TN H&V folks in Nashville…. Attend this if you can..for our Deaf & HH children…Together, we can make a difference! Melanie Hi Everyone! In a previous e-mail I had mentioned a possible meeting next Tuesday, January 29th before the TN Disability Coalition’s Legislative Reception. We are not going to formally meet, HOWEVER, I know that several of you are planning to attend the Reception on the 29th at 5pm (register here if you plan to attend and have not yet registered: http://www.surveygizmo.com/s3/1105505/RSVP-to-the-2013-Legislative-Reception) and Disability Day on the Hill on the 30th. If you would like to stop by the Library Services for the Deaf & Hard of Hearing on Tuesday evening before the reception, I will be happy to share with you the most recent information I have. (3rd floor, Main Library – parking under the library – 1 block from the Sheraton) As of now (Friday afternoon) Dana Hughes, John Forbes, Mike Turner, and Sharon Bryant have not heard from Deputy Governor Claude Ramsey regarding placing funding in the budget to help the Deaf, Hard of Hearing, and Deaf-Blind community needs. If funds are not placed in the budget to help, then a lobbying effort will be needed. We may not know if funding has been placed in the state budget until the Governor presents the budget to the State Legislature. If lobbying is necessary, you will need to contact your state legislator. So NOW is the time to make an effort to get to know them, if you do not already know them! And, if you do not know who represents you then please check this website: http://www.capitol.tn.gov/legislators/ . Please let them know of YOUR and the COMMUNITY needs. Please take note and let us know if you think they may be interested in sponsoring some legislation and then share that with us. (If you are not coming to the reception or day on the hill, then please contact your legislators at home – in your community.) So, there will not be a formal meeting next Tuesday, but please feel free to stop by the library before the reception if you want more info or direction. And, please let me know if you have any questions.