A Sweet Partnership
A partnership that now goes back almost six years took another step forward in March when both Deaf children and Deaf adults took advantage of an ASL-interpreted Sugarbush Tour at Blandford Nature Center in Grand Rapids.
D&HHS Community & Partnerships Manager Erica Chapin said the number of people had to be limited because of tour sizes but that around 20 people were able to take advantage of the opportunity and that the response was universally positive.
“People really enjoyed their time and were very thankful for an interpreter,” she said. “They were very engaged and asked a lot of questions about the maple syrup process. It was great to see the information shared in an accessible way for the communities we serve.”
For Blandford, the partnership is simply one more way to make its programming available to as many people as possible.
“We recognize we have work to do around creating outdoor events that are accessible to our whole community, and partnering with organizations like D&HHS is what our mission is all about: to engage and empower our whole community through enriching experiences in nature, regardless of abilities,” said Katie Clouse, Volunteer & Outreach Manager for Blandford.
This was Blandford’s 54th year hosting a Sugarbush celebration but the first with ASL services.
“We had been working with D&HHS back in 2019 to provide ASL services for the 2020 Sugarbush Festival, and unfortunately, that festival was cancelled due the pandemic,” said Clouse. “We are grateful to partner with the D&HHS team to bring ASL services to our 2024 Sugarbush Festival. It is our hope to continue providing ASL and other inclusive programs in an effort to be more welcoming to our entire community. Keep an eye out for more opportunities as we continue to foster and strengthen our relationship with the many wonderful organizations like D&HHS.”
Chapin saluted the efforts of Blandford to be more inclusive.
“So many places say they want to be inclusive but are not willing to put in the money or effort to do so,” she said. “Blandford turned their words into action at Sugarbush, and we hope it continues to be the standard at Blandford and other organizations and events in the community.”