Spring 2013 - BC Family Hearing Resource Society
Transcription
Spring 2013 - BC Family Hearing Resource Society
Communication . . . is a family affair Reaching Out A Newsletter from the BC FAMILY HEARING RESOURCE CENTRE for families with deaf and hard of hearing children, service providers, and others involved with hearing loss Spring 2013 Family Feature The Napiers Never Give Up! I think the phrase that sums up our family is "never give up on your dreams and they will eventually come true!" We always wanted a big family but we had to work hard to achieve that goal. It was worth every moment and more! I believe everything happens for a reason; our experiences of immigration and infertility led us on our journey toward meeting Mckai. continued on page 2 The Napier Family l to r: McKai, John, Jackson, Juliet and Cameron McKai started outreach services with BCFHRC as a baby living with his foster family. The Napiers chose to continue services locally when he came home to his forever family. Please join us as Juliet Napier shares her story of how her family evolved into a group of five! Elks & Royal Purple Walkathon May 26th! 15220 - 92nd Ave., Surrey, BC V3R 2T8 PH: 604-584-2827 TF: 1-877-584-2827 TTY: 604-584-9108 FAX: 604-584-2800 info@bcfamilyhearing.com www.bcfamilyhearing.com 2 Our family is unique because our three boys came to us in three different ways. Our first son was conceived naturally which was a fluke after a year of trying to get pregnant. We were told by the doctor that we had a one per cent chance of success at that time. Our second son was conceived through in vitro fertilization (IVF) at a fertility clinic in Vancouver. He was the result of our fourth and final attempt at IVF and he was a frozen embryo in the freezer for one year! The specialist told us we had a 30-40% chance of success at that time. Our third son was adopted through the Ministry of Children and Family Development. We had been trying to adopt for about 5 years; 3 years with a private agency followed by 2 years with the ministry. We were told by our social worker that we had no chance of adopting a child who was 0 - 3 years old with minimal special needs. Then we heard about Mckai who was 2 years old and the rest is history! We were chosen by his social worker and foster Mom from 150 families on the waitlist in B.C. They wanted a family in the lower mainland with access to hearing supports and services and a willingness to learn sign language. They wanted a family with older brothers and a dog. They wanted a family who was keen to maintain an open relationship with the foster family and semiopenness with the birth Mom. We fit the bill on all counts; it was a perfect match all around! One of our cousins is profoundly Deaf so the prospect of dealing with hearing loss was not overwhelming to us. At first we heard that he had a moderate to severe hearing loss, so when we found out it was a mild to moderate loss we were pleasantly surprised. We later found out it was officially called a bilateral, sensorineural mild to moderate hearing loss. We knew there would be challenges but we were prepared to face them as a family. We all started watching sign language DVDs two months before we met Mckai. Three months later we completed the visits and we brought Mckai home. We were quickly connected with BC Family Hearing Centre and with our audiologist in North Delta. We found the staff at both places to be very helpful and supportive. The technical side of dealing with hearing aids, batteries and the FM system was a big learning curve for us but we took it one step at a time. Meanwhile, we were dealing with the transition stage of adopting a toddler who had a long, secure attachment with his foster family. We also had the common challenge of convincing Mckai to wear his hearing aids consistently. When he pulled them off in a temper tantrum and threw them across the room we just waited until he calmed down and put them straight back on without any fuss. We tried different strategies to deal with Mckai's challenging behaviours and every day was a new day. After six months we felt like we were over the worst stage and after one year, we couldn't remember or imagine life without him! His big brothers were extremely patient and understanding during this whole process and they are wonderful role models to their little brother. Mckai is truly a little bundle of joy. We always say, what he lacks in stature he more than makes up for in personality! He's small for his age because he was born six weeks premature. However, he's very