Information, Education, Support and
Advocacy for People with Hearing Loss
2nd Saturday of the Month
(Sep - May)
1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Community Room, Gold Hill Police Station
955 W. Moreno Avenue
Colorado Springs, CO 80905
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May 2017 Newsletter
Join the Chapter Walk Team - "Springs Sweet Soles"
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Next Chapter Meeting
Saturday, May 13, 2017
Community Room
Gold Hill Police Station
955 W. Moreno Avenue
Colorado Springs 80905
HLAA-CS and Erin at
Assist2Hear are excited to announce that ....
and HEAR the DIFFERENCE!!
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Meeting Topic:
Better Hearing and Speech Month
with
Duane Gritzmaker
Chapter
meetings are free,
and
all are welcome
.
Membership is not required to attend.
Free parking, refreshments, professionally-installed hearing loop, assistive listening devices (ALDs), and CART (live captioning) are provided.
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PLEASE NOTE:
Chapter Meetings and Newsletters
take a Summer Break for June, July, and August
Meetings and Newsletters resume in September, but watch for a special Summer Edition and/or Socials!
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Our last meeting before summer break is on
May
13th. It is a perfect time to look back over the year and say Thank You to all who contributed to the chapter's success.
First and foremost thanks to everyone who took time to come to our meetings. You are the reason we exist and we are honored to have had the chance to serve you.
The tasty treats we enjoy are donated each month by volunteers. Thanks to all of you for keeping us well fed!
Our meetings require lots of behind the scenes effort provided largely by our Leadership Team (see below). If you see them at the next meeting, tell them you appreciate their efforts.
Besides helping with meetings, our Board members work year round organizing chapter projects, being sure we have the supplies we need on hand, and representing HLAA-CS in the community.
If you are interested in becoming involved in any of these activities, talk with a Board Member. We can always use help!
"Volunteerism is the Heart of HLAA." Chapters are staffed and run by volunteers - we don't do this because it's our "job" - we do this because we care about people with hearing loss!
Also, a thank you to Vickie for the Chapter website and the monthly newsletters. And, thank you to Erin at Assist2Hear, and to Dr. Koval at Elite Hearing for sponsoring the website and newsletters (respectively).
Thanks to The Independence Center Fund, we were able to improve hearing access at several churches, Centennial Hall, the Simpich Theater, and Gold Hill Police Station Community Room.
Make HLAA-CS part of your summer fun:
- Come walk with us at Clement Park on June 11th for Colorado's Walk4Hearing.
- Watch your email for special HLAA-CS summer events and join us when you can!
Our first meeting after summer break is September 9, 2017. Hope to see you before then though!
Enjoy your summer!
-
Ann
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Join our team to walk with us to
help
raise awareness of hearing loss and to make hearing loss more visible in the community. Being part of the team is inspiring and reminds us that we are not alone in this journey.
We need more Walkers and Donors! If you cannot join us on walk day, you can still make an important contribution through your own fundraising efforts
, or support another walker - feel free to choose any walker - we are all on the same team!
If the 5K walk is a bit much for you, come and do one lap around the lake - just a mile and a half; or just enjoy the view of the lake and the mountains from under the shade of the pavilion! Or, we still need volunteers to help at the Walk for the HLAA table to help with set up and cleanup. See Ann, or email her at HLAAColoradoSprings@outlook.com, if you can help.
To donate or to register for the Walk, click here;
then select, "Register to Join an Existing Team." Follow the step-by-step instructions.
Chapter Secretary, Duane Gritzmaker, pledged $25 to anyone who joins our team,
"Springs Sweet Soles."
So you already have your first donation, just by signing up. But,
Duane can't donate until you join our team!
9:30
a.m. Registration/Check-in
10:30 a.m. Walk Starts
(5K/3.1 miles)
Clement Park, Pavillion #8
7306 W. Bowles Ave
Littleton, CO 80123
The
Walk4Hearing is our
only fundraiser. Donations
contribute to our national, state and local HLAA operating budgets, and
are divided 50/40/10 between HLAA national, Colorado Springs Chapter, and the Colorado State Walk Fund.
