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Deaf come together at holiday celebration » Ventura County Star
A seasonal celebration was held Saturday for families who receive services through Tri-County GLAD, a nonprofit agency serving the deaf and hard-of-hearing community.
The organization’s 21st annual holiday celebration was held at the Elks Lodge in Oxnard and featured a signing Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus, who handed out gifts of books to the children.
“We want to provide a great spirit for everybody and give parents the opportunity to mingle with other parents and share their experiences, and the children can identify when they see other deaf children,” said Tri-County GLAD Director Julianna Fjeld, speaking through American Sign Language interpreter Mark Robinson of Ventura. “There are no problems and no limitations here.”
Tri-County GLAD, serving Ventura, Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties, works under the auspices of the Department of Social Services and provides services such as communication access, advocacy, community education workshops and peer counseling.
“Here in Ventura County, there are 62,000 people who are hard of hearing, deaf and with hearing loss,” signed Fjeld. “We’re the one-stop center for them.”
Jose and Angelica Lopez, who are both deaf, attended the party with their children, who are all able to hear.
“I am really enjoying this. It’s wonderful to be able to mingle with other deaf people and to be able to sign,” said Jose Lopez who works at Naval Base Ventura County, Point Mugu, speaking through Robinson.
Scott Groeneveld of Ventura attended the event with his 20-year-old daughter, who is deaf.
“She’s been coming here for as long as they’ve been doing it. It’s an opportunity for her to reconnect with friends,” he said. “Kids in Oxnard and Ventura come together in Ventura for their elementary and middle school education and then they’re in Oxnard for their high school education, so this is an opportunity for them to get together.
“This is an occasion when she’s not relying on her parents in order to communicate with the hearing world,” said Groeneveld, who is a teacher. “We’re sitting over here in the corner and she’s having a great time out there, so it’s very important. It’s one of the big social events of the year for her.”
The annual celebration was also a highlight for 14-year-old Ernesto Hernandez, who attends the California School for the Deaf, Riverside, during the week, returning home to Oxnard on weekends.
“It’s a lot of fun being able to socialize and make new friends and meet new people. Here, everyone is the same,” he said through interpreter Karen DeFazio who teaches in the Ventura County SELPA Deaf and Hard of Hearing Program at Loma Vista Elementary School.
“I have brought him to this event since he was little,” said Ernesto’s mom, Laura Hernandez. “Tri-County GLAD has helped me a lot. Just the awareness of what these children need is great, and there are a lot of resources they make you aware of.”
Volunteers including Seabees and Boy Scouts helped with the party, serving lunch and hosting activities for the children that included decorating Christmas cookies and face painting.
Rachel Lopez of Thousand Oaks has a 16-year-old daughter who is deaf. “It’s great to be here with friends and family and just to enjoy the holiday season,” she said.
A seasonal celebration was held Saturday for families who receive services through Tri-County GLAD, a nonprofit agency serving the deaf and hard-of-hearing community.
The organization’s 21st annual holiday celebration was held at the Elks Lodge in Oxnard and featured a signing Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus, who handed out gifts of books to the children.
“We want to provide a great spirit for everybody and give parents the opportunity to mingle with other parents and share their experiences, and the children can identify when they see other deaf children,” said Tri-County GLAD Director Julianna Fjeld, speaking through American Sign Language interpreter Mark Robinson of Ventura. “There are no problems and no limitations here.”
Tri-County GLAD, serving Ventura, Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties, works under the auspices of the Department of Social Services and provides services such as communication access, advocacy, community education workshops and peer counseling.
“Here in Ventura County, there are 62,000 people who are hard of hearing, deaf and with hearing loss,” signed Fjeld. “We’re the one-stop center for them.”
Jose and Angelica Lopez, who are both deaf, attended the party with their children, who are all able to hear.
“I am really enjoying this. It’s wonderful to be able to mingle with other deaf people and to be able to sign,” said Jose Lopez who works at Naval Base Ventura County, Point Mugu, speaking through Robinson.
Scott Groeneveld of Ventura attended the event with his 20-year-old daughter, who is deaf.
“She’s been coming here for as long as they’ve been doing it. It’s an opportunity for her to reconnect with friends,” he said. “Kids in Oxnard and Ventura come together in Ventura for their elementary and middle school education and then they’re in Oxnard for their high school education, so this is an opportunity for them to get together.
“This is an occasion when she’s not relying on her parents in order to communicate with the hearing world,” said Groeneveld, who is a teacher. “We’re sitting over here in the corner and she’s having a great time out there, so it’s very important. It’s one of the big social events of the year for her.”
The annual celebration was also a highlight for 14-year-old Ernesto Hernandez, who attends the California School for the Deaf, Riverside, during the week, returning home to Oxnard on weekends.
“It’s a lot of fun being able to socialize and make new friends and meet new people. Here, everyone is the same,” he said through interpreter Karen DeFazio who teaches in the Ventura County SELPA Deaf and Hard of Hearing Program at Loma Vista Elementary School.
“I have brought him to this event since he was little,” said Ernesto’s mom, Laura Hernandez. “Tri-County GLAD has helped me a lot. Just the awareness of what these children need is great, and there are a lot of resources they make you aware of.”
Volunteers including Seabees and Boy Scouts helped with the party, serving lunch and hosting activities for the children that included decorating Christmas cookies and face painting.
Rachel Lopez of Thousand Oaks has a 16-year-old daughter who is deaf. “It’s great to be here with friends and family and just to enjoy the holiday season,” she said.