strong-willed and determined just like our other boys so he fits right in to our family. He loves attending pre-school at PALs with his teachers and friends. He wishes he could go to school every day like his big brothers. His favourite part of the day is outside time when he plays in the sand box, rides bikes and plays soccer. He likes the at home sessions with his hearing therapist, especially the games and stories they share. He also enjoys visiting his audiologist where he is very popular with all the staff. When he cannot wear his hearing aids, we have to be careful to be even more aware of his hearing loss, especially when he's around BC Family Hearing Resource Centre-Reaching Out–Spring 2013 3 water. Those are the times I find that signing is particularly useful. Mckai will start Kindergarten in September 2014. He will attend Pinewood Elementary School as they offer the hearing resource program for Delta School District. When I heard this program was at a school that is a five minute drive from our house, I knew that it was fate! We've visited the school twice recently; for Ready, Set Learn and for a tour with the hearing resource teacher. We plan to make more visits over the next year to ease the transition from a very small class/school to a medium size class/school. My older sons attend a very large school but I think that smaller, community schools are preferable, especially for students with special needs. I really enjoy attending PALS and getting to know the teachers and other parents. It's always good to talk to people in a similar situation to you and to share your experiences. Before we came to BCFHRC, we didn’t know any kids with a hearing loss, so it’s been helpful to get advice from other families about taking care of hearing aids, audiology visits and even toilet training! For this reason, I also attend the monthly meetings at BC Hands and Voices. These parents are very knowledgeable and experienced about all aspects of hearing loss. I've taken two terms of American Sign Language Classes through Family and Community Services. I feel like my signing is finally improving to the point where I can communicate ideas but I'm not at a conversational level yet. Mckai is also using signs more which encourages me to persevere. He prefers to sign at school rather than at home but he's recently started doing both. We feel that he will always be part of the deaf community and he should be proud of his second language, just like my older boys are proud of being fluent in French. He will eventually attend the same high school as his brothers, which is in our neighbourhood. As McKai is getting older, he’s starting to take more ownership of his hearing aids. He asks to wear them in the morning because he has learned the benefit of the aids. He is also aware of when his batteries are dead and likes to get involved in their night-time maintenance routine. We know that we gave him the best start possible at BCFHRC and we feel confident in all the choices we've made for our son's education. Juliet shares information on family activities available in the community 1) Surrey Children’s Festival (Bear Creek Park) www.surrey.ca/childrenfestival/7664.aspx May 23rd to 25th, 2013 Thursday and Friday: 9:00am to 2:30pm Saturday: 10:30am to 7:30pm Surrey Arts Centre and Bear Creek Park 13750 - 88 Avenue (King George Blvd/88 Ave). Carpool and use public transit are encouraged. See their website for schedule details. 2) Kids Bowl Free www.kidsbowlfree.com (Dell Lanes, Surrey and Scottsdale Lanes, Delta) Eligible children can register for 2 free games a day, all summer long. This program, designed by bowling centers across the country, provides a safe, secure, and fun way for kids to spend time the summer. Check the website for participating centres in your community. 3) KIDSWORLD www.Kidsworldprogram.com (Greater Vancouver) July 1st – August 31st, and “bonus” weekend days in September. KIDSWORLD is a unique program designed for families with children between the ages of 4–15. The program offers an opportunity for children, accompanied by a parent/guardian, to explore their community together all summer long while learning along the way. KIDSWORLD features over 65 days of fun, adventure and highly educational events. With a $45.00 membership, the entire summer of events and activities is FREE for both the child AND one (1) accompanying parent/guardian. Each child must be registered individually; there is no family membership. BC Family Hearing Resource Centre-Reaching Out–Spring 2013 4 You and Your