2020

SeniorS’ Chat

Don’s Column Hello, Happy Hands Members and Friends,

We are not having our annual June picnic since COVID-19 is still around here. Are you not

tired of news telling us about COVID-19? We STILL need to be very careful to avoid catching

this virus.

We had a Happy Hands Zoom Playdate on May 6. It was good and fun. For many of us, it was the first time

(see page 2).

The Fine Tuners met on May 20 using Zoom. We agreed that we will have a Zoom presentation by Dr.

Donalda Ammons from her home in Parkland, FL on finding lawyers, doing wills, etc. on June 3 (see page

2). Members will receive the link to view this presentation. If you do not have Zoom downloaded on your

computer yet, we recommend

that you do it soon.

If you are interested in helping

with our committees, feel free

to let Nancy Rarus know.

As usual, Stay Happy Safely

with Our Awesome Hands!

~ Don

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ...to the folks with birthdays in June

Sally Newman [1st]

Lois Herberger [3rd]

Selina Gilson [13th]

Toyoko Stryker [21st]

Jerry Pelarski [2nd]

Jill Moebus [9th]

Grace Kim [20th]

Pat Beech [28th]

PAGE 2

Happy Hands Zoom Meeting June 3, 2020 at 10:00 AM

We will have our 2nd Zoom Meeting on June 3, 2020 at 10:00-12:00PM. We will have a

guest speaker at this meeting: Donalda Ammons. She will talk about:

How to select a lawyer to draft living will, advance directives, and healthcare power

of attorney documents?

Difference between Durable and Healthcare Power of Attorney?

Selecting Durable Power of Attorney and Executor can be complex. Same person for

both? Or Two different persons?

Does your Power of Attorney document include the HIPPA Act?

If you die at home- call 911 or Funeral Home? Is it in accordance with your wishes- burial or cremation?

Here is a picture of our 1st Zoom

Meeting on May 6. We had 26 people

participating in the Zoom Playdate.

We had three members from out-of-

town. One was from Arizona, 2nd was

from Texas, and 3rd was from

Maryland. Zoom is one great way to

re-connect with people from all over.

With us being stuck indoors during the

COVID-19 pandemic, people are

turning to video calls to chat with

friends, family members, colleagues,

classmates and customers. There are many apps, but Zoom is increasingly the preferred app. Zoom is being

used for weddings, bar mitzvahs, meditation sessions, funeral services, etc. There are other apps for video

chat.

FaceTime, best for calling friends on Apple devices

[https://apps.apple.com/us/app/facetime/id1110145091]

Facebook Messenger, best for Facebook addicts [https://www.messenger.com/]

Google Hangouts [https://hangouts.google.com/]

Google Meet [https://meet.google.com/]

GoToMeeting [https://www.gotomeeting.com/]

Marco Polo, best for sending video messages [https://www.marcopolo.me/]

Microsoft Teams [https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/microsoft-teams/group-chat-software]

Skype, best for group chats [https://www.skype.com/en/]

WhatsApp, best for calling friends on mobile devices [https://www.whatsapp.com/]

Additional Resources

What is Telemedicine? [https://youtu.be/RQIxP8Mcoag]

Wear A Mask [https://youtu.be/gc4fRTKrpJE]

Group of Deaf Women Photographers during COVID-19 [https://www.kiro7.com/news/local/group-deaf-women-photograph-coronavirus-pandemic/ZRQU3VMIAFCTXCNYM5LLKRUFFI/]

Virginia’s Road to Recovery

Phase One

PAGE 3

Phase One began on May 14, 2020 and will last at least two weeks. However, Northern Virginia, Accomack

County, and Richmond were granted two-week delays until May 29

[https://www.jdsupra.com/legalnews/virginia-delays-phase-one-of-its-44415/].

