Wednesday, September 4, 2019

DSA Northwest Daily News

Wednesday, September 4, 2019 -- Issue #3

Interpreter Provided in Sheraton Lobby 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM & Starbucks 7:00 -9:00 AM

 

Wednesday's Highlights - September 4

• Conference Registration Open 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
• Various Workshops 9:00 - 11:45 AM and 1:30 - 3:30 PM
• HOT Tours: 8:00 AM - Whale Watching, 9:00 AM - Pike Place Market Food Tour, 12:00 - Noon Boeing Factory Tour, 5:30 PM - Argosy Dinner Cruise. (Must buy your tickets online.)  
• Exhibits & Trade Show Opens - 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
• Silent Auction Opens 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
• Red Hat Society Luncheon ($$) - 11:30 AM - 1:30 PM
• "Hot Button Issues" Forum with Sherri Collins starts at 1:30 PM
• WSDSC Unveiling of Painting by Deaf Artist Nancy Rourke at 3:30 PM
• ODHH "Munch & Mingle" at 4:00 PM
• New Event: LGBT Get Together 9:00 - 12 PM, Fountain Wine Bar
• Chat -  Willow Room, 2nd Floor 8:00 - 11:00 PM (Conference registrants only)

Wednesday's Weather Forecast 

Partly cloudy, high of 74'F

Announcements & Housekeeping

• DSA Conference Registration is in the Spruce Room on the 2nd floor. Ride up the escalator  one flight from the lobby and turn around the corner on the left.
• If you have any questions regarding your hotel bill, please stop by the front desk Wednesday - Saturday between 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM to straighten things out. The Sheraton is trying to avoid a huge rush of people on Sunday when everyone is trying to check out and catch planes, etc.
• New DSA Officers and Board members sought. See below.
• Help DSA fundraise $$ through Amazon Smile (information below).
• HEADS UP: Gallaudet President Roberta Cordano will be speaking at DSA on Friday, September 6th at 6:00 PM in the Grand Ballroom. You won't want to miss the "Sweet Re-Treat."

HOT Tours Today
(See Monday NW Daily News for full HOT Tours schedule. Sorry, very few tickets are left.)

Meet at Starbucks in hotel lobby 15 minutes before departure!
8:00 AM Whale Watching - with PATTY
9:00 AM Pike Place Market Food Tour - with VALDIES 

12:00 Noon Boeing Factory Tour - with DARREN
5:30 PM Argosy Dinner Cruise - with DAN & RACHEL

Photos from Monday's HOT Tours

Boeing Factory Tour (photos by HOT Tour Guide Darren)

Pike Place Market Tour (photos by HOT Tour Guide Valdies)

Famous "Gum Wall"

Petting the Market Pig

Photos from Tuesday's Starbuck's HQ Tour

(Photos by HOT Tour Guide Patty)

Deaf Starbucks employee Lorilee Haggerty explains the history of Starbucks Coffee. at Starbucks headquarters.

Visiting the 8th floor store at Starbucks Headquarters featuring ASL mugs by local Deaf artist, Jena Floyd. All proceeds goes toward a fund to support Starbucks Baristas’s unexpected loss expenses. You can find these mugs at the Starbucks in the Sheraton Lobby and they will also be available for you to bid on at the Silent Auction

HOT Tours group in front of the Starbucks Headquarters. 

 Call for Nominations - New DSA Board Members Sought!

     Notice is hereby given of the nomination and election of the following officers of  Deaf Seniors of America (DSA):  President, Vice President, Secretary and one Board Member.  

• The term for President, Vice President, and Secretary will conclude on September 2, 2021.  
• The term for the new Board Member will commence on September 7, 2019 and conclude in 2025.

     Copies of the DSA Nomination Form can be found at DSA Exhibit Booth in the Exhibit Hall (Metropolitan Room). Elections will be held at the Saturday, September 7 General Meeting. If you have any questions, please contact Raymond Kilthau, raymond@kilthau.us.