Deaf and Hard of Hearing Child Hurray for Headgear! by Karen Jackson, ECE Sp. Needs Summer is just around the corner! That means our kids are going to be running around outside with their hearing devices and we need to be ready! After much research, I recently found some headgear for my son Cory that keeps his Cochlear Implants (CIs) in place during active sports and play. It was hard to find headgear that wasn’t too bulky and didn’t completely cover his CIs, but I finally found some on a soccer webpage. This headgear is designed to protect soccer players from concussions and impact, but it turns out it’s also great for keeping CIs from falling off! This headgear is ultra light, water resistant, and doesn’t make Cory feel “hot or sweaty.” It’s even thin enough to fit inside his baseball helmet so his CIs don’t fall off while sliding his helmet on. You can find them at: http://www.braceshop.com/productcart/pc/DonJoy-Hat-Trick-Headguard-537p592.htm I got mine directly from the DonJoy company after consulting with them several times about specific needs, and there’s a location in Vancouver. If you are interested in getting one, please make sure you let them know that Karen Jackson referred you. __________________________________________________ Five Minute Language Activity by Zara Gauthier, RSLP An ‘Egg-cellent’ way to get excited about sounds! Quick! Grab some plastic Easter eggs from the stores before they disappear. They make for an excellent, year round, listening activity. Instructions: Gather up items to hide inside the eggs. Place the eggs in a bag or basket and then pull one from the bag at a time. Cue your child to listen and then shake the egg. If there is something in the egg show your child that you are excited to hear it (this teaches them to be excited about sounds) if there is no sound pull a disappointed face. Shake the egg again and then say/sign “open” as you open the egg. Show them the toy inside or say/sign “empty.” Tips & Variations: Buy two sets of eggs so you have two of each Remember to model language that matches colour. Hide a toy in one but not the other. your child’s needs. Simple words such as This helps your child to associate your “Listen”, “Shake. Shake”, “Open!”, “What’s reaction to the sound rather than the colour. inside?”, “It’s a………” or more complex ideas such as colour, size, shaking fast or slow. At its most basic level this activity can help reinforce the “I heard that” response (Detection) To increase the challenge hide objects that make different sounds when shaken. Shake one and compare it to another. See if your child notices a difference. (Discrimination) Different objects will create different sounds: soft/loud, high/low. Keep a list of the ones your child can detect and share this with your interventionist. Vary the distance you make the sound to see how your child is listening over distance. For very young children play this game while they are in their high chair. Shake the egg below the table tray and gradually bring it into view. When you have presented the sound a few times, open the egg, show them the toy then return it to the bag. Older children will enjoy taking turns with you to shake the eggs and exploring the toy inside before moving onto a new egg. Keep the activity fresh by switching out the toys inside for new ones. BC Family Hearing Resource Centre-Reaching Out–Spring 2013 5 You and Your Deaf and Hard of Hearing Child Look out Kindergarten – Here They Come! Another successful PEER (Preschoolers Esteem & Emotional Readiness) program has concluded! Families, with children entering Kindergarten this fall, participated in monthly evening sessions from October to March, and/or attended the group programs in late April. The PEER program has evolved into two groups, with Adapted PEER established last year. This change was necessary as we found the needs of the children in our programs have changed since the inception PEER. The objective is the same- to prepare children with hearing loss and additional needs for Kindergarten. While the original 3-day program took place at our Centre, the Adapted program ran simultaneously at the CDBA (Canadian Deafblind Association) site in New Westminster. Many thanks to everyone who supported this invaluable program – past families, their children, and invited guests, for sharing their stories and experiences. Reaching Out to Community Service Providers New Faces - New Opportunities! by Marie-Élise Marcoux, RSLP With so many new faces at BC Family Hearing Resource Centre, several mentorship opportunities