Great Club Ideas Help the Hard-of-Hearing

The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association designates the month of May as its annual Better Hearing and Speech Month. Here are some GREAT IDEAS that clubs around the world have come up with to not only celebrate Better Hearing and Speech Month, but to serve deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals in their Quota communities.

NETHERLANDS ANTILLES
Curaçao Club Has All the Right Moves

UNITED STATES
Evoking Images of Hearing Loss in Coral Springs/Parkland Schools

Sports-Minded Quotarians Treat Florida Teens to Baseball Fun

“Food for Thought” Great Idea in New Hampshire

NETHERLANDS ANTILLES
Curaçao Club Has All the Right Moves

Celebrating Better Hearing and Speech Month is a month-long event in Quota's Curaçao club. Each year the club sponsors a series of events, from donating hearing aids to honoring a Community Champion, in order to focus attention on the special needs of the deaf and hard-of-hearing. With an extensive public awareness campaign, the Quotarians inform the community of the warning signs of hearing loss and provide them with information on how to seek professional help.

The goal of these Quota events is to educate the public about the types of assistance that are available. Hearing aids, deaf education, and speech therapy can go a long way toward assimilating handicapped people into main-stream society. At a health fair sponsored by the Curaçao club, ten organizations presented programs dealing with deaf-related issues. Blood pressure screenings are also provided to the visitors. Below, Quota charter member, Laura Themen, is rejoicing at the news that she has the blood pressure of a teenager.

To cover the expenses of their Better Hearing and Speech Month promotion, Quota Curaçao organized a small fund-raiser in conjunction with the Gloria Janssen School of Dance. Two young girls stole the show with their belly dancing. The twin sisters mimicked each other as they performed in perfect synchronization. With this enjoyable money-maker, the Quotarians helped the community tune in to the needs of the deaf and hard-of-hearing and showed them the right moves to help people with hearing disabilities.

UNITED STATES
Evoking Images of Hearing Loss in Coral Springs/Parkland Schools

What sound would you miss most if you couldn't hear? Nothing evokes an image of the devastating effects of hearing loss better than a child's simple drawing of his father waking him up each morning. This is a daily occurrence for most children, but for a child with a hearing loss, the sounds of footsteps and the gentle murmurings can only be imagined.

In order to focus awareness on Better Speech and Hearing Month, the Coral Springs/Parkland Quotarians in Florida sponsor a poster contest at a different local elementary school each year. This year the fifth grade students at Westchester Elementary School were the recipients of this fine program. Not only did the club members teach about hearing health care, they also taught some basic words in sign language. But the main goal of the program was to teach tolerance. Children were made aware of the difficulties that hearing impairment can have on a person. The students were instructed to be helpful and include others.

Not only did the poster contest showcase the Quota club and their commitment to community service, it also provided the opportunity to inform children of Quota's efforts around the world.

UNITED STATES
Sports-Minded Quotarians Treat Florida Teens to Baseball Fun

The seventh inning stretch! Home runs, rooting for the home team, tail gate parties, hotdogs—lots of hotdogs—conjure up some of the most memorable images of a trip to the ball park. But for deaf and hard-of-hearing teens it is even more special.

This year, once again, Quota International of Plantation, Florida, took the lucky number of "thirteen" deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals to a Florida Marlins baseball game. The Marlins donated the tickets and the Quota club members split the cost for the refreshments. Everyone arrived about an hour before the game. The chaperones cooked the hotdogs and served up some chips and soda. Cookies were provided for dessert.

With hungry teenagers, that probably was just enough to get them through several innings. The Quotarians also donated some money for extra treats during the game. You can't beat that for a great evening. So, play ball!

UNITED STATES
“Food for Thought” Great Idea in New Hampshire

When Gallaudet University sponsored its annual Academic Bowl for deaf and hard-of -hearing high school students in the Northeast United States, District 29 clubs in Massachusetts and New Hampsire joined together and lent a helping hand by providing refreshments for the two break rooms.

These forward thinking clubs avoided the usual "junk food" types of snacks, which have been available in the past. Instead, the Quotarians provided bottled water and a myriad of healthy foods. Granola bars, crackers, pretzels, and bagels were just part of the spread. With a tray of fruits and vegetables, the students had delicious foods to munch on while they relaxed between rounds of questioning.

The District 29 members—representatives from Quota’s Andover, Dover, Lawrence, Manchester, and Portsmouth clubs—also staffed the break rooms and helped the participants relax between sessions. The interest and support the Quotarians showed the students certainly played a part in how well they performed during the competition.

Gallaudet University offers deaf and hard-of-hearing students the opportunity to participate in an academic contest similar to those routinely held for hearing students. Not only is competition healthy for young scholars, it is an opportunity to meet new friends, cheer on their classmates, and show their academic proficiencies.

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