hear so the world may
SUMMER 2013
Starkey Hearing Foundation
Recycling Sound MEXICO • RWANDA • UNITED STATES • DOMINICAN REPUBLIC SOUTH AFRICA • UGANDA • PHILIPPINES • INDIA
REFLECT Everyone has value, has potential, to give back. Smiles. Hugs. Words of encouragement. All gestures connecting us to life, making each feel value. See those in need. Hear their silent calls. Shine your light in their time of need.
Reflect caring.
Tell us your ideas: facebook.com/starkeycares 3
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Inside 4
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Director’s Cut Steven Sawalich explains how hearing is a vehicle to do so much more.
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Reel A peek at stunning, documentary films of missions and more.
Engage News and posts from friends worldwide. Field Notes Connecting to Reach the World.
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Noteworthy Passage to India.
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Firsthand Keith Becker.
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Sounds Good Can you identify this sound?
6 We want to hear from you. Tell us your thoughts: facebook.com/ starkeycares 6700 Washington Avenue South Eden Prairie, MN 55344 www.starkeyhearingfoundation.org 9440 Santa Monica Blvd #708 Beverly Hills, CA 90210 Starkey Hearing Foundation is incorporated as a 501(c)(3) public tax-exempt charitable organization.
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Recent Missions 16
Gratitude Across Mexico Empowering a generation of volunteers.
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Uganda Building partnerships for the future.
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Guadalajara Reconnecting families to the sounds of life.
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A New Region in Uganda Inspiring the next generation of health care leaders.
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Rwanda Helping in the healing process.
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Back in Rwanda Unlocking potential.
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New Orleans, Louisiana Opening up the world of sound for those in need.
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Philippines Sharing the gift of empowerment.
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Dominican Republic Connecting thousands to the sounds of life.
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India Bringing understanding with the gift of hearing.
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Hope in Tijuana, Mexico Building a powerful connection to the community.
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Minneapolis, Minnesota Bringing joy and hope to students and their families.
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South Africa Reinforcing a partnership that will last a lifetime.
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R ecycling Sound F ollow a pair of hearing aids on a journey to the other side of the world.
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Reclaiming Potential Rick Baran has spent his life transforming donated hearing aids into life-changing opportunities for people in need around the world, but for him, it’s all in a day’s work.
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The Business of Doing Good For Starkey Hearing Technologies Senior VP Brandon Sawalich, giving back is the only path to success.
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Into the Breach Keith Becker risks it all in service to others.
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STEVEN SAWALICH explains how hearing is a vehicle to do so much more.
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Director’s Cut Caring. Sharing. These simple words are reflected best in our actions as we show our respect for the value of each person by doing what we can to make life better each day. They are not the actions in what we do, but the reasoning for why we do it. William Austin built Starkey Hearing Foundation on the mission, So the World May Hear, but this mission goes beyond hearing care. It is about bringing understanding between people through caring and sharing. We believe caring develops trust, and by sharing with others, we find our humanity. We believe we can increase tolerance and respect for life by growing engagement in this cause globally. Whether it’s projects in housing, education, clean water, HIV/AIDS research or agriculture, hearing is our vehicle to do so much more. It brings us into a region to help affect greater change in the area. We are utilizing hearing as a tool to open up our world and determine more ways we can help. At Starkey Hearing Foundation, we believe we can drive partnerships in philanthropy to find innovative solutions to improve life around the world. Everyone in the world deserves a fair chance in life. Fortunately, you don’t have to be wealthy to make an impact. Help one person and in doing that you can affect the community. Affect the community, and you can change the world. It is up to you to be that change in the life of another person, and one day when you look back you will know your life counted; that because of you our world is better. We go to work every day to help people. You can do the same by reflecting the two simple words: Caring. Sharing.
“Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.”
-Ralph Waldo Emerson
The trail our Foundation is on will have a lasting impact on ourselves and the world. The challenge is not to find or define your path by what others are doing. Instead, determine what inspires you so you may act with passion. The reasoning is simple: Our ancestors sacrificed so we would have our chance at life. We can only respect this gift of life by paying it forward. S TA R K E Y H E A R I N G F O U N DAT I O N
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Short documentary films await you at starkeyhearingfoundation.org. So head there—and let us know what you think.
Reel We round up our latest visual story telling. Reawakening the Sounds of Africa Stretching 583 square miles, the Masai Mara is a Kenyan wildlife preserve home to some of the world’s most beautiful and dangerous animals. Living side by side with these wild animals are the peaceful and joyous Masai people. The Masai have lived in harmony with nature for generations, but they also understand all too well the dangers that exist when a member of their tribe cannot hear an approaching animal. Our new short film follows the mission team to the Masai Mara, capturing the life and death importance of the gift of hearing in this breathtaking environment.
Reflecting Compassion Starkey Hearing Foundation has been working with a devoted team in India for many years, resulting in thousands of lives changed. Our recent short film showcases the motivation and dedication of the people who have helped make an astonishing impact on the lives of Indians in need. It also follows the team on a mission to a Tibetan enclave where His Holiness the Dalai Lama blessed our team and offered some words of wisdom that echo Bill Austin’s philosophy, “Alone we can’t do much. Together we can change the world.”
“Helping a person is the greatest thing one can do in life.” SYLVESTER Masai Village Leader
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Turning Silence Into Melody Our new short film explores our efforts to reflect caring to the people of the Philippines. With the help of Hearing Angel and icon Sir Elton John, boxing legend Manny Pacquiao, and soccer superstar Landon Donovan, the team transforms hundreds of lives, including a very special 7-month-old boy. Orphaned, blind and suffering from hearing loss, this boy started out life with little opportunity to connect with the world. However, his life changed dramatically when we were able to give him the gift of hearing and introduce him to John’s beautiful melodies. Join us as we open up a world filled with music to people in need. “A compassionate world is in 7 billion people’s interest. Everybody has this responsibility.”
“Whenever you see someone being cared for and not forgotten about, their human spirit comes alive.”
HIS HOLINESS THE DALAI LAMA
SIR ELTON JOHN
Letters and posts from you—on the web and in the mail.
Engage Social media has been buzzing with Starkey Hearing Foundation.
Follow the conversation @starkeycares. @JordinSparks: Always so amazed by it! RT @starkeycares @jordinsparks is on hand 2 help! She just sang happy bday 2 a recipient! Wow!
@Rayovac_hearing: @starkeycares We are happy to be partnered with such a great Foundation.
@ProfessorMFitz: Amazing 1st day in Manila, Philippines! Was able to give out #hearingaids w/ @starkeycares alongside @LarryFitzgerald. Truly empowering!
@NBowman53: Getting ready to fit hearing aids with @ProsForAfrica and @starkeycares. This is so incredible!
@LennoxLewis: Alone we can’t do much, but together we can change the world. - @starkeycares – Over 1M hearing aids fitted globally!
@GregJennings: I #ListenCarefully w/ @starkeycares b/c I experienced the power of the gift of hearing w/ them in New Orleans!
@billyraycyrus: #ListenCarefully because without hearing there is no music. @starkeycares helps children dance and sing!
@dmcallister26: Awesome job @starkeycares and @saints. You guys helped reconnect this young girl to the sounds of life!
@RugbyBenCohen: @starkeycares You guys changed my life forever, for that I am eternally grateful…Thanks as always Ben.
@AdrianPeterson: Today is Noise Awareness Day. Join me & #ListenCarefully w/ @starkeycares. Protect your hearing! Lower the volume on your headphones.
“Just beautiful to watch a mother hearing her baby cry for the first time virg.in/ghg @starkeycares” Tweeted by @richardbranson
@TheRealStanLee: Today is Noise Awareness Day. Join me & my gang & #ListenCarefully w/ @starkeycares. Lower the volume on your headphones.
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Our goal. The goal is clear: Deliver more than 1,000,000 hearing aids this decade. The reason is obvious: Help people in need, in turn transforming families and communities. The method is effective: Reach out to hearingimpaired children and adults around the globe— many living in isolation, at home and in developing countries. The results are life-changing. Tell us how you can help: facebook.com/starkeycares Or donate now by visiting:
https://action.starkeyhearingfoundation.org
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Giving the Gift of Hearing: Globally Bill Austin began with the desire to make a difference 50 years ago. He followed up with action. To date, Starkey Hearing Foundation has given more than 1 million hearing aids to people in need throughout the world. We’re building a global network of care—and you can help.
