DeafNation Expo in Hartford Proves to be Far-Reaching with 2,600 Attendees

From: DeafNation - May 20, 2005

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Joel Barish, DeafNation
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

DeafNation Expo in Hartford Proves to be Far-Reaching with 2,600 Attendees

Hartford, CT (May 18, 2005) – May 14 was a beautiful day, and people were anxious to get into DeafNation Expo in Hartford, Conn. "This was an ideal expo weekend, because we were able to reach people from all over New England, as far away as Maine and Maryland," said DeafNation CEO Joel Barish. "The golf outing sponsored by the American School for the Deaf also made for a perfect combined event."

The weekend festivities kicked off with an open-captioned movie showing on Thursday, sponsored by Sorenson VRS, and the American School for the Deaf's (ASD) 28th annual charity golf tournament held on Friday at Blue Fox Run in Avon, Conn. On Saturday, people flocked to the Connecticut Expo Center in Hartford for DeafNation Expo, which brought in 2,600-plus people. ASD executive director Dr. Harvey Corson said, "The American School for the Deaf congratulates the organizers of DeafNation Expo for bringing together an exceptional range of products, services, information and entertainment relevant to the lives of deaf and hard of hearing people."

Sorenson VRS was an event sponsor. "The Hartford DeafNation Expo was packed on Saturday, so it was a great time for our Sorenson Communications team to reconnect with friends in the New England region and to meet new people," said John Wilcox of Sorenson Communications. "We had an enthusiastic response from the many participants who stopped by our booth to try out the Sorenson Video Relay Service."

Another event sponsor, Sprint, also found the expo rewarding. "DeafNation Expo continues to bring results to Sprint Relay," said Michael Finneran, account manager for Connecticut and New Hampshire. "People from all over New England, New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania from all walks of life came to our booth to learn more about full telecommunications access ranging from Video Relay Services to CapTel. The work done by the DeafNation Expo team has been nothing but fantastic for both Sprint Relay and consumers alike."

The National Association of the Deaf (NAD) has made DeafNation Expo part of its 125th anniversary plans with booths at several DeafNation Expo locations. "It was a tremendous pleasure attending DeafNation Expo," said NAD's Miss Deaf America 2004-2006 Erin Casler. "This was a great opportunity to describe NAD advocacy efforts on behalf of the deaf and hard of hearing community and to invite the audience to support the NAD."

The expo-goers were treated to a variety of entertainment, including crowd favorite John "Leno" Maucere, who presented an uproarious impersonation of Marilyn Monroe during a spoof of "The Dating Game." He also presented his wonderfully successful John "Leno" Maucere show that included a new monologue. The U.S. Deaf Magicians Society hosted a contest for deaf magicians. Sammy Ruiz of Riverside, Calif., won both the close-up and stage categories, and children and adults alike were captivated by the magic tricks shown on stage. The National Deaf Business Institute, represented by Bernard Brown, discussed entrepreneurship by deaf people.

Dr. Corson perhaps explained the impact of the event best. ""DeafNation Expo is more than a wonderful information conduit. By offering presentations, workshops and seminars on a wide variety of topics, and by keeping admission free, the Expo serves as a welcoming and accessible networking tool for the deaf community. This year, DeafNation Expo brought that feeling of community onto the campus of the first school for deaf and hard of hearing people in America, and to the at-large deaf community here."

DeafNation Expo will visit twelve cities in 2005, with the next one planned for Seattle, Wash., on Sept. 17. Admission is free for all attendees, and registration may be completed by visiting www.deafnation.com.

About DeafNation
DeafNation and DeafNation Expo are the premier destinations for people wanting to stay updated about the latest happenings in the Deaf and Hard of Hearing community. Visit www.deafnation.com for the latest news, video clips in sign language, and exclusive coverage of events such as the Deaflympics and World Federation of the Deaf activities. DeafNation Expo is the foremost exhibition for, by, and about Deaf people. DeafNation Expo, held at different locations across the nation each year, is a celebration of culture, an exhibition of technology, and a business and social event – all wrapped up in one dynamic, spectacular event at no charge to attendees. Visit DeafNation's website today at www.deafnation.com!

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