Note change of location! Vermont Hands & Voices will hold an accessible Family Dance, featuring dances and movement activities well-suited for kids of all ages, accessible by kids and others who are D/deaf or hard of hearing, and/or with mobility or cognitive challenges. We will enjoy the energetic and inclusive leadership of Karen Mueller-Harder, who will teach with a combination of signing and spoken English, and adapt the dances to meet the needs of the participants. If you know you'll be coming, we'd really appreciate it if you can email us at events@ vthv.org and let us know your child's receptive communication preferences and mobility needs, so we can make sure to accommodate them!

We will have a great live band of local musicians on fiddles and guitars! Everyone is welcome, and all dances are taught, and easily learned, even if you've never danced before! And please invite your friends to join you--the dances are more fun with more people! Admission for everyone is free! Masks are welcomed but not required, and we ask that you bring clean, dry shoes to change into, if there's rain or snow on the ground.

We have had to change the location to Our Lady of the Holy Rosary Church, 64 W Main St, Richmond, VT, as the elevator in the library is out of commission. The new location is wheelchair accessible, with parking available in the lot behind the church.

Bring your family and your friends and join us for some joyous movement!

Due to a lack of families able to make it (it's a tricky time of year with soccer games on a lot of families' schedules!), we are cancelling the apple picking event scheduled for tomorrow. We are hoping to to try again in southern Vermont with another date in October, and will let you know if we can make that happen!

=====================

Come have fun picking apples with other families with children who are D/deaf or hard of hearing! D/HH adults and their families welcome, too, as well as anyone else in the D/HH community! 

We are hosting another apple picking event, this time for families in southern Vermont: Saturday, September 28, 10:30 to noon, at Wellwood Orchards, 529 Wellwood Orchard Rd, Springfield VT. 

We will gather at 10:30 to chat and meet other families, and we'll treat you to fresh cider and doughnuts, and then go pick apples about 11:15.  Interpreters will be available. No dogs are allowed at the orchards. 

Please send a quick email to events [at] vthv.org to tell us you’re coming so we can tell you where we're meeting up--please include your cell # and let us know your communication modes!

Come have fun picking apples with other families with children who are D/deaf or hard of hearing! D/HH adults and their families welcome, too, as well as anyone else in the D/HH community! 

We will gather near the playground area at 10:30 to chat and meet other families, and we'll treat you to fresh cider and doughnuts, and then go pick apples at about 11:15.  Interpreters will be available. No dogs are allowed at the orchards. 

RSVP to [email protected] so we know you’re coming and can keep an eye out for you! (tell us which day you're coming and please include your cell #)

Come have fun picking apples with other families with children who are D/deaf or hard of hearing! D/HH adults and their families welcome, too, as well as anyone else in the D/HH community! 

We will gather near the playground area at 10:30 to chat and meet other families, and we'll treat you to fresh cider and doughnuts, and then take a tractor ride to go pick apples at about 11:15.  Interpreters will be available. No dogs are allowed at the orchards. 

RSVP to [email protected] so we know you’re coming and can keep an eye out for you! (tell us which day you're coming and please include your cell #)

Please join Vermont Hands & Voices this Tuesday, July 23, for a morning at the North Branch Nature Center in Montpelier! An NBNC naturalist will guide us on a nature walk; with 28 acres of land, there are lots of paths to choose from! Our guide will select one that fits the wishes and needs of our group. We'll learn about native plants, insects and animals in our ecosystem. Related games and activities are planned, and the event will be suitable for all ages and abilities. As at all VTH&V events, ASL interpretation will be provided. Accessible restrooms and water bottle filling stations are available. 

The activities will be from 10am-noon, and if you bring a lunch we can enjoy a picnic together at tables in the shade, and/or you're welcome to stay and explore the trails! This is a great chance to get to know other families with kids who are D/HH/DB and learn some fascinating nature information as well. North Branch Nature Center is using their grant funds to provide us with this great opportunity free of charge! 

NBNC is located at  at 713 Elm St, Montpelier, just a bit north of town. We will meet at 10am on the Nature Center porch. Please email us at [email protected] to let us know you're coming, and let us know your access needs so we can make sure to provide the accommodations! 

