Voice for the Deaf

Lori Fuller, who ha lived in a silent world all her life, often wished there had been a support system during her growing-up years.

"Everyone needs someone to lean on, to get information from, to get a little understanding that you can't get from people who don't know your world," said Fuller.

There continues to be a definite gap in that area, so she promised herself that when she graduated from college, she would work to fill that gap. Today Fuller is following through on her dream and her promise. 

She will earn a bachelor's degree in human services from the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh this December, did a summer internship with Lutheran Social Services, and is now in the process of setting up an agency that would serve as a network for the Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing in the Fox Valley. She is working with her friend and colleague, Melanie Blechl of Neenah, a sign language interpreter for the Appleton Area School District. 

The immediate goals of the agency, Fuller said, will focus on Deaf-awareness training, Deaf children support groups and teaching daily living skills. The two hope to have sign language instruction, a literacy program, child services and serve as translators.

No one is certain how many Deaf and Hard of Hearing people there are in this community, but the best estimate is at least 300 to 500, Fuller said. Many hesitate to identify themselves as such.

"I feel that many people out there don't understand deafness and feel only pity," Fuller said. "But that's not what we want. We want respect and a fair chance in life, in employment."

Fuller, 25, is an Appleton native who now lives in Neenah. She graduated from Little Chute High School, attended Gallaudet University for the Deaf and hard-of-hearing in Washington, D.C., for two years before returning to the area to study at UWO.

She began working on creating an agency as part of a program requirement at UWO. Human services majors must complete 280 hours of volunteer work in the field before graduation.

"I made the proposal to Lutheran Social Services and UWO to do the work as my internships and they agreed. It gave me a lot of insight into what it takes to develop and run an agency," she said.

At the top of that list is money. She and Blechl are in the process of seeking funds and looking for office space.

While the two only linked up in June, the partnership seems to be working well, probably because they have the same goals and a great deal in common. Blechl, who graduated from North Central Technical College, Wausau, with a degree in educational interpretation, functions well in the hearing world but is, herself, Hard of Hearing.

Both women receive support from their husbands. Alan Blechl is, himself, Deaf, but deft at reading lips and interpreting nuances on the faces of visitors. Fuller's husband, Curtis, is a teacher in cognitive disabilities at McKinley Elementary School in Appleton.

Fuller is, however, well equipped to deal with the bureaucratic world. She has made sure she's got the background and this year received the Morrie O. Nelson Distinguished Service Award from Lutheran Social Services for her work as a community living specialist at a group home.

Augmenting her knowledge of both the hearing and Deaf worlds she served as president of the UWO chapter of Social Awareness and Identity of Disabilities and has been active in the Hands of Christ Deaf Ministry, headquartered in Appleton.

"We're pretty much the new kids on the block but eventually we want to provide a literacy program for the Deaf and a network where successful Deaf individuals can exchange skills and expertise," Blechl said.

Until they can find a sponsor and an office, the duo will work from their homes.

"The need is that great. The only help around here is the Bureau for the Deaf/HH in Green Bay but only one person handles 17 counties," Fuller said.

In the meantime, the clock is running and the Deaf have already been shortchanged as to services, Blechl said., "It's a shame because a little help would greatly improve the quality of life for these people who are so often forgotten."

While there is a Deaf culture, much like an ethnic culture, with it's own lifestyle, traditions and social events, the two women pointed out that those things don't help people get jobs or improve their skills.

"Reading and writing skills, for example, need to be improved at a young age because those are the skills that translate into jobs in the future," Fuller said. "We also want to assist people in selecting specialized equipment. Many are not aware of the technology out there. It's pretty vast," said Blechl, referring to such things as special telephones and signaling equipment, from pagers to timers to alarm systems.

"Funds are available for many of these things, but people simply don't know about it. We want to be there for them for that as well," Blechl said.

"We're dealing with something as simple as helping people fill out a job application," Fuller said. "It's a struggle because they fear they won't be hired because of their hearing problems so they don't apply at all and give away their rights. That's one of the reasons so many are low-income families," Fuller said.

But a very important component of their hope is to make the hearing community aware of the fact that there are people in their community who are forgotten simply because they are Hard of Hearing.

"We want to build a bridge between the Deaf and the hearing. We want to break down the barriers between the two cultures and show we need each other as human beings," Fuller said.

Maija Penikis can be reached at 
993-1000, ext. 289, or by e-mail at 
mpenikis@appleton.gannett.com

Note, some words were changed to 
make this article more Deaf-centric, 
and to correct incorrect facts.

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