For more information about Phase One, see:

Governor Northam Announces Phase One Guidelines to Slowly Ease Public Health Restrictions

https://www.governor.virginia.gov/newsroom/all-releases/2020/may/headline-856681-en.html

Phase One guidelines for specific sectors

https://www.virginia.gov/coronavirus/forwardvirginia/

Graphs and Slides from the Governor’s presentation

https://www.governor.virginia.gov/media/governorvirginiagov/governor-of-virginia/pdf/Slide-deck-

5.8.2020-Forward-Virginia-Phase-One.pdf

Full Text of Executive Order Sixty-One and Order of Public Health Emergency Three

https://www.governor.virginia.gov/media/governorvirginiagov/executive-actions/EO-61-and-Order-of-

Public-Health-Emergency-Three---Phase-One-Easing-Of-Certain-Temporary-Restrictions-Due-To-Novel-

Coronavirus-(COVID-19).pdf

Forward Virginia Blueprint, which includes Phase One, Phase Two, and Phase Three

https://www.governor.virginia.gov/media/governorvirginiagov/governor-of-virginia/pdf/Forward-Virginia-

Presentation-5.4.pdf

Governor Extends Public Health Restrictions in Northern Virginia Until May 29

Virginia’s Road to Recovery (continued from page 3)

PAGE 4

Social Distancing Issues

for the DeafBlind Community

by Melanie Williams

The need for social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted all of our lives in many ways,

especially the Deaf Community. This need has created even more exceptional challenges for many in the Deaf-

Blind Community.

I attended a Zoom meeting called by Richard Jeffries, president of the Maryland Association of the Deaf

(MDAD), on May 11, 2020. In attendance besides myself were Ben Belisle, president of the Metropolitan

Washington Association of the Deaf-Blind (MWADB); Mary Rose Gonzalez, president of the Virginia

Association of the Deaf (VAD); Graham Forsey, president of the District of Columbia Association of the Deaf

(DCAD); and Najma Johnson, executive director of the Deaf Abused Women’s Network in Washington, DC

(DAWN).

We discussed how best to support Deaf-Blind/low-vision (DB/LV) individuals in receiving resources and

support during COVID-19. It was agreed that MDAD will work with MWADB to develop resource sheets to

share with all stakeholders. These sheets should include information on how to help communication facilitators

(CF)/co-navigators work with DB/LV individuals, such as using masks, washing hands, and using sanitizers.

Additionally, DAWN can provide training in working with DB/LV individuals in issues such as domestic

violence. MDAD will follow up with the Columbia Lighthouse for the Blind (CLB) to see where they are in

providing support to Deaf-Blind Marylanders. MDAD will also talk with organizations and agencies outside

the DC metropolitan area that provide support to DB/LV individuals.

I have listed below links to a few articles and videos about deaf-blindness and COVID I found when

researching online. There are many more.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/they-are-deaf-and-blind-and-social-distancing-has-now-taken-

their-ability-to-touch/2020/04/08/de5a9d42-79ae-11ea-9bee-c5bf9d2e3288_story.html

https://abcnews.go.com/US/facing-coronavirus-deaf-blind-relies-touch/story?id=70274235

https://www.cnbc.com/2020/05/10/the-struggles-americas-disabled-are-facing-during-coronavirus-

pandemic.html

https://www.wdbj7.com/content/news/Virginias-Deaf-Blind-communities-face-unique-challenges-during-

pandemic-569338101.html

https://www.dailymoth.com/blog/impact-of-covid-19-on-deafblind-individuals

https://www.newyorker.com/news/our-columnists/who-is-worthy-deaf-blind-people-fear-that-doctors-

wont-save-them-from-the-coronavirus

https://chicago.cbslocal.com/2020/03/20/coronavirus-chicago-deafblind-bryen-yunushko/

https://www.npr.org/2020/05/03/849837043/people-with-disabilities-fear-discrimination-in-coronavirus-

response

PAGE 5

Correction to Steve Brenner’s Tribute

on page 10 in the May 2020 issue:

Dot Brenner thanked Happy Hands for the beautiful tribute about her dear Steve’s life. She had two corrections:

They have five grandchildren, not four.

They were together 57 years, not 52.

Public Input Meetings Announced

Now is your chance to make your voice heard!

The Virginia Board for People with Disabilities is holding four online

meetings over the next month to gather public input. Your input will be

used by the Board to develop its next five-year state plan. This plan will

direct ALL of the Board's activities and play an enormous role in how the

Board prioritizes its funding for grants and other programs to improve

disability services around Virginia.

