FOR

IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 19, 2015



Contact: Elizabeth Zimmerman
Tel. 614.432.2963
Email: ezimmerman7@elon.edu

EVENT MANAGEMENT CLASS TO
HOST SIGN LANGUAGE EVENT
BENEFITTING LOCAL CHARITY

ELON, N.C. - Students of the Sport and Event Management class, Event Management,
are putting their skills to the test by hosting a fundraising dinner benefiting
Communication Services for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Inc. located in
Greensboro.

The Event Management class (SEM 427) is a unique take on engaged learning
at Elon. According to the Elon course brochure, students enrolled in the course
study the principles of organization, planning and group dynamics as they apply to
special event management in sport and recreation. Students also plan and
administer an actual event to benefit a local philanthropy as chosen by the class.


The students formulated the idea for their event after learning about a sign
language restaurant in Toronto called Signs. The concept for the restaurant is
simple -- guests are given menus with illustrations of hand signs that correlate with
various food options, the guests then sign the item to the all-deaf wait staff who
bring them their dish. The Event Management students hope to mirror this concept
at their event, Sign & Dine.

After researching the difficulties that the deaf community face in terms of
obtaining adequate funding for interpreters or translation technology, the students
of the Event Management class decided that the funds raised through the Sign &
Dine dinner should benefit a local charity that strives to provide the deaf community
with these necessary materials -- Communications Services for the Deaf and Hard of
Hearing Inc. (CSDHH) in Greensboro.

CSDHHs mission, according to their website, is to ensure equal access for
the deaf and hard of hearing by providing services to enhance communication
through community outreach and advocacy.



-more-

The students were drawn to the organization because of CSDHHs

commitment to not only providing services for deaf individuals, but also to advocate
for and to raise awareness of the cause in the central North Carolina area. By
bringing Sign & Dine to Elon, students hope to raise both funds for and awareness of
the deaf community.

The event will be held on April 27 from 5:30 p.m. until 8:30 p.m. in the
McBride Gathering Space in the Numen Lumen Pavilion. Dinner will be tacos with
various toppings served by local, certified American Sign Language (ASL)
interpreters. Tickets are $5.00 for students, $8.00 for community members and can
be purchased April 23, 24 and 27 in the Moseley Center or online at
www.signanddineelon.eventbrite.com

###

Students in the Event Management course study the principles of organization,
planning and group dynamics as they apply to special event management in sport
and recreation. Students also learn to identify, develop and apply component skills
such as needs assessment, inventory and evaluation. Students will plan and
administer an actual event (Sign & Dine). Our goal is to raise a substantial amount of
funding for our chosen philanthropy, Communications Services for Deaf and Hard of
Hearing Inc. located in Greensboro, N.C. through donations and proceeds from our
taco dinner.

For more information regarding Sign & Dine, please contact Elizabeth Zimmerman
at 614.432.2963 or ezimmerman7@elon.edu.