Guidelines for the
Marjorie Gamon "Mardy" Walker Memorial Assistive Listening System
HISTORY
The Assistive Listening System (ALS) was purchased in 2004 through memorial monies placed in an Advance account of the General Board of Global Ministries (GBGM) for the United Methodist Church. The funds honored Marjorie Gamon "Mardy" Walker, spouse of the Rev. Dr. Robert L. Walker, a member of the The United Methodist Committee on Ministries with Deaf, Late-Deafened, Hard of Hearing, and Deaf-Blind People (formerly the National Committee on Deaf Ministries). Mardy died on July 7, 2003 following an eight year siege of non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. She was a strong supporter of the UMCom’s work, and accompanied her husband to its meetings, serving as his sighted guide.
Memorial gifts were supplied by relatives and friends. In addition, the UMCom at its March, 2004 meeting honored the Rev. Dr. Peggy Johnson in her four-year service as the group’s first consultant, by placing a large gift in the memorial account.
At its 2004 meeting, the UMCom authorized the expenditure of the Advance account for the acquisition of an Assistive Listening System, to be used in its meetings and outreach programs, and made available for lending to institutions, agencies and local churches as defined below.
EQUIPMENT
Following is a listing of the ALS equipment:
One shipping case
One Williams Sound PPA T17 Compact Transmitter, Channel E,
An FM system used either in a free standing mode with microphones, or connected to an existing public address system
One lavaliere (lapel) microphone
Four Centrum Sound CM-3J conference microphones that lie flat in a line or loop position, picking up the voices of all participants without need to employ an individual microphone
Three Centrum Sound KKJ-Y 3.5 mm Y adaptors that permit the appropriate layout of the conference microphones and an optional simultaneous use of a lavaliere microphone
Four Williams Sound PPA R30N Receivers, each with its own volume control, uses AA batteries
Four Williams Sound Flat-Folding Headphones that fit over the ear instead of in the ear, and over an in-the-ear style of hearing aid
Two neckloops usable for wearers of hearing aids or cochlear implant that have a telephone switch (t-switch)
Extra AA batteries for the receivers
Illustrated directions for setting up and using the equipment are included with the set, and also attached to these guidelines.
USERS
The ALS shall be made available free of charge (except for shipping costs as stated below) to the following:
The United Methodist Committee on Ministries with Deaf, Late-Deafened, Hard of Hearing, and Deaf-Blind People (formerly the National Committee on Deaf Ministries)
The national United Methodist Congress of the Deaf (UMCD)
The jurisdictional UMCDs
General events of the United Methodist Church (UMC)
Boards and agencies of the UMC
UMC annual conferences and their districts
Local United Methodist Churches
Ecumenical gatherings
Others by approval of the UMCom
PURPOSE
The purpose of the ALS is to make possible the participation of persons who are hard of hearing or use cochlear implants in public events and scheduled meetings of any of the above named users. A secondary purpose is to demonstrate the need for all units of the church to acquire an ALS for its several ministries and activities.
POLICIES
First priority in use of the ALS rests with the UMCom, its meetings and special events.
Custodial care of the ALS is delegated to the UMCom’s consultant.
All requests for borrowing the ALS shall be sent to the consultant who shall forward a loan application form to the borrower, and make all arrangements for shipping the ALS to the borrower.
Effort will be made to ship the ALS to the borrower at least a week prior to the scheduled use; the borrower should return the ALS to the consultant no later than a week after the event.
The application shall indicate name of the borrowing group, date of use, purpose for the use, shipping address of the borrower, promised date of return, and name, address, e-mail address, and telephone number of the responsible person.. In addition, the form shall have a clause signed by the borrower, accepting responsibility for the care and protection of the ALS while it is in the company of the borrower.
Loaning the ALS to any of the above cited groups shall be temporary, with a time limit established between the consultant and the borrower.
The cost of shipping the ALS to and from the borrower shall be underwritten by The borrower; the UMCom’s consultant will arrange for both the sending and returning labels with evidence of paid shipping cost. The return label will be placed inside the shipping case. When returning the ALS the borrower shall place a check in the shipping case to cover both costs..
An exemption to the shipping costs rule is granted to The UMCom and any of its activities.
Documentation of each part of the ALS shall be made by the consultant and checked off in return by the borrower; notation of loss or breakage shall be communicated by the consultant to the borrower.
While no user fee will be charged to the borrower, the borrower will be encouraged to receive a free will offering to be given to the UMCom’s Advance account No. 982562-7 that undergirds further missional works in the interests of Deaf, late-deafened, hard of hearing, and deaf-blind people.
An insurance policy protecting the ALS against loss, thievery, or breakage shall be purchased by the UMCom; however, the borrower will be responsible for loss or damage to any part of the ALS, other than the effects of normal use.
Batteries for use with the receivers shall be provided by the UMCom, and a fresh supply shall accompany the ALS in each shipment to a borrower.
Alterations and/or additions to these guidelines shall be made by the UMCom alone.
Adopted: