Important Information For 2011 HLAA Convention Attendees

Nancy Macklin emailed attendees important information about the convention. In case you did not get it, here is the information she provided in the email:

Young Adult Scavenger Hunt – RSVP needed

Young adults (18 – 35) interested in participating in the Scavenger Hunt on Thursday, June 16^th must complete and return the attached RSVP form no later than this Thursday, June 9^th. This is necessary so we can divide the group into teams and plan for food after the Hunt is over. This event is sponsored by Starkey.

Get Acquainted Party

This is always a really fun event whether you are young or young at heart. Sponsored by CaptionCall, this event will feature Mark Robinson, a magician, an illusionist, and comedian all rolled into one! Light snacks and cash bar available. See you at 8:30 p.m. on Thursday, June 16^th in the Regency Ballroom.

Wicked at the Kennedy Center – 2 announcements

Wheel chair users, please reply to this email so we can put you in the appropriate seat at the Kennedy Center. We have plenty of wheelchair accessible seating.

The performance will be made communication accessible with the use of captioning, infrared, hearing loop system (provided by Ampetronic) and sign language interpretation. Please note that the assistive listening device (ALD) you will use at the Convention is NOT compatible with the Kennedy Center’s system – please do not bring your HLAA device with you to the Kennedy Center; the Center will have plenty of ALDs available.

This off-site event for Convention 2011 attendees is being sponsored by Audiotoniq and CTIA-The Wireless Association.

Last Call for Banquet Seating

Prior to the Banquet on Saturday, June 18^th, you will need to have your table selected. Do yourself a favor and check this off your to-do list before you leave home. Simply view the ballroom floor plan on www.hearingloss.org/convention and read the guidelines. Email volunteer Hollace Goodman with three possible tables, and she’ll take care of the rest.

Program and Exhibit Guide

The Program and Exhibit Guide has been posted on the Convention page on www.hearingloss.org. While there are two files, one for the Convention and one for the Hearing Loop Conference, they will be together in one book (with a little twist!) that you will receive onsite.

Used Hearing Aid Collection

Does your junk drawer contain an old pair of hearing aids? Bring them to Convention – a collection box will be at HLAA’s Exhibit Booth #1. Hearing aids collected will be sent to HearingHealth4U, a new non-profit who refurbishes the hearing aids for people who cannot afford them. HearingHealth4U will provide you with acknowledgment of your donation.

Scootaround

Scootaround, Inc. is proud to be the exclusive scooter and wheelchair rental service for Convention 2011 and the 2nd International Hearing Loop Conference. Quantities are limited so make your reservation right away at http://www.scootaround.com/rentals/h/hlaa/.

Parking

If you are driving to the Convention, please note that the valet fee at the Hyatt Regency Crystal City is $25/day. Please check our website for the map showing nearby lots.

Airport Shuttle

The Hyatt Regency’s courtesy shuttle service is available to and from airport from 5 a.m. to midnight. Pickup runs every 20 minutes at the top of the hour and 20 minutes and 40 minutes past the hour. 

Please email Nancy Macklin at nmacklin@hearingloss.org if you have any questions.

Sounds like it is going to be fun! Can't wait. :)

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Fun HLAA Activity For Young Adults!

I am really looking forward to participating in a scavenger hunt with the Young Adult group (ages 18-35). This will happen on Thursday evening, June 16th at the National Mall. I have not been on a scavenger hunt in ages, probably not since grade school. I love scavenger hunts! I think the best part about this scavenger hunt is that the winner will actually be crowned. It should be fun!

If you fall within the ages of 18-35 and would like to participate please RSVP by June 8th (look at information below for more details). 

See you there!

More information from HLAA convention website:

Young Adult Scavenger Hunt
Young adults (ages 18 – 35 ONLY), you are going to have a blast on Thursday, June 16th! Start at 5 p.m. in the Potomac 1 & 2 room (Ballroom Level) for an orientation, then hop on the Metro to the National Mall where the Hunt will begin. Following the Hunt you will return to Crystal City for dinner and presentation of photos; a winner will be crowned! Young adults, please complete the RSVP and email it as an attachment to nmacklin@hearingloss.org.

Big thanks to Starkey for sponsoring this event.

(e

Thank You Tracfone For Sponsoring HLAA 2011 Convention Blog

http://www.tracfone.com/

I am pleased to announce that Tracfone Wireless, Inc. will be sponsoring this HLAA Convention 2011 blog!

Tracfone Wireless, Inc. is America's largest “No-Contract” cellular service provider. Customers can enjoy the freedom and flexibility that comes with "no-contract" cell phone service. This company believes that no one has to pay extra fees or pay more than they would like to. I think one of the best things about this company, other than not worrying about contracts, is that there is no charge for activating, reactivating, or canceling service.

To read more about Tracfone, visit their website and read their About page.

Thank you Tracfone for sponsoring this blog!

