We look forward to seeing you there!

This meeting will be held at our usual location at the
Lawrenceville Road United Methodist Church

Enjoy the Georgia Relay's 3rd Annual Picnic
at Strom Thurmond Dam and Lake

All ALDA-Peach members are invited to participate in the third annual Georgia Relay picnic being held Saturday, September 18 from 11am-2:30pm at J. Strom Thurmond Dam & Lake in Clarks Hill, South Carolina.

The picnic is an opportunity for people who are deaf and hard of hearing and their families to come together for a fun-filled afternoon of games and free food and drink.

Bring your chairs and your picnic blankets and enjoy time with family, friends and new acquaintances!

J. Strom Thurmond Dam & Lake is located at
510 Clarks Hill Highway, Clarks Hill, S.C. 29821.

To attend the picnic, please R.S.V.P. to Karin Sack at karin.sack@hamiltonrelay.com by September 10.

Just can’t hear on the phone? Has making a telephone call become a task that you avoid or have other people do for you? If so, there is a solution available to help you reconnect to others via the phone. It’s called Captioned Telephone.

Similar in concept to captioned television, Captioned Telephone allows you to use your own voice while you listen to and read captions of what is being said to you over the telephone.

Captioned Telephone Service can change people’s lives. Comments from individuals who use the service include: “I could not use the phone before and now I use it all the time.” “It is a natural part of our lifestyle and without it, communication would be very limited.” “This is great. Now I can talk to my family where before someone had to call for me.” “I am enjoying my phone...I am looking forward to Captioned Telephone improving the quality of my life toward being more independent.”

Captioned Telephone is a free service available through Georgia Relay, a public service provided by the State of Georgia and administered by the Georgia Public Service Commission. Georgia Relay makes telecommunication simple, dependable and convenient for people who are hearing, deaf, hard of hearing or speech disabled.

The service works using a phone line and a confidential captioning service that visually displays everything the other party says during a conversation on the brightly lit screen of a CapTel® captioned telephone. The captions allow the user to read along with the spoken words. In this way, a person can engage in natural conversations with friends, businesses and loved ones, using their own voice and experiencing the independence of making calls without the assistance of the people in their lives. While the captioning service is free, a special CapTel phone is required.

For more information, or to learn more about other telecommunication services available for Georgians who are deaf, hard of hearing or speech disabled, call Georgia Relay Customer Service toll free at 1-866-694-5824 (Voice/TTY) or visit www.GeorgiaRelay.org.

For many people living with hearing loss, using a telephone is often a stressful and frustrating endeavor. Whether attempting a routine call with family or friends, or a more intricate business conversation, conducting a normal phone conversation can be nearly impossible for someone who is unable to clearly understand what the person on the other end is saying.

This is why Georgia Relay now offers captioned telephone technology – known as CapTel for short. Developed by UltraTec, the same company that produces TTYs (text telephones) for people who are deaf and hard of hearing, CapTel was introduced in Georgia in January 2008 and is revolutionizing the way many people communicate over the telephone. While not for everyone, this technology is ideal for those who are late-deafened and have understandable speech. The only equipment needed is a CapTel phone, which looks much like a standard telephone, except with a brightly-lit display screen.

CapTel allows users to talk and listen to the person they have called while they receive a text version of the other person’s words displayed on their phone’s digital screen. As the conversation progresses, users can check their CapTel phone’s screen anytime to ensure accuracy. The captions appear nearly simultaneously as words are spoken, and the phone itself is as easy to use as a standard phone – callers just pick up the handset and dial the number they wish to call. Also, with the exception of the purchase price of the phone and any long-distance charges, there is no cost to use CapTel.

CapTel phones are available for purchase at a discounted price of $99 (80% off of the standard retail price) exclusively through Georgia Relay. To download an order form, visit www.georgiarelay.org. If you do not have access to Internet, call 1-866-694-5824 (voice/TTY) to have an order form mailed to your home address.

A limited number of free phones are available to people who are medically and financially qualified through the Georgia Telecommunications Equipment Distribution Program. Call GACHI at 1-888-297-9461 (voice/TTY) or visit www.gachi.org for details.