Tuesday Welcoming Ceremony at 1:00 PM

Photos by Mirna Castrejon, RaeVern DuMond & John Taft

Help DSA Raise Funds Through Amazon Smile $$$

     Without costing you a dime, you can help DSA raise money. All you need to do is start your shopping at: https://smile.amazon.com and then choose Deaf Seniors of America. The Amazon Foundation will automatically donate 0.5% of the purchase price of everything you buy to DSA! Important: You have to do your Amazon shopping at smile. amazon.com not amazon.com. AmazonSmile is operated by Amazon and has the same produces and prices as regular Amazon.

Tuesday Evening Opening Ceremony
(Photos by John Taft, RaeVern DuMond & Mirna Castrejon)
     "When Saturday night rolls around and our Gala happens, you will awaken on Sunday and go home with a wealth of knowledge that you gained from DSA 2019. We are centered on fun and friendship, of course. But we are also thinking about how to pull our time together to think about the aging individuals of America, the elders.
     All of us will become older. This is part of being a human. There is another part about this and that's the part called 'attitude'. Accepting who one is, accepting yourself as you grow older. Looking in the mirror and saying, 'I'm 60. I'm 70. I'm 100.' And having an appropriate attitude about yourself."
-- Ellen Sheppach, DSA Conference Chair

DSA Conference Chair Ellen Scheppach

                        Rusty Wales, MC                          

Sally Taylor and John Taft in Starbucks aprons to promote DSA Silent Auction. More than 60 different Starbucks stores donated merchandise!

Tuesday Night Audience in Grand Ballroom

An Evening to Remember with Mime Max Formitchev
Photos by John Taft & Mirna Castrejon

Don't Forget: We Want Your Conference Photos!

     Since arriving at the DSA Conference, have you taken some fun photos you would like to share with the rest of us? Please email your best photos with captions to DSA NW Daily News at sarageballe@gmail.com. We will do our best to include as many as we can.
     Here are some fun photos from DSA NW Daily News photographer Sally Taylor.

Silent Auction Opens Today! 
Photos by John Taft
     Just a couple of example of the lovely and fun things you will find at the DSA 2019 Silent Auction located in the Metropolitan Room. Remember the Silent Auction opens this morning at 9:00 AM!

Cribbage Board

Organic 4Legz Dog Treats

Can Opener

Exhibit Hall Opens 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM -- Metropolitan Room

     You won't want to miss the DSA Exhibit & Trade Show featuring dozens of Deaf friendly business and organizations. Here's just a small sampling of the booths you will discover in the Metropolitan Room on the 3rd Floor of the Pike Street Tower:  NAD, NTID, Gallaudet, Deaf Law Center, Kramer Wealth Management, Museum of Deaf History, ASL CART, ADWAS, various VRS companies, Deaf travel agencies, and much, much more!
     Check out this Facebook video from ASL CART and find out about their special performance tonight at 7:30 !  https://www.facebook.com/groups/1841084125923255/?multi_permalinks=2615157328515927&notif_id=1567015293410376&notif_t=group_activity

Newly Added Event!

Deaf Seniors 

LGBT GET TOGETHER

Fountain Wine Bar

Wednesday, September 4th 

9:00 PM to 12:00 Midnight

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DSA Workshops Start Today! Here's a Sampling... 

(Be sure to review your Conference Program Book for a complete listing of all workshops.)

Myths & Truths About Sugar and Diabetes – 9:00 AM / Kirkland Room

     Join Marina Fanshteyn to learn about strategies for living with diabetes. How does insulin really work? What exactly is A1C? Can vitamins lower your blood sugar level? Does a lectin-free diet really make a difference? Is diabetes ever reversible? These and other questions will be discussed. If you or a loved one suffers from diabetes, you won’t want to miss it! Marina is the Executive Director of Deaf Wellness & Recreation Center.

Let’s Go Cruising! Travel Tips – 9:00 AM /Greenwood Room

     Are you ready to plan your next trip? Interested in a cruise, or traveling by train, plane, bus, or car? Travel expert Andy Lange will cover all kinds of vacation travel and teach you learn how to avoid scams and protect yourself while traveling. Andy is a professional travel agent. He and his wife, Kelly, founded Lange Travel in 2012.

