Lorraine Butler (Waghorn)

Auckland Deaf Society, about to close for a total building redevelopment, hosts a final social event: a Mardi Gras at the Deaf Club.

The opening of the Advance Centre, a tertiary support centre for Deaf and hearing impaired students in the Auckland region, attended by Hon Ruth Dyson, Minister for Disability Issues, and Patrick Thompson - Māori Deaf leader.

The popular basketball programme was hosted over two days at Cowles Stadium with footage coverage of the Manawatu and Christchurch ladies competing for the Otago Deaf Society Cup, which Manawatu won (19-15). The winner of the Cunliffe Memorial Cup (men’s) went to Christchurch, with the runner up Wellington (63-56).

The 1st National Deaf Youth Camp – April 2005 at Finlay Adventure Park, Cambridge – was supported and organised by DEAFinitely Youth Group (DYG). It was founded in 2000 to host the 2nd Asia-Pacific Deaf Youth Camp, and it went on to support the 1st NDYC with 25 participants and 5 different workshops.

The ‘007’ themed Miss and Mr Deaf New Zealand event, expertly hosted by Victoria Skorikova and Tony Walton was a major fundraising event for the 2nd Asia Pacific Deaf Youth Camp. It was organised in 5 weeks and raised $7,000 towards camp costs.

Queer Nation meets a sporty lesbian with nimble fingers. Lorraine talks about her identity, involvement with Deaf sports, performing and access, emphasising that Deaf people are really no different from hearing people.