Author: vsdaa_vsza80

All expenses paid trip opportunity (Staunton Train Ride)

Help Wanted sign with a purple spotlight on the left side

My deaf brother Robert (age 69) and I will ride the Virginia Scenic Railway in Staunton on Sunday, September 8 from 3:30 to 6:30 PM.  I am contacting you in hopes that you know of a deaf person or ASL interpreter who might be available to ride with us, all expenses paid.  Robert lives alone and has very little opportunity to communicate in sign.

 

More information about the train ride https://www.virginiascenicrailway.com/rides/blue-ridge-flyer/.  Seats on the train are still available at this time.

 

Please call or reply if you need more information.  Thanks.

 

Larry Bernath
540.353.0574 voice or text
larry.bernath at gmail.com

 

Published
Categorized as Misc

Garden Flags for Sale by HOF 2024

Garden flag showing Cardinal on top with VSDB Main Hall below with VSDB words. Garden stand included with order.
Flags $20 each. Add $5 if shipping.
 
Check payable to VSDAA HOF and send it to
Edwin Martin
4146 Dix Mill Rd
Salem, VA 24153
 
If you want to pay cash please use exact change. You can ask one of the committee members to sell it to you.
Committee Members:
Janice Dillman, Rocco DeVito, William Whiteside, Steven Deavers, Tracey Mawyer, Edwin Martin and me (Rhonda Jennings-Arey)
 
Or you can send cash app to
$VSDAA10
 
Questions? Contact Janice Dillman dillmanjan17 at gmail.com
 
Limited supply!
 
Source (Facebook with VIDEO):

VAD and VSDAA’s 140th Birthday Bash

VSDAA logo

 

Virginia Association of the Deaf (VAD) and Virginia School for the Deaf Alumni Association (VSDAA)
hosted Deaf History Month & Birthday Bash celebrating 140th anniversary of both VAD and VSDAA on
April 13. One of Veditz Brewery owners, VAD Vice-President, and VSDAA President greeted everyone before the VAD Awards Ceremony. The afternoon included Veditz History by Greg Randall, VAD History by Race Drake, and VSDAA History by Rhonda Jennings-Arey. The program ended with the Birthday Cake Cutting ceremony by Donna Graff-Viall and Michele Paoni VanBoxlaere. Pat Beech shared her YouTube video for this event: https://youtu.be/ezBmE0cNuxM.

A special issue was created by Pat Beech, see VAD-VSDAA Party Bash Summary (PDF format)

Pictures can be found here.

 

Shirt SALE!!!

Denims, long sleeved, womens have no pockets on shirts while men have pockets. price varies by size. Also selling 3 colors of the cardinal long sleeved shirts. Contact Janet Wright or use VSDAA contact us page to get more info. Limited quantity/stock left.Limited Supplies left!  Prices as of December 2023!  They gotta go!!!!

Psst, don’t forget that we will have our VSDAA Reunion on October 3-5, 2024!  Hope to see you there too!

 

VSDAA 2024 baseball caps announcement

Black baseball cap featuring cardinal bird on front with 'VSDB' on the back for sale

Hello Everyone,

 
On behalf of the VSDAA Reunion Committee wants to explain to you WHY we cannot place an order VSDB Baseball cap in Black @ front of cap shows “head of Cardinals” and back of cap shows /  reads as it is “VSDB.”  So far, We only have 8 people, which is very expensive ….It is better to have 25 caps or more for $30.  If you are interested to order a cap and PLEASE get touch with Rusty Thompson, Janet Wright or Charity Morris at your earliest convenience.   
 
As always THANKS for your continued support. 
 
Sally Thompson
VSDAA 2024 Reunion Chairperson
 
Hint: Price goes up for few orders, not good.  Order many, cost goes down. 

Update: Mascot Poll

Deaf Alumni Only
 
I received replies on refusing to vote on the chosen Mascot Designs via email and social media. The poll is created so I would like to have a number of votes to be submitted as the vote certification.