We need voices from the disability community - self advocates, parents, caregivers, and more - to help guide

our work and our priorities. These meetings are free, online, and open to the public! A computer, internet-

ready device, or phone will be required to participate. Public comments will be taken during the meeting and

we definitely want to hear from you!

Wednesday, June 3 at 10:00am Tuesday, June 16 at 12:00pm

https://zoom.us/j/96272889355 https://zoom.us/j/94141427733

646-558-8656 301-715-8592

ID# 962 7288 9355 ID# 941 4142 7733

Thursday, June 11 at 6:00pm Saturday, June 27 at 11:00am

https://zoom.us/j/99208711573 https://zoom.us/j/93368705508

646-558-8656 301-715-8592

ID # 992 0871 1573 ID# 933 6870 5508

SHARE THIS

Keeping Virginians informed about disability services and issues is one of our most important responsibilities!

VA Board for People with Disabilities, 1100 Bank St, 7th Floor, Richmond, VA 23219

E-mail: info@vbpd.virginia.gov

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/VABOARD/

Virginia Board for

People with Disabilities

PAGE 6

What Can I Do

While Social Distancing

What Can I Do

While Social Distancing

PAGE 7

Cool Stuff to Do While Social Distancing:

https://www.myeldersource.org/cool-stuff-to-do-while-social-distancing/

100 Things to Do While Stuck Inside Due To A Pandemic:

https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/health-wellness/2020/03/16/coronavirus-quarantine-100-things-do-

while-trapped-inside/5054632002/

How can I help:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2020/03/21/how-you-can-

help-during-coronavirus/

Apps for Video Chat (see page 2):

Facebook Messenger

FaceTime

Google Hangout

Skype

Zoom

Small Gatherings (no more than 10 people) while social distancing

at 6 feet:

Parking lot

Driveways

Parks

Activities:

Puzzle (i.e., Jigsaw, Crossword, Sudoku, Word Search)

Journal or Poetry (i.e., Experiences with COVID-19 Specific Interest

such as chess, cheese)

Recommended Movies for 2019:

https://time.com/5737103/best-movies-2019/

https://www.indiewire.com/gallery/50-best-movies-2019-critics-poll/once-upon-a-time-in-hollywood-6/

Top 100s of all time:

AFI’s 100 Years …. 100 Movies [https://www.afi.com/afis-100-years-100-movies/]

The Guardian’s Top 100 Books of All Time

[https://www.theguardian.com/world/2002/may/08/books.booksnews]

Sunshine

News

Ina P. Ewan departed on April 18, 2020 from natural causes in Frederick, MD. She

was 92 years old. She was born in Mebane, NC. She graduated from North Carolina

School for the Deaf in Morganton in 1947. She was a basketball star and was

inducted in the NCSD Hall of Fame for her basketball prowess. She moved to

Washington, DC where she lived for more than 25 years before moving to South

Florida where she lived for 39 years. She is survived by three daughters: Paula Jean

Ammons, Donalda Ammons, and Sandra Ammons; two step-sons: Sandy Ewan and

Elmer Ewan; eight grandchildren; and fourteen great grand-children. To honor Ina’s

life, the Ammons/Ewan family has designated the following charities:

Gallaudet University Alumni Association (GUAA)

Peikoff Alumni

800 Florida Avenue NE

Washington, DC 20002

https://www.gallaudet.edu/office-of-development/ina-ewan-memorial

United States of America Deaf Sports Federation (USADSF)

P.O. Box 22011

Santa Fe, NM 87502-2011

https://usdeafsports.kindful.com/?campaign=1065123

Youth Leadership Camp Alumni Foundation (YLCAF)

P.O. Box 3535

Frederick, MD 21705-3535

https://ylcafoundation.org/donate/#!form/Donations

Elizabeth “Libby” Sparks Pollard passed at the age of 80 on April 26, 2020.

She was born on March 21, 1940. She went to West Virginia School for the

Deaf and the Blind, where she became known as “Libby”. She transferred to

Western Pennsylvania School for the Deaf and graduated in 1956. She enrolled

at Gallaudet and went on to study data entry at the Electronics Computer

Programming Institute in Cleveland, OH for two years. In 1972 Libby became

a keypunch/data entry operator at the Iron City Sash and Door Company in

Pittsburgh, PA. She retired in April 2002 after 30 years with the company.