**This is an outdoor activity; we will reschedule if it is a stormy day.

Adventure Day is a fun-filled day for students in 4th-12th grade who are deaf, hard of hearing or deafblind to get together and have a blast at Lotus Lake Discovery Center in Williamstown, VT! The theme this year is “Let’s ROCK!” Think rock animals, rock music, rock painting, fort building, friends, smores, and so much more! After such a challenging past two years, making time for in-person team building and social emotional enrichment for children is vital!

Adventure Day will be on Friday May 20th, 9:30-3:00. If a student has a 1:1 support person at the school, that adult is expected to accompany them, or someone else can fill that role if support is needed. Interpreters will be available; the students will include kids who sign and kids who don’t, and students with a range of abilities. Transportation will also be provided from designated “bus stops” around Vermont, which will be determined based on registrations.

Students must register by May 4th at this link:

https://forms.wix.com/2264c82d-d060-4c65-9185-bea80aa2b0c2:58a88375-4523-4e7b-94b9-00c9898f4a9e

This event is FREE for participants, hosted by the DHHDB Educational Services Program, and sponsored by various other agencies. Please email Tracy Hinck <[email protected] data-preserve-html-node="true"> if you have any ​questions.

The DHHDB Educational Services Program operating under UVMMC VT EHDI Program provides services for children (age birth to 22) who are Deaf, Hard of Hearing, or DeafBlind throughout the state of Vermont. Learn more on the http://dhhdbesp.net website regarding services, staff, and making referrals.

Montpelier, VT: Morse Farm — It’s sugaring time with Vermont Hands & Voices!

Vermont Hands & Voices families are invited to gather together for free Sugar on Snow Tours! We will be outside and are excited to see our friends and families again after a long hiatus!

See the sugar woods (some walking/hiking involved—dress for the mess!) Take a tour and learn about how sap is collected and boiled to become maple syrup. Taste some maple syrup or Sugar on Snow!

Leslie will be in front of the sugarhouse, holding a red umbrella. If the sap is running, the sugarhouse will be open for tours and Sugar on Snow. Either way, we can walk the maple trail through the sugarbush and visit with the goats.

RSVP to Leslie Johnson [email protected] or 802-399-5092 so we can look out for you! As with all VT Hands & Voices events, we will provide whatever communication access your kids (or you) need, so let us know your needs when you RSVP, so we can be ready! You can also let Leslie know if you need any other assistance in order to attend this event—WE WANT YOU to join us!

Vermont Hands & Voices will pay the costs for your family.

Contact Leslie: (802) 399-5092 (voice/text).

Huntington, VT: Vermont Audubon — It’s sugaring time with Vermont Hands & Voices!

Vermont Hands & Voices families are invited to gather together for free Sugar on Snow Tours! We will be outside and are excited to see our friends and families again after a long hiatus!

See the sugar woods (some walking/hiking involved—dress for the mess!) Take a tour and learn about how sap is collected and boiled to become maple syrup. Taste some maple syrup or Sugar on Snow!

Park in the parking lot and take the path to the sugarhouse. Leslie will be at the picnic table nearby, holding a red umbrella. We will have a hike, tour and sugar on snow tasting.

RSVP to Leslie Johnson [email protected] or 802-399-5092 so we can look out for you! As with all VT Hands & Voices events, we will provide whatever communication access your kids (or you) need, so let us know your needs when you RSVP, so we can be ready! You can also let Leslie know if you need any other assistance in order to attend this event—WE WANT YOU to join us!

Vermont Hands & Voices will pay the costs for your family.

Contact Leslie: (802) 399-5092 (voice/text).

Vermont Hands & Voices is holding another Zoom chat for D/HH teens and older kids (9ish and up), and we’d love to have your kid/kids join us!

A lot of deaf and hard of hearing kids in Vermont have little or no contact with other DHH kids, and that can feel isolating. Though they have friends in their school and neighborhood, this is a chance to connect with other kids who share some of the same experiences that come with having a hearing loss.

This is a small, friendly group, and we’ll have some time to chat, and do some activities/games that work over Zoom. Kids can attend on their own, or with an older sibling or adult, whatever is most comfortable for them. We will have interpreters available, so they should be able to join in, however they communicate!

Email us at [email protected] for the Zoom link, and tell us your child's name, age, and communication needs and preferences so we can be as welcoming as possible!

Are you a D/deaf or hard of hearing high school, middle school, or elementary student? Would you like to meet and connect with other kids in Vermont with hearing loss?

