Considering starting a deaf club/group for my area...

Dixie

Farting Snowflakes
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I have been bouncing the idea around of starting a deaf club/group here in my local area (Pope/Yell Couties and surrounding areas). I know there are deafies in the area and I have spoken to them and they seem interested in getting a deaf club going. I know this can be very time consuming but I don't want us to turn into a political group or anything just a group of deaf and HOH people gathering once a month for socializing and such with one or two club activities a year unless there is a want for more activity than that. What would be the best way of going about this? I plan to use Facebook as a tool for outreach, so perhaps a Facebook page for the group would be a good start, yes? I would like to welcome all ages and keep it family friendly in case there are minors that wish to come to our group as well. What do you think?
 
What do we think? About any aspect?

A pizza place with games would be good if you want to include kids.
 
Well, there's Hog wild but it can be expensive to book a room for club meetings, and there's CiCi's Pizza, but the parking is horrible there as it is in a strip mall that's busy. Both have games for the kids to play but hog wild is big enough they have a rock climbing wall, glow in the dark bowling, a fulle arcade, go karts, mini-golf, bumper cars, and such. That would be more for like a special party of sorts. (maybe a party celebrating all the kids birthdays in the club???) and CiCi's has a arcade room in the back.
 
For Deaf gatherings and socials here, FB is used.
 
Just wondering about this. Maybe just start a FB group and go from there based upon the response I get??
 
Just wondering about this. Maybe just start a FB group and go from there based upon the response I get??

First, create a FB event and invite the deaf/hoh people whom you know in the area for a gathering and then go from there.

All the socials and gatherings were sent to me using FB events. No FB groups.

Sometimes I go, sometimes I dont..depending on whether I am free or not.
 
If someone's willing, maybe they can offer their house if it has a backyard for kids to run around in?

If I had a house with a backyard and a barbeque grill, I'd be having byob potlucks at my place all the time or have a once a month Sunday brunch get together.

Other possibility, and I would do this too - organize bowling parties. Everyone always has a great time at the bowling alley whether they're beginners or pros and there's usually lots of parking.
 
Shoshana here on AD, started a group on FB for a Deaf Coffee Chat she is starting. She posted it like right around Christmas and our first gathering will be at a Starbuck's on 1/13.
 
What about your church, Dixie? Could you use an area there without it being for a religious purpose? Parents can supply their own kids with something to do for a while...
 
Thing is my town is a bit far out. I was thinking Russvegas would be a more central location to meet so no one would have to drive very far. Plus, it's a bigger city with more options for activities and gatherings and such.
 
Please open a Hog Wild in my area. It sounds like a fun place. :D

But seriously though, hope it works out to get a deaf club going in your area.
 
Coffee shops are popular because they don't kick you out. Some restaurants kick us out after a while. Then, we have to move to a coffee shop.

Is there a church or community group that will allow you to meet there?
 
Sunny, the actual name of the town is Russellville, but we call it Russvegas as its a Mecca of entertainment for our part of the state. It's a growing college town. There is an 11-cinema movie theater, bowling alley/arcade, Hog Wild, two malls (soon to be three), a 4-year state university, a mega Walmart, Kmart, two chicken plants, paper mill, saw mill, rendering plant, a major hospital, a Firestone plant, a ConAgra plant, Mahle plant, airport, just about anything you think of Russellville has got. Except for casinos and horse racing.
 
Coffee shops are popular because they don't kick you out. Some restaurants kick us out after a while. Then, we have to move to a coffee shop.

Is there a church or community group that will allow you to meet there?

We have a Starbucks, but it's small. However in the warmer months we can sit either inside or outside. We used to have another coffee house but it closed when the economy tanked. =(
 
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