * Holidays are Coming! Need Gift Ideas? * Contact AADB!

* Less than two months left until the deadline to be a lifetime member of AADB! We can accept partial monthly payments as long as the full lifetime cost of $500 is paid up before December 31st. Lifetime memberships are available to all individual members: deaf-blind, supporters who are not deaf-blind, and international. Interested? Go to our website or contact the AADB Office for more information or to get a lifetime membership form. * AADB in Action:

* Virtual News Network Interview--Elizabeth Spiers, Director of Information Services, and Randall Pope, AADB Webmaster, were recently interviewed for TopOff 4 as part of the Virtual News Network (VNN). The Virtual News Network is a simulated news network that looks very similar to Cable News Network (CNN). This network is used in exercises to train government officials and top leaders in emergency preparation.

VNN will go live in the middle of October when TOPOFF 4 kicks off. VNN will be reporting news stories on the simulated terrorist attacks of a radiological bomb in Portland, Oregon, Phoenix, Arizona, and Guam. Both Mr. Pope and Ms. Spiers talked about the needs of deaf-blind people during a disaster, and the challenges they face in getting all the information they need before, during and after an emergency.

* Letter to FCC – Last month, AADB submitted a letter to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) requesting a Notice Of Inquiry (NOI) regarding telecommunications relay services for deaf-blind people. The purpose of this NOI is to assess 1) the need and demand for a deaf-blind relay service, 2) existing and potential methods for providing such a service, and 3) the feasibility of such services. Five national and state organizations signed on their support, including Telecommunications for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, Inc (TDI), National Association of the Deaf (NAD), Deaf and Hard of Hearing Consumer Advocacy Network (DHHCAN), Association of Late-Deafened Adults, Inc (ALDA), and California Coalition of Agencies Serving the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (CCASDHH).

* Starbucks Coffee Symposim - AADB, along with other national disability organizations, was invited to attend a symposium held by Starbucks Coffee Company, on July 17 and 18. The purpose of this symposium was to share ideas on how Starbucks Coffee Houses could become more accessible and market effectively to the disability community. AADB's Executive Director, Jamie Pope, attended on behalf of AADB and the national deaf- blind community. It was a very successful meeting and AADB looks forward to continuing the relationship with Starbucks Coffee.

* Presentations and Outreach - AADB had a booth during the National Council of Hispanic / Latino Deaf and Hard of Hearing (NCHDHH) National Conference at Gallaudet University in Washington, DC, October 4-6. AADB Hispanic/Latino Committee members Emily Vera, (Chair), Randy Pope and Tamara Ward worked hard to spread deaf-blind awareness at this booth. They passed out brochures, SSP information, membership and donation forms in both English and Spanish to Hispanic/Latino conference participants, including Spanish Sign Language interpreters. It was great to see many people from Texas, Cuba, South America, and other states and countries stop by AADB’s booth!

Jamie Pope, AADB Executive Director, spoke to members of the Metro Washington Association of the Deaf-Blind on developing leadership skills on October 13 at Gallaudet University. Her presentation was on "Putting Your Best Hand Forward: Tips to Developing Successful Leadership." Eleven deaf-blind individuals participated with the assistance of ten interpreters.

* AADB Fundraising Committee: The AADB Fundraising Committee has been very busy with several projects in the past few months. Committee members completed a list of hotels, hearing aid and computer companies to contact for donations. While compiling this list, they also went into the companies’ websites to collect information on available foundations, grants, and matching gifts programs. In addition, the committee has focused on a family/friends campaign in which board members and AADB staff each find 25 people to donate $25 or more to AADB. Plans are being made to work on three fundraising projects for 2008 at the upcoming Fall AADB Board meeting Stay tuned for more information!

* Special Magazine on Technology for People with Hearing and Vision Loss:

* The October-December 2007 issue of The Deaf-Blind American will be a special issue on the latest technology for people who have combined vision and hearing loss. Our magazine is a membership benefit. If you are not already a member of AADB, become one today and receive this special issue. Interested? Just go to our website at www.aadb.org and click on the membership link to print out and mail us a membership form with dues payment. Or contact the AADB Office to request a membership form. * New! AADB Brochure and Donation Form Available in Spanish

* Special thanks to Emily Vera, Chair of the AADB Hispanic / Latino Committee and her assistants for translating our AADB brochure and donation forms into Spanish. If you would like to get copies, please contact the AADB Office. We hope to have them available on our website soon.

* Holidays are Coming! Need Gift Ideas?

Need gift ideas for that special someone? Give the gift of a one-year membership to AADB for $25. Members receive The Deaf-Blind American magazine four times a year and a monthly E-news. Both are available in large print, Braille, and email attachment. For a membership form, go to our website www.aadb.org or contact the AADB Office.

You can also shop at 1,000 famous name stores like Eddie Bauer, Barnes and Noble, and Bed, Bath, and Beyond and at the same time support AADB. It’s as easy as 1, 2, 3. Just go to our website www.aadb.org and click on the shopping bag link on the home page. Voila, you’re ready to shop at your favorite store! Merchants make donations to AADB when customers buy their products and services through the shopping link on AADB. * Contact AADB!

* AADB is a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit organization and depends on the generosity of donors to keep its services and programs running. All donations are tax-deductible. Thank you for your support!

American Association of the Deaf-Blind 8630 Fenton Street, Suite 121 Silver Spring, MD 20910 Email: [email protected] Phone: 301-495-4402 TTY/VP: 301-495-4403 Voice Website: www.aadb.org

American Association of the Deaf-Blind Free Matter 8630 Fenton Street, Suite 121 for the Blind Silver Spring, Maryland 20910