NCRF Trustee Pat Graves, FAPR, RDR, CRR, CRC, a CART captioner and firm owner from Monument, Colo., presented a motion in June 2021 to the NCRF Trustees that the Foundation continue its sponsorship of the Association of Late-Deafened Adults (ALDA). Funds from this sponsorship would provide CART services at the October ALDACon event in Niagara Falls, N.Y. Her motion earned unanimous approval, which continued this ongoing ALDA support by the Foundation.
Graves’ passion for this group is clear. “ALDA was the first place that I ever provided CART services, back in 1989,” said Graves. “It was at their board meeting after their first ALDA convention, and the board was welcoming and kind. I’ve had the privilege of being the CART provider for many ALDA events over the years. I have seen firsthand the devastation, isolation, coping, acceptance, and yet continuing communication struggles for this group of people. The ALDA convention is one place where there are no communication struggles, and NCRF/NCRA and CART captioners work to make it happen. It continues to be one of my greatest honors to serve ALDA.”
The mission of ALDA, according to their website, “is to support the empowerment of deafened people. Late-Deafened Adults are people who have lost the ability to understand speech with or without hearing aids after acquiring spoken language. ALDA is committed to providing a support network and a sense of belonging by sharing our unique experiences, challenges and coping strategies, helping one another find practical solutions and emotional support, and working together with other organizations and service providers for our common good.”
At the ALDACon 2021 awards luncheon, Kathy Schlueter, chair of the sponsors committee and ALDA past president, presented NCRF with a certificate as a Bronze sponsor. “The Foundation has once again contributed to ALDA in support of our CART writing,” Schleuter said. “We are so grateful for their support.”
“We also have a certificate for the National Court Reporters Association for their long-standing support for ALDA,” said Schlueter. “Both organizations have supported ALDA and have helped to educate CART providers across the country.” Graves accepted the certificates on behalf of NCRF and NCRA.
