Big Island ASL Users

December is a time for celebrate.  Also, Deaf community on the Big Island celebrated Christmas Party. On December 16, 35 adults and children joined Diamond Head School Alumni 6th Annual Joint Winter Christmas Party at the Mokuola Ballroom 1 of the Hilo Hawaiian Hotel. The Mokuoloa Ballroom 1 has a beautiful lookout to Coconut Island and Hilo Bay. That is not the first time to happen on the Big Island. Two years ago, Diamond Head School celebrated with the Deaf community in Kailua Kona. Christmas tree The president of the Big Island Deaf Club, Linda Sykora gave the necklace to Diamond Head School. Myles Nishiyama gave Super Prizes Grab Bags Norman Kai and Laura Laura Roberts, President of Diamond Head School Alumni gives awards to volunteers. Beverly Greenwell and Myles Nishiyama got the certificate of Appreciation. Also, Norman Kai from the Big Island got this certificate. Diamond Head School Alumni 6th Annual Joi

Big Island Deaf Club, Angela Nagata (Teacher of the Deaf), Deaf Mental Health Services (Roxsanne Tomita), Dominos Pizza Waimea, Toys for Tots, and Parker Ranch Shopping Center supported a Deaf Santa Christmas at the Parker Ranch Shopping Center in Waimea on December 7 2017. In the Parker Ranch Shopping Center Food Court Room, Deaf students from Waimea- and Keaau Elementary School came with her/his family for a delightful visit and photos with Deaf Santa at Parker Ranch Center. Also, they shared with children with the autism from Kona Classes to greet "Santa!" in American Sign Language. Deaf resident, Linda tell story in ASL Children enjoy storytelling in ASL Photo with Deaf Santa Christmas Gifts Crafts with Mrs. Claus

American Sign Language (ASL) ASL 1a with Angela Nagata: Tuesdays, 2/6 - 4/10 6:15 pm - 7:15 pm, Palamanui Campus, TBD (Nearby Int Airport Kona), $ 100 Required text: Signing Naturally, Units 1-6, etc. FOR MORE INFORMATION OR TO REGISTER: CALL: 932-7830 VISIT:  Hilo.hawaii.edu/ccecs

Resource: CCECS

Big Island Deaf Club and another Neighbor Islands attend the DHHAB Meeting in Honolulu, Oahu on November 11. The president of Aloha State Association of the Deaf, Darlene Ewan made a video summary of Introduction, DHHAB Selection of Order, DHHAB CSC,  NAD Board Meeting in Honolulu,  Honolulu Police Department,  Open Captioning and Other Related Bills. Here is a video below;  Resource: Aloha State Association of the Deaf

Disabled Job Seekers Left In Limbo By Agency's Cash Crunch : Hawaii's vocational rehabilitation program insists the problem is temporary, but some clients fear they'll lose their support.

Resource: Aloha State Association of the Deaf

Come on! Join the fun ! When: Dec ember 9 2017 Let’s enjoy our Saturday night. Meet people and drink a cup of coffee. Where: Starbucks at Prince Kuhio Plaza Mall, Hilo Time: 6 pm - 9 pm (wrong time on website Deaf Chat Coffee) Hearing people also welcome! Take your family and friends to this unique event, please! Miss this chat? Don’t worried! Deaf Chat Coffee will find on every 2nd Saturday of each month from 6 pm to 9 pm at Starbucks. Hosted by J. Needham (JMPN91@gmail.com)

Resource: Aloha Independent Living Hawaii

Aloha Everyone, Diamond Head School Alumni has established for the sixth time, Christmas Lunch. The location will be at the Hilo Hawaiian Hotel in Hilo on December 16. This event is for all Deaf, Hard of Hearing and Hearing. Here are attachment forms for anyone interested in joining the social gathering. Print these please. Mahalo! Diamond Head School Alumni Print please  Print please 

Come on! Join the fun ! When: November 11 2017 Let’s enjoy our Saturday night. Meet people and drink a cup of coffee. Where: Starbucks at Prince Kuhio Plaza Mall, Hilo Time: 6 pm - 9 pm (wrong time on website Deaf Chat Coffee) Hearing people also welcome! Take your family and friends to this unique event, please! Miss this chat? Don’t worried! Deaf Chat Coffee will find on every 2nd Saturday of each month from 6 pm to 9 pm at Starbucks. Hosted by J. Needham (JMPN91@gmail.com)

