Tactile Carnival in West Chester, PA

Category: Hear No Evil - See No Evil

Post 1 by JH_Radio (I've now got the silver prolific poster award! wahoo!) on Friday, 05-Sep-2014 14:11:05

Save the date! On October 11, DeafCAN! will host the Tactile CarnivalTM and Deaf-Blind Outreach, a fun social event for DB adults and kids alike, combined with “deaf-blind experience” opportunities for non-DB guests. There’s something for everyone at this special event.

This is an open invitation to DB adults, DB children and their families, people interested in learning about deaf-blindness and volunteers who’d like to help at the event. Feel free to share this announcement with others.

Please see the info below. If you’d like to attend the event, whether as a guest or a volunteer, RSVP to Scott Stoffel at scottmstoffel@yahoo.com. If you are DB and need a ride, let me know.

When: Saturday October 11 from noon to 3:30 (10:30-4:30 for those helping with booths, setup and cleanup)

Where: Christ the King Deaf Church (Calvary Lutheran), 730 South New Street, West Chester, PA 19382. Go into back parking lot entrance down stairs or elevator to Fellowship Hall on right. The church is located across the street from West Chester University and near Rt 202 and Rt. 100, Rt 1 and Rt.322 and Rt. 52.

Admission: $10 for 10 game tickets and loan of a prize token bag. Guests and volunteers can enter for free but do not get free game tickets. (The ticket fee helps cover the cost of the large selection of brand new prizes.)

Below are more details about the Tactile CarnivalTM and the deaf-blind experience exhibits.

Deaf-Blind Experience Exhibits

Low vision simulators that simulate a number of visual disorders, including tunnel vision, optic atrophy, macular degeneration and cataracts, will be available for sighted guests to try on, as well as blindfolds. There will be some exercises set up for guests to try while using the low vision simulators. Guests may also try ‘no hearing or vision” tactile communication exercises. Guests with blindfolds or low vision simulators on may try working with a Support Service Provider (SSP) to get a first-hand feel for how an SSP assists a DB person and how important the SSP service being launched by DeafCAN! is to the deaf-blind community.

Guidelines for Tactile Carnival

When you arrive at the event, be sure to stop by the Admissions table and get your game tickets and token bag. Use the bag to carry the prize tokens you win by playing games with your tickets. Visit the Prize Booth at any time and exchange your tokens for a variety of prizes. The number of tokens you need to “buy” a prize will be marked on the side of the display bin in black ink and large braille dots.

There are two distinctive kinds of tokens, Gold Coins and Gemstones. The Gold Coins are worth 1 each, and the Gemstones are worth 10 each. So if a prize costs 10 tokens, you could get it for 10 Gold Coins or 1 Gemstone.

Prizes include keepsakes, candy bites, seasonal decorations, classic tactile games and puzzles, gourmet goodies, t-shirts, themed kitchen and household items, figurines and statues, scented items and a few crazy things thrown in just for fun. There are things for adults and things for kids. Everything can be appreciated by the senses of touch, taste or smell. There are over a dozen bins filled with brand new merchandise sorted by retail value. There’s sure to be something for everyone!

Please drop your token bag off at the Prize Booth before leaving.

To sign up, request a ride or volunteer, contact Scott at scottmstoffel@yahoo.com