1 + 1 = 2 = million hearing aids already provided
million hearing aids this decade
www.starkeyhearingfoundation.org
million hearing aids
Countless lives changed, as we impact not just the person in need but also their family and community with the gift of hearing.
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Building a bridge to the gift of hearing.
Field Notes
Connecting to Reach the World
Brady Forseth discusses how strong partnerships help us change the world.
On a daily basis we receive countless requests for help from all over the planet via phone calls, emails, Facebook messages, tweets, letters – you name it. The people on the other end of those requests have spent their lives struggling to connect to the world, and their greatest wish is to hear. Dreaming of living up to their potential, these people are desperate for help. We want to provide the care they need, but we know we can’t do it alone. As an organization, we understand that just fitting people with hearing aids is not enough. To truly make an impact, we have to ensure that those we help have the support and care they need after the mission ends. Before we go to a country we want to be sure we can develop a sustainable system of care. For that, we need strong local partners. Developing the partnerships necessary to bring a hearing mission into a country takes time. The Foundation has developed a model of care that will ensure sustainability. Nevertheless, depending on the resources and partners in a country, making our model of care a reality could take anywhere from three months to three years. In the end, we are only as good as the partners we have. In an ideal situation, a single partner would have the ability to help develop sustainable health services, raise awareness and mobilize patients, identify and train hearing health specialists and community health workers, develop community-based programs to identify hearing loss, implement aural rehabilitation services and comprehensive follow-up care, maintain databases of patients, and monitor
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and evaluate mission progress. However, rarely does a single partner have all of these capabilities. More often than not, we need to develop a team of partners. Resources in each country vary greatly. The support of organizations with powerful existing networks, like the Clinton Global Initiative and the Bush Summit to Save Lives, has been crucial. President Bill Clinton and the Bush family have been great ambassadors of the Foundation. They have helped us to connect with other organizations that are designing for and making an impact in communities around the world. Most of the time, we work to develop a team that brings together the government, medical community, nongovernmental organizations, corporations and other entities. By working with these different sectors, we are usually able to meet a mission’s logistical, clinical and funding needs to provide the maximum number of people with the gift of hearing. If one partner cannot do it all, we ask them to help us identify other partners who can help fill in the gaps. Working with local organizations and adhering to a sustainable care methodology also requires specific skills from the Foundation. When going into a country, we focus on listening to our partners carefully in order to understand the temperature and the pulse of that nation. By doing this, we are able to adapt and react to a vast array of different cultures and circumstances, while at the same time, following our model. At the end of the day, we remain flexible and stay focused on changing lives through the gift of hearing.
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Bringing hearing care to generations.
Noteworthy
Passage to India Starkey India shows its heart through mission work.
Whenever India is put on the Starkey Hearing Foundation mission schedule, Rohit Misra, Managing Director of Starkey India, knows what it will mean. “We are shutting down,” says Rohit with a glint of joy in his voice. “No one ever questions. Even our dealers understand that the missions are more important than selling.” This dedication to the gift of hearing is one of the reasons the Starkey India team has become one of the strongest and most efficient mission partners working with the Foundation. The partnership began in 2007 when Bill Austin said to Rohit, “Could you help us do more in India.” Rohit had only 16 people on the Starkey India staff, and he felt the missions would be a positive team building experience. However, he underestimated the profound impact the missions would have on his staff and business. Six years later, Starkey India has zero staff turnover and has grown to 58 people - a remarkable accomplishment in an emerging economy where job-hopping is often the norm. Rohit attributes the dedication of his staff entirely to their involvement in the missions, saying, “Because of the missions, staff members have developed a strong identification with Starkey and the work of the Foundation. They know that through the mission work they are contributing to society, and as a result, they are dedicated and belong to this place. They are so invested in the work that even their families get involved.” Over the years, the India missions have grown from 2,800 children being fit over the course of an entire mission to 1,400 12
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children fit in a single day. The Foundation has helped many thousands connect to the world of sound in India. Even with huge numbers, Rohit and the Starkey India team do not feel they have accomplished enough. “We have not even touched the tip of the iceberg,” says Rohit. “There are 16 million children with hearing loss in India. We get requests from all over the country. We are developing more partnerships with the government and NGOs, but the need is so great.” Even in the face of such overwhelming need, the Starkey India team never loses focus on the patients directly in front of them. They make sure each person receives the care and attention required and take great pride in their demonstrated dedication. When asked about their favorite mission, the team unanimously says, “Delhi, 2012.” During this mission, from 8 a.m. to past midnight, not a single member of the team rested or ate. They worked nonstop, refusing to turn away a single person who asked for help. As they were packing up at the end of a long day, a group of elders, who had heard about the mission in the newspaper, arrived. This group had set out early in the day, but after traveling more than 800 km by bus, arrived late in the evening. Austin turned to the team and said, “Open everything back up.” Without question, the team, exhibiting the same enthusiasm they had all day, set everything back up and made sure these people left with the gift of hearing.
