Fellow v/bloggers: LaRonda Zupp (The Ear of My Heart), Ocean (Deaf Pagan Crossroads) and Ben Vess (Der Sankt Speaks) enjoy the fundraising festivities at The Glimmer of Hope: Purple Sea of Dreams, along with Ryan Cummerson, Kenya Lowe, Pam Cavazos, Felix Macias, Julie Rems-Smario and more! This spectacular evening was to raise funds to support Deaf survivors of domestic and sexual violence. The highlight of my evening was getting a Tarot reading from Ocean, watching Ryan Cummerson dance to the beat of his own drum, and getting a kiss from Ben Vess! Transcript below.
Transcript:
Ocean: “Your want to do your best. You want to improve things. You want to have some kind of impact on the world…. Chalices are cards of beginnings. New beginnings… This tells me you’ve started this project already because this card is in your past… You want to EXPERIENCE the world, not just remain alone in it or stay in one place. you want a journey!”
Ocean: “Empower the cards your energy.”
LaRonda: “OK.”
Ocean: “How is up to you.”
(LaRonda shuffles cards and holds them over her heart and then over each Chakra point, then laughs)
Ocean: Laughs “Whatever works for you. Ok. Now cut the cards. Make a pile to the right and to the left…
“It’s interesting because this card is usually not a very materialistic person, but you have two cards here that focus a lot on materialism. So, because this was in your past, I’m starting to wonder if there is a shift occurring…”
Demi: “Want to buy something to support Deaf-Hope? Two dollars.”
Steve: Thumbs up. “He’s mischievous.”
Pam: Welcome. Hello everyone. Old friends and new friends….
…Free… not have to worry if someone will hurt me…
…We each have our own idea of what “world peace” means…
Felix: “This story is called “The Starfish.” A grandmother and her granddaughter were out walking along the beach. The coastline was beautiful. There dolphins splashing in the ocean and they sat to watch that amazing sight. But as they looked down later in the day, they noticed the tide was out. It was now low tide. Suddenly, the granddaughter jumped up and began grabbing all the starfish that had washed up with the tide and were left there, and she began flinging them back into the ocean. She knew if someone did not put them back into the ocean they would die.
But the grandmother said, “Leave them be. There are too many of them. You won’t be able to make a difference. Just leave them be.”
But the granddaughter refused to listen, and went about gathering them up, as many as she could and tossing them back into the sea as fast as she could. She looked at her grandmother and said, “But if just one starfish lives, I will have made a difference.”
“Similarly, before Deaf-Hope was established, there was no help. Groups of women traveling through life together noticed when one of their own was gone from Domestic Violence. The loss of a woman’s life has a huge impact. But someone will make a big difference. How? Through Deaf-Hope.”
Ryan: Beating Drum.
Kenya: “… and I’m Kenya Lowe.”
Ryan: “Good evening ladies, gentlemen and transgenders. This is the 7th annual Glimmer of Hope: “Purple Sea of Dreams.”
Julie: “Let there be light! Bring up the lights! Yeah! More! Is that better?” Laughs
Ryan: “I’m curious about our VIP waiters. Who are our VIP waiters? Now, I want you in the audience to tell me who has worked the hardest.
Kenya: “Which table has had the best server? Who?”
Ryan: “Who? Pep? Pep? Jim Brune? They said Jim Brune.
Julie: “250 people have gathered here tonight. For what? To support Deaf-Hope. Wow! Really, the people here, themselves, are the Purple Sea of Dreams. It’s their spirit. Ryan Cummerson, Kenya Lowe, they’ve done a beautiful job.”
“You ask me what is my dream? Really, I share this dream with the board and our staff, and the survivors and the community — to have our own center for deaf, abused women. A place where they can live with their children without fear of violence. We will build 20 apartment units with services and offices. We’ve finished the first year of planning and now we have 4 more years left to plan and prepare. We’re really looking forward to this. Our goal this year is to be able to raise enough money to buy property. It will happen! Why? Because you people here tonight are the Purple Sea of Dreams! Thank you! ILY”
Mark: “It’s a wonderful night. It’s just beautiful.”
Ben: “It’s a heart.”
Taya: “Is it glass?”
Ben: “No, feel…”
Taya: “Oh it’s really light. It’s a heart pendent.”
Ben: “A purple heart. It was hand made by a friend…”
Taya: “Let’s start the bid at $30…. (continues the competitive auction until the pendent sells at $150)
Ben: “It’s yours!”
Ben: “Let me introduce myself. I’m Ben.”
Carrie: “I’m Carrie.”
Ben: “This evening, I attended Deaf-Hope and I wore a black tie. But Julie shook her head and said I must have something purple. So she took off my tie and traded it in for this. (Points to purple heart pendent.) I said, “Fine.” Then suddenly people start telling me they want the pendent. So, true business, we auctioned it off and guess who won?”
Carrie: Waves (me). “Yes, I love it. I saw it and I kept saying I really want that! I thought to myself, what am I to do? So I asked Julie and let her know I wanted it. But then another woman said she wanted it too, so she said fine, let’s auction it. We both bid and bid and bid until I won! I’m stubborn!”
LaRonda: “Really, I don’t think they wanted the heart. I think they wanted Ben! He’s a model!”
Ben: (Gushes) “Thank you. (Smooch) Pah! We finally meet!”
LaRonda: “Yes, we finally meet! Vlogger meets vlogger.”
Ben: “Really, I love her. She’s so sweet!”
Ben: “But, at Deaf-Hope’s Glimmer of Hope, we’re here to help Deaf-Hope by encouraging you to donate any money you can. Or, give your time or whatever, right?”
LaRonda: “Right.”
Bye (ILY wave)
