The Monitor
A bi-annual publication of
Canadian Deafblind Association
Ontario Chapter
Historic Deafblind Awareness Month: Flag Raising Ceremony
In 2000, the provincial government passed legislation proclaiming that each June would be Deafblind Awareness Month. Each year, CDBA Ontario conducts events and activities to increase the awareness of Deafblindness in Ontario. This year’s Deafblind Awareness Month featured publicity events of an unprecedented size and scope for CDBA Ontario. On June 3rd, Julia Seed, a consumer at CDBA Ontario, made history when she opened the market at the Toronto Stock Exchange. Julia became the first person who is deafblind to open the market at the Toronto Stock Exchange in its 150 years of operation. Julia was joined by senior staff, members of the Board of Directors, TSX staff and her Intervenor for the occasion.
The stock market opening dates back the beginning of the modern stock exchange in the late 1800s and indicates the start of the day’s trading. It has now become a ceremonial action and is typically used by corporation executives and celebrities for product launches.
Before opening the market, Julia Seed and the CDBA staff had a chance to meet executives from the TSX during a light breakfast. The executives had never met an individual who is deafblind or been exposed to concept of an Intervenor and Julia stole the show during the breakfast. Everyone wanted to meet Julia!
When asked her feelings about the day, Julia says “It was an interesting experience, and it feels good being on the tv for everyone to see!”
Footage of Julia opening the TSX was broadcast live on Business News Network (BNN). The opening can also be seen on the TSX YouTube Channel. Type “CDBA opens Toronto Stock Exchange” on YouTube, Google or your favorite search engine to see this historic moment.
Thank you to the TMX Group for providing us with this amazing awareness opportunity.
Message from the Executive Director
By Cathy Proll
It is my pleasure to welcome all of our members and staff to the 2011 Spring/Summer edition of the Monitor. I would especially like to extend a warm greeting to the 65 students who have joined us in the summer program this year. It is my hope that you find your summer experience to be fun, rewarding, and a valuable stepping stone to your future. The work you perform this summer is a vital link for children who are deafblind to enjoy their summer and all of the wonderful activities that come along with it. So please feel free to share your experiences and stories with us!
My congratulations go out to the many people who have contributed to our newsletter, both this edition and the many others. It is really exciting to read the articles and understand first-hand how Intervenor Services make a difference in the lives of people who are deafblind.
I am always impressed by our CDBA family and the willingness of our consumers, families, staff and chapter members to join together across the province to assist one another and to share information. The articles included in this edition speak to this camaraderie and support. It is an important goal of CDBA to keep these connections working and we appreciate the efforts of all our stakeholders in assisting us.
So please, sit back, find some time to relax, and enjoy this edition of the Monitor. As always we welcome your comments, and of course your stories! Until next time, Happy Reading….
Cathy Proll
Art Show Draw Winner Announced
Lisa Hill presented Bonnie Horton with a lovely Sapphire and Diamond pendant and earring set that she won recently. The jewellery was generously donated by J.D. Hill Jewellers in Brantford for a draw that ran during the art exhibition at the Brantford Arts Block. J.D. Hill Jewellers has been serving Brantford and surrounding areas since 1970 and we thank them for their support.
Letter From the Editor
By Devin Shyminsky, Communications Coordinator
Welcome back to another great edition of The Monitor! As you’ll see when you read this newsletter, the Ontario Chapter of CDBA has been very busy.
You’ll read about events related to Deafblind Awareness Month. It was a resounding success. We ran our biggest awareness events in the history of the organization, with a ceremonial first pitch at a Toronto Blue Jays game, and opening the Toronto Stock Exchange. These events exposed a lot of people to our organization. I’d like to thank everyone who contributed to make this edition what I think is our most comprehensive newsletter to date. I know that there are many other amazing stories waiting to be shared so please get in touch with me so that we can tell your story. These stories help us inform the public about deafblindness and illlustrate how people who are deafblind live rich meaningful lives with the support of an Intervenor. All the best.
Devin Shyminsky
Update on Resource Cenre
Some of you may have heard of ‘Project 2011’, a dream that started back in 2008. The vision was to be able to purchase a piece of property and turn it into our own Resource Centre. In the Fall/Winter edition of the Monitor we told you about our conditional offer for a vacant elementary school in Paris (County of Brant). CDBA Ontario is happy to announce this time has come! As of May, our Ontario Chapter is the proud owner of the
former Sacred Heart School.
Introducing the New Director of Fund Development
By Gil Scott
From the Director of Fund Development (A new po$ition!)
