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Information, Education, Support and
Advocacy for People with Hearing Loss
2nd Saturday of the Month
1 - 3 pm, (Sep - May)
Community Room, Gold Hill Police Station
955 W. Moreno Avenue
Colorado Springs, CO 80905
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We Have Some VERY BIG NEWS this Month!!
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Patrick Rizzo
Patrick is a young man, first class athlete, who suddenly lost his hearing. And the story of WHY he lost it is something some of us have never heard before...and how he regained some of his hearing back. You will definitely want to hear his story.
This is a young man, four times Olympic trials qualifier, just
selected by "The Runner Box" as Colorado Runner of the Month a
nd his story is quite amazing.
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BIG NEWS
from HLAA National!
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Hearing Loss Association of America launched its new logo - and each chapter now has its own!
We don't make changes cavalierly here at HLAA, so when we do, it's with the vision of looking forward.
The organization is more widely known by its acronym, thus "HLAA" is predominately displayed in the logo, with "Hearing Loss Association of America" under it.
Letter from the Editor:
What's in a Name?
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HLAA's
newly retitled magazine, "Hearing Life - the Magazine for Better Hearing"
Are you a Member of HLAA National? If so, you should have received yours by now. If you are not a Member, and would like to receive the magazine, click,
here
to find out all the benefits of membership!
Here are a few articles in this issue:
Are Fitness Classes Putting Your Hearing at Risk?
By Lauren Conte The dangers of loud music in fitness classes could outweigh the benefits.
Social Security Benefits for People with Hearing Loss
By Deanna Power If you or a loved one are unable to work because of a hearing loss there could be financial help available through the Social Security Administration.
Advocacy:
When a Complaint Means More Than Just Complaining: The Continuing Saga
By Lise Hamlin
Chapters:
Personal Safety Training for People with Hearing Loss
By
Joseph J. Marchese
Corporate Partner:
Lifetone Technology - What If Your Smoke Alarm Doesn't Wake You Up?
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Come Zoom with Us!
This is the
new HLAA webinar platform.
It is delightfully easy to use. Join us for
the next webinar on February 21st. To learn how to access it, click
here.
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All webinars are
free, and are
captiond and
and recorded for playback later.
Topics include
Educational Webinars
, and
Product/Service Showcase Webinars
(Disclaimer:
Products/Service Showcase webinars are in no way to be construed as an endorsement by HLAA, nor should exclusion suggest disapproval)
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Next Webinar is
Wednesday, February 21st
6:00 pm - 7:00 pm MST
Diagnostic and Verification Tools to Improve Hearing Aid and Cochlear Implant Fittings to to better define needs and measure the outcomes of hearing aid and cochlear implant settings and features.
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BIG NEWS
in the Community
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Hearing Accessible Live Theatre Has Come to Colorado Springs!
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The
Ent Center for the Arts
is a new 92,000 square-foot performing and
visual
arts complex on North Nevada Avenue on the UCCS
campus. It is a multi-dimensional, multi-venue artistic hub for both the campus and the wider community.
From Director, Aisha Ahmad-Post, "We host several systems that provide
an inclusive experience for all patrons including those with hearing loss."
"In the
Shockley-Zalabak Theatre, Dusty Loo Bon Vivant Theatre, and Osborne Academic Theatre
we feature a FM (radio frequency) Transmitting System that patrons access by checking out a Receiver and Earset from the Information Desk
."
"We also offer a
Hearing Loop system in the
Chapman Foundations Recital Hall
that uses T-Coil technology for use with a wide variety of consumer hearing instruments (hearing aids and cochlear implants). Patrons that have T-Coil technology within their hearing instrument simply need to switch to the T-Coil mode on their device."
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Big News
from El Paso County!
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Robert Hernandez, county ADA Compliance Manager, informs us that they have purchased 14 window and 47 counter loops for a total of 61 systems.
These units are being installed at various locations throughout El Paso County, including
- Division of Motor Vehicles
- Department of Public Health
They've been working on this project for the past two years and the installation should be complete by mid-March.