are being offered to support new staff in their roles as early interventionists. The latest workshop on Cochlear Implants (CIs), held early April, was presented by Raegan Bergstrom, co-ordinator for Cochlear Implant Services at BC Children’s Hospital. Our 'New Kids on the Block' Marianne Bullied, Phebe Ho, Taucha Gretzinger & Marie-Élise Marcoux The workshop covered a broad array of topics. We had the opportunity to review a brief history of cochlear implantation in BC followed by a look at how CIs have evolved since their early stages as well as what to expect in the future. This set the stage for a discussion surrounding the specific structure and function of a CI. We also learned more about CI testing and how to interpret the results of a MAPping session. The presentation wrapped up with an overview of the BC Children’s Hospital Cochlear Implant program and candidacy criteria, as well as what to expect pre- and post- implantation and current trends in surgical procedures. Following the presentation, we had hands-on opportunity to familiarize ourselves with different Cochlear Implants and equipment; assembling and disassembling them, doing listening checks, even trying them on ourselves. This was a great exercise to becoming more Raegan Bergstrom, comfortable and knowledgeable with the equipment, thus allowing us to best support CI Coordinator, families and community service providers. Special thanks to Raegan Bergstrom! Partnerships in Comox BC Children's Hospital Dyan Spear presented the Partnerships Project: Supporting Children Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing in Comox. Part 1 was held over two days (afternoon and evening April 17 and 18th). Part 2 will be offered over two days on Sept 25 and 26, 2013. A big thank you to the Courtenay Elks and Ladies of the Royal Purple for the use of their hall and meeting room. This workshop was a joint venture with community SLP, Pearl Morin and the Comox Valley Supported Childcare Consultants. Contact our Centre if you wish to have a Partnerships training workshop in your community! For more information on the Partnerships Project please check out the provincial website at http://partnershipsproject.bc.ca/ BC Family Hearing Resource Centre-Reaching Out–Spring 2013 6 Great Grads…Where Are They Now? “Just Keep Swimming” The Moores were featured in our Winter 2007 Newsletter, where they discussed their daughter Holly’s extracurricular activities and the considerations needed to prepare for school. Now Holly is ten and a half years old and attends Annieville Elementary in North Delta, and her dad, Rick, is the new President of the BC Family Hearing Board. Read on as Rick shares his family’s experiences with BCFRHC and updates us on what his family has been up to since we last heard from them in our 2007 feature. This is the story of how Alanna, Rick and Holly learned to “just keep swimming” through their challenges. Alanna, Holly & “Just keep swimming”, that’s how Rick Moore describes his family’s approach to Rick Moore in 2007 challenges after his daughter Holly was diagnosed with a bilateral profound hearing loss. It’s a phrase the family adopted from Finding Nemo, Holly’s favourite Disney film when she was little. “It’s amazing how many lessons there are in that movie,” Rick reflects, “We all have challenges; there are going to be challenges, and you don’t know, when you first start, what the obstacles are, or where the help is going to come from. But you will never have to do it alone, and you may get unexpected help from unexpected places.” Rick and Alanna first became concerned about Holly’s hearing when she failed a hearing screening at her 6-month check-up. They visited their doctor several times before a nurse in their Baby Play Group suggested they visit an audiologist. Before that, they had never heard of an audiologist, and it was after their appointment that Holly was diagnosed with a bilateral profound hearing loss at 10 months old. Rick explains, “After the diagnosis, there were feelings of loss, anger, and feeling sorry for ourselves.” The healing process began from unexpected places: A family friend connected them to a friend who had a Deaf son. “This boy was 7 years old, and he gave us a picture of the future.” That was a turning point for the family, “After that day, there was joy, optimism, and hope, and we felt like we had a direction. We now had a task and we had to dedicate ourselves to that task. We knew what we wanted to do, but not yet how to get there.” “From that point until she graduated [from