Help us reach Colorado's goal of $35,000. Our Chapter raised over $5,000 last year; let's top that in 2017!
To find out more about why we walk, and how donations are used, click here.
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Colorado Walk4Hearing Kickoff Brunch - April 13th in Aurora - photo courtesy of Pauline
We had a wonderful breakfast buffet, then we met to finalize plans and assign duties for the Walk.
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HLAA Colorado Springs Chapter
The City's Voice for People with Hearing Loss
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On March 29th, several Chapter members attended the Gleneagle Sertoma "Business and Pleasure" meeting at Liberty Heights Senior Living to hear a presentation on looping by Erin, of Assist2Hear. She had recently installed the loop in the room.
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The Colorado Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (CCDHH) selected HLAA members, Vickie Pacheco, and Wynne Whyman (Denver Chapter), to participate in the candidate-interview process to fill the Commission's position for Outreach Consultant - Hard of Hearing Specialty.
Cliff Moers, Administrator for the CCDHH said, "We believe in collaborating with the hard-of-hearing/late-deafened community for this position simply because this position will serve you and your community. "
HLAA-Colorado is honored to partner with CCDHH to make Colorado barrier-free.
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Congratulations to Chapter Member,
Dr. Koval
"Every week day I am blessed to have an opportunity to change the lives of my patients through better hearing (kids, vets, elderly, working professionals, & college students) Saying thank you, writing amazing reviews, referring their friends in or the look of amazement is all I ever need as a token of appreciation."
"But it is nice to receive concrete recognition. Through good reviews to the VA, I was given this award of excellence. Our vets deserve the best. I'm happy to deliver. " - Dr. Koval
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Vickie attended the swearing-in ceremony of the newly elected City Council members at the Pioneers Museum. The museum is seeking a grant to install looping, or at least to provide assistive listening devices (ALDs).
Reminder:
The City of Colorado Springs will provide accessible communi
cation
for the
City's programs, services, and activities, but you need to request it. M
ake the request as soon as possible but no later than 48 hours before the scheduled event. For information about making a request, click here.
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Chapter Leadership Team
Ann Belfiglio - President
Rick Rivers - Vice President
Duane Gritzmaker - Secretary
Bev Limbaugh - Treasurer
Patrick Going - Technical Assistant
Kay Chartier
- Welcome Committee Chair
Pauline Weiss
- Loop Colorado Springs Committee Chair
Vickie Pacheco
- Website and Newsletter Editor
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The Mission of HLAA is
to open the world of communication to people with hearing loss by providing information, education, support and advocacy.
As a member, you share in this mission. Through our advocacy work at the federal level, we represent 48 million people with hearing loss in the United States.
Please consider becoming a national member of HLAA. We
offer complimentary memberships to our United States Veterans. F
or all member benefits, click here.
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Mark Your Calendars
for
May 12th
from 9 till noon and get hands-on experience with the latest in hearing assistive devices for your home.
Tri-Lakes Silver Alliance is hosting this event for anyone who has questions about how they can enrich their lives through better hearing.
Location: Tri-Lakes Senior Center in Monument. It i
s located in a well-marked modular building on the Lewis-Palmer High School Campus, 1300
Higby
Road.
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Need Help Paying for Hearing Aids?
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Other Convention Highlights
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Ann will present a State/
Chapter workshop entitled "Confessions of a Reluctant Leader."
The workshop is for those considering stepping into a leadership role as well as those already serving as leaders. Explore your strengths and weaknesses as they relate to leadership!
She will discuss:
- barriers that keep capable individuals from stepping up to leadership roles and strategies for overcoming them
- traits displayed by strong leaders and their teams, common pitfalls encountered in leading groups
Attendees will leave with a better sense of how they can become effective leaders by focusing on the strengths that they bring to the position and by learning how to supplement their weaknesses by recruiting team members with complementary strengths.