Throughout her life, Libby contributed a lot time to many organizations as a

volunteer, board member, and parliamentarian. She served on the boards of

WPSD, the WPSD Alumni Association, and the Gallaudet University Alumni

Association. At the 1998 NAD Biennial Conference in San Antonio, TX, she was elected as President of

NAD, becoming the third woman to service in this capacity. After her NAD service, she studied to become a

certified parliamentarian. She was also on the board for Deaf Seniors of America (first as secretary, and later

as parliamentarian). Libby is survived by four sons: Verne Taylor, David Taylor, Richard Taylor, and Tim

Taylor; 15 grandchildren; and 10 great-grandchildren.

Source: https://www.nad.org/2020/04/27/in-memoriam-elizabeth-libby-pollard/

- continued on page 9 -

PAGE 8

Thanks to:

Pat Beech for doing the monthly HH Newsletter issue

Sharon Svenningsen, Melanie Williams, and Nancy Rarus for proofreading the monthly HH Newsletter issue

Debbie Jones for stuffing the monthly HH Newsletter hardcopies and getting them ready for mail

PAGE 9

Sunshine News (continued from page 8)

Cheryl Rockburn’s mother, Ruby Thornton, passed away on

Thursday, April 30, 2020 at home. She lived to be 96 years

old. She was born in Lexington, Kentucky and was truly a

Southern lady. Her greatest love was her family. She was a

devoted mother to three children: Cheryl, Linda, and Steven,

grandmother of five grandchildren, and great-grandmother of

three great-grandchildren. She shall be greatly missed.

Source:

https://www.everhere.com/us/obituaries/ky/lexington/ruby-

edna-tinnon-thornton-10798657

Lilly Rattner Shirey passed away on May 11, 2020 in Boynton Beach, FL. She was

87 years old. During her lifetime, Lilly worked in the private and public sectors. Her

favorite jobs were with the captioned films office at Fanwood and as a teacher’s aide

at the American School for the Deaf. Her last job was at the Federal Bureau of

Investigation (FBI) as a tour guide. Lilly was born in Vienna, Austria on October 27,

1932. At the age of eight, her life changed

dramatically. She and her family fled to Genoa, Italy

in Spring 1940 to board a ship for the United States.

She attended Lexington School for the Deaf and Textile High School. Much

later in life, she attended Gallaudet University, where she was a member of

the Class of 1985. She is survived by four children: June Ellen Rothenberg

McMahon, Janet Sue Rothenberg Weinstock, Andrew Albert Berke, and

Michele G. Berke; and four grandchildren. A virtual celebration of Lilly’s life

will be held on Sunday, June 14th at 1PM ET. Memorial contributions can be

made to the Gallaudet University Alumni Association (https://www.gallaudet.edu/office-of-

development/lilly-r-shirey-memorial/) or the National Association of the Deaf. As someone who escaped the

horrors of the Holocaust, Lilly put together albums, wrote articles, was interviewed, and gave presentations to

share what she and her family experienced during the Holocaust as Deaf Jews. Here are several links

regarding her experience:

Signed Testimony of Lilly Rattner Shirey [https://collections.ushmm.org/search/catalog/irn39662]

Pre-Holocaust Experience of a Deaf Jewish Family [https://deafww2.com/wp-

content/uploads/2018/06/Pre-HolocaustExperiencewithDeafJewishFamily.pdf]

YouTube Interviews [https://youtu.be/bO3puzYpihI and https://youtu.be/INJcZDvPsa8]

Happy Hands Seniors - Profile Series SELINA GILSON

Full name: Selina Gilson

Maiden name: Sharp

Where were you born? Ahoskie, NC

Where have you lived the longest? Springfield, VA

Were you born Deaf? Yes

Did you come from a Deaf family? No

Did you attend the State School for the Deaf? Yes. I graduated from North Carolina School for the Deaf in Morganton

What was your favorite subject in high school and why?