BCFHRC], it was just a matter of doing the work.” That work included choosing the BCFHRC in 2003. Rick reports that “…of the three agencies, BC Family was the only one that offered a family-centered approach” and the flexibility and customization of oral therapy and sign. Holly later got a Cochlear Implant at 18 months; it was switched on May 19th 2004. “It’s amazing how I still remember that date.” Afterwards, Terry Parson-Tylka, their Teacher for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing at the centre, helped them take their big goals and break them down into achievable smaller steps. Holly then got a second cochlear implant in September of 2011. “We were very optimistic about Holly graduating [from BCFHRC] and starting school.” Terry guided them through their options as they were choosing schools. Holly attends Annieville Elementary in North Delta where she has daily Education Assistant support and bi-weekly support from the itinerant teacher for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing. The itinerant teacher has been a great support and did a presentation with Holly to inform her teachers and classmates about her hearing loss. The teachers also use an FM system in class and it is Holly’s responsibility to ensure that the FM is charged and the teachers turn it on. “One of the things BC Family really taught us was to teach Holly to self-advocate.” When describing Holly now, Rick says, “Holly is a normal little girl who happens to be profoundly Deaf, and that’s the way we look at it…when she packs for a sleepover, she packs her pajamas, her toothbrush, a stuffed animal, and her cochlear implant charger. It’s just a part of her routine.” As for Rick, he began volunteering on committees and charity events for BCFHCS in 2005. After Holly graduated in 2007 he became a member of the board and was recently elected President. He’s happy to give back to the society that gave so much to his family. Rick explains, “The centre helps families help themselves in a way that they couldn’t do on their own.” In closing, Rick shares advice that he hopes will help families that are trying to swim through their own challenges: “Be an advocate for your child. BC Family taught us that. Look to the future, anything is possible. Meeting the 7 year-old boy taught us that. And dedicate yourself to the outcome. Holly taught us that.” BC Family Hearing Resource Centre-Reaching Out–Spring 2013 7 Special Feature BCFHRC Launches New Online Initiative! By Dyan Spear, Teacher of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, Senior Outreach Consultant The Learning Place An excerpt from the introduction video Dyan Spear, B.A. Teacher of the Deaf & Hard of Hearing Senior Outreach Consultant Zara Gauthier B.A. (Hons) RSLP Registered Speech Language Pathologist Senior Outreach Consultant Carolyn Hawrish M.Sc., Cert. AVT, LSLS., RAUD Auditory – Verbal Therapist Outreach Consultant We hope to better serve and support families living far from our centre with use of a web-based site. Where ever you live, as a parent of a child with a hearing loss, you will need support and information. At the BC Family Hearing Resource Centre we are here to help. We have developed an online learning platform for you. For the initial launch, we are offering this service to families living outside of the lower mainland first. We will then open up registration to ALL families soon afterwards. Our knowledgeable and experienced outreach staff have training as Speech Language Pathologists, Teachers of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing and an Auditory Verbal Therapist. Our program is designed to support families in accessing non-biased information and in working with you in finding choices in communication that is right for your child. We will work with you and guide you through this site to personalize your learning. You may have already received our book My Turn to Learn. We created this site to supplement this book with video clips, interviews of parents discussing their experiences, pictures of a child’s first molds being made, and extended readings of new research in the area of hearing loss. The videos are of parents like yourself with young children that have a hearing loss. They will share their experiences with you. The videos contain parent’s honest reactions to the diagnosis of the hearing loss and the joys of raising their beautiful child. Mothers and fathers will also show you how to get started with your child’s hearing equipment and how to keep it on. Sometimes that’s easier said than done with little ones. These parents will be some of your greatest supporters. They know from experience what you may be going through at this time. They will cheer you on. I hope that as you listen to their stories, you will know that you are not alone and you will hear their voices assure you it will all be okay. Remember, the staff at the BC Family Hearing Resource Centre are here to help you on this journey and will work together with your community based team to help you and your child learn. Let’s get started! How do you get set up? Contact your outreach consultant and she will coordinate your registration to allow access to the site. A password is required. Once this has been established, your outreach consultant will guide you through this learning opportunity. Thank you to the Open Purse Foundation for initially supporting this project. BC Family Hearing Resource Centre-Reaching Out–Spring 2013 8 Over 25 Years of Making a Difference In Appreciation of our Supporters Since our last issue, the following individuals and organizations have continued to make a difference in the lives of our children and their families by generously donating to our centre either monetarily or through goods and services. Elks & Royal Purple Lodges - Campbell’s Soup Label Program Individuals & Organizations Sally & James Hurst Obviar Family Jackson Family Lake Cowichan Elks Lillooet Royal Purple Emil Ourcharek J. McGregor (in memory of Bette Dowding) Port Coquitlam Royal Purple Prince Rupert Elks Prince Rupert Royal Purple Lohn Foundation Dr. Joan Ford Ron Molnar (in memory of Gary Gee) Dan & Ilona McQuillan James Hurst Joan Popovich Gary Taylor – Northern Landscape We acknowledge the financial support of the Province of British Columbia Elks and Royal Purple Annual Walkathon 2013 It’s almost here! Mark your calendars for Sunday, May 26! Campbell Valley will again be the setting for this annual ‘funraising’ event! We look forward to you joining us by walking, running, rolling through the peaceful paths of the park. Let’s see if we can surpass last year’s totals for attendance and donations!! BC Family Hearing Resource Centre-Reaching Out–Spring 2013 9 Over 25 Years of Making a Difference Volunteers Cast a Beautiful Shadow This is the logo for National Volunteer Week, April 21st to 27th and we couldn’t agree more. The staff and families of the BC Family Hearing Resource Society recognize and appreciate the commitment of our wonderful volunteers! They have helped out everywhere! They’ve helped out in our office, classrooms and group programs! ALL of our Board of Directors are volunteers! We know we couldn’t do it without you! We consider ourselves very fortunate to have such a dedicated group of people. Sincere thanks to all of current volunteers! Board of Directors Rick Moore, President Al Edwards, Vice President Dr. Graham Bryce, Past President Agatha Cluff, Treasurer Dr. Charles Laszlo, Advisor Barb Gee Laurie Usher Ken Mulligan Sally Hurst Rosalind Ho Eleanor M. Scott Sarah Anne Hrycenko Melissa Mykle Administration and Class/Group Volunteers Angelica Malagon Darren Bellamy Isabel Otoya Jasmine Flanjak Joy Gong Macey-Jane Goetken Maggie Fan Sandy Aujla Tiana Hnatiuk _______________________________________________ Campbell’s Labels for Education If you enjoy Campbell’s products, please save the labels! You can help us out by collecting labels that go towards products that are used in our programs. For example, toys, musical instruments, and equipment. The program is ongoing. The Elks and Royal Purple facilitate this program on our behalf. If you’d like to participate, simply bring or send your labels to our Centre and we will forward them. For more information see their website Campbell's Labels For Education. Many thanks to our staff member, Karen Jackson, and her daughter Carrie-Anne, for collecting and donating a huge amount of labels. BC Family Hearing Resource Centre-Reaching Out–Spring 2013 10 Bits & Pieces It’s a Boy! The latest addition to the BCFHRS family has arrived! Alden, born one day earlier than expected on April 26th, weighing 7 lbs 1oz. Congratulations to Alex and Chris! We can’t wait to meet you, Alden ______________________________ UBC Education Program Practicum We’d like to introduce you to Kelsie Grazier. Kelsie joined us for an Enhanced Practicum with the UBC Bachelor of Education Degree Program. Kelsie has been accepted to begin her Masters in Deaf and Hard of Hearing Education at UBC and has chosen to learn about our Centre to explore her interests. Over her three week placement, she