Toast to Our Health – 10:30 AM / Issaquah Room

     Before you go on the wine-tasting trip to Chateau Ste. Michelle and Columbia Wineries, be sure to attend Rusty Wales and Bobby Skedsmo's workshop on the basics of making wine and healthy aspects of wine consumption. Plus, Rusty told the DSA Northwest Daily News that he has a very special outfit planned for this presentation that you definitely won’t want to miss! Rusty produces his own wines under the label Deaf Prince of Wales and Bobby has been working closely with Rusty promoting Deaf Prince of Wales wines.

Scams and Safety – 10:30 AM / Greenwood Room

     At this workshop, Elissa Olsen and Karen Beiter will help you learn how to reduce spam email, identify phone and VP scams, and how to block spam callers. You will also learn about “phishing,” bogus pop-up security warnings, and how to protect yourself from being a fraud victim. You will also receive valuable tips on how to use social networking sites safely. Both Elissa and Karen are NTID/RIT professors in Computing Studies.

******************************************************DON"T FORGET:  Red Hat Society Luncheon Today at 11:30 AM Grand Ballroom D

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Hot Button Issues Forum - 1:30 - 3:30 PM / Grand Ballroom  PLEASE ATTEND!
ODHH Reception Follows at 4:00 PM                                                   [CART Provided]

NASADHH President Sherri Collins

     Keynote presenter Sherri Collins, President of the National Assocation of State Agencies for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (NASADHH) and Executive Director of the Arizona State Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, will conduct this forum. She will be joined by Kim Blanco Majeri from the NAD-DSA Task Force. All DSA participants are strongly encouraged to attend. This is an important opportunity to honestly discuss issues and concerns related state-funded senior housing and other state funding matters. This is the first time DSA has ever had NASADHH attend our conference and we are excited to have them.  
     Deborah O'Willow, Executive Director of Washington State’s Office of the Deaf & Hard of Hearing (ODHH) will be part of this forum along with the executive directors of similar agencies in other states. Immediately following the Forum, there will be a reception hosted by ODHH (see below). All are welcome.
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Nancy Rourke Artwork Unveiling at 3:30 PM                                       [CART Provided]

     Internationally known Deaf artist Nancy Rourke has generously donated a piece of her original art to WSDSC. This new work is titled Socialization:Missing. It will be unveiled for the first time at DSA Seattle 2019. 
     Nancy lives in Colorado and uses the primary colors -- yellow, blue, and red -- in all her work. We are also selling t-shirts featuring Nancy's drawing Friends. Be sure to join us for this world debut of Nancy's work at 3:30 PM.
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ODHH "Munch & Mingle" Reception at 4:00 - 6:30 PM in Ballroom C

     ODHH recognizes and affirms that Deaf Seniors face many barriers and need more access. We want to meet you and learn more about what we can do together. This is your opportunity to exchange ideas, feedback, and resources with us and get to know us better! It's time for a heart-to-heart conversation about the needs of Deaf Seniors with our state organizations. Hors d’oeuvres provided. All DSA participants are welcome!
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Lots More Photos from Monday
By RaeVern DuMond, DSA NW Daily News Photographer

 

 

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Even the Streetlights are "Deaf-Friendly" in Seattle!

ILY Red Light (photo by Mirna Castrejon)

Your DSA Northwest Daily News Staff

We are located in the Ballard Room on the 3rd floor of the Sheraton's Pike Street Tower. Drop by and see us and join in the fun!

Standing L to R: Mirna Castrejon, RaeVern DuMond, Sally Taylor, Cindy McNeely, Rosemary DiSiervi, John Taft.
Seated: Sara Geballe (not pictured: Nikki Ekle and Linda Reaves-Randall)

Editor: Sara Geballe, sarageballe@gmail.com 

Contributors:  Mirna Castrejon, Rosemary DiSiervi, RaeVern DuMond, Nikki Ekle, Cindy Cox McNeely, Linda Reaves-Randall, Van Scheppach, John Taft, and Sally Taylor.