CHAIRPERSON'S REPORT

JULY 2002 - AUGUST 2003

DEAFBLIND AWARENESS WEEK

The Association spent a good part of the year planning the National Launch of the 2003 DeafBlind Awareness Week. The Australian DeafBlind Council; approached the Association during the conference and asked whether we would undertake this task. The extraordinary effort was well worth it, culminating in a week of events highlighting deafblindness, fundraising for the association and celebrating the lives of deafblind people.

The week began with a family fun day held on CanDo4Townsend House grounds. An information evening was held on resources for deafblind persons, with speakers from Sensability, SAIL and CanDo4kids Townsend House. A quietly successful trivia evening raised funds for the association and unintentionally raised some awareness. Helen Keller Day was celebrated with our traditional cake cutting ceremony. We were thankful to have MP, Robyn Geraghty in attendance and cut the cake. The week ended with a terrific workshop in tactile signing and a video on renowned Australian DeafBlind man, Billy Sinclair. Through out the week two deafblind persons addressed a number of senior secondary classes, talking about deafblindness and their lives.

Through out the planning process and the actual week a huge number of people gave their time and support in a variety of ways. I would like to make mention of all these people:

Kay Tindall, Allan Tindall, Andrew Daly (RSB), Paul Creedon (Sensability), Elisa Adams (CanDo4kids Townsend House), Georgena Robertson (CanDo4kids Townsend House), Claire Cotton (CanDo4kids Townsend House), Barry Mackie (DeafSA), Heather Loades (DeafSA), Tom Walker (snr), Tom Walker (jnr), Becki Walker, Christina Walker, Pauline Locke (Strathmont), Stephen Hellier, Rhonda Nelson, Michelle Thredgold, Rotary Club Somerton Park and Robert Milton.

And these organisations:

Strathmont, Townsend House, IDSC, Guide Dogs SA & NT, DeafSA, Sensability, Royal Society for the Blind, Successful Adults in Life (SAIL).

Lastly I must make a special and personal thank you to Jane Nelson (SAIL) who quietly put in an extraordinary effort to assist the working committee and support the awareness week events.

I hope I have not forgotten to thank anyone. There was such great support from so many people and the association is thankful to every one of those people.

FUNDRAISING

We have undertaken a huge fundraising drive. Well, at least it is huge for an association our size. Some of this fundraising was to help towards the cost of DeafBlind Awareness Week. We had some wonderful prizes donated to include in our raffle. At the time of writing we are still selling tickets and the raffle will be drawn at the AGM. We sold a number of 'Entertainment Books', raising a small amount of money. We have been selling chocolates and hope to clear these all before the heat of summer arrives.

NEWSLETTER

The newsletter continues to be a major source of information. We have had three large newsletter thus far this year, all packed with lots of information. We must thank a number of Strathmont staff and clients, particularly Pauline Locke, who help print, collate and distribute the newsletters. This is a huge undertaking. Sensibility (Sensory Options as it was known) continues to distribute the newsletter to their deafblind and dual sensory impaired data base. The Royal Society for the Blind produces our newsletter in an audible format for those who wish it in this way. Of course the newsletter wouldn't even happen if it weren't for the efforts of John Locke who edits and formats it all..

OTHER THANKS

I must also thank Geoff Dibdin, our auditor for again auditing our accounts. A copy of the audited accounts will be included with this newsletter. In addition Geoff assisted me with a complicated RevenueSA application this year.

DeafSA continues to support the committee by supplying us with meeting rooms. They also supply the committee with interpreters at every second executive meeting so our deafblind members, who require interpreting, can attend and participate fully.

The executive committee should also be mentioned for their ongoing effort, particularly the secretary and treasurer who undertake inordinate amounts of extra work, while balancing full time work and families.

PREMIERS GRANT

The majority of delegates from the 2002 Sydney conference reported at the previous AGM. However, since that time, our Premiers Grant for sending two delegates over was acquitted and finalised. The final monies of $200 was distributed equally among the four executive members at that time who attended the conference largely at their own expense. They were Arnold Cielens, Ivo Elts and Craig Gordon and myself. This was by agreeance of the whole committee.

ON A PERSONAL NOTE

I feel I may have neglected the association slightly due to a complicated pregnancy. At the time of writing his report I am due to have a baby in two days. It has certainly knocked me about, but somehow I got through deafblind Awareness Week in one piece and still standing! I must thank Craig for his support during this time. I need to also thank John Crawford, for his ongoing support and knowledge in times of confusion.

Craig and I are looking forward to attending the 2004 National DeafBlind Conference to be held in Melbourne in July and hope we can bring back some useful information and knowledge.

I hope I have served the committee and the association well this past year. I have enjoyed being the chairperson which has been a new experience and a somewhat challenging role for me. I look forward to spending another year with the committee, further expanding our membership and support base.

With thanks,
Emma Gordon.
President.