Come on! Join the fun ! When: September 9 2017 Let’s enjoy our Saturday night. Meet people and drink a cup of coffee. Where: Starbucks at Prince Kuhio Plaza Mall, Hilo Time: 6 pm - 9 pm (wrong time on website Deaf Chat Coffee) Hearing people also welcome! Take your family and friends to this unique event, please! Miss this chat? Don’t worried! Deaf Chat Coffee will find on every 2nd Saturday of each month from 6 pm to 9 pm at Starbucks. Hosted by J. Needham (JMPN91@gmail.com)

On May 7 2017, we visited the Aloha Theater in Kealakekua. This historic building from 1932 is on a busy road, the Mamalahoa Highway. Kealakekua is a former sugar plantation village and is south of Kailua Kona. Everyone thought this theater was in Hilo but it is in Kealakekua. The professional business, Aloha Performing Arts Company, gave the show, The Miracle Worker from May 5th to 21st, 2017. The story of The Miracle Worker is about the young life of a deaf blind woman, Helen Keller in Tuscumbia, Alabama and the impact of her life on her teacher, Annie Sullivan. This entertainment forgot the deaf community on the Big Island so they established a deaf friendly show on Sunday, May 7 2017 at 2:30 pm. They were very happy that we them came for the play. Inside, I saw that they wanted to share the poster of American hand alphabet and another poster about the life of Helen Keller. At the begin of the show, I realized that they knew what deaf visitors need; LIGHT. I enjoyed listening t

Since January 1, 2016, a new law requires theaters to offer movies with open captioning in the state of Hawaii. OC (Open Captioning) means subtitles on the images of TV and movie theater screens and visible to everyone. The subtitles are often found on the bottom of the screen. Because of this law, we feel part of the movie entertainment world but it is not always perfect. In November 2016, I went to  Auditorium 1 of Regal Cinemas Prince Kuhio 9 in Hilo and found the Open Captioning a bit below the screen so I couldn't follow the complete sentences. I went to the staff of this movie theater for my complaint. For this reason, I got one free movie ticket and went to another Auditorium to see another movie. A few months later, March 2017, I again visited another cinema hall for a new movie and had the problem with OC. I found that this cinema forgot to put OC in this Auditorium so I again got a new movie ticket. A few days later, I went to the cinema and had no problems. My conclusi

The Hurricane season is here so it is important to get the latest news via email. Here is the website for our Civil Defense Department http://www.hawaiicounty.gov/civil-defense/ . I encourage everyone to sign up for the Civil Defense  emergency notification/ alert service and to read the Hurricane Preparedness guide.

Come on! Join the fun ! When: August 12 2017 Let’s enjoy our Saturday night. Meet people and drink a cup of coffee. Where: Starbucks at Prince Kuhio Plaza Mall, Hilo Time: 6 pm - 9 pm (wrong time on website Deaf Chat Coffee) Hearing people also welcome! Take your family and friends to this unique event, please! Miss this chat? Don’t worried! Deaf Chat Coffee will find on every 2nd Saturday of each month from 6 pm to 9 pm at Starbucks. Hosted by J. Needham (JMPN91@gmail.com)

Polly, one of our favorite ASL interpreters has moved back to the Mainland in the month of June. We will miss her. She is a wonderful supporter of the Big Island deaf community. Here is an update of the ASL interpreter list for the Big Island.

Come on! Join the fun ! When: July 8 2017 Let’s enjoy our Saturday night. Meet people and drink a cup of coffee. Where: Starbucks at Prince Kuhio Plaza Mall, Hilo Time: 6 pm - 9 pm (wrong time on website Deaf Chat Coffee) Hearing people also welcome ! Take your family and friends to this unique event, please ! Miss this chat? Don’t worried ! Deaf Chat Coffee will find on every 2nd Saturday of each month from 6 pm to 9 pm at Starbucks. Hosted by J. Needham (JMPN91@gmail.com)

Last Minute! Ask for an interpreter ASL for one of these events. See more detail info below! 

Charity Walk Saturday May 13th. You can donate or become a walker. For walkers: Show up by 6:30 am to register Queens Marketplace, Waikoloa Walkers start at 7:00 am Bring hat, sunblock, walking shoes, registration fee $35 and forms Please see maps below Or you can donate at 2_Keiki Kuli Connections Donations will fall under the non-profit Keiki Kuli Connections which is partnering with Big Island Deaf Club. It will support programs for deaf/hh children on the big island. Hosted by Angela Nagata walkers registration form 1/2 walkers registration form 2/2