A self-help organization dedicated to education, advocacy and support for people who do not hear well and those around them.  

Mail at                    P.O. Box 6372,  Louisville KY 40206-0372

Email at                  Info@hearinglossky.org              

Visit our website at http://www.hearinglossky.org/

 

August  2010

 

Tuesday, August 10, 2010 at 6:30 P.M.

St. Leonard's Elementary School Library, 440 Zorn Avenue, Louisville, Kentucky

(Just south of the VA Hospital and North of Brownsboro Road)

 

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE – John Perry

Our Tuesday, August 10 meeting will focus on discussing our upcoming fundraiser, the KY State Fair and a short Board meeting. Everyone in our chapter is welcome to attend the Board meeting.  Following our meeting, please join us for a meal (Dutch treat) at a venue yet to be determined.   Donna Kiley has generously volunteered to bring refreshments for our August meeting. 

Our fundraiser is scheduled on Saturday, September 4 between the hours of 8:00 am and 10:00 am. at the Applebee’s on 2225 Taylorsville Road.  The restaurant is located at the intersection of Taylorsville Road and Bardstown Road.  It is easy to get to and has ample parking.  We have 300 pancake breakfast tickets to sell at $5 each.  For every person that shows up at Applebee’s we will pay Applebee’s $1.  For example, if we sell all 300 tickets at $5 each we will collect $1,500.  If 200 folks show up for breakfast, will pay Applebee’s  $200 giving us a net proceed of $1,300. We will be needing volunteers to help with all aspects of running the restaurant—except cooking.  More details and a sign-up sheet will be available at the meeting.     After the fundraiser, we can all carpool to DeaFestival in Horse Cave, KY! 

Special thanks go to Laura Kogut for providing her time and captioning skills for our July meeting.  Thanks also to Patrice F. Flynn from the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation for speaking about VR.  Also thanks to Ed Schickel and Mimi Kiley for speaking about the highlights from the HLAA convention. Finally, thanks to Melanie Magruder who provided refreshments

 

 Member News - If you have any “member news” please let us know so that we can share it.  We especially love good news! 

Hazel Tucker fell Sunday night (7/18) and broke her hip.  She had surgery Monday (7/19) at Baptist Northeast and is now in rehab there.  Hazel is in room 1233 and hopes to go home the first week in August.  She received her flowers from HLAK and thanks everyone for them. 

Chester Wilbert had his Nucleus 5 Cochlear implant done on July 30 and word from him is “feeling good – all went well!”   He is looking forward to the mapping/”turn on” session. 

Ron & Judy Brennan’s daughter, Major Patricia Tate, USAF has been deployed on USS Iwo Jima for Project Hope.  She left Norfolk VA July 12 for Central and South America and will return November 17. Judy Brennan and her grandson, Trevor Clements, took Nicole Brown’s suggestion to visit MetroSafe Communications Center for a tour.  They were very impressed with the tour and Nicole was an outstanding guide. You can contact Nicole at

http://www.louisvilleky.gov/metrosafe/TourMetroSafeCommunicationsCenter.htm for a tour.  

 

Welcome New Visitors! 

Donald L. Ensor  Donald, a cochlear implant wearer, has been on our newsletter list several months and was encouraged to attend after an individual invitation from Chester Wilber.  

Katie Bluestein  Katie is a student of Dr. Barbara Eisenmenger, and is in her third year of the University of Louisville Doctor of Audiology Program. 

Mimi Kiley   We were so happy to have Mimi back with us while she is home from Illinois.  In addition to her studies, she has been very active in HLAA at the local level and is the vice president of the new Lincoln Park IL chapter.  She is participating in the Chicago IL Walk4Hearing again this year and is the team

captain for the Lincoln Park team.  See her page at http://hlaa.convio.net/site/TR/Teamraiser/2010ChicagoWalk?px=1368782&pg=personal&fr_id=1730 .

Ingrid Edwards  Normally we enjoy seeing Ingrid, an audiologist at the Heuser Hearing Institute, giving a presentation or at the state fair booth, in July, we were very happy to see her as a visitor.  

 

Chapter News

A volunteer is needed to supply refreshments for the November Meeting.  If you would like to sign up, the sheet will be on the sign in table at the August Meeting.  Thank you for your generosity!

The following people are providing refreshments for the rest of the year.

