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Finding their success without hearing | News-Leader.com | Springfield News-Leader
Danna Harvey likes to go to basketball games, movies and performances, but she can't always understand what is going on because she is deaf.
Danna's mother, Terrill Harvey, said she and Danna are excited about this week, though, because it is Deaf Awareness Week.
The events, which are put on by Springfield's Deaf Awareness Group, run Sept. 18-26.
Linda Cheek, president of the group, said the week is important because those who are deaf get to see others like themselves.
"Deaf children sometimes think when they grow up, they will become hearing, because everyone they see can hear," she said. "Deaf children can mingle with deaf adults. The kids see they can live a successful life."
Terrill said she and her late husband, Harold, who was deaf, were foster parents for deaf children. They adopted Danna four years after becoming her foster parents.
"The importance is to make my daughter feel as normal as possible," Terrill said.
"She has had to compromise so much for the hearing world in her life."
One of the events is a performance by Keith Wann, a comedian who grew up with two deaf parents.
"One of our goals is to bring a performer that the deaf and hard of hearing can see in their own language," said Cheek.
Wann said his show is about his experiences growing up and communication barriers.
Obstacles
Terrill said Danna is a fan of movies and will go to the theater on special occasions, like when "Avatar" and the "Twilight" series came out. However, it was difficult for Danna to understand it completely until it came out on DVD.
"She likes action movies," Terrill said.
"She is a big fan of the 'Twilight' movies, and anything sci-fi, but we usually wait until they come out on DVD."
The Weherenberg Campbell 16 theater used to show open-captioned movies, but Kelly Hoskins, vice president of marketing for Weherenberg, said it was not cost effective.
"They were not well attended," she said. "Hearing people would not usually attend unless they were with a hearing-impaired person. Even with just subtitles, it's very distracting."
Hoskins said Weherenberg would show a prime-time show and a matinee.
Cheek said the time set aside was 1 p.m. on Sundays, which was the same time as the deaf church service.
Hoskins said that Weherenberg was one of the first theater companies in the country to provide hearing devices for the hearing impaired.
"They are special head sets that are infrared," she said. "They are used quite often and are offered at the customer service desk."
Danna Harvey likes to go to basketball games, movies and performances, but she can't always understand what is going on because she is deaf.
Danna's mother, Terrill Harvey, said she and Danna are excited about this week, though, because it is Deaf Awareness Week.
The events, which are put on by Springfield's Deaf Awareness Group, run Sept. 18-26.
Linda Cheek, president of the group, said the week is important because those who are deaf get to see others like themselves.
"Deaf children sometimes think when they grow up, they will become hearing, because everyone they see can hear," she said. "Deaf children can mingle with deaf adults. The kids see they can live a successful life."
Terrill said she and her late husband, Harold, who was deaf, were foster parents for deaf children. They adopted Danna four years after becoming her foster parents.
"The importance is to make my daughter feel as normal as possible," Terrill said.
"She has had to compromise so much for the hearing world in her life."
One of the events is a performance by Keith Wann, a comedian who grew up with two deaf parents.
"One of our goals is to bring a performer that the deaf and hard of hearing can see in their own language," said Cheek.
Wann said his show is about his experiences growing up and communication barriers.
Obstacles
Terrill said Danna is a fan of movies and will go to the theater on special occasions, like when "Avatar" and the "Twilight" series came out. However, it was difficult for Danna to understand it completely until it came out on DVD.
"She likes action movies," Terrill said.
"She is a big fan of the 'Twilight' movies, and anything sci-fi, but we usually wait until they come out on DVD."
The Weherenberg Campbell 16 theater used to show open-captioned movies, but Kelly Hoskins, vice president of marketing for Weherenberg, said it was not cost effective.
"They were not well attended," she said. "Hearing people would not usually attend unless they were with a hearing-impaired person. Even with just subtitles, it's very distracting."
Hoskins said Weherenberg would show a prime-time show and a matinee.
Cheek said the time set aside was 1 p.m. on Sundays, which was the same time as the deaf church service.
Hoskins said that Weherenberg was one of the first theater companies in the country to provide hearing devices for the hearing impaired.
"They are special head sets that are infrared," she said. "They are used quite often and are offered at the customer service desk."