The 1970's

When Elaine Shaffer became a sign language teacher for the Fairfax County Adult Education Department, she quickly found herself the go-to person for fielding questions about finding sign language interpreters, schools for deaf children, and much more.

On February 14, 1977 the concept of having an official place where people could go for information first started to gain momentum. Twenty five people met to discuss the needs of people who were deaf at Annandale United Methodist. They agreed that a priority was to have a resource and information center “on questions concerning the deaf.”

An October 27, 1977 story in The Washington Post reported that testimony was given at a hearing of the 11-member Fairfax County Task Force on the Handicapped about the need for an information and counseling center for the deaf. Most of the 80 persons attending the hearing at King’s Park Library were deaf.

1980-1983

On June 1, 1981, Fred P. Yates, Executive Director of the Virginia Council for the Deaf (now the Virginia Department for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing), spoke to the Fairfax County Commission for the Handicapped about the needs of deaf and hard of hearing persons in Northern Virginia.  Yates had previously tried unsuccessfully to obtain state funding for at least six regional centers for deaf and hard of hearing individuals. After his presentation, the Commission voted to create a task force to review the community needs of deaf citizens and make recommendations for improving services. This Deaf Task Force held its first meeting in Fall 1981, and met seven more times by Spring 1982.  Chaired by Elaine Shaffer, its members included Reuben I. Altizer, Don and Leona Ames, Raymond Baker, Anita Beard, Elvera Burton, Mary Campbell, Nate Drown, Ralph Esquivel, Pat Gaither (Beech), Judy Glossman (Winston), Lois Herberger, Joe Kolash, Edwin and Kay Martin, Don McGee, Brenda Mitchiner, Tamara Osborn, Wayne Shook, Paul and Ruth Tester, Karen Therrien (Kolash), and Gary Viall.  One of the task force’s 19 recommendations was to explore the development of a community resource center for the deaf “to be a focal point for the deaf community for all their services.”

Task Force member Reuben Altizer is thought to have been the first known person to articulate the need for a community center. His vision was of a center where deaf individuals would have meeting space and receive services with no barriers to communication.  He passed away in January 1984 without seeing his dream realized. The report from the Task Force was presented to the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors on March 7, 1983.  The Board of Supervisors later approved recommendations made by Fairfax County staff and requested a feasibility study on developing a community center.

1984-1985