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Recent Missions
Minnesota Louisiana Mexico
India
Dominican Republic
Philippines Uganda Rwanda
South Africa
We have delivered the gift of hearing to more than
100 countries. The most widely used medication to treat malaria, quinine, can cause hearing loss.
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Ear infections are a leading cause of hearing loss in low- and middleincome countries.
Action can echo around the world.
echo
noun /’e-(�)kō\ 1. The repetition of a sound caused by reflection of sound waves. 2. The close imitation or repetition of another’s words, ideas or actions.
3. A sympathetic response. S TA R K E Y H E A R I N G F O U N DAT I O N
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The Goal
Mission:
Increase our impact in Mexico.
reynosa
san luis potosi
matamoros tampico cuautitlán
Gratitude Across Mexico Juan Gabriel lends his star power to raise awareness for hearing care.
VISITING FIVE CITIES in less than two weeks, the first part of our mission to Mexico in January 2013 was dizzying, and we were overwhelmed with the support and gratitude shown by everyone we met along the way. Each city provided us with some amazing volunteers. They worked tirelessly and passionately to bridge the culture and language gap between the patients and our mission team. Providing the gift of hearing to the people of Mexico as often as we do, we were fortunate to have many seasoned, longtime supporters on this mission, like the Santin Family, which boasted three generations of volunteers. We had another very special volunteer. The “Elton John of Mexico,” Juan Gabriel, also lent a helping hand. He assisted with fitting 5-year-old Anna who had never heard before. When she walked into the mission with her mother, Anna made little eye contact and would only occasionally gesture in sign language. Her mother explained that she was not allowed to go to school because she could not hear, and this was clearly affecting her confidence and social skills. Once fitted with new hearing aids, and with a little encouragement from Gabriel, Anna was smiling and repeating words, excited to begin sharing herself with the world and hopefully, some new classmates. 16
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What We Did
Empowered a generation of volunteers.
special thanks: Starkey Mexico, Juan Gabriel
January 2013
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Mission:
The Goal
Expand our efforts in Guadalajara.
guadalajara
Guadalajara Audigy Group shows its support. AFTER GIVING THE GIFT OF HEARING in other cities across Mexico, the team traveled to Guadalajara to change more lives. We were joined by 2013 Gala Honoree Jimmy Walker, ready to reflect caring during his first mission, and Foundation board member Dr. Earl Harford. Brandon Dawson and Audigy Group were also on hand to help us fit more than 4,800 hearing aids to people in need. Audigy Group has become one of the Foundation’s strongest supporters in recent years, and they always bring a dedicated team that is ready to work! Their dedication allowed us to connect thousands back to the sounds of life, including three generations of one family. A mother and grandmother brought two young children to the mission. As we were fitting the children, we noticed the two women signing to each other—neither of them could hear. They thought we were just helping children and didn’t realize we would help them too. Fortunately, we never turn anyone away. All four of them received the gift of hearing that day and left with the deeper connection that it brings.
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What We Did
Reconnected families to the sounds of life.
special thanks: Audigy Group, Jimmy Walker
January 2013
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Mission: ruhengeri kigali
The Goal
Reflect caring to the people of Rwanda.
