ALDA Chicago upcoming events

Chicagoland Deaf Seniors (CDS) Annual Picnic (08 Aug 2026)

Sat, 08 Aug 2026 15:00:00 GMT

The Chicagoland Deaf Seniors (CDS) Annual Picnic is at Busse Woods at the Ned Brown Meadow Grove, Shelter #27.

Backyard BBQ (22 Aug 2026)

Sat, 22 Aug 2026 18:00:00 GMT

It's time for our annual Backyard BBQ at the home of Marsha Swetin. The party starts at 1 PM, with a cookout of hamburgers and hot dogs planned for 3 PM. Rain date is Sunday, August 23rd at 1 PM.

Open to the entire family, including kids. Friends are welcome, too.

This is a pay at the door event:

$8 per adult
$3 for each child under 12
Free for children 0-3 years of age

Guests are asked to bring a dish to share based on the first letter of their last name:

A-F -- Salad (your favorite)
G-M -- Appetizer (a yummy treat to get the party started)
N-Z -- Dessert (your most decadent)

All food will be tabled outdoors. Bring your own beverages and lawn chairs. Beer and wine are totally acceptable.

Register online thru Wednesday, August 19th. Be sure to include the number of children in the space provided so we can plan for them. The main food items will be planned to use the total number of registered adults and their guests.

Please state any dietary restrictions with your registration so that we can do our very best to provide a suitable substitute.

If your guest doesn't want to be included in any photos taken during this event, you must register them separately.

For safety reasons Marsha's home address will only appear in the registration confirmation email. Save the registration confirmation email so you have Marsha's home address.

Questions? Email Marsha at missmarsh46@gmail.com.

Chili Contest is canceled (19 Sep 2026)

Sat, 19 Sep 2026 19:00:00 GMT

Is your chili good enough to win the ALDA Chicago Chili Contest?

The winner will receive a $35 gift card to Chili's!

Sue Collins is hosting the Chili contest at her Bolingbrook home.

We only need 5 or 6 folks to bring their Chili in crockpots or instant pots. If you don't have a Crockpot or Instant Pot, bring the Chili in a large container and the large pot you cooked it in and when you arrive, we can transfer the chili from the container to the large pot and keep it warm on the stove.

The rest of the folks can bring either an appetizer or dessert.

Guests are welcome. There is a limit of 20 people.

Bring your own beverages. Bottled water will be provided.

Blind judging will be done using small tasting cups with letters A, B, C, D, E, F and G on them. So, the judges will not know whose Chili they are tasting.

For safety reason Sue's home address is not displayed on this website. Save the Confirmation email because it has Sue Collin's home address.

RSVP through September 16th.

Bringing house slippers would be appreciated because I have light-colored carpet in my dining room and living room.

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Email Sue at saclady69@gmail.com through September 17th with questions and/or to specify dietary restrictions.

NOTE: If you need a ride or can offer one to another ALDAn, please email Linda at aldachicago@gmail.com. We will do our best to get you there and back.

Hearing Loss Association of America (HLAA) Annual Walk4Hearing (20 Sep 2026)

Sun, 20 Sep 2026 14:30:00 GMT

If you want to volunteer or sign up or donate to (HLAA) Hearing Loss Association of America Annual Walk4Hearing click here.

The Future of Hearing Access: Auracast™ Broadcast Audio & Caption Companion (26 Sep 2026)

Sat, 26 Sep 2026 18:30:00 GMT

ALDA Chicago is happy to have Steve Thunder present

The Future of Hearing Access:

Auracast™ Broadcast Audio & Caption Companion

This presentation is in the Helen Plum meeting room and will be Captioned.

Steve Thunder is the President of Thunder Hearing & Sound and an acoustic engineer with more than 16 years of experience specializing in assistive listening technologies. Throughout his career, he has designed and implemented hearing accessibility solutions for houses of worship, performing arts centers, museums, hotels, conference facilities, educational institutions, and other public venues across the country.

This presentation will explain what Auracast is, how it works, and why it is being called one of the biggest advances in assistive listening technology in decades. Steve will discuss which hearing aids, cochlear implants, earbuds, headphones, and smartphones currently support Auracast, what "Auracast Ready" and "Auracast Enabled" mean, and what users can expect as more compatible devices become available.