August -  Donna Kiley

September - Dick Goldman

October - Theresa Kidwell

November - to be announced

December - Holiday Party

 

Upcoming Events

August 10 – Tuesday

Hearing Loss Association of Kentuckiana (HLAK) will hold its meeting at 6:30 p.m. at St. Leonard’s, 400 Zorn Ave, Louisville KY.

August 13 Friday

          Lexington Hearing and Speech Center in Lexington, KY will celebrate its 50th anniversary – speaker       former president Bill Clinton

August 19 – Thursday

Hearing Loss Association of America (HLAA) Webinar: “Tools for Better Hearing on your Cell Phone and in the Workplace”, 4pm – 5pm, Online at http://hearinglossassociation.acrobat.com/hlaa/ .  Presented by Brad Dodson, National Sales and Training Manager, ClearSounds Communications Inc,

August 19-29 – Thursday-Sunday

Kentucky State Fair http://www.wwww.kystatefair.org/

August 23 – Monday

The Hearing Loss Association of Kentucky Home in Bardstown will hold its meeting at 6:30 p.m. at 201 Cathedral Manor, Bardstown KY. 

September 2-5 – Friday-Monday

Kentucky Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (KCDHH) DeaFestival Weekend will be at Horse Cave KY.

September 4 - Saturday

HLAK will hold a Flapjack Breakfast Fundraiser starting at 8:00 a.m. at Applebee’s, 2225 Taylorsville Rd, Louisville KY. 

September 10-11 – Friday-Saturday

St. Leonard’s will be having their annual picnic.

September 14 - Tuesday

Hearing Loss Association of Kentuckiana (HLAK) will hold its meeting at 6:30 p.m. at St. Leonard’s, 400 Zorn Ave, Louisville KY.

September 28 – Monday

The Hearing Loss Association of Kentucky Home in Bardstown will hold its meeting at 6:30 p.m. at 201 Cathedral Manor, Bardstown KY. 

 

Miscellaneous News

 

Kentucky Home Chapter of Hearing Loss Association of America

Meets at 6:30 p.m. on the fourth Monday of most months at the Nelson County Public Library, 201 Cathedral Manor, Bardstown, KY  40004The meetings are free and open to the public. 

Audiologist Peter Pearlman MS CCC-A will speak about Tinnitus at the August 23 meeting.   Questions regarding this upcoming meeting or the association can be directed to information@hearinglosskyhome.org  or 502-349-6792.

 

50th Anniversary of Lexington Hearing and Speech Center in Lexington, KY

The Lexington Hearing and Speech Center in Lexington, KY will celebrate its 50th anniversary of its founding. On August 13th, the school will have ex-President Bill Clinton as a featured speaker at a dinner event, the biggest event of the year.  The former president, who has long struggled with his own hearing issues and worn hearing aids for many years, is expected to address the struggles of hearing loss and the importance of strong communication skills during his time at the lectern.   Jerry Lundergan, a former chairman of the state Democratic Party who has a daughter on the board of LHSC and another daughter who was a student, said he approached the former president about speaking. 

 The event, to be held in the RJ Corman Hangar in Jessamine County on Friday, August 13, is expected to draw a crowd of 500 and serve as a kickoff for a capital campaign to build a new school for the Center, according to Associate Executive Director Lori Shephard. Cost for the event is $500 per person and VIP tables and event sponsorships are available. Tickets are available by calling the Center at 859-268-4545 and asking for Shepherd or by visiting their website at www.lhscky.org. VIP and sponsorship packages are also available by contacting Shepherd.

 

Kentucky State Fair 2010  

Try to keep a spot open in your schedule from August 19-29 when we will have the opportunity to support hearing health issues in our community.  To volunteer for the fair, many of last year’s folks are to be contacted by Jim at KCDHH, who is overseeing the invitations to an online scheduling system.  He can be reached at Jim.Rivard@ky.gov      If you have questions, please don’t hesitate to contact Paula Esterle at paulaesterle@insightbb.com .  We would love to be able to have enough volunteers to cover the evenings especially when the testing is concluded for the day and people will not have access to an audiologist with their concerns.  Our personal experience and insights can really mean a lot to those who are frustrated.  Thanks for your support.