Mathematics because I love numbers.

What activities did you participate in after school?

Played basketball, Anchor Club, Class officer (secretary and treasurer)

Did you attend college after graduating from high school?

Yes. I attended Gallaudet.

If married, how did you meet your spouse?

I met my husband, Ross, at Gallaudet. We have been married 42 years.

Any children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren? Two children and 5 grandchildren.

Are you still working or are you retired? Retired in 2008

What was your occupation?

Scientist at Naval Surface Warfare Center in Carderock (Bethesda, MD).

What is your favorite hobby? Reading, walking, games, and puzzles

Do you like to travel? Yes. I have several favor ite places: Hawaii, and countr ies around Mediter ranean Sea like Italy, Turkey, Greece, Ireland, and Scotland.

What do you do for fun?

Camping/Hiking, lighthouse sightseeing, and visiting US National Parks.

PAGE 10

Events for June 2020

Happy Hands

Zoom Meeting

Happy Hands

Fine Tuners

Zoom Meeting

PAGE 11

COVID-19 [https://nvrc.org/the-coronavirus-outbreak/]:

Captioned Videos for Elderly in English and Spanish

ASL Videos from CDC

COVID-19 Hospital Communication & Technology Information

At-Home Resources for Language Instructions/Education of Children who are Deaf/Hard of Hearing

How Do I Communication with Doctors, Nurse and Staff at the Hospital

Dedicated Shopping Times for Senior Citizens

Message from NAD about COVID-19

Webinars at NVRC:

Technology and APPS Web based and Mobile, aired on 04-28-2020 [https://youtu.be/HHSUKJQUDgo]

Mental Health Toolbox for Surviving Isolation, aired on 04-30-2020 [https://youtu.be/gU9S110nHg4]

Navigating the Latest Technology Options Available to Hearing Aid Users, aired on 05-09-2020 [https://youtu.be/OcqB4Qwk0S0]

NVRC

Resources

Closed March 17, 2020 until

further notice, due to COVID-19

PAGE 12

What is

ErrandFolks?

Source: https://www.facebook.com/ErrandFolks/

What is ErrandFolks? We are a volunteer-based service that provides assistance to Deaf elders and people

with health risks during this difficult time of the COVID-19 pandemic. Most of them are at risk to go out and

collect their groceries or do any type of errands, and we want to help remove that fear. If you need grocery

shopping, The ErrandFolks got you! We only can’t pick up prescriptions.

How does it all work? Our ultimate goal is to keep this simple and sweet for all of you! First, you will need to

send an email to info@ErrandFolks.com that you need support. We will respond with a few questions (your

location/what you need/where we find them/when need it) Then we will send out confidential information to

our folks in your location to see who is available to help you. When we have an ErrandFolk ready to support

you, they will be connected with you to work together to get your errands done.

For payment, there are two options. First, an ErrandFolk can pay for your items, then you reimburse them.

The reimbursement can be via electronic transfer or cash, it will be decided between the client and Errand-

Folk. Second option: the client pays in advance, then an ErrandFolk will share the receipt and reimburse the

difference.

I want to emphasize the importance of social distancing. The client can give special instructions on where to

drop off their order (i.e. front door, backyard or etc.) Please be sure to keep your distance from each other.

ErrandFolks [https://errandfolks.com/] is a very new

service, established on March 14, 2020. We are open

to any feedback/suggestions. Please feel free to send

an email to info@ErrandFolks.com, if you have any

questions or concerns.

For locations, see: https://errandfolks.com/locations.

HH Committee for 2019-2020

Chair — Don Ames

Vice Chair — Jill Moebus

Secretary — Cheryl Rockburn

Treasurer — Selina Gilson

Member At Large — Tom Dowling

Member At Large — Ross Gilson

Member At Large — Kea Manfredonio

Member At Large — Rocky Rockburn

Member At Large — Steve Williams

Ex Officio — Nancy Rarus

Sunshine Club — Lynn Keefe

Membership — Pat Beech

Newsletter Editor — Pat Beech

Memorial — Pat Beech and Peggy Daniels

Historian — Pat Beech

Food Committee — Ann Marie Swiatkowski