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Cranky Cochlea
Dinner Theater
"Huh? Life with a Cranky Cochlea" is a
hilarious and poignant performance about the hearing loss life performed by Gael Hannan, renowned hearing loss advocate. With musical guests - announced soon! PLUS, a
talented but secret HLAAer will be the opening act.
Talent Show - Fellow HLAAers will perform their special talents.
HLAA "Stars Come Out Awards" Ceremony - HLAA Members will be awarded for their honorable work in the hearing loss community.
Hear the Mormon Tabernacle Choir on Sunday at the LDS Conference Center in Temple Square. We are working to get a section of the Conference Center looped.
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HLAA
conducts two types of
free webinars
:
- Product/Service Webinars
- Showcase Webinars
Next Webinar:
Wednesday, May 17 - 6:00pm - 7:00pm
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Alicia D.D. Spoor, Au.D.
President-elect for the Academy of Doctors of Audiology (ADA),
and Legislative Chair of the Maryland Academy of Audiology (MAA)
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Executive Director
Academy of Doctors of Audiology
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The Over-the-Counter Hearing Aid Act of 2017 has sparked a great deal of debate and controversy. The Academy of Doctors of Audiology (ADA) is the only provider organization to support
S.670
/
H.R. 1652
, the Over-the-Counter Hearing Aid Act of 2017 which if enacted, will remove unnecessary and burdensome barriers to hearing care for millions of Americans.
HLAA Supports Over-the-Counter Hearing Aids
"People need an easy and
affordable entry point
to get hearing help."
Click
here
to read "...why we support over-the-counter hearing devices for people who have
mild to moderate
hearing loss." Read the
"Call for Action on OTC Hearing Aid Legislation." - Barbara Kelley, HLAA Executive Director.
For more info on Over The Counter Hearing Aids, click
here
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Webinars are captioned and recorded.
Click
here to find out what's coming up in advance!
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If you missed the April Webinar on
Tinnitus
, I highly encourage and recommend that you watch it.
This was the most interesting, insightful and hopeful presentation ever! Click
here
. - Vickie
The brilliant Glenn Schweitzer is an entrepreneur, blogger, and the author of highly acclaimed, Rewiring Tinnitus, and Mind over Meniere's. He is passionate about helping others who suffer from tinnitus.
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Keeping Up with News From National
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Have HLAA National News Delivered Directly Into Your Inbox!
To receive important news and happenings from the HLAA National Office click on each link below to read current and past articles,
and to sign up to automatically receive both in your inbox!
Over-the-Counter Hearing Aid Act of 2017
HLAA is asking you to contact your Congressman with the message that this bill would be life-changing
for the millions of Americans who do not seek help for their hearing loss simply because they cannot afford to. HLAA now has the power to influence Congress to change that, and is the only one representing consumers on Capitol Hill.
Click
here
for information on how to contact your senator or representative, as well as sample letters you can use.
Patient Content Review Panel
HLAA members can review video content that is streamed into hearing health-care waiting rooms across the country. For more information or to sign up for the Patient Content Review Panel, click
here.
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Hearing Loss Magazine
May/June 2017 Issue
As of press time, this issue has not been released. When it is, you can see a complete list of articles by clicking here.
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for sponsoring our e-Newsletter!
Mention this sponsorship to receive a discount on a pair of hearing aids!
Click on her business card below
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Help Support HLAA-CS when you shop on Amazon! Select "Hearing Loss Association of America Colorado Springs Chapter" as your charity of choice and Amazon will donate a portion of your total purchase price to the chapter. Click on the icon
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Disclaimer: Mention of goods or services in advertisements in this e-newsletter does not imply Hearing Loss Association of America endorsement, nor should exclusion suggest disapproval
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