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SILENT NIGHT Also In This Issue: Hector’s World: Meet Martha Knowles CIL’s 15-16 Annual Report RAMPAGE
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CIL’s Silent Night
Upcoming Events Silent Night December 15, 2016
CIL’s Deaf Holiday Social returns for its sixth year of giving an inclusive holiday celebration for deaf children and children of deaf parents.
RAMPAGE February - March 2017
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Celebrating Independence July 22, 2017 Hector’s World NSCIA president Hector DelValle interviews CIL’s Martha Knowles about what drives her to make a difference in the lives of deaf individuals.
Stroll ‘n’ Roll October 21, 2017
“CIL is the only organization that has actually Year End Appeal helped me. Why helping us hit our fundraising goals is a They actually critical part of achieving our mission treated me as a human being and not a number and took the time to get to know me and help me with my strengths RAMPAGE For over a decade, CIL has been joined by and what type corporations, community organizations, volunteers, of job I would feel donors, and sponsors to make accessibility a reality for people in need. comfortable doing.”
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Trenton CIL Consumer
MISSION “CIL, in partnership with the community, promotes inclusion of people with disabilities by eliminating architectural, communication and attitudinal barriers. CIL provides education, resources and training to enhance self-determination through informed choice.”
Board of Directors Chair Kim Byerly Darden Restaurants
Secretary Cheryl Stone Retired Microbiologist
Treasurer Mellissa Slover-Athey Centerstate Bank
Members Ahmed Albitar Hector Del Valle, MSW Rollins College NSCIA of Central Florida MBA Program Maxine Moul Alexis Kubart South Seminole Hospital Pearson Online Learning Services Charles Polk Advance Diversity Consulting
Director’s Voice Since 1976, the Center for Independent Living in Central Florida has stood not only as a beacon of hope for persons with disabilities, but also as a resource, an advocate, and a friend. As 2016 comes to a close we are more dedicated than ever to work with the communities we serve to remove the artificial barriers to inclusion that people with disabilities face each and every day. We are excited to have you join us in creating new opportunities for people with disabilities to be included in the mainstream, and tearing down architectural, attitudinal, and communication barriers that prevent people with disabilities from succeeding and making the most of their potential. In this next year we are looking forward to sharing with you more stories of the people we serve. This is not just the impact that the Center for Independent Living is having, this is the impact that you, our donors, volunteers, advocates, supporters, staff, and friends are having in the lives of Central Floridians.
Kevin Walker Communications Director
Be sure to check our website often for new stories of the people who reach out to CIL for help and how your generosity transforms their lives for the better and puts them on the path to independence. You can also stay up to date on by following us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for more updates of the impact you are having. Without you, we would not be able to exist. We are eternally grateful for the opportunities you have given us to serve, and for your faith in our vision of inclsuion for all. www.cilorlando.org | ACCESS QUARTERLY
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SILENT NIGHT CIL’s Deaf Holiday Social Returns
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016 marks the sixth consecutive year of CIL’s Deaf Holiday Social. This year CIL’s event, Silent Night, saw the addition of a toy drive and will include additional activities for participants of all ages. Activities will include a hot chocolate station, provided dinner, ornament decorating, and of course ASL translators as well as a signing Santa for children to interact with. Each child 4
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will receive a gift donated by one of CIL’s generous donors. CIL’s Silent Night Deaf Holiday Social will take place at CIL’s Winter Park office on Thursday, December 15th from 6:00 p.m. until 7:30 p.m. The event is open to deaf and hearing impaired individuals of all ages and their families to be able to participate in holiday fun!
T #1 HIGH SCHOOL HIGH TECH PROGRAM IN FLORIDA
Helping high-school students with disabilities succeed INDUSTRY TOURS
HANDS ON EXPERIENCE
High School High Tech is made possible thanks to a grant by
TOOLS TO SUCCEED
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HECTOR’S HECTOR DEL VALLE, MSW AIP SOUTH REG. COORD.
WO R L D Hello my name is Hector Del Valle, MSW I am 51 years old, I have a Masters degree in social work I also have a spinal cord injury from an auto accident in 1982. Which continues to be a big part of my education in life.
becoming a naturalized citizen (or just helping with immigration-related paperwork), budgeting/ credit/banking/401k, teaching about technological devices, and I also provide free tax service during tax season (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance – VITA, 8 years now).
I have a vision of helping others through sharing my story and the story of others in a simple Q and Hector - Can you tell us about your life experience as a deaf woman going to school and getting an A format in the months to come. education, being a parent and a wife who is deaf? I hope you enjoy. Martha - I attended the Indiana School for the Please meet Martha Knowles, she is an education Deaf for about 7 years. Learned sign language specialist at the Center for Independent Living in there but never really felt like I fit in. Completed my last 3 years of high school in a normal school Central Florida. near my home (was able to do this mainly because Hector - Can you tell me about your position at of my high literacy and intellectual skills). But this was before any of the laws for having sign language the Independent living Center? interpreters in schools existed. All 3 last years of Martha - I’m the Educational Specialist, work high school were via lipreading or written materials. mainly with deaf adults. Teach independent living By 1987 I was living in Louisiana and attempting to skills including driver license (learner permit only), get a college degree. 6
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Again, this was before all the laws like ADA. My pastor and a few church interpreters volunteered their time but sometimes I had to attend class with no interpreter. I only took 2 classes – the Math class teacher was herself an interpreter, so that helped, as she signed all lessons for me. I couldn’t continue, not enough interpreters to volunteer. So I put that on hold. Less than 10 years later when I was living in Florida, I decided to try again – this time I had ADA backing me, and the two colleges I attended in Florida (Valencia and UCF) had great interpreter teams. I completed my education with a MA at Gallaudet University. At VCC and UCF I was still somewhat isolated unless there were other deaf students in the class – but most social interaction was with interpreters. Gallaudet gave me a full, rich experience because everyone signs there.
