News from the SHHH Convention

Editor: We weren't able to make the SHHH convention in Cherry Hill, NJ, this year, but we're hoping to get to the Seattle convention in 2002. Fortunately, Cheryl Heppner of NVRC did her usual outstanding job of reporting, and she's given us permission to pass along her reports. We'll be including some of these over the next few newsletters.

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Web Relay from AT&T

Earlier tonight I attended a reception by AT&T and tried their new web relay, now undergoing tests, to call home. AT&T has developed a way to go to a website, type in the phone number you want to call, click a box and make a relay call. You're connected to a Communications Assistant, to whom you type your text message. The Communications Assistant types back the other person's phone response. This could offer some very exciting possibilities in the future. The website is well designed and easy to use. There is an option to make the text larger or smaller and also an option to choose from several colors for the text of what you type and the text of the other person's response.

Access Award - William E. Kennard

Former FCC Chairman William E. Kennard was selected as this year's SHHH Access Award winner. He was to accept the award and be the keynote speaker on Friday, June 22, but his plane was delayed due to storms. After filling most of his time slot with an introduction by Pam Gregory of the FCC, the audience was sent off to a reception sponsored by Sprint Relay. Much like "a watched pot never boils," Mr. Kennard magically appeared a few minutes later. In what should rank right up there with some of the Great Saves in Conference History, the SHHH staff, board, volunteers, friends, friends' acquaintances and innocent bystanders all managed to rope a huge mass of people back into the auditorium within 15 minutes. And the show went on.

SHHH Awards

[Ed: Cheryl is a proud Virginian; hence the top billing for other Virginians]

Three extremely deserving Virginians will be honored at the Awards Ceremony tomorrow. They are:

1. Family Involvement Award: Ken Goodmiller, husband of our equally fabulous SHHH state coordinator, Joan Goodmiller.
2. State Coordinator Award: Bob Brown, the former (but still fabulous too) SHHH state coordinator.
3. Advocacy Award: Arva Priola. This award is being given for the first time this year and we are delighted that Arva will receive this recognition. The Senate of Virginia also knows we have a gem. They recently issued a commendation offering their sincerest congratulations to Arva for being selected to receive the award.

Other awards winners are:

- Keystone Award: Howard Potrude, MI
- Special Friend Award: H. Stephen Berger, TX, Charles W. Beatty, Jr., TX, Rep. Bambilyn Cambio, RI
- Outstanding Young Adult: Bonne Bandolas, OR
- Spirit of SHHH: Lise Hamlin, NY, Kris Kirstukas, MD, Dana Mulvany, CA, Betty A. Proctor, TN
- Family Involvement Award: Michael Bower, WA, Jackie Bryan, TX, Dave Welter, GA
- State Coordinators: Barbara Canner, OH, Lucy Caase, CA, Jayne Clark, MN, Virginia Craig, PA, Faye Donaldson, OK, Lise Hamlin, NY, Max Kennedy, UT, Ann Liming, MI, Janet McKenna, NY, Twyla Niedfeldt, UT, Alan Post, KS, Howard Potrude, MI, Pat Vincent, OH, Beth Wilson, RI, Bob Wistort, CA
- Professional Advisor: Carol Waechter
- Group Development: Binghamton, NY
- Outreach: SHHH Augusta Group
- Newsletter:
Best Overall - South Nassau, NY
Honorable Mention - Orange County, CA and San Antonio, TX
Best Overall, State - New York State Assn.
Honorable Mention - Washington and Michigan
- Mildred Savell Memorial Scholarship: Merry Rubenstein, FL