Mission Statement
The mission of the Oklahoma Association of the Deaf (OAD) is to promote, protect and preserve the civil rights and quality of life of deaf and hard of hearing individuals in Oklahoma.
Vision Statement
The vision of the Oklahoma Association of the Deaf (OAD) is that every deaf and hard of hearing individual can and will obtain maximum potential through increased independence, productivity and integration without barriers.
OAD is pleased to welcome to the news to your home!
Oklahoma Association of the Deaf is very exciting to announce the OAD's Road Tour that have been happening now. OAD President Glenna Cooper and Board members, Papa Rodgers and Jimmy Mitchell had visited Stillwater as the first Road tour site on Monday, April 19. There was a potluck dinner shared by many people who live in the area. President Cooper had shared the vision of OAD's future and the goals OAD want to achieve in the next few years. Papa had enjoyed taking pictures and meeting new faces while Jimmy shared the Tobacco Awareness. Glenna and Jimmy along with KaAnn Varner were able to spend time with the Sulphur community on Friday, May 14 and share OAD's vision. OAD will visit Oklahoma City community on Tuesday, May 25 at 630pm at OSU-OKC and Tulsa Community on Tuesday, June 8 at TSHA. Free refreshment will be provided.
OAD held its board meeting on Sunday, April 11 in Stroud.
OAD board was working hard to make plans for the upcoming events:
OAD Road Tours
100 year Gala which will be held in Tulsa in the Fall
OAD's conference which will be held in Norman during summer 2011.
Reviewing the various projects such as scholarships for the outstanding deaf high school seniors, OKOAD relay services, Miss Deaf Oklahoma program, and many others. Miss Deaf Oklahoma Pageant Director is now being vacant and is searching for a new director. Reviewing the concerns of the OAD members' ongoing increasing complaints on facing the providers in refusing to provide interpreters at various places such as hospitals, businesses, doctors, courts, prisons, jails, mental health counseling, attorneys, entertainment ventures and many other places.
OAD board are exploring the options of possible lawsuit or filing complaints on behalf of the community against various providers for ongoing discrimination. OAD President and a Board member has met with attorneys to discuss further on the possibility and it still being researched.
Papa Rodgers has been appointed to be in charge of the fund-raising for the legal fund to support the legal action on complaints.
OAD appointed Glenna Cooper and Jimmy Mitchell as Oklahoma Delegates at National Association of the Deaf conference which will be held in July in Philadelphia. For more information about the conference, check it out at www.nad.org. Howard Gordineer is appointed as new Membership Coordinator. OAD Board is pleased to welcome Howard Gordineer back to asssit the OAD Board in keeping track of memberships. He will work with new and long-time members who have questions with their memberships.
Got Cookbook?
OAD Board have discovered the old antique OAD cookbooks and is exciting to share a small part of OAD's history by selling cookbooks which will go to the Legal Fund. Those cookbooks will be available at the OAD road tours for your purchase. Papa is in charge of the OAD cookbooks. You can contact him at paparodger@aol.com for more informaton.
Got OAD T-shirts?
OAD T-shirts will now be available at OAD's Road tour and be sure to purchase those T-shirts as it will go to support Legal Fund. Please contact one of the OAD officer for more information on the T-shirts.
Outreach/Public Relations:
Reviewed the membership list to ensure all members'email addresses are correct so can send out the OAD E-news and E-announcement with updates.Review the conference's motion to appoint OAD histories and chair of the history committee in preparation for the 100th year gala event. Prepare to have OAD booth at state fair, deaf expo, DRS'16th birthday event, with OAD volunteers to assist. Will be working to update and revised new website. Appointed Loretta Flowers as Public Relation Director, Currently working on the E-news template, Developing a new survey/membership form to included more information on the website and distribution, Will be developing OAD advertising template to be ready in advance for all ads requests. Developing a new volunteer program keeping track of hours contributed to OAD by working at OAD booth and all OAD events. finalizied the new Twitter/facebook on OAD and adding icon on OAD website. Currently reviewing contracts with OKOAD vender to expand the program/services
Training/Events:
Preparing for the 100 years Gala event coming soon during fall 2010 in Oklahoma City area currently exploring hotel site. Prepare for the road tours coming to Sulphur, Bartlesville, Tulsa, Lawton and Oklahoma City, Preparing for OAD presentation at the Deaf Expo event, Appoint Jimmy Mitchell and Johnny Reinger to represent Oklahoma at the national Leadership Training in Columbus on October 29-31. They are committed to provide workship in their area to ensure they can provide new tools and ideas from the NLTC.