 
 
Please share with the Deaf alumni
 

VSDB Mascot Ballot Information

Please watch the first video from VSDAA President Michele VanBoxlaere as she explains the basic process, while the VSDB video provides an ASL version of the PDF file found below.  Also, please share this with all alumni ASAP as results must be sent by May 25, 2023.

 

Click here for the Video Transcript (PDF version)
Email your Alumni choices to Michele VanBoxlaere at vsdaapresident at gmail.com.
— No online poll setup yet, email poll for now. 

 

ASL version describing the 2 mascots to pick from based on the PDF file below.
Fox like at 4:50 mark and Falcon like at 5:52 mark.

 

Unified VSDB Mascot Ballot for Alumni (PDF version)

 

Below are your choices or don’t vote at all.

This Defender is a bird-like image. The image shows the full body of the bird with large, strong, outstretched wings. The wings give a sense of protection. The red and blue feathers honor the history of the Cardinal and the Chief. This Defender is shown in flight and resembles a falcon with a strong, sharp, tan beak with fierce piercing red eyes. Its talons are sharp and ready to pounce. This Defender is fast, alert, brave, confident, and daring. It is always listening and watching from the sky, ready to protect and defend VSDB. This Defender is a fox-like image facing right. It has fur streaked with red and blue. Its snout has red, blue, and white fur. Its red eyes are intense with a determined stare. They are alert and see everything around it. There is a mix of red and blue feathers gathered closely around the neck. The feathers honor the history of the Cardinal and the Chief. The Defender’s ears are upright, alert and strong, listening intently even for the faintest sound. This Defender is bold, strong, fierce, alert, powerful, and protective. It is ready to attack quickly to defend VSDB.

** Update, a separate poll was setup to help count how many refused to vote for the new mascot choices above (fox/falcon).  See https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/M8FJL62. **

VSDB BOV Meeting (March 8, 2023)

Board of Visitors (BOV) will have a meeting on March 8, 2023 at 10:30am in the Chapel.  Visitors are welcome at to attend and you probably need to check in with security for a visitors pass.  NO TOURS will be happening after the meeting as students are still on campus.  If you want a tour, you can go when there are no students on campus – usually weekends only.

————–

Below is Pat Trice’s message (long version):

I know that many alumni will come to campus on March 8th for BOV meeting  I think that many alumni will want to stay and visit and walk around campus but they can’t because students are on campus.  
 
When students are on campus, no visitors are allowed at VSDB.   Please let the alumni know that they are welcome to come to BOV meeting but they will not be allowed to visit or walk around campus before or after the meeting.  When the meeting is finished, they will all need to leave campus.   They can’t stay and visit or walk around. 
 
It is VSDB policy that no visitors are on campus when students there. That is for all visitors, not just alumni.  They can come back to visit on any weekend from Friday 12:30 (students leave a noon) through Sunday at 4:00pm (students arrive after that).   
 
I hope they understand that it is VSDB job to keep students safe.  
 
Thanks for letting them know. 
 
Pat Trice, MA, RID TC/CT/CI
Superintendent
Virginia School for the Deaf and the Blind
 
 

Main Hall Renovation pictures (December, 2022)

The exterior portion of the Main Hall is nearly complete.  A water pipe broke inside during an extreme cold spell/blast before Christmas 2022, no pictures yet.  This occurred when windows were being replaced and had plywood covering while waiting for new windows.  Repairs are under way. Previous renovation pictures of the main hall can be found on our Facebook page including the VSDB Museum Facebook page.  These pictures came from Superintendent Patricia Trice.

VSDB Main Hall, Dec. 2022, center
New steps nearly completed. The previous steps completed a few years ago had cracks and foundation issues so it had to be redone. Scaffolding can be seen behind the columns
VSDB Main Hall, Dec. 2022, right side
Right side of Main Hall (towards Bass Hall), construction supplies can be seen here.
VSDB Main Hall, Dec. 2022, left side
Left side of Main Hall, portable crane lift can be seen along with a construction sign directing people around.
VSDB Main Hall, Dec. 2022
Nearly finished exterior front part of Main Hall