Martha - Very important, but for me this was often lacking. I learned to rely on myself more. Problems? I looked for answers and usually found something to help. But sometimes I was able to talk with a friend or my pastor/pastor’s wife. I’ve always been more of a ‘loner’, very few close friends. Maybe because I had so few choices – so few acquaintances who knew signs well enough to converse easily. Hector - I want your opinion on a video that I saw on YouTube it’s an eight minute piece on a program called “hush” Could you comment on the video? https://youtu.be/ 2axgYv4nJpM
Martha - I viewed it – the feelings of being isolated, seeing people talking around Hector - When you reflect back on your life what me, evidence of were some of your obstacles? noises (feeling vibrations, seeing movements, etc.) are all too Martha - I guess the greatest obstacle was being cut familiar. Having a job where one feels useful and off from normal family interactions/conversations. of service to others is also a valuable thing. Like many parents back then (60’s), my family was advised to NOT learn sign language so that I would Thank you so much Martha for your time, your keep using my speech. They later regretted this sincerity, knowledge and most important your but were not able to learn enough signs to really story. communicate freely. Social interaction opportunities were also limited, as nobody knew sign language. This wraps up my first column, I am hoping after My deafness was total – hearing aids did not help. you read this that it will provide you with some This has carried on into my adulthood. Even now, inspiration and ideas for you to begin your journey if I attend a deaf social event, I am reluctant to join in integrating back into life. in due to lack of practice (social interactions) in my early formative years. Please look for my future articles in this newsletter if you have a topic that you would like for us to Hector - How important was it for you to have discuss please feel free to contact me personally. or need either mentors or some sort of support network? Hector Del Valle, MSW mswhectordelvalle@gmail.com I am married, husband is deaf (attended Florida School for the Deaf), and we are very much alike, maybe because he was an only child and his parents also did not learn sign language. He has 2 sons (my stepsons), and one lives with us.
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CIL’s 2015-2016 Annual Report is now available on issuu.com!
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DISABILITIES DON’T DISCRIMINATE
It’s simple, but true. It does not matter where you were born or how old you are, whether it is through an accident that requires you to use a wheelchair, genetics that reduce your eye sight, or getting older and losing your hearing.
ANYONE at ANYTIME can find themselves living with a disability. For 13 years, Karen Norton devoted her life to the United States Navy. Today, she lives with fibromyalgia, osteoarthritis, and a heart condition. Karen’s disability makes it difficult for her to simply go outside of her home without help from caregivers, friends, or neighbors. Imagine being a prisoner in your home. Imagine not being able to step outside to feel the warmth of the sun on your skin or to feel the cool fall breeze in the air. The steps that rest at your front door may as well be a chasm trapping you inside. While it may be imagined to you, this is Karen’s reality every day. The steps to Karen’s house make it unsafe for her to go down without assistance. In order to regain her independence, Karen is in great need of a ramp. There are hundreds of people like Karen waiting for life-changing home modifications. By helping us reach our year end goal, you are directly helping individuals with disabilities in need in Central Florida. The people you help are your neighbors; your family members; someone from your school or church; your friends; or perhaps even you yourself. CIL provides programs to help people achieve their goals for independence, but we can’t reach them without YOUR help. Your donation will help Karen and hundreds of others like her break through their barriers…maintain their dignity… and regain their independence. YOU can make a difference! Please join me in making an impact, Kim Byerly, Chair Board of Directors
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RAMP T
he Center for Independent Living serves an area of Central Florida where there are about 350,000 people living with disabilities. One of the most requested and urgent, and expensive, needs that many of these individuals have is for accessible ramps to access their homes. In 2005, the Center for Independent Living had roughly 100 individuals on the waiting list to receive ramps. Ramps were constructed as funding allowed, but the waiting list for ramps continued to increase. That’s when CIL decided it was time to go on a RAMPAGE. By partnering with local organizations, donors, volunteers, volunteer groups, in-kind donors, and professionals willing to donate their services the Center for Independent Living was able to cut down the time individuals would have to wait for
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PAGE a ramp. Over time, the scope of the annual effort grew alongside CIL’s conventional ramp building projects. In 2015, donors and volunteers completed the 100th ramp build through the initiative, totaling over a half mile of ramp length built since 2005 by RAMPAGE alone. Thousands of volunteers have donated their time to make independence and accessibility a reality for hundreds in Central Florida.A ramp does more than give one person their independence. A ramp gives family members peace of mind that a loved one won’t fall and hurt themselves. It allows an individual, or a family, to once again be a part of their community and contribute economically and socially with their community. While it is difficult
to determine the exact financial impact a ramp has on a community, the value to the ramp recipient is priceless. Receiving a ramp is a dream come true for many, and more have said that their ramp means the world to them. Not only are the ramp recipients grateful, but also the staff, volunteers, and donors that believe in the Center for Independent Living’s mission and work hard to make the vision of a truly inclusive community a reality. A community where disability is not a barrier to inclusion, opportunity, and success. This February we will be picking up our drills, hammers, and saws once again to go on our RAMPAGE across Central Florida.We invite you to join us in making a difference in our community.
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VISIT cilorlando.org/current-volunteer-opportunities/ to search for current opportunities
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INFO@CILORLANDO.ORG