Rwanda Genocide survivors look to a future of sound. OUR JANUARY 2013 MISSION TO RWANDA marked the first time the Foundation conducted two missions at once. While Bill Austin led one team in Mexico, Tani Austin led another team to Rwanda to conduct all three mission phases at once: Phase 1 – impressions and screenings; Phase 2 – hearing aid fittings; and Phase 3 – follow up with patients we had helped on previous visits. Having happened less than 20 years ago, the Rwandan genocide left deep scars that the people of this beautiful country are working tirelessly to heal. Many thousands of adults and children striving to build a life for themselves are also struggling to overcome hearing loss in a country with only three audiologists. Each time we visit, our team is motivated by the amount of need for hearing care in Rwanda, and we are also inspired by the resilience of these miraculous people. The majority of the more than 1,400 patients we helped had been touched in some way by the genocide. One young woman, who traveled for more than nine hours to reach the mission, told us the tragic story of how her entire family had been killed. After being fit with new hearing aids, she smiled with a renewed sense of hope and took in all the sounds she had been missing. We also met a man who had suffered blows to the head during the genocide, which caused him to struggle with hearing loss for more than 19 years. After receiving the gift of hearing, we saw light and relief come to his eyes. While we cannot take away the horrific pain of the past, we can help with the healing process by giving the gift of hearing and showing that we care.
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What We Did
Helped in the healing process.
January 2013
special thanks: Rwanda Ministry of Health, Dr. Kaitesi, Olga Humuza, Global Health Corps
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Mission:
The Goal
Bring the gift of hearing to New Orleans.
new orleans
New Orleans,
Louisiana
The stars came out over Super Bowl weekend. STARKEY HEARING FOUNDATION BROUGHT out the stars in the Big Easy over Super Bowl weekend. Our fourth Super Bowl mission gave individuals the amazing opportunity to receive the gift of hearing while interacting with some of their heroes. We once again partnered with the Garth Brooks Super ProCamp and invited children to be fitted early, at a smaller mission, so they could join in the fun—football drills, cheerleading routines, races and more. The children were star struck as Garth Brooks, Mark Ingram, Darren Sproles, Deuce McAllister and many others helped with fittings. The next day’s mission took place at the Ellis Marsalis Center for Music in the 9th Ward. The center has become a beacon of New Orleans’ culture and music in an area that was once so devastated by Hurricane Katrina. Jordin Sparks, Greg Jennings, Will Witherspoon, Patrick Warburton and many others helped us deliver the priceless gift of hearing. One boy, Garrett, was celebrating his 14th birthday. After we fit him with his new hearing aids, Sparks gave Garrett a surprise Happy Birthday serenade.
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special thanks: Garth Brooks, Mark Ingram, Darren Sproles, Brandon LaFell, Deuce McAllister, the Templets, Brian de la Puente
What We Did
Opened up the world of sound for those in need.
February 2013
special thanks: Jordin Sparks, Greg Jennings, Chris Doleman, Tommie Harris, Vontae Davis, Patrick Warburton
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special thanks: Kyle Rudolph, Zac Robinson, Kyle McCarthy, Delta Zeta, the Strouds, Curtis Lofton, Eric Wood
special thanks: Hannibal Navies, Will Witherspoon, Kraig Urbik, Ryan Mallett, Lou Ferrigno, Steve LaCroix, Mike Wheeler, Sandi Young
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The Goal
Mission:
Share our gift with the Dominican Republic.
santiago santo domingo
Dominican Republic Lennox Lewis brings his fighting spirit to deliver the gift of hearing. DURING OUR FEBRUARY MISSION to the Dominican Republic, patients began to line up each day at 6 a.m., rain or shine, excited and anxious. Former Undisputed Heavyweight Champion of the World Lennox Lewis and Miss Haiti Universe 2010 Sarodj Bertin pitched in to help the team reflect love and caring into thousands of lives. One particularly rainy day created challenges for the team, but it opened up a world of sound many had not experienced in a long time. As the rain came down in sheets, one older gentleman cried out in joy, “La lluvia! La lluvia! (The rain! The rain!).” It had been many years since he had heard the beautiful sound. During a break, Lewis played with three recently fit young boys. The boys, along with Lewis, took turns yelling and giggling, discovering the sound of their voices as they also discovered the melodies of the world around them. Reflecting on the experience, Lewis said, “It’s like a miracle to me. As soon as somebody can hear, it’s like, wow! Their eyes open wide, and there’s a big smile on their face. I get to be part of that miracle.” Over the course of the six-day mission we provided more than 7,000 hearing aids to people in need, giving them the opportunity to take a greater part in everything life has to offer.
