In the life of a DeafBlind person, one can imagine that cultures could quite literally collide! Come enjoy the hilarious life stories of René Pellerin. René will explore the transition from Deaf to DeafBlind and the levity that can surround learning moments for hearing, Deaf and DeafBlind alike. Many of René's stories will ring true to life experience for both Deaf and hearing. René's "Punchlines" have been creatively characterized by cartoons developed by a Vermont deaf artist.

René will choose stories from his repertoire which particularly impact the audience. These include, but are not limited to, stories where René selected a Vermont interpreter for regular use at his place of employment; fielding an audience member's question around his "relationship" with his interpreter and how he handled the inattentiveness of Deaf attendees at a National Association of the Deaf convention (burgeoning cell phone use). Rene will exemplify hearing people's "respect for the cane" in an informative and hilarious recounting of the 4th of July in Old Town Alexandria. Integrated in these stories will be demonstrations of how Pro-Tactile or Haptics cues can reintegrate a DeafBlind person with his environment (example...as fireworks were no longer visible in the night sky, a Deaf interpreter thought to show the visual in tactile form on his back)