A Very Special Announcement

I just checked the Governor of Tennessee's website (I've been checking it every day) and discovered that "the announcement" has finally been made for his recent appointments for various boards in the State of Tennessee. Go here and scroll about halfway down to the Tennessee Council for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing. And you will see my name! This will probably be in the local newspaper here as well as several others. I also have a nice plaque and letter from Governor Bredesen.

I have known about this appointment since April but the Governor had the first rights to make the press announcement. This appointment as a citizen representative is for three years and I will travel to Nashville four times a year (all expenses paid) to sit on a council. I'm not sure of all of my responsibilities yet but I do know that I will be an advocate for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing for East Tennessee.

Some of you are probably thinking that I don't need to add one more thing to my schedule. But I cannot pass up this wonderful opportunity. Now that I can hear well with two cochlear implants, this is a new chapter in my life. I know first hand what it is like to live with a hearing loss and the trials and frustrations that go along with not being able to "get the message" and miss out on so many things. I would not be where I am today without the wonderful support of my family, friends, coworkers, teachers, and other people who have been a part of my life all these years. Plus, our children are getting older and "leaving the nest," which will allow me to spend time helping others. So, I hope to be a voice for others who cannot hear and "pay it forward," like others have done for me in the past.

My first meeting is next month on August 24th. I'll give a small report on my trip to the HLAA conference in Oklahoma City. I also have been asked by the director of the Disabilities Office at the University of Tennessee to be a mentor for incoming deaf and hard of hearing students. While I'm in Nashville, I plan to spend some time with Jennifer and my Nashville relatives. It's a three hour drive from here and will be well worth it!