We'll share the media release that will be forthcoming at that time.
In the meantime, get ready to switch your hearing aids to t-coil and understand what's being said when you have business to tend to at these county counters! - submitted by Pauline
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- articles submitted by Pat Going
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Sounding Off About Hearing Loss
from nationally-known celebrity MDs
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Don't risk quality of life and your brain function! A
study in the Journal of Personality found that
unaddressed hearing loss triggers personality changes
: You may become more withdrawn and less outgoing. Research shows that a shrinking social base undermines both longevity and happiness.
Read more here.
PS: HLAA receives a mention in this article!
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Bringing Captioning
into
the 21st Century
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Thanks to the Deaf and Hard of Hearing
Community, Closed Captions Benefit
All of Us. Read more
here.
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(PS: no photo of
Pat Going modeling this device, so this is
Pauline)
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At Voyager and Interques
t
Parkways, this theater also provides the Sony Access (captioned) Glasses and assistive listening devices....
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...and luxury reclining lounge chairs! (PS: couple unknown)
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Our thanks to
Dr. Koval at Elite Hearin
g of Colorado Springs
for sponsoring our
e-Newsletter!
What you
should know
about hearing aid batteries!
Click here
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Virtual reality isn't just for video games anymore! See how scientists are using this
new technology to help test
hearing aids. Click here
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Click on her business card.
Mention
this sponsorship to receive a discount
on a pair of hearing aids!
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Disclaimer: Mention of goods or services in advertisements does not imply Hearing Loss Association of America endorsement, nor should exclusion suggest disapproval
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February 10th
1:00 pm - 3:00 pm
Community Room at the
Gold Hill Police Station
955 West Moreno Avenue
Colorado Springs
Free parking, refreshments, hearing loop, assistive listening devices (ALDs), and CART (live captioning) are provided.
HLAA-CS Chapter meetings are free, and all are welcome. Membership is not required to attend chapter meetings.
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Inclement Weather Policy
-
In the event of
bad weather on the day of a chapter meeting,
an
email notice of cancellation
will be
sent by
10 a.m.
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Happy Valentine's Day to All!
Mom...what is there to DOOO?!?
This year treat your ears to an event in one of the many venues in our community that offer a hearing loop or other assistive listening devices. This is just a sampling of what you could do.
Venues in bold type were the direct results of
HLAA-CS advocacy and/or the
grant we received from The Independence Center Fund.
Participate in a
city council or county commissioners meetings in their looped meeting rooms.
Go see a
movie using Sony Access Glasses, Captiview, or an assistive listening system.
Enjoy the
Simpich Showcase Puppet Theater using their FM listening system.
Attend events at the Pikes Peak Center or the Broadmoor World Arena. Both have FM listening systems.
Attend a church service at First Presbyterian's or Monument Community Presbyterian's looped sanctuaries, or use the assistive listening systems at Woodmen Valley Chapel,
Lighthouse Temple, Village Seven Presbyterian Church, or
Academy Christian Church.
Take a yoga class at the Independence Center in their looped conference room.
Enjoy a lecture at
The Venue at Library 21c - it's looped too! And, thanks to Rocky Mountain Sertoma for their donation to this project!
Check out the schedule for the Ent Center for the Arts at UCCS - they have both looped and assistive listening device equipped venues.
Last but not least
come to a meeting of HLAA-CS or Gleneagle Sertoma. Both meet in looped rooms and
both organizations have done much to promote hearing access in our community!
Remember this is just a sampling of what is available to us. If there is an event you wish to attend, contact them and
ask what they have available for folks who are hard of hearing. If the answer is nothing,
see if we could come and demonstrate some assistive listening devices or perhaps set up a portable loop for an event.
We are thrilled to see our options expanding but know that we need to continue to work to keep the momentum going. If we don't ask, who will know what we need? So, this Valentine's Day give your ears the gift of hearing and take advantage of the opportunities available to us!
- Ann
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BIG NEWS
from the Chapter!
