Our Story

THE RESOURCE CENTRE FOR MANITOBANS WHO ARE DEAF-BLIND

Black and white photo of a man starring very closing at his tablet, reading with a small magnifier. He is wearing a black toque. There are containers of food on the table.
Black and white photo of a woman sitting at a table. She has short hair, glasses and is wearing a black sweater. There is a water bottle and paper in front of her. Across from her is a man facing her.
Black and white photo of a pair of hands over another woman’s hands. Hand over hand ASL.

Our History

Resource Centre for Manitobans who are Deaf-Blind is a non-profit organization dedicated to working with adults who are Deaf-Blind due to accident, trauma, disease or condition. RCMDB is a program funded by the Province of Manitoba, Department of Families.

The Resource Centre for Manitobans who are Deaf-Blind (RCMDB) worked in conjunction with the consumer advocacy group Manitoba Deaf-Blind Association (MDBA), to establish the centre in 1996.

Since 1996 we have been bridging the gap between Deaf-Blind individuals and the community in which they live. With the guidance of a steering committee which consists of five Deaf-Blind individuals, their allies and staff, the program has developed in direct response to the needs identified by the consumers. We believe that all Deaf-Blind people should be at the forefront of RCMDB while working with us on how to best teach and inform others about Deaf-Blindness. We work with, not for the Deaf-Blind individual.

RCMDB is unique in Canada, RCMDB staff have been invited to speak on numerous occasions (joint presenters) as we always do with the Deaf-Blind individual. We were part of an advisory committee to research and help develop a Study of Deaf-Blind Demographics and Services in Canada in January of 2005. In June 2017, Accessible Media Inc and local production studio Totem Studios filmed and produced a documentary on RCMDB and the Deaf-Blind community. It aired on AMI TV June 29,2017, it was the first in a series called Our Community.

Our Team

Erika Duguay
Erika has been working with RCMDB as a Deaf-Blind Accessibility Support, and more recently as a Deaf-Blind Accessibility Interpreter. In 2022 she also took on the role as Co-Coordinator of RCMDB. From childhood she had wanted to learn sign language and began doing so in 2006. She initially worked with individuals who are congenitally Deaf-Blind and that’s what started her love for this small, unique community. She continued on to attend the interpreting program at RRC and began working as a DBAS at RCMDB where she continues to learn and grow with the help of her friends and colleagues at RCMDB.

Denise Gallant
Denise went to Red River College and received a certificate in Applied Counselling. While at RRC she started taking American Sign Language courses and immediately fell in love with the language. She continued to take ASL classes at the Deaf Centre Manitoba through ASL Teaching Services.  After finishing the required courses, she quickly registered for the Deaf Studies Program at Red River College. After receiving her certificate in Deaf Studies, she enrolled in the American Sign Language Interpreter Program which introduced her to Winnipeg’s Deaf-Blind community. Denise began working as a Deaf-Blind Accessibility Support for RCMDB, while in school in 2015.  She felt an almost automatic connection to the clients of RCMDB and loves the close relationships developed with everyone and the uniqueness of each person she works with.  She feels she learns something new daily from each encounter and is honoured to have such a wonderful job. In 2022 she took on the role as Co-Coordinator for RCMDB.

The Manitoba Deaf-Blind Association

The Manitoba Deaf-Blind Association was founded in 1993, a community-based advocacy group interested in improving opportunities and resources for Deaf-Blind Manitobans.  The Resource Centre for Manitobans who are Deaf-Blind (RCMDB) is one product of MDBA Inc.’s advocacy. While the MDBA Inc. will continue to press for improvements in all relevant areas, the RCMDB is one of the initiatives designed to make this happen. MDBA is grateful for The Interpreters and Deaf-Blind Accessibility Interpreters
(DBAI) provided by Equality Communication Centre of Excellence (ECCOE) since 1996.

The Manitoba Deaf-Blind Association is made up entirely of volunteers.

For more information about MDBA Inc. or to volunteer please contact:

Manitoba Deaf-Blind Association Incorporated
228-285 Pembina Highway
Winnipeg, Manitoba
R3L 2E7
Email: association.manitobadeafblind@gmail.com

Picture of Evelyn Presley. She has short hair with bangs,wearing a zippered sweater and has a smile from ear to ear!

In memory of our long-time volunteer and friend, Evelyn Presley. 

Evelyn started volunteering when RCMDB was first founded in 1996. Many knew her before that time as she was a computerized note-taker at meetings. Evelyn volunteered for both MDBA and RCMDB for 14 years. She was always ready and willing to help in any way possible. Whether if it was fundraising, minute taking, sitting on various committees, donating to our silent auctions, working with others on projects, visiting with others or helping to set up at events. Evelyn Presley was an exceptional volunteer demonstrating reliability, cheerfulness, commitment and a sincere interest in the well-being of RCMDB clients and of the Centre itself, either directly or through work with the consumer group MDBA. Time was cut short for Evelyn, in early January 2011 she was gone from our lives. Gone but never forgotten. In 2012 RCMDB established The Evelyn Presley Memorial Award, beautifully hand crafted by Bonnie Heath, which is presented annually at the MDBA Volunteer Appreciation Supper. This Award means that Evelyn will always be remembered.

The Evelyn Presley Award Criteria

Nominees for the Evelyn Presley Memorial Award should exhibit the characteristics exemplified by the award’s inspiration:

  • Quiet leader who others can depend on
  • Always respectful
  • A sense of humour to brighten anyone’s day
  • Wisdom beyond years
  • Always gives more than receives
  • A beautiful spirit

Nominations for the award can be submitted by:

  • Members of Manitoba Deaf-Blind Association (MDBA),  advocacy consumer organization or members of the  Deaf-Blind community at large.
  • RCMDB staff and volunteers
  • RCMDB board of directors
  • Freelance Deaf-Blind Accessibility Support (DBAS)
Coloured photo of the Evelyn Presley Award. 2 statue hands touching, one reaching from below and the other touching from above. The hands are on top of a beautifully hand made glass stand. The glass stand has an array of colours including green, blue, auburn and yellow. On the top of the stand is gold plated plaque, in front, there are 6 gold plated plaques and one gold plated plaque on the right side. On each of plaques are the names of the individuals who received the award.
A zoomed in photo of the plaque on top of the Evelyn Presley Award. It reads: Evelyn Presley Award - What we have once enjoyed we can never lose. All that we love deeply becomes a part of us. Helen Keller

Award nominations

Nomination deadline is March 1st of every year.

Please note that the RCMDB Coordinators may not be nominated for this award.

Nominations can be submitted using the form below or faxed to 204-477-1390.

Or, dropped off in an envelope to Deaf Centre Manitoba (RCMDB) , 228-285 Pembina Hwy, Winnipeg, MB.

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Past Recipients of The Evelyn Presley Award

2012 – Judy Benson

2013 – Joan Wiebe and Gayle Northcott

2014 – Gail Glover

2015 – Jean Heath and Tessa Rogowski

2016 – Cheryl Purll, Jane Sayer and Veronica Nickerson

2017 – Pat Meekins

2018 – Gordon Wiebe

2019 – Sara Quinton and Hubert Demers

2020- Neil Hobson and Scotty Dure

2022- Sandra Rottler and Landon Cormack

2023- Carol Whiteside and Shaina Dumont

2024- Rachel Overby