As of January 1, 2009, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) requires that all Video Relay and Internet Relay users obtain a 10-digit number. This number is just like the standard 10-digit number used by most voice telephone callers.

Web CapTel and CapTel equipment and services support the use of both seven-digit and ten-digit numbers.

There are many benefits to using a 10-digit number for VRS and IP Relay. First of all, it is now much easier to place a call to a VRS or IP Relay user. There is no more need for multi-step calling instructions, special extensions, “proxy” numbers or IP addresses. Now, anyone can simply pick up a voice telephone, dial a 10-digit number and be connected to any VRS or IP Relay user through that person’s preferred provider. Secondly, every 10-digit number is assigned to its user’s physical geographic location. This means that in the event that a VRS or IP Relay user places an emergency call to 911, the user’s address is automatically routed to the 911 call center operator, who is able to dispatch emergency services to the appropriate location more quickly.

If you are a VRS or IP Relay user, you must contact your preferred service provider and request to be assigned a 10-digit number. Once you receive your number, you must register this number with your current address through your provider. You will be able to change your service provider or update your location information at any time. After June 30, 2009 VRS and IP Relay services will not be available for anyone without a registered 10-digit number.

Any Georgia Relay user who needs to obtain a 10-digit telephone number for VRS or IP Relay, needs to register a number with a current address, or would like to learn more may do so by contacting Georgia Relay at either V/TTY 1-866-694-5824 or www.georgiarelay.org.

Web Captioned Telephone Service Available Now for People with Hearing Loss Nationwide

AURORA, NE – Hamilton Relay today announced the availability of Hamilton Web CapTel^®. CapTel is a service designed for individuals who have difficulty hearing on the telephone, where captions, similar to the closed captioning provided on most television programs, are offered to support the understanding of telephone conversations. Previously available only through State Relay programs and with a specialized CapTel phone, individuals nationwide can now make CapTel calls via the Web. Web CapTel works with any type of telephone and any type of Internet access device. Hamilton Web CapTel is available at www.hamiltoncaptel.com.

Hamilton Web CapTel requires no special equipment. Along with a standard telephone or mobile phone, individuals can see every word a caller says on a computer screen. All that is required is an Internet connection and a computer or laptop with a standard web browser — no special equipment or special software is needed. Individuals can listen to the caller and read the written captions of everything the caller says.

Hamilton Web CapTel works by providing two telephone numbers, your telephone number and the telephone number you wish to call. When you place a call, the Web CapTel Service calls your number first, then the number of the person you wish to call. You will be able to see the captioning page from the computer monitor and once you answer your telephone, captions will begin and the system is calling out to the person you wish to call. When you are waiting to receive a call, a person dials Hamilton Web CapTel Service at 1-800-933-7219. Web CapTel Service checks to see if you are logged on and waiting for calls, then places a call to your telephone number where you are waiting.

“Hamilton is thrilled to introduce Hamilton Web CapTel,” says Dixie Ziegler, Vice President of Hamilton Relay. ”This exciting web-based service expands Hamilton’s CapTel offering by bringing the flexibility and mobility of the Internet to the CapTel experience that so many people have come to enjoy. Individuals who have missed out on what was being said during a telephone conversation no longer need to. Hamilton Web CapTel allows individuals with hearing loss to ‘see what they say.’ ”

Individuals will view telephone conversations word by word, phrase by phrase, on-screen as the conversation takes place. There is no charge for using Hamilton Web CapTel.

Individuals and organizations who would like more information are encouraged to contact a Hamilton Relay Representative at 800-618-4781 (Voice/TTY) or via Email at help@hamiltoncaptel.com.

About Hamilton Relay

Hamilton Relay offers a variety of services including Internet Relay, Video Relay, Wireless Relay and CapTel. All services are available at www.hamiltonrelay.com. Hamilton Relay provides traditional relay services to 15 states, the Island of Saipan and the Virgin Islands.

CapTel and Web CapTel are registered trademarks of Ultratec, Inc.