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THE SOCIAL BUG
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Garden of the Gods
Stroll in the park, and
lunch at
the
Garden of the Gods Trading Post
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Saturday
February 3rd
Meet in the Visitor Center parking
lot promptly
at
11 a.m.
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Saturday, February 24th
at 1:00 p.m.
Enjoy the history of the Pikes Peak region.
Free Admission
(215 S. Tejon St)
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Pioneers Museum
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Stacy, Bette, Pauline,
and
Vickie
enjoyed our first
chair-based yoga exercise in the looped room at the Independence Center!
Taught by
Cambio
Studios, classes are held on the
2nd and 4th Thursday of each month from
3 pm - 4 pm.
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Chapter Officer Nominations - April
If you would like to
become more involved in our chapter, s
tart thinking about
running for an office.
Officers must be HLAA National Members. Nominate someone, or even self-nominate. More than one person can be nominated for the same office. Share your talents in, and your vision for, the chapter's future.
For further information, talk with any of our board members, or contact
Ann by
email.
Officer Elections are in May.
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Walk4Hearing Kickoff
Sunday, April 22nd
11 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Wings Over the Rockies Museum
7711 E. Academy Blvd., Denver, CO 80230
Lunch provided along with free admission to the museum for the day! Come and enjoy a great day out!
Colorado Walk 4 Hearing - Sunday, June 10th
Clement Park
7306 Bowles Ave., Littleton, CO 80123
It is
time to recruit sponsors
for our walk. If you know of a person or business that might be interested in sponsoring us please see Ann for more information.
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Hear It Here Fair
Friday, May 11th
10:30 a.m. - 2 p.m.
The Venue at Library 21c
1175 Chapel Hills Drive, CO
Tri-Lakes Silver Alliance
is hosting this event for anyone who wants to enrich their lives through better hearing
.
Let
Duane Gritzmaker
know if you wish to participate in any way.
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HLAA National Convention 2018 in Minneapolis!
- June
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Protect Your Hearing
The tiny speakers put in headphones and earbuds are delivering often-damaging levels of sounds directly
into your ears and many
doctors
are already starting to see a wave of
hearing loss
as a result. Read more here.
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"I have a loud voice."
"Can you all hear me?"
"I don't like the microphone - I'm sure you can hear me."
If you're saying these things at a meeting or public event, you're leaving people out. Yes, you!
Learning to Like the Mic is a first step toward building
hearing-friendly, inclusive public events and meetings
. "Like the Mic" is the video campaign
launched by Rooted in Rights and the
Hearing Loss Association of America (HLAA)
to bring awareness that life should be accessible to everyone, regardless of their ability to hear. This video shows
experiences with hearing loss and feeling excluded when accessible equipment like microphones are absent.
All speaking participants in the video have first hand experience with hearing loss and encountering non-hearing friendly environments. To watch the
captioned video
, click
here
.
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 O
Auxiliary Services Manager Position Open
Closing date for applications is January 29th. For information, click
here.
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(for the 2016 - 2018 Term)
Ann Belfiglio - President
Rick Rivers - Vice President
Duane Gritzmaker - Secretary
Bev Limbaugh - Treasurer
Patrick Going - Technical Assistant
Pauline Weiss - Loop Colorado Springs Committee Chair
Kay Chartier - Welcome Committee Chair
Stacy Gibson - Social Committee Chair
Vickie Pacheco - Web / Newsletter Editor
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HLAA Chapter Website:
Closing Note from Vickie: National Bubble Wrap Appreciation Day! Originally designed for wallpaper, then used as greenhouse insulation before being used for shipping. Wonder if anybody is using it as wallpaper to soundproof a room for
acoustical perfection! Read more
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Hearing Loss Association of America (HLAA), a 501(c)3, is the nation's leading membership and advocacy organization for people with hearing loss, and has local Chapters all across the country
As the nation's voice for people with hearing loss, our Mission is
to open the world of communication to people with hearing Loss. As a Member, you share in this mission. Through our advocacy work at the federal level , we represent 48 million people with hearing loss.
Membership is complimentary to our United States Veterans. To JOIN or RENEW, click here. For membership benefits, click here
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