News from ALDA

The Illinois Deaf and Hard of Hearing Commission (IDHHC) has a communication placard for use in communicating with law enforcement officers as well as a 2-page summary explaining various communication methods typically used by deaf and hard of hearing individuals.  You can also use their website to create your own communication card to tell anyone of your communication needs and how to obtain services like interpreters and CART, etc.  ALDA Chicago is currently working with IDHHC and AIM CIL to have the placard and summary readily available at all DMVs (Division of Motor Vehicles) throughout the state. 

The placard and summary are available in PDF format in the Resources, Helpful Links section of our website.  To access the placard, click here.  To access the summary, click here.  You can also view, download and save/print each one using the links to IDHHC site below.

Communicating with Deaf/HOH Individuals

Info provided by ALDAn Marsha Kopp, with website links coming from Rachel Arfa at Equip for Equality.

The Hearing Health Foundation (HHF) launched a new website, www.menieresdisease.org, which seeks to build awareness of and clarify this mysterious condition.  The platform will inspire hope among people who live with Ménière’s disease and their loved ones, share updates about Ménière’s disease from scientists funded by HHF as well as provide a channel through which individuals can donate to life-changing research toward better treatments and cures.  Source: Hearing Health Foundation, Sept. 2018.

We recently asked for recommendations from our members and others in the hearing loss community on medical alert systems for the deaf/HOH. There were three separate responses. Two came from the SayWhatClub Friends group on Facbook; another from one of our members. All three responses provided an identical link with what the reviewers consider the top three companies, how each ranked and product/service reviews, including comparisons of features, pricing, available options and other info. You can check each of these out for yourself by clicking here or going to https://medical-alert-systems.bestreviews.net/hearing-impaired/. 

Please note that ALDA Chicago has not personally reviewed any medical alert systems and as such, cannot verify the accuracy of any information presented while visiting the above website.  As routine practice, we also do not endorse any product, commercial organization or service group, and cannot attest to the value or quality of products or services identified on our website, in our newsletter or transmitted via our listserv.  We are posting this info in response to requests from members and other interested parties.  It is based solely on its informational or educational content, and provided for your convenience.  We hope you will find it useful. 

If any other information or comments come in on this subject, we will gladly pass them along to you as each becomes available.

Below is a message from Marsha Swetin, President of ALDA Chicago, about the upcoming election for the ALDA Chicago Board of Directors.

I have been designated by Marsha, to serve as the Nominating Chairperson for the ALDA Chicago Board Election for 2019. I am contacting you as a current ALDA Chicago member to nominate you to serve on the ALDA Chicago Board. 

If you are willing to accept my nomination, please send a message to me at: flowd23@att.net  with a picture and short bio containing a brief introduction of yourself by December 9, 2018. Your bio can include information about your hearing loss, occupation and/or education, and how you hope to benefit ALDA Chicago by being on the Board.

If you do not wish to serve on the ALDA Chicago Board of Directors, please send a message to me that you are not interested in running for a position on the ALDA Chicago Board, and we will not contact you further.

We look forward to hearing from you!

Sincerely,

Debra Flowers

ALDA Chicago

Nominating Committee Chair

Dear ALDA Chicago Member:

The ALDA Chicago Board consists of seven voting members with staggered two-year terms.  The staggered terms allow for continuity as well as keeping knowledgeable and experienced people on the Board to make transitions easier.

For 2019, ALDA Chicago has four open positions for two-year terms on its Board of Directors.  The Board of Directors is elected by all ALDA Chicago members.  Candidates must be current paid members of ALDA Chicago and be willing and able to serve for a two-year period.  Following the election, the elected and incumbent directors choose the organization's officers (President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer) at the first meeting of the new Board.

Board members need to be present at our meetings which take place every other month.  We make every attempt to schedule the Board meetings on the first Saturday of the month and vary locations around the area so that no member repeatedly travels extensively to attend a meeting.  We realize that circumstances arise when a Board member is unable to attend so we ask that all Board and Committee reports be submitted online a few days prior to the meeting.