Advocacy:
Reviewing for a possible hiring an advocacy attorney to assist in filing formal complaints with Department of Justice against several ventures and businesses in violation of the state and federal laws with communication barriers/discrimination, currently investigate of complaints on three local schools for hiring uncertificated signers to interpret for deaf students-OAD will report to Department of Education and Attorney General for violation of state law the complain of interpreters not in compliance of the code of professional and conduct at the public schools-will be reporting to DRS's QAST coordinator, complaints on all concerts, theater, sporting events with communication barrers issue-will report to DOJ with assistance from the ADA attorney, Pending ongoing communication with two large entertainment ventures to ensure they revise their policy for the deaf patrons. If there is no agreement or solution-OAD will proceed to make formal complaint to DOJ on behalf of all deaf patrons. On all the schools for refusing to provide interpreters for the deaf parents of hearing/deaf children at all school activities-will put this on hold until we complete the first 4 complaints before moving forward with this area. Currently discussing to provide car visors for all deaf drivers to ensure law enforcement to recognize deaf drivers to reduce miscommunication and injury-Appointed Roger Camerson to represent OAD at all DRS deaf-related advisory committee meeting, Appointed KaAnn Varner and Ron Lawer to represent OAD at the OSDFEE meetings.
Legislative:
Appointed John Reinger as the chair and KaAnn as the c0-chair, Rene Ryan as treasurer/secretary of the coalation, appointed Lynn Null to continue her role with OKRID on the License Bill on OAD's behalf, appoint KaAnn Varner as chair of the task force on mental health
MDO:
made the decison to setup MDO candidate's application deadline to be October 31, 2009. If less than three girls, will proceed with panel in December 2009, if more than four girls, proceed with the pageant in January 2010. MDO Director will be visiting all schools to encourage more MDO candidates to apply before October 31,2009. Announcing "adopt a MDO girl" by all deaf churches, deaf clubs and individuals
Senior Citizens:
Appointed Chuck Helm as the new Senior Citizen Director
Youth/Leadership:
John Reinger have been appointed as the youth director in OKlahoma City area along with Candy as youth director for Sulphur area. OAD Board is currently looking to appint youth director for Tulsa area-they are hoping to establish Junior OAD/NAD chapters. will be developing a new youth OAD brochure, reviewing and developing high school scholarship programs for high schhol seniors.
Others:
Wrapping up the 2009 conference financial report wtih possitive results. KaAnn Varner is working to update the bylaw from the recent convention and will post it on the website. Glenna Cooper and Loretta Flowers will work on updating and improve the OAD website soon. Auditor team have reviewed and approved the financial reports from January 2009 to July 2009
OAD Web Mistress Loretta Flowers
e any events u want this to be added on this site, Please e-mail to me on
Come join OAD Team!
Gala planning Committee
Task force on Deaf Child's Bill of Rights
Youth Program
High School Scholarship development committee
Senior Citizen Committee
Bylaw Committee
OKOAD team(get pay)
MDO Committee
Membership Committee
Task Force on mental health
History of OAD Committee
Booth Volunteers
Legal Advocacy Committee
Financial Committee
Upcoming Events
Upcoming Events
Got OAD?
If you would like to become a OAD member, please visit the website to fill out the membership form and mail the completed membership form with a check or money order to the OAD Treasurer, Ron Lawer or to any of the board members.
Oklahoma Association of the Deaf
Oklahoma Association of the Deaf
