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September 22, 2005

DeafNation Expo Restarts With Record-Breaking Attendance In Seattle

From: DeafNation - Sep 22, 2005

Media Contact:

Joel Barish, DeafNation
P.O. Box 762
Frederick, MD 21705-0762
FAX 301.682.7529
expo@deafnation.com
marketing@deafnation.com


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

DEAFNATION EXPO RESTARTS TOUR WITH RECORD-BREAKING ATTENDANCE IN SEATTLE

Seattle, WA [September 17, 2005] – After a summer break from its national tour, DeafNation Expo returned to Seattle to have its latest show on Sept. 17. "Wow! This event was perfect for sleepless Seattle!" said Joel Barish, DeafNation CEO. "The booth spaces were completely filled, and it was such a non-stop crowd all day until we finally were able to clear the hall at about 6:30 p.m."

The expo was held at Seattle Center Exhibition Hall on Sept. 17, with more than 2,800 people in attendance – up from 2,300 last year. Co-sponsored by Sorenson VRS and Sprint, the expo had 65 booths and plenty of things to do, all at no cost to attendees. Activities included presentations by Washington State Association of the Deaf and World Association for Children & Parents. Northwest Deaf Bikers, in a snazzy visual presentation, talked about the organization and its bikers' travels across the nation. John Maucere had a new monologue and special guests during the John "Leno" Maucere show, delighted audience members with his humor during the Dating Game with Mary Monroe, and performed his infamous SuperDeafyWalk video interviews by surprising attendees.

"Sorenson Communications was proud to be the premier sponsor of DeafNation in Seattle, which has grown since last year in both attendance and offerings," said Sorenson VRS outreach manager Mark Call. "This year's Seattle DeafNation was a great opportunity for networking, learning about the latest technology trends, and giveaways like the big-screen television from Sorenson VRS."

Dan Brubaker, account manager for Sprint Washington Relay was impressed by the attendance and offerings. "DeafNation Expo here in Seattle was a resounding success! We saw a lot more attendees this year than the previous two years!" he said. "We were able to demonstrate our Sprint and Washington Relay products on an ongoing basis for nine straight hours, and that's an accomplishment."

"The number of exhibitors has doubled every year we go back to Seattle," Barish said. "And the numbers of attendees also keep growing. We saw so many new people this year, which is testimony to our far-reaching success and the importance of our expo for area residents. In fact, we have sold out all booth slots for the two shows, which are in Gaithersburg, Md., and Chicago."

DeafNation Expo is visiting 12 cities in 2005, with the next one planned for Gaithersburg, Md. on Sept. 24. Admission is free for all attendees, and registration may be completed by visiting www.deafnation.com.

About DeafNation
DeafNation and DeafNation Expo are the premier destinations for people wanting to stay updated about the latest happenings in the Deaf and Hard of Hearing community. Visit www.deafnation.com for the latest news, video clips in sign language, and exclusive coverage of events such as the Deaflympics and World Federation of the Deaf activities. DeafNation Expo is the foremost exhibition for, by, and about Deaf people. DeafNation Expo, held at different locations across the nation each year, is a celebration of culture, an exhibition of technology, and a business and social event – all wrapped up in one dynamic, spectacular event at no charge to attendees. Visit DeafNation's website today at www.deafnation.com!


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