 

Emergency Pagers and Feeling Safe  --  KCDHH TAP Program  

Its two o'clock in the morning and the walls of my home started shaking. The television station indicated a tornado was in the area and everyone needed to take cover, although captions weren't consistent we got the message visually.   I pulled my two children into the bathroom of my trailer and sat in fear as the electricity went out and we sat by candlelight wondering what was happening. You see, I am deaf and both my children have a hearing loss and we have no way of knowing what the weather was doing. Fortunately I had a wireless pager and I contacted a co-worker in another area and ask him to give me updates on the weather. We made it through the night and the next morning we walked outside our home to find our shed and back porch ripped away and blown into the nearby fields. If it was not for the wireless pager I would have been alone with my fears in the darkness with no way to reach out for help.

This is only one of the many stories that spurred KCDHH to push the provision of wireless pagers for all deaf, hard of hearing or speech impaired Kentuckians. KCDHH has partnered with AT&T to be our wireless provider for the Telecommunications Access Program (TAP). Devices offered will include: Blackberry Bold, Motorola BackFlip and the I-Phone 3G and 4G. Individuals are encouraged to email www.kcdhh.org or call 800-372-2907 to obtain an application for a wireless device.

It is very important that you know which device will meet your communication needs prior to applying because you will only be eligible for one piece of equipment within a four year cycle. Go to the AT&T website to research the device that best suits your needs, http://www.wireless.att.com/cell-phone-service/   welcome or visit a local AT&T store to see the models and select the best one for you personally. Equipment cannot be exchanged once distributed.   Many of you may be interested in the i-Phone 3G and 4G.  However, typing on the keyboard of these devices is very different as the tactile feel is not present on a touch screen and you may need to watch the screen while typing. Many downloadable applications such as Mobile CapTel (captioned conversations) and Face Time (face to face video) are available on these models.  Be SURE you consider all your needs before you select a device from the TAP.

 

HEARING LOSS ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA ANNOUNCES NEW BOARD OF TRUSTEES PRESIDENT

Photo of P. FacklerBethesda, MD: Peter C. Fackler of Rochester, New York, has been named president of the Board of Trustees of the Hearing Loss Association of America (HLAA), the nation’s largest organization for people with hearing loss. He officially assumed his new role with the organization at HLAA’s Convention 2010 in Milwaukee in June. Other officers installed at the convention are: Deb Charlea Baker, vice president, of Chester, Vermont; Michael Stone, treasurer, of Washington, D.C.; and Diana Bender, Ph.D., secretary, of Phoenixville, Pennsylvania.

Prior to his retirement in 2003, Mr. Fackler’s career spanned thirty years in higher education. He is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA). He has a bachelor’s degree in economics from Duke University and a master’s degree in business administration from the University of Michigan’s Graduate School of Business. Fackler brings to the HLAA Board of Trustees experience and expertise in finance, strategic planning, and marketing and development. Mr. Fackler has been a member of the Rochester HLAA Chapter since 2004, the same year he received a cochlear implant; he is now a bi-lateral cochlear implant recipient. He has served on Rochester HLAA Board of Trustees in various roles, including the finance and technology committees as well as the theater committee which successfully brought captioned live theater to Rochester. He has also served as chair of the finance committee for the HLAA New York State Association, and served as chair of three Walk4Hearing events (2007, 2009, 2010). Mr. Fackler has served on the HLAA National Board since 2006 and as treasurer from 2007 to 2010. Following the election Fackler stated, “I am humbled to be asked to serve and honored to have the opportunity. I will do my absolute best to serve you and HLAA well.” In addition to his extensive work with HLAA National and the Rochester Chapter, Mr. Fackler is a founding member of the finance (investment) committee of the Maine Health Access Foundation.

Three new members joined the Board, including: 

Zachary La Fratta, is a clinical doctorate student in Gallaudet University’s audiology program;

Nancy Lelewer Sonnabend of Boston, Massachusetts, has been involved in learning disabilities and early childhood development for over forty-five years and just recently released her second book The Lelewer Legacy: Traditions of a Loving Family (Ivy House Publishing Group, May 2010); and

Margaret I. Wallhagen, Ph.D., Professor, Department of Physiological Nursing and Director, John A. Hartford Center of Geriatric Nursing Excellence, University of California, San Francisco, California.

 

The Carnegie Visual and Performing Arts Center presenting 2010-2011 theatre season. 