I am happy to report that the Board of Directors of the Ontario Chapter of CDBA found it advantageous to develop a new role. On Monday, April 18, I started my first day as Director of Fund Development.
My fundraising career actually began up in Bracebridge, where I owned a retail art gallery/bookstore called Scott’s of Muskoka. Among other things, my community service got me involved with the local hospital as a volunteer Trustee. After a few years there, I was invited to join their Foundation where I became Chair in my second year. I have always taken pleasure from the idea of nice people donating money that bought equipment and provided services to make peoples’ lives a bit better.
Over a seven-year period, I took a bunch of fundraising courses and attended many educational conferences. Still a volunteer, I wrote and passed the CFRE (Certified Fundraising Executive) exam. I think I’m still the first and perhaps only person to have done that who was not already working in the profession.
That was the turning point, as an opportunity to change careers presented itself. After thorough discussion as a family, we decided that I should throw my hat in the ring and see if anyone would hire me. Since then, I’ve had successful placements at Sunnybrook in Toronto, where I ran the Planned Giving program; Headwaters Healthcare in Orangeville where I managed a small Foundation; and Brantford General and Willett Hospital Foundations where I spent eight years managing both medium and small sized hospital Foundations.
My transition from healthcare to social services was not difficult, as my mandate for both is to raise money to ensure a better quality of life. However the learning curve is huge.
I have become aware of a whole new world that I did not know existed. Each day I am amazed by another consumer or Intervenor, as I watch the many variations of signing and other forms of communication. Every day I am in awe at the intelligence, drive and good humour our consumers and Intervenors.
My role at CDBA is to start up and develop a well-rounded fundraising program. Many people rightly think that getting solicitation letters and attending events is about fundraising. Though true, there is much more to it than that.
Fundraising is all about people, relationships, trust, integrity and education. One of our ongoing challenges will be to continue to increase the profile of CDBA throughout the province and tell more people our story. It is through that educational process, that mutual trust is built. The process takes varying amounts of time until a significant donation results.
I have always believed that ongoing stewardship is one of the most important aspects of fundraising. I never look at the ‘gift’ as the end. It is just the beginning of a relationship. And, it is important to foster that relationship as a means of generating additional donations as time goes on.
We have done several mail campaigns to various groups who already know our organization and there are more in the works.
In closing, I have one more important thing to say. The reason you are receiving this newsletter is because of your current relationship with the Ontario Chapter of CDBA.
If you have not already made a donation to the organization this year, please consider doing it. It could even be a gift in celebration of a birthday, graduation or anniversary.
If you are not in a position to make a gift, consider something else. Hold a garage sale, bake sale, car wash, host a dinner party or do something else that will raise money for CDBA. Contact me, I’ve got ideas!
There are a great many children and adults who are deafblind, who will benefit and be thankful for your generosity.
Gil Scott
Director of Fund Development
(519) 759 - 0520 (x108)
Our Voices Within... Inspired Souls Collection
CDBA Ontario’s second annual art show at the Brantford Arts Block (B.A.B.) took place from May 27 to July 2. This year’s art show was titled Our Voices Within... Inspired Souls Collection - and what an inspiration it was!
This year’s celebratory gala took place on Saturday the 28th of May to accomodate families and friends travelling from communities such as London and St. Catharines. Most of the artists were in attendance for the event. There was a brief introductory speech at the gala by Executive Director Cathy Proll, as well as a welcoming from City Councillor Marguerite Ceschi-Smith. Chantelle, a contributing artist and art show committee member, closed with a speech talking about the importance of this art show for artists who are deafblind.
Hundreds of people walked through the art gallery’s doors on the Saturday. They saw an eclectic collection that included watercolour and acrylic paintings, woven placemats, woodworking, jewelry, pottery, as well as a 3-D bird head adorned with yellow tissue paper and a giant orange beak. “Our Voices Within... Inspired Souls Collection” would not have been possible without the support of the Brantford Arts Block. The Brantford Arts Block is a registered Canadian charity. The gallery’s stated goal is to be a centre that inspires, stimulates and encourages imagination and artistic growth.
This year’s art show in support of Deafblind Awareness Month has certainly inspired, stimulated and encouraged the imagination and artistic growth of these talented artists. This year’s art show was a huge success. We can hardly wait for next year! I’m sure that many of the artists are already preparing for next year’s exhibition. CDBA Ontario thanks the Brantford Arts Block for once again making this amazing art exhibition possible. For more info on the B.A.B., please visit
A Heartfelt Thank You
by Dave Walker, President
Editor’s note:
On June 11th, Dave Walker, President of CDB Ontario, addressed the assembled crowd at the Staff Appreciation Night in Brantford. We have included a transcript of his speech so that others may know and understand how important Intervenors are to the families of individuals who are deafblind. Thank you Dave for sharing your story with us.
Good Evening.
I have been asked to close out tonight’s ceremonies withsome thoughts regarding the impact Intervenors make.Well I can say many things and they are all good. Sodon’t worry this won’t be a roast of Intervenors.
Everybody sees what you do with Deafblind people andhow amazing it is. At the opening of the TSX a week agoFriday, Julia and her Intervenor Heather stole the spotlight.They had the TSX staff mesmerized in amazement onhow they were constantly communicating. That in itselfprovided so much awareness in such a short amountof time to the gracious staff at the TSX. People heretonight have become quite used to this phenomena anddo not realise how utterly amazing the work you do is.
I certainly commend your effortsand your results.
I would like to look at your impactin a different light. As all parentsknow, raising a child and evenyoung adults, there are lots ofthings to stress about. We canget so stressed out over thesmallest things. When you have a child who is lackingin anything the stress levels are naturally higher. Theirwellbeing; their safety, health, opportunities all become
bigger than life. Throw in someone from the outsidethat you don’t know and the challenge for the parentto maintain a sense of control (and as we all know thatparents want to feel like we are in control), you havea challenging environment. You all have been put in asimilar position at some point. What you provide in shortorder is phenomenal.
Almost instantly you are seen as our child’s bestfriend, guardian, health supervisor, consoler, educator,disciplinarian (even when the parents can’t or won’t discipline), moms sounding board and advisor, eventplanner, arts and craft teacher, the ventee if thereis such a word and oh so much more. How can oneperson mean so much without being the Mom or Dador big Sister/brother and you achieve this notoriety insuch a short time. Where do you find the patience andunderstanding? You just get it! You know when and howto make a difference at the right moment. I am sure youall can relate to some of these experiences where youhave made a difference. I can tell you that you have noidea how big an impact you make and how often.
Our child’s program was in the home as some of youhere can relate too. Our intervenors did not come towork and sit at an assembly line. They weren’t babysitters. They were there to interact with our daughter; however they brought a lot more into our family. Knowingour daughter they were able to troubleshoot seeing littlesigns that Kim may not have seen that allowed us tokeep Katie happy and motivated. On stressful days it’soften the little things that make the big difference. The,I’ll take over you go and have a break or get some food.It’s listening to what’s going on and giving some friendlyadvice on age appropriate clothes, or letting Dad knowthe other siblings need some help or attention or Momfor that matter.
They were there and paidattention and helped inso many ways. By beingaccepted, you the intervenorare in a unique position tomake a difference. Youelevate the quality of life foreveryone in the family andnot just the Deafblind child. How does a parent get thecourage to let their child out to explore the world without them? They get it by the trusting in you and believingin you. That is a huge compliment. You become anextension of the family. We had nurses that helped usout and sick or healthy we would be more comfortablehaving our intervenors with Katie. Why? Because theyknew Katie. They could read her almost as well as Momand Dad and sometimes better because they could stepback and look from a different vantage point. They couldsense what was needed.
All of you intervenors somehow learn how to take thesmallest signs and turn them into early warning signals.You see trends. You see changes in mood or spasticity orattention and it means something! You know what to dowith that to help ensure the situation or the experience isthe most complete possible.
At one point in Katie’s adult program, I recall feelingjealousy. I am not the jealous type. What I was hearingand what was being described of Katie’s program to meby Kim, who had the privilege of experiencing it firsthand,made me want to be there and see it. It just felt soawesome. There was this enthusiasm, this passion forlife that was so grand that it made me want to hear everylittle tidbit about how Katie responded so that I could knowher experience. I lived it through them and my wife eventhough I wasn’t there. I cannot thank our intervenorsenough for those experiences. I would guess that you
the Intervenor do not realize how much we parents liveour child’s life by hearing you recant what you did todayand how our child young or old made out in this event orexcursion. Whether you tell the whole story or only add tothe story your charge is telling means so much.
In closing I will leave you with one last thought. We can allrelate to dreaming about our child doing something greatlike scoring the winning goal or getting the highest mark.It is especially great when someone else tells you about it so that you can savour the moment. Well let me tellyou that you are that “Someone Else” to so many of usparents. Every time you provide a positive portrayal of theday’s activities or describe how an excursion went, youare allowing the parent to experience what they did notsee and help them feel good about what their child hasdone. After all as a parent you just want the best for yourchild and you are the best for our children.