They will celebrate a 100-year history in 2020!! Originally established in 1920 as the Dallas…read moreSilent Club (and incorporated in 1949). In 1970, they were renamed to the Dallas Association of the Deaf, Inc. (DAD). Made up of nearly 1,500 members, they are here to serve the needs of the D/deaf and hard of hearing (HOH) people in the Dallas, Texas vicinity, and their goal is to preserve their Deaf heritage, culture and American Sign Language (ASL).
Although I am hearing, my intent is to write a YELP review for those who are curious about this organization and would like to know more about it from another source.
Yes, my daughter and I are hearing and we are always looking for Deaf events that encourage us to join them and learn more about Deaf culture and help improve our ASL. With deep research I found DAD, but with more exposure, DAD could reach a larger audience and increase their numbers. Whether you are D/deaf, HOH, or hearing you are welcomed here. Membership for DAD is $10.00 annually. They are only open 1st and 3rd SATURDAY unless otherwise indicated on the website.
We recently attended a wonderful event hosted by DAD called, the 18th Annual Dallas Bass Association of the Deaf (DBAD) luncheon. We were not required to have a membership to attend this event. It was a day-long event, $10.00 pp that included your lunch and it was held from noon until 5 pm. There were approximately 50+ people there, only four of us were hearing. We stayed for four hours. One by one we met and signed with nearly everyone there. We really enjoyed their personal stories about where they were from, their hardships and happiness. We definitely learned more about Deaf culture, and we were encouraged to tell others about DAD and to come back. See my pictures :)
The best source for finding events with DAD is their Facebook page. Search: Dallas Association of the Deaf, Inc.
When you arrive at the DAD building it is very intimidating. If you are not familiar with the area, like us, you are not confident that you are in the right place. This is how much we trusted Google, lol. The building is not branded with any kind of "DAD" signage and the physical numbers on the building are nearly gone. There is a door that faces the street and another door that faces the parking lot. We did not understand which door to enter. We drove around the building twice before we were able to figure it out. FYI it is the door facing the parking lot. However, once you step through the doors the environment was warm and inviting. The bar is to the left and it is set up for guests over 21+ who enjoy alcohol, however, you can order anything you want. The prices are more than reasonable. The bar area is very large, visually inviting, cool lights are strung above your head and there are a few game tables nearby like pool and poker. The banquet area is to the right and it is set up with oversized round tables that make it easy to sign to anyone around you. The food was catered in and potluck style. There was fried chicken, catfish, french fries, creamed corn, cucumber salad, cornbread as well as a table full of deserts.
After four hours, we did not want to overstay our welcome so we politely visited each person to say goodbye. It took us another 30 minutes to say goodbye because we had made such great friends.
I sincerely hope this YELP review was helpful and if you have any questions about DAD contact: info@dallasdeafclub.org