The session will also introduce Caption Companion, a live AI-powered captioning solution that displays spoken words in real time. Attendees will learn how captions can work alongside assistive listening to improve understanding in meetings, presentations, worship services, museums, theaters, and community events.

Topics include:

Understanding what Auracast is and how it differs from hearing loops, FM, and infrared systems.
How to determine whether your hearing aids, cochlear implants, or accessories are compatible with Auracast.
What to expect when attending venues that offer Auracast assistive listening.
How Caption Companion provides another layer of accessibility through live captions.
Tips for advocating for better hearing accessibility in your local community.
A look at the rapidly growing ecosystem of Auracast-compatible hearing devices and consumer electronics.

Whether you're an experienced hearing aid or cochlear implant user, a family member, or simply interested in the latest accessibility technology, this session will help you better understand the tools that are shaping the future of hearing access and how you can take advantage of them as they become more widely available.

Light snacks will be provided. Bring your own beverages.

1:30 - 2:00pm Enjoy light snacks and chitchatting

2:00 - 3:00pm Presentation

RSVP through September 24th.

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Email Sue at saclady69@gmail.com through September 24th with questions.

NOTE: If you need a ride or can offer one to another ALDAn, please email Linda at aldachicago@gmail.com. We will do our best to get you there and back.

2026 Deaf Expo (31 Oct 2026)

Sat, 31 Oct 2026 14:00:00 GMT

The 2026 DeafNation Expo being held in Wintrust Sports complex in Bedford Park. You can register for free.

To register go this link Deaf Expo

McHenry County Deaf Club (MCDC) Holiday Party (06 Dec 2026)

Sun, 06 Dec 2026 18:00:00 GMT

The McHenry County Deaf Club (MCDC) Holiday Party is at Cary's Country Club.

Save the date:2026 ALDA Chicago Holiday Party (06 Dec 2026)

Sun, 06 Dec 2026 18:30:00 GMT

The Holidays Are Upon Us—Come Celebrate with ALDA Chicago!

Our holiday party this year is at Grill 89 in Westmont, IL on Sunday, December 6th, from 12:30-4:00 PM.

Menu to be determined.

All entries are served with homemade soup, house salad, fresh vegetable and baked potato. Beverages include soft drinks, iced and hot teas, coffee, milk and juices. There will be a dessert table for us to enjoy.

Cocktails are available as "pay your own" at the separate bar area of the restaurant.

To add to our fun, we will have a $10 White Elephant grab bag for those who wish to participate. It can be a store-bought item or something interesting from home that perhaps adds to our amusement!

RSVP through November 21st.

IMPORTANT--GUEST REGISTRATIONS

If your guest doesn't want to be included in any photos taken during this event, you must register them separately.

If you and your guest(s) are ordering the same entrée as you, fill in the form for your registration then do the following for each of your guests:

1) click the "Add Guest" button near the bottom of your registration form;

2) specify the guest's first and last name (for the name tag);

3) click "Done".

Repeat these 3 steps for each guest that is ordering the same entrée as you. When each of your guests with the same entrée have been identified, click "Next" to review the registration information for you and your guest(s). Click "Confirm" when you are satisfied with its accuracy.

If you and your guest(s) are ordering a different entrée than you, you MUST register yourself then complete a separate registration for each guest specifying their entrée choice.

NOTE: You and your guests' entrée choices CANNOT be changed at the restaurant.

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Email Donna at dpunzio5@gmail.com through November 20th with questions and/or to specify dietary restrictions. Dietary needs must be made known by that date so that the restaurant can provide a suitable substitution.

NOTE: If you need a ride or can offer one to another ALDAn, please email Linda at aldachicago@gmail.com. We will do our best to get you there and back.

Chicagoland Deaf Seniors (CDS) Holiday Party (13 Dec 2026)

Sun, 13 Dec 2026 19:00:00 GMT

The Chicagoland Deaf Seniors (CDS) Holiday Party at Manzo's in Des Plaines on December 13th. More details to come.