Each play has one performance that is closed captioned and ASL interpreted.  The first play is -

BIG RIVER | The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn

Music and Lyrics by ROGER MILLER ● Book by WILLIAM HAUPTMAN

Adapted from the novel by Mark Twain Directed by Dee Anne Bryll & Ed Cohen Music Direction by Brian Hoffman 

Nine Performances:

Friday, August 20, 7:30pm ● Saturday, August 21, 7:30pm* ● Sunday, August 22, 3:00pm ● Friday, August 27, 7:30pm ● Saturday, August 28, 7:30pm* ● Sunday, August 29, 3:00pm ● Friday, September 3, 7:30pm ● Saturday, September 4, 3:00pm ● Saturday, September 4, 7:30pm

*Performances to include ASL interpreting and closed captioning     Tickets $19 - $26

Future Plays at the Center:

THE ODD COUPLE    (January and February 2011)

By NEIL SIMON  Directed by Drew Fracher

CAROUSEL  (April 2011)

Music by RICHARD RODGERS  Book and Lyrics by OSCAR HAMMERSTEIN II

For more information or tickets, contact

The Carnegie Visual and Performing Arts Center Box Office

1028 Scott Boulevard

Covington, KY 41011

Box Office: 859.957.1940   Fax 859.655.8110   www.thecarnegie.com

Or Benjamin Ochsner at bochsner@thecarnegie.com   

 

Member Recommendations/Tips - If you use products that are helpful to hearing loss or have any personal tips on coping with hearing loss, please share with us. 

 

HEARING PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE TTY MACHINES ARE OLD FASHIONED

We hate it when we use the VRS and/or email to speak to a bank or a credit card company or a department store, and they tell us we must use our TTY machine to communicate with them.     We try to explain to them that many deaf people have stopped using the TTY because it is old fashioned.     For some reason they don't believe us and continue to tell us to use our TTY.  That is very frustrating.

 

__________________________________________________________________________________________

 Hearing Loss Association of America (HLAA)

HLAA, headquartered in Bethesda MD, is the nation’s largest organization for people with hearing loss. The HLAA exists to open the world of communication for people with hearing loss through information, education, advocacy and support.  HLAA is a 501c3 non-profit corporation and offers tax exempt status to all local affiliates.

Want to Join Hearing Loss Association of America (HLAA)

You can join HLAA online at www.hearingloss.org (click on Join/Membership).  If you prefer, you can get the form online or at a HLAK meeting and mail it in.  Annual national membership dues are: 

$35 individual, $45 family, $20 student, $60 professional, $50 non-profit and $300 corporate.

Hearing Loss Association of Kentuckiana (HLAK)

HLAK is the local Kentucky/Indiana chapter located in Louisville, which is an affiliate of HLAA.  Meetings of HLAK are free, open to the public, and take place at 6:30 P.M. on the second Tuesday of the month at St. Leonard Elementary School Library, 440 Zorn Ave.  Occasionally we meet at other places or at other times for different activities; any changes will be found in this newsletter.  Real time captioning is used at the meetings.

Want to Join Hearing Loss Association of Kentuckiana (HLAK)

HLAK Annual Chapter dues are $12.00 per individual/household and are due October 1.  Participation in chapter activities is encouraged.  HLAK also encourages HLAA national membership.  The HLAK E-mail Newsletter is available at no cost and can also be found on our website.  If you would like to be added to the free HLAK list serve, to receive periodic email on hard-of-hearing issues, contact Paula Esterle, Info@hearinglossky.org  ...

 

HLAK Officers/Board:

 

President                                    John Perry                        Info@hearinglossky.org

Vice President/Program Chair      Bonny Zilke

Secretary/Membership                Merle Williams

Treasurer/Fund Raising               Bob Stuckey

Ky State Coordinator/Historian     Paula Esterle

Outreach Coordinator                  Elizabeth Landers

Membership Committee Chair      Jean Haynes

Nominations Chair                       Bud Smith    

Indiana Rep/Social Chair              Karen Lichtefeld

Immediate Past President            Ron Haynes

Web/Newsletter                           Pat Flaherty

Professional Advisor                    Barbara Eisenmenger

Captioning                                  McLendon-Kogut, 804 One Riverfront Plaza, Louisville KY 40202