Come meet other kids and teens across Vermont who are D/deaf or Hard of Hearing — this is a small, friendly group, and we’d love to meet you! We’ll be talking about whatever is on your mind, as you look toward the spring. You can attend on your own, or with an older sibling or adult, whatever is most comfortable for you. We will have interpreters available, so please join us, however you communicate!

Hosted by Vermont Hands & Voices, to connect D/HH kids across Vermont. To get the Zoom link, send us a message at [email protected] or on Facebook at vthandsandvoices, and let us know your name, age, and communication preferences.

Come meet other teens across Vermont who are D/deaf or Hard of Hearing; this is a small, friendly group, and we’d love to meet you! This month, we’d like you to share something that you’re enjoying right now — show your artwork or something you collect, some photos of something you do, or just tell us about it! We will have interpreters and captioning, so please join us, however you communicate!

Hosted by Vermont Hands & Voices, to connect D/HH kids across Vermont; parents are welcome to attend as well. To get the Zoom link, just email [email protected] or send a Facebook Message to https://www.facebook.com/vthandsandvoices/

— a free interactive virtual workshop for parents and professionals —

Presenter: Porter Knight, Productivity Vermont

What would it feel like to feel productive and focused throughout the day? Is it even possible to nurture an outlook of calm with technology pervasively at our fingertips in a culture that glamorizes “busy”? In order to effectively support others, we need first to be able to care for ourselves. Living and working healthfully in today’s world is possible, but it requires resolve and attention. In this session you’ll learn simple strategies you can put in place immediately to reduce stress and increase resiliency so you feel better each day and can effectively care for yourself and others.

Preregistration required by January 4.

• Are you (or do you know) a D/deaf or hard of hearing middle school or high school student?
• Would you like to meet and connect with other kids in Vermont with hearing loss?
• Do you have an hour to spare on a Sunday afternoon?

Join us to connect virtually with other teens across Vermont who are D/deaf or Hard of Hearing! You can also chat with some some D/HH young adults who went to high school in Vermont. If you know another teen with hearing loss, invite them to join in! This gathering is being organized by Vermont Hands & Voices, in an effort to help D/HH kids across Vermont find each other and share some of their experiences. Parents are welcome to attend as well. To get the Zoom link, just email [email protected] or send a Facebook Message to https://www.facebook.com/vthandsandvoices/.

Vermont Hands & Voices will be hosting family Zoom chats on the last Sunday of each month this summer, from 7–8 pm.

On August 30, we will discuss/brainstorm/support each other about your child’s return to school/services this fall. Bring your concerns and ideas and share them with other Vermont families who have kids who are D/deaf or hard of hearing. Come for as much of the time as you are able!

Please let us know if you have any access needs (captioning/interpreter) so we can have those in place for you! Email us at [email protected] with your request or any other questions.

The Zoom link will be sent to everyone on the VTH&V email list, so if you haven't joined that yet, you can sign up on our membership page.

Vermont Hands & Voices will be hosting family Zoom chats on the last Sunday of each month this summer, from 7–8 pm.

On July 26, we will discuss/brainstorm/support each other about issues you are thinking about relating to returning to school this fall. Bring your concerns and ideas and share them with other Vermont families who have kids who are D/deaf or hard of hearing. Come for as much of the time as you are able!

Please let us know if you have any access needs (captioning/interpreter) so we can have those in place for you! Email us at [email protected] with your request or any other questions.

The Zoom link will be sent to everyone on the VTH&V email list, so if you haven't joined that yet, you can sign up on our membership page.

Vermont Hands & Voices will be hosting family Zoom chats on the last Sunday of each month this summer, from 7–8 pm.

The theme of the first session, on June 28, is “It’s summer! Now what?”. Come and share your ideas for summer activities, help each other with the challenges of how to parent through the Summer of Social Distancing, talk about whatever’s on YOUR mind! You can join us alone or with your kids, and connect with other Vermont families who have kids who are D/deaf or hard of hearing. Come for as much of the time as you are able!

Please let us know if you have any access needs (captioning/interpreter) so we can have those in place for you! Email us at [email protected] with your request or any other questions.

The Zoom link will be sent to everyone on the VTH&V email list, so if you haven't joined that yet, you can sign up on our membership page.