ALDA Chicago is a vibrant organization of people who work together, play together and enjoy the various social and educational programs we provide.  We cannot continue to do this unless we have a full Board of Directors.  To put it bluntly, we need ALDA members to step up and help us continue the work that we do.  You are never too old or young, and length of membership in ALDA Chicago is not a factor either.  Please consider becoming a Board member.  We’d love to have you!

I am temporarily serving as the Nominating Committee Chair for this year’s election which will take place during December and January.  If you are interested in participating on the Board, please notify me and prepare a 150-word summary giving us a little background about yourself and why you are interested in serving on the Board.  If you have a picture of yourself to include with your summary, please send that also as it would be very helpful to those members who might not recognize your name.

You may send the summary and photo to my e-mail address at missmarsh46@gmail.com by December 9 which is the same day as the Holiday Party.  You may also submit your expression of interest at the Holiday Party which is taking place at the William Tell Restaurant in Countryside.  That will allow sufficient time to prepare ballots and send them out to all ALDA Chicago members.

We expect to announce the results of the election via email.  Results will also be posted on the chapter's website.

Sincerely,

Marsha Swetin

President, ALDA Chicago

ALDA Chicago has an AmazonSmile account where we receive 0.5% of eligible purchases made via Amazon.com. Our last quarterly donation from Amazon in October 2018 was $2 higher than usual... all thanks to you taking advantage of Amazon's special donation rate promotions. Now that the holiday shopping season is upon us, and Black Friday/Cyber Monday is just around the corner, there is an even greater opportunity to increase the amount of money we can raise for our organization. So whether you're shopping for regular items or holiday gifts or for special occasions like birthdays or anniversaries, we hope you will seriously consider doing it using our AmazonSmile account.  Like Board Secretary Karen Krull points out, "you get what you want and ALDA Chicago benefits, too."  Now that's a WIN-WIN!!!

To ensure your Amazon.com purchase benefits ALDA Chicago, use the link below then do your shopping. It's a great way to support ALDA Chicago and enhance our fundraising efforts.  Thank you so much.

http://smile.amazon.com/ch/36-3919300

PS:  You can also search for ALDA Chicago on Amazon Smile.  A one-entry list will appear showing us as Assoc. of Late Deafened Adults, Inc. in Bedford Park, IL.  That is the one you want (smile).

Lauren from South Carolina was trying to help her father who began experiencing a hearing loss. "Dad" wanted to try a hearing amplifier versus taking the plunge and using a hearing aid. Lauren conducted a lot of research on available amplifiers and thought we might like to offer her findings to others via our Helpful Links page on the website. "Dad" is certainly happy with the result of Lauren's work. To learn more about hearing amplifiers and what Lauren describes as the two of the best products on the market, click here then scroll down to the heading marked Product Reviews, Hearing Amplifiers.

As we move forward in anticipation of Spring 2018, ALDA Chicago is putting the proverbial CART before the horse. Please consider donating at least $18 to help us offset our CART captioning expenses this year--$18 to tie in with the numerical year 2018. Larger or smaller donations are always welcome and appreciated, too. You can make your tax-deductible donation to this cause in one of two ways:

1-Donate online by clicking here.

2-Make your check/money order payable to ALDA Chicago and mail to ALDA Chicago, PO Box 785, Bedford Park, IL 60499. Be sure to specify CART captioning in the memo field.

Thank you in advance for your ongoing support.

Most of you know that ALDA Chicago has an AmazonSmile account where we receive 0.5% of eligible purchases made via Amazon.com.  For a limited time, Amazon is TRIPLING the donation rate to 1.5% when customers make their first eligible purchase from March 12th through March 31st, 2018.

While it's always a good time to shop Amazon.com and help us raise some funds, your purchases will now go 3 times further.  So whether it's shopping for regular items or special occasions like birthdays, anniversaries or holidays like Easter, buying now through March 31st is the best time!  

To ensure your Amazon.com purchase benefits ALDA Chicago, use the link below then do your shopping.  It's a great way to support ALDA Chicago and enhance our fundraising efforts.

http://smile.amazon.com/ch/36-3919300

You can also search for ALDA Chicago on Amazon Smile.  A one-entry list will appear showing us as Assoc. of Late Deafened Adults, Inc. in Bedford Park, IL.