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What We Did
Connected thousands to the sounds of life.
February 2013
special thanks: FedEx, Lennox Lewis, Sarodj Bertin, AS AudioNet, Dr. Gilberto Serulle, Mike Wheeler, Carolina Cruz de Martinez
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Mission: tijuana
Hope in Tijuana, Mexico First mission in Tijuana is a huge success. OUR FRIENDS JEFF MACIAS AND ANGELS OF HOPE worked tirelessly to ensure our first mission in Tijuana, with sponsor Knowles Electronics, would be a success. Patrick Warburton and Kyle Massey also joined the team and helped us provide more than 4,500 hearing aids to children and adults from the surrounding communities. One family brought four children – two sets of twins – all suffering from hearing loss. They walked up to the mission timid and unsure of what was about to happen to them. We calmed their fears with kind words… and candy! After receiving the gift of hearing, they transformed dramatically. All signs of nervousness vanished, and they began laughing and playing with each other. The parents looked on in awe, their faces full with the realization that the family’s world had been changed forever. Even the mayor came to witness the connecting power of hearing. He said the mission was the best charitable effort he had seen and was so moved that he gave Bill Austin the key to the city! Everywhere we turned the people of Tijuana greeted us with hugs, tears of joy and gratitude, reflecting back every bit of love we gave them.
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The Goal
Reflect caring and love to Tijuana.
What We Did
Built a powerful connection to the community.
February 2013
special thanks: Our Sponsor Knowles Electronics, Jeff Macias, Angels of
Hope, Kyle Massey, Angel Massey, Patrick Warburton, Sandi Young, Ret Templet, H.N. and Frances C. Berger Foundation
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Mission:
The Goal
Confirm our commitment to South Africa.
groblersdal bhubezi
South Africa Sir Richard Branson and Virgin Unite lend a helping hand. ON OUR RECENT SWING THROUGH SOUTH AFRICA, some special guests joined us. Sir Richard Branson, his family and members of the Virgin Unite team came along to reflect caring to the people in this fascinating country. Patients came from miles around to receive the gift of hearing. We arrived in Bhubezi, excited to meet up with Branson and his team. Branson and Virgin Unite set up the beautiful and modern Bhubezi Community Healthcare Centre eight years ago to help those suffering from malaria, tuberculosis and AIDS. For the past couple of years, we have partnered with Virgin Unite to hold missions at the clinic to reflect caring to the community through the gift of hearing. Participating in the fitting process, and being directly involved in changing the lives of patients, blew Branson and his team away. Branson’s mother, Eve, was especially moved by the experience. After helping to fit a mother and her two daughters, Eve hugged and played with the girls, calling them her “little ladybugs.” At the end of the day, Branson, reflecting on the experience, wrote in his blog, “Getting involved in this work with the Starkey Hearing Foundation is one of the most satisfying experiences that any of us have ever had.”
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What We Did
Reinforced a partnership that will last a lifetime.
March 2013
special thanks: Sir Richard Branson, Virgin Unite, Medifix Hearing Systems, Bhubezi Community Healthcare Centre
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Mission: gulu
hope north kampala
Uganda Pros for Africa and Global Health Corps join the team. IN MARCH 2013, we traveled to Uganda for the fourth time in the last two years to give the gift of hearing with our partners Pros for Africa, Global Health Corps (GHC), Sister Rosemary Nyirumbe and Hope North. Past and present NFL stars Roy Williams, NaVorro Bowman, Ted Ginn, Jr. and Tommie Harris, all joined us and helped deliver more than 2,500 hearing aids to children and adults in need. On the first mission day with Pros for Africa, some of the players were nervous about participating in the fittings, but they caught on quickly. With a little encouragement from the mission team and the GHC volunteers, the players were all veterans by the end of the mission, each having helped change the lives of hundreds of children. Near Gulu, the team had the opportunity to work with Okello Sam, founder of Hope North. Hope North is educating and healing the young victims of Uganda’s civil war, including orphans and child soldiers. We were inspired by Sam’s passion and dedication to helping these people build a new life by healing the wounds of the past and giving them a fresh start. By providing the gift of hearing, we were able to further empower many of them to achieve their full potential in life.
