Deafblind adult communicates a heartfelt thanks
SouthCoastTODAY.com, February 23, 2010
By Jaimi Lard
Jaimi Lard is the spokesperson for Perkins School for the Blind, Watertown.
Most people do not look forward to paying their taxes. I am different.
I was born with very limited vision and no hearing. I have grown up as a deafblind person here in Massachusetts. In 1964, when I was born, my parents were told I would not be able to communicate or learn and they should not expect much from me. With the help of an education and other services, I have been employed continuously since leaving school. I want to thank Massachusetts taxpayers who helped make my dreams come true so that now I, too, am a Massachusetts taxpayer. I appreciate your support.
Our tax dollars do so many wonderful things for all of us. As a deafblind adult, state agencies like the Massachusetts Commission for the Blind and the Massachusetts Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing are important in helping me be an active member of the community. They keep me from being stuck at home. They provide me with support people so I can go shopping, to a museum or to a show. With sign language interpreters, I am able to communicate with anyone and have access to events around the commonwealth. Improvements to intersections and traffic lights help people with and without vision impairments to get around their neighborhoods safely. Without these programs and services, many people in Massachusetts wouldn't be able to participate in helping the economy grow.
As the spokesperson for Perkins School for the Blind, I have the opportunity to share my perspective as a deaf/blind adult living in Massachusetts with school groups, colleges and universities as well as many civic organizations like the Lions Clubs and Rotary Clubs. My goal is to help educate people about the important roles we all have in our communities whether we are disabled or not.
I am a 1986 alumnus of Perkins School for the Blind, where I learned many adaptive techniques to live independently and also earned my diploma. My education, like other Massachusetts residents, was funded with tax dollars. Education is important for our children and adults to make Massachusetts a place we want to live. I encourage us all to keep paying our taxes and keep the budget dollars going where we need them. It makes me feel good to pay my share of taxes and help you get the services you need.
Helen Keller was deafblind. She went to Perkins, too. I will leave you with her words: Alone, we can do so little; together, we can do so much.
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