has participated Kelsie Grazier in all aspects of our programs, including the PEER Panel of speakers and the Adapted PEER session. We were thrilled to have Kelsie with us, especially since she attended programs at BCFHRC as a child. Kelsie - 4 yrs old __________________________ Summer Camp 20th Annual Family Deaf Camp - June 27 to 30th Tribune Bay Outdoor Education Centre, Hornby Island This camp is for parents with Deaf/Hard of Hearing children and Deaf/Hard of Hearing parents with their children. It is designed for families that use sign language for all or part of their communication. Most of the program will be interpreted. The Centre staff and DYT (Deaf Youth Today) staff are offering family programs and programs especially for children and adults. Accommodation/Meals: Bring your own tent or RV, cooking and camping gear. Some meals are on your own but we supply Friday and Saturday supper and Sunday Breakfast (at the Lodge). Everyone is asked to volunteer for one meal cleanup. Thanks to our supporters, rates are very subsidized. Camp fee: $220 (includes tax) for a family rate for the entire camp. Extra individual $110 (includes tax). Due to low fees, only IMMEDIATE family will be included in the family rate. Any additional people will be added at the individual rate and cannot be included in the Family fee. For more information contact: Your hosts: Gord and Allison Campbell Email: camgor@telus.net Phone: 250-335-0080 Fax: 250-335-0890 www.tribunebayoutdoored.com BC Family Hearing Resource Centre-Reaching Out–Spring 2013 11 Seasonal Signs spring choose teacher help flower egg chocolate give/donate student walk appreciate volunteer BC Family Hearing Resource Centre-Reaching Out–Spring 2013 12 Reaching Out Newsletter published quarterly by Calendar April 1 21 to 27 25, 26, 27 Easter Monday Holiday – Centre Closed National Volunteer Week PEER 3-day Workshop May is Speech and Hearing Month 12 Happy Mother’s Day 20 Victoria Day Holiday – Centre closed 23-25 Canadian Hard of Hearing Annual Conference – Edmonton 26 Elks & Royal Purple Annual Walkathon–Campbell Valley Park June 16 17 27 – 30 Happy Father’s Day Elks & Royal Purple Appreciation Tea; PALS Graduation Tribune Bay, Hornby Island Family Deaf Camp July/August 29 to Aug 1 Mingle & Play Summer Program Our Outreach Consultants’ visits to Communities Throughout BC April Carolyn Hawrish - Fort St. John Zara Gauthier – Cranbrook Dyan Spear - Penticton, Comox May Dyan Spear –Victoria, Revelstoke, Salmon Arm Zara Gauthier – Castlegar, Fruitvale, Grand Forks, Nelson, Trail June Zara Gauthier - Prince George, Cranbrook, Golden Carolyn Hawrish – Kamloops, Parksville, Port Alberni BC Family Hearing Resource Centre 15220 – 92nd Avenue Surrey, BC V3R 2T8 Toll Free: 1-877-584-2827 Phone (604)584-2827(voice), (604)584-9108 (tty), (604)584-2800 (fax) Executive Director: Noreen Simmons Editors: Cindy Adams & Taucha Gretzinger We are a family-centered early intervention Provincial Resource Program committed to individual communication choices. We provide support and resources throughout BC to deaf and hard of hearing children, their families and Community Service Providers. The purpose of the Reaching Out Newsletter is to provide information and support to our readers. Reference to any specific commercial products, process, or service by trade name, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise, does not necessarily constitute or imply its endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the BC Family Hearing Resource Society. Articles and ideas are welcome! The opinions expressed therefore are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Board of Directors or the staff. We reserve the right to edit contributions for brevity and clarity. There is no fee for the Reaching Out newsletter, however, donations are gratefully accepted. Sign Language from the Canadian Dictionary of ASL, Carol Sue Bailey & Kathy Dolby, Editors. Used with Permission from the University of Alberta Press. Newsletter - Mail, On-Line or Email? Would you prefer to receive our newsletter emailed to you? Are you aware that our newsletters are posted on our website? In our efforts to “Go Green” we offer the electronic distribution option to those interested. To receive your newsletter this way, simply email info@bcfamilyhearing.com with the email address you would like the newsletter sent to AND the current name and address it is being sent to by mail in order to have your name removed from the list. BC Family Hearing Resource Centre-Reaching Out–Spring 2013