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The Goal
Reinforce our commitment to Uganda.
What We Did Built partnerships for the future.
March 2013
special thanks: Pros for Africa, Roy Williams, NaVorro Bowman, Ten
Ginn, Jr., Tommie Harris, Sister Rosemary Nyirumbe, Global Health Corps, Medifix, Hope North, Okello Sam
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Mission: kasese kisoro
The Goal
Create a future full of opportunity.
A New Region in Uganda
Barbara Bush and Global Health Corps help us change lives.
JOINED BY 2013 GALA HONOREE and Global Health Corps (GHC) CEO and co-founder Barbara Bush and the GHC fellows, the mission team brought the gift of hearing to Kasese and Kisoro, Uganda for the first time. Bright, smiling faces greeted us as we reflected caring and delivered more than 1,600 hearing aids to children and adults in need. As emerging leaders in health care, GHC fellows are operating around Africa, including in Uganda. They serve as invaluable partners in multiple countries. Their health care knowledge, coupled with an understanding of local languages and customs, helps them connect with patients on a deeper level. Bush looked on with great pride as the GHC fellows went about their work, and the mission team was amazed and inspired by their ability to touch the lives of patients. We are overjoyed to have such a skilled partner and look forward to working with them again soon.
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What We Did
Inspired the next generation of health care leaders.
special thanks: Barbara Bush, Global Health Corps
March 2013
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Mission:
The Goal
Give Rwandans a better home for life.
ruhengeri kigali
Back in Rwanda Showing the way to a promising future. WIND, RAIN AND COLLAPSING TENTS could not stop the mission team from fitting more than 1,700 hearing aids during the second 2013 mission in Rwanda. Children and adults came from as far as four hours away for the opportunity to receive the gift of hearing. Even after long journeys, each person we met smiled and expressed an astonishing level of gratitude for the care we showed them. We met a bright and gifted young woman with high-frequency hearing loss. In the United States, children with her condition are easily treated and attend mainstream schools. Unfortunately, she has grown up in a school for the deaf because Rwanda lacks the resources to treat hearing loss. After being fit with hearing aids, a smile of determination spread across her face, and she left with the knowledge that nothing was going to stop her from reaching her full potential.
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What We Did
Unlocked potential.
March 2013
special thanks: Global Health Corps, Rwanda Ministry of Health, Kigali Independent University, CHUK Hospital, Bridge2Rwanda, Liliane Fonds
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Mission: manila
Philippines Former mission patient pays it forward. OUR PHILIPPINES MISSION started off great and only got better. Bill Austin was awarded the Guerrero Memorial Award by the University of Santo Tomas and also gave the commencement speech at their audiology graduation. After inspiring the next generation of Filipino hearing leaders, we welcomed mission veteran Larry Fitzgerald to the team. The NFL star also brought his brother Marcus, to experience giving the gift of hearing for the first time. The brothers worked tirelessly to help the Foundation deliver more than 3,000 hearing aids to people in need in Manila. We were honored to reconnect with Manny Pacquiao and plan a future mission to his own region. We also welcomed Euner Neco Batan. He received the gift of hearing from Bill Austin and Sir Elton John at our December 2012 mission, which has allowed him to become a security officer. Batan returned, this time as a volunteer, anxious to give back a little bit of what had been given to him. The mission team felt great pride watching Batan work side-by-side with the Fitzgerald brothers, all laser-focused on ensuring each patient walked away with the knowledge that they too could change the lives of others.
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The Goal
Inspire a generation of hearing care leaders.
What We Did Shared the gift of empowerment.
March 2013
special thanks: Sandi Young, Larry Fitzgerald, Jr., Marcus Fitzgerald, University of Santