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The Hays Daily News
A local organization is striving to provide better services to the estimated 2,000 people in the area who are deaf or hard of hearing.
Western Kansas Deaf and Hard of Hearing is headed by Jackie Williams, whose husband is deaf, and Gina Schonthaler, who became hard of hearing at age 8.
The business seeks to educate and to provide services for people with hearing disabilities, Schonthaler said.
"We try to provide the things that people would need," Schonthaler said. "That way the deaf or hard of hearing will know what's going on."
For example, the group received a grant to purchase smoke and carbon dioxide detectors that flash a strobe light warning or weather alert radios that print text warnings, she said.
The organization received the $500 grant from Hays-based Midwest Energy, and also received a distinguished service award from the Kansas Association of the Deaf.
The group conducts various fundraisers regularly, and the money raised also helps provide interpretation services for anyone who might need them, she said.
They also work with local emergency management services, and last summer had a picnic for the hard of hearing at which local emergency officials gave presentations and took questions from those in attendance.
The event was successful and could be repeated in the future, Williams said.
"To me, I felt like, as the state of Kansas, they need to have a refresher course every two years on communication barriers for people with disabilities," she said.
The idea is to educate these individuals so they can be prepared and know what to do in case of disaster, Schonthaler said.
The group also has big plans for the future. The women hope the business one day will have a small public office and continue to reach more of the deaf population, Williams said.
The organization, which is home-based, has been in operation for about four years and consists of almost 30 members.
A local organization is striving to provide better services to the estimated 2,000 people in the area who are deaf or hard of hearing.
Western Kansas Deaf and Hard of Hearing is headed by Jackie Williams, whose husband is deaf, and Gina Schonthaler, who became hard of hearing at age 8.
The business seeks to educate and to provide services for people with hearing disabilities, Schonthaler said.
"We try to provide the things that people would need," Schonthaler said. "That way the deaf or hard of hearing will know what's going on."
For example, the group received a grant to purchase smoke and carbon dioxide detectors that flash a strobe light warning or weather alert radios that print text warnings, she said.
The organization received the $500 grant from Hays-based Midwest Energy, and also received a distinguished service award from the Kansas Association of the Deaf.
The group conducts various fundraisers regularly, and the money raised also helps provide interpretation services for anyone who might need them, she said.
They also work with local emergency management services, and last summer had a picnic for the hard of hearing at which local emergency officials gave presentations and took questions from those in attendance.
The event was successful and could be repeated in the future, Williams said.
"To me, I felt like, as the state of Kansas, they need to have a refresher course every two years on communication barriers for people with disabilities," she said.
The idea is to educate these individuals so they can be prepared and know what to do in case of disaster, Schonthaler said.
The group also has big plans for the future. The women hope the business one day will have a small public office and continue to reach more of the deaf population, Williams said.
The organization, which is home-based, has been in operation for about four years and consists of almost 30 members.