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Georgia Relay Picnic Has a Lasting Impression on the Deaf Community - Arts & Life
Voices did not fill the air at the Georgia Relay Picnic at Clarks Hill Lake; instead, hands waved intricate movements recognized as American Sign Language.
People who are deaf, or partially deaf, gathered together from all parts of Georgia to talk, eat and just enjoy each other's company at the picnic. The Georgia Relay Picnic was sponsored by the Georgia Relay Service, a program created by the Georgia Public Service Commission. According to Karin Sack, who is the Outreach Coordinator for the program and the coordinator of the picnic, the program helps people who have trouble communicating on the phone by providing a relay service.
"If you want to call your deaf family members or deaf friends or know someone who is deaf, you can call them instead of trying to figure out how to contact them," Sack said. "[Georgia Relay Service] hope people understand more about the relay service, not to be afraid to call a deaf person."
The Georgia Relay Service works, according to Sack, by having Person A, the person who is deaf or partially deaf, call the service and give them his phone number. When Person B picks up the phone, the operator will explain the Georgia Relay Service and read what Person A is typing to Person B. Person B will respond with their message, and the operator will relay the message back to Person A. The operator will also tell Person A the background noises, like a dog barking or children screaming, to make the conversation seem more realistic.
The program provides different types of technology to make communicating on the phone easier for deaf and partially deaf people, according to Henry Carter, who is the outreach specialist for the Equipment Distribution Program. One of them is a CapTel phone, which is a caption phone that displays every word a person says on a display screen throughout the phone conversation. An operator at the captioning service will use voice recognition technology to translate the words to the display screen on the phone.
Technology, like the caption telephone and the Georgia Relay Service, helps deaf and partially deaf people in society by allowing them to do something that anyone else can. According to Sack, some people have misconceptions of deaf and partially deaf people.
"We're human," Sack said. "We're all the same; we have feelings; we have challenges."
Marge Tamas, the president of the Association of Late Deafened Adults of the Atlanta chapter, like the Georgia Relay Service, helps deaf and partially deaf people adjust to society when they become deaf later in their life.
"We provide support and advocacy services to people who have acquired hearing loss some time after they have learned how to speak," Tamas said. "The organization has multiple chapters in the United States"
According to Tamas, the organization holds numerous meetings and a convention during the year. At the convention and meetings, Tamas and the organization attempt to give help and advice to the people who have become deaf or partially deaf, but are having a hard time adjusting.
"We offer Web sites that have various forms of articles and all for people who find themselves in a situation of having acquired hearing loss and are wondering what to do about it," Tamas said. "Not so much from a medical standpoint, but more from an emotional or social standpoint."
For Sam Todd, this was his first year attending the Georgia Relay Picnic. According to him, he enjoys the food and the company that the picnic provides.
"Some people live in Atlanta," Todd said. "Some live outside of Atlanta, so we don't get together too often. It's one way to meet people."
Voices did not fill the air at the Georgia Relay Picnic at Clarks Hill Lake; instead, hands waved intricate movements recognized as American Sign Language.
People who are deaf, or partially deaf, gathered together from all parts of Georgia to talk, eat and just enjoy each other's company at the picnic. The Georgia Relay Picnic was sponsored by the Georgia Relay Service, a program created by the Georgia Public Service Commission. According to Karin Sack, who is the Outreach Coordinator for the program and the coordinator of the picnic, the program helps people who have trouble communicating on the phone by providing a relay service.
"If you want to call your deaf family members or deaf friends or know someone who is deaf, you can call them instead of trying to figure out how to contact them," Sack said. "[Georgia Relay Service] hope
The Georgia Relay Service works, according to Sack, by having Person A, the person who is deaf or partially deaf, call the service and give them his phone number. When Person B picks up the phone, the operator will explain the Georgia Relay Service and read what Person A is typing to Person B. Person B will respond with their message, and the operator will relay the message back to Person A. The operator will also tell Person A the background noises, like a dog barking or children screaming, to make the conversation seem more realistic.
The program provides different types of technology to make communicating on the phone easier for deaf and partially deaf people, according to Henry Carter, who is the outreach specialist for the Equipment Distribution Program. One of them is a CapTel phone, which is a caption phone that displays every word a person says on a display screen throughout the phone conversation. An operator at the captioning service will use voice recognition technology to translate the words to the display screen on the phone.
Technology, like the caption telephone and the Georgia Relay Service, helps deaf and partially deaf people in society by allowing them to do something that anyone else can. According to Sack, some people have misconceptions of deaf and partially deaf people.
"We're human," Sack said. "We're all the same; we have feelings; we have challenges."
Marge Tamas, the president of the Association of Late Deafened Adults of the Atlanta chapter, like the Georgia Relay Service, helps deaf and partially deaf people adjust to society when they become deaf later in their life.
"We provide support and advocacy services to people who have acquired hearing loss some time after they have learned how to speak," Tamas said. "The organization has multiple chapters in the United States"
According to Tamas, the organization holds numerous meetings and a convention during the year. At the convention and meetings, Tamas and the organization attempt to give help and advice to the people who have become deaf or partially deaf, but are having a hard time adjusting.
"We offer Web sites that have various forms of articles and all for people who find themselves in a situation of having acquired hearing loss and are wondering what to do about it," Tamas said. "Not so much from a medical standpoint, but more from an emotional or social standpoint."
For Sam Todd, this was his first year attending the Georgia Relay Picnic. According to him, he enjoys the food and the company that the picnic provides.
"Some people live in Atlanta," Todd said. "Some live outside of Atlanta, so we don't get together too often. It's one way to meet people."