(e

My First Time Attending an HLAA Convention

I attended my first HLAA convention last year in Milwaukee. I had so much fun and learned a lot. One of the things that struck me the most about the convention was meeting other people who could understand what I was going through and experienced as a person with a hearing loss. There were a lot of, "Me too!" "I know!" "I understand, totally." "Yup, been there." When I told others about my first time at the convention, I explained that it was as if I was walking into a room full of mirrors. Even though everyone had different types of hearing losses, were of different ages, had different ways of communicating, different hearing devices, different backgrounds, and different ways they acquired their deafness, there was still an understanding; an understanding that we are not alone. It was a feeling I have never felt before. I can't describe it. It was a bit overwhelming at times.

I came to my first convention on my own. I did not know anyone who was going to be there, other than a friend I made through blogging, blogger Speak Up Librarian, whom I did not yet meet in person. She talked about going to the convention and when I looked into it, I became very interested in attending and decided to go.

I wondered what it was going to be like. I had never been to Milwaukee and did not really have any plans of what to do other than show up at the convention. There were times that I thought of backing out and not going. But, I decided that I had to go, especially since I could not get a refund on my plane fare. I am glad I went and that I did not let the idea of going by myself frighten me away. When I arrived, I soon learned that I should not have had any reason to fear being alone, because of the warm welcome I received from various strangers at the convention. I made a lot of friends immediately. I remember when I first arrived, attendees I met at the airport and on the shuttle, warmly welcomed me and invited me to eat with them.

How I finally met Speak Up Librarian is a funny story. I was sitting by myself at a presentation in a large auditorium filled with hundreds of people. As I looked around, I thought I heard someone say, "Are you e?" "e? Is that you?" I thought I was hearing things. Then I turned and saw a young woman looking my way smiling at me. "I am Sarah, from Speak Up Librarian!" How did she recognize me, since I do not put any photographs of myself on my blog? She was sitting in front of me and saw my hearing aid and thought it looked familiar. She recognized its blue and white ear mold, which I posted pictures of on my blog. I thought that was really cool how she was able to recognize me this way. We became instant friends.

So, if you will be a first time attendee, I am sure that you will have a great time and will make many friends. Plus, first time attendees get a discount when registering for the convention.

There will be awesome events such as a captioned and looped performance of Wicked, sponsored by CTIA, the International Association for the Wireless Telecommunications Industry.

I am really looking forward to attending this summer!

(e

Hello Everyone!

Hello! My name is Elizabeth. I also go by (e. As Nancy Macklin previously explained in her introduction, the (  represents my hearing aid and the e represents the ear and my name.

I am currently an itinerant teacher of deaf and hard of hearing students for a public school district where I work with mainstreamed and self-contained students.

I also manage a blog about education and various deaf and hard of hearing issues.

It is called Eh? What? Huh? (http://www.ehwhathuh.com/).

I have a bilateral sensorinueral hearing loss (profound in the left ear, moderate-severe in the higher frequencies in the right ear). For more information about my hearing loss please read How Do I Hear?

I did not get my hearing tested until I was around two years old. I believe I started wearing hearing aids right before I turned three years old. I was mainstreamed in a public school during my elementary years. The school had a deaf and hard of hearing program where I interacted with other children who wore hearing aids and FM systems while receiving services from a teacher of the deaf and hard of hearing. I worked hard on my speech until it became understandable with an interesting accent. Often, others will say I sound as if I am from Boston while others ask if I am from New York, even though I am from the southeast region of the United States. One time a stranger suddenly yelled at me, after he heard me talking, "Ah! Bastan! Clam Chowdah!" Some people can't figure out my accent and will wonder if I am from another country. The only offensive comment I received about my speech was from someone who asked if my tongue was pierced. I did not learn sign language until I was 23 years old, which was roughly seven years ago. The sign language classes I took got me deeply interested in deaf education and deaf and hard of hearing issues.

Anyway, I am super excited to be blogging about the 2011 HLAA Convention in Washington D.C.! It is going to be so much fun. I really enjoyed last year as a first time attendee at the convention in Milwaukee.

If you have been reading my blog, you will learn that I have a blogger addiction. I LOVE blogging. Writing has always been something I enjoyed. I feel more comfortable writing than speaking. I can get all of my thoughts out in a more coherent manner (well, most of the time). It has been very helpful for me to write down my thoughts and to reflect on them while freely sharing them with whoever reads my blog. The best part of blogging is interacting with other individuals who can relate to what I experience. It helps to know that I am not alone. I also enjoy hearing from those who do not agree with me, challenging me and making me stop and think about the issue some more. Blogging has truly been one of the best things that happened to me.

Attending the 2010 HLAA Convention in Milwaukee has also been one of the best things that happened to me. Thanks to my blog, I became friends with another blogger, Speak Up Librarian, who told me about the convention. After looking into it, I decided to go. I am glad I did.

So, here I am. I will do my best to inform everyone who reads this about the daily events that will occur at the convention. There will bound to be a lot of exciting things to happen and I am sure I will write about them in great detail and include several pictures and videos. 

I have a feeling that I will not sleep much with all of the excitement, events to attend, and blogging. Bring on the coffee and energy drinks!

(e