What to expect

Catered buffet style lunch (with drinks and dessert!), silent auction, ugly sweater contest, VTAD legislative updates and officer elections, and Signing Santa from 1:00 – 3:00 to visit with kids, read a story and hand out a gift (to each child registered by Dec 1st).

To sign up for a child’s gift, please fill out form at Vermont Association of the Deaf by December 1st.

Please see the flier for more information!

Cost

• $8 before Dec 1st
• $10 at the door
• $5 children 13-17
• children 12 and under free

Note

Vermont Hands & Voices can pay the admission cost of any of our member families who need a little financial support to help make this fun event affordable — just email [email protected] with the family information by Dec 1st and we’ll put you on the list they’ll have at the door for people who have already paid. Kids 12 and under are free, so just let us know how many teens and adults you’ll have coming. (If you’re not a member, you can join today by signing up at https://vthv.org/membership.)

Williston, VT: Parker Family Pumpkin Patch — Come have fun with other families of children who are D/deaf or hard of hearing while enjoying a classic Vermont fall activity!

Vermont Hands & Voices will pay for a pumpkin for each child in your family.

Contact Leslie: (802) 399-5092 (voice/text). RSVPs not required, but appreciated!

Cabot, VT: Burtt’s Orchard — Come have fun with other families of children who are D/deaf or hard of hearing while enjoying a classic Vermont fall activity!

Vermont Hands & Voices will pay for a pumpkin for each child in your family.

Contact Karen: (802) 793-5617 (voice/text). RSVPs not required, but appreciated!

coinciding with the BCBS VT Hike, Bike, and Paddle

Meet at picnic table with “H&V” sign

Come join Vermont Hands & Voices for a FREE play group morning! With 3 different locations around the state, you’ve got choices of play! Come meet a board member of VTH&V, and get to know other families who have children who are D/deaf/hard of hearing. It doesn’t matter how you communicate or how you play; come for laughs, camaraderie, and end of summer fun!

playground, beach, swimming

Questions? Directions? Contact: Becky (802) 505-1987 (cellular voice/text)

Come join Vermont Hands & Voices for a FREE play group morning! With 3 different locations around the state, you’ve got choices of play! Come meet a board member of VTH&V, and get to know other families who have children who are D/deaf/hard of hearing. It doesn’t matter how you communicate or how you play; come for laughs, camaraderie, and end of summer fun!

playground setting

Questions? Directions? Contact: Karen (802) 793-5617 (cellular voice/text)

Come join Vermont Hands & Voices for a FREE play group morning! With 3 different locations around the state, you’ve got choices of play! Come meet a board member of VTH&V, and get to know other families who have children who are D/deaf/hard of hearing. It doesn’t matter how you communicate or how you play; come for laughs, camaraderie, and end of summer fun!

playground setting

Questions? Directions? Contact: Leslie (802) 399-5092 (cellular voice/text)

Please join us for a family social to meet our board members and other families with DHHDB kids! Let us know about your hopes for our organization and how we can best serve our DHHDB community while playing and socializing with each other. We will have shade, healthy snacks, games for the kids, and ASL interpreters to help everyone communicate with each other! Bring your own camp/beach chairs and picnic blankets, and any outdoor games you enjoy to share with other folks for this gathering on the VCFA green. If it’s raining, we’ll meet inside Nine East Network, just across the street. A wheelchair accessible bathroom and kitchen area will be available. RSVP appreciated: [email protected]

Note location change!

Join Music Therapist Inger and friends for a musical morning geared for kids who have a hearing loss!

This is an opportunity for kids with hearing loss to participate in and enjoy music! Inger has years of experience bringing the joy of playing and singing music to kids. Feel free to bring family and friends to this event. We are gearing the activities for those who are toddlers and elementary school age. However, part of the joy of gathering together is giving kids the opportunity to meet others who are like them. If you have an older child who would enjoy this activity, you are welcome to attend!

• A sign language interpreter will be at this event
• Refreshments to follow
• RSVP to our events coordinator, Leslie Johnson

Due to the impending nor’easter, we have decided to postpone this Saturdays Music Morning with Inger, so that nobody has to decide whether to drive on potentially risky roads. We will instead hold the event on April 13th, when hopefully we will be enjoying beautiful, spring-like weather! The place, time, and all other information remain the same. If you can attend the new date, please let us know at [email protected] so we know how many people to expect!