Volume 38, Issue 2 Spring 2022
President’s Column: Spring 2022
by Ken Arcia, President Hello ALDAns and Happy Spring! Tina and I have been very busy as Planning Co-Chairs for ALDAcon 2022. We have been working with Carrie and Lisa, the Program Co-Chairs, in acquiring our two speakers. We are in the process of finalizing details and then will make an announcement. We also have been working with various other ALDAcon committees. If you would like to help, please contact us at www.alda.org/contact We appreciate all the help we can get! I also want to encourage you to take advantage of the Early Bird rate for ALDAcon registration before it…
Regional Director 1: Spring 2022 Report
by Debra Bare-Rogers – Region 1 Director Living in the Northeastern part of the U.S. gives me many opportunities to do something I love to do: HIKE. My hearing loss hasn’t stopped me from exploring beautiful trails, climbing mountains, crossing waters (which are loud with my hearing aids in), and staring in awe at stunning waterfalls. I am so grateful to enjoy nature and all its seasons. And yes! I went snowshoeing and hiked in spikes this past winter. I recently added hearing aid molds, which better secure my aids in my ears, so I don’t lose them. Also, my…
Treasurer’s Report – 1st Quarter 2022
by Joe Linder, Treasurer For the first quarter of 2022, most of the activity was tied to registration for the 2022 ALDAcon in San Diego. We had 69 people sign up under the Holiday special that expired on March 17 plus one person that signed up under the Early Bird special. Total registration revenues were $14,990 which was offset by $621 in bank card processing fees. Another $1,700 was collected through ALDAcon donations and sponsorships. Another sizable activity in the first quarter of 2022 was through end of the year donations and in memory of Camille Debevetz who passed away…
Advocacy Corner – Spring 2022
by John Waldo I’ve reported in the past about what I call disability “trolls” which are law firms and what are essentially professional clients who crank out a massive number of basically identical lawsuits claiming a violation of federal and state disability laws. Although each individual lawsuit may have some merit, their sheer number suggests that the primary motive is to generate money with any benefit for people with disabilities being at best a secondary concern. This has been a particular problem in California, where a unique interplay of state and federal laws gives plaintiffs a great deal of leverage….
Communications Committee Report: Spring 2022
By Jim Laffer, Communications Committee Chair The last few months have seen both advancements and setbacks for the Communications Committee. One major change is that Corin Goodwin has stepped down from working on ALDA Communications. Her help and guidance over the last 18 months have been greatly appreciated, and we thank her for the efforts she made and the systems and structures she has helped build. As a result, the committee is seeking volunteers to work on a number of areas under the communications committee purview. If you are interested in volunteering please contact the Communications Chair, Jim Laffer, directly…
One of Us: Judith Greaves
by Karen Krull Judith Greaves is our highlighted member this Spring issue. Many of you who attended ALDAcon 2021 admired her creative backdrop of Niagara Falls for the photo booth. Judith has many talents, as I discovered in this interview. I hope you enjoy reading her answers as well as I did. KK: Where were you born and/or grew up? JG: I grew up in small town west of Ottawa Ontario KK: Where do you currently live? JG: I am in transition this year due to my husband’s death. I shall be spending the summer in the Thousand Islands area…
Meandering Through the Hearing World: Friends Helping Friends
by Linda Bilodeau Recently, I had the pleasure of having dinner with a woman who also has hearing loss. We met several years ago and became friends after having many conversations about our shared experiences with hearing loss. I found out that she developed sudden hearing loss in her forties. I told her that my inherited sensorineural hearing loss was discovered when I was in my twenties. We each wear hearing aids and have trouble hearing in background noise. Getting together in person isn’t easy. Luckily, we have technology, spunk and hearing husbands. When arriving at the restaurant, I was…
Ask the Nurse: Check the labels!
by Anne Marie Killilea, MSN, RN It is no wonder that the lasting effects of COVID-19 continue to wreak havoc in all areas of our lives. Two years of social distancing and wearing masks, along with living in fear of contracting the disease or subset of it, have caused problems in the workforce. Throughout our country, we see countless signs of “We’re Hiring!” hung over many doors to once thriving businesses. Realizing that their current job was not the best for them, workers quit their jobs in search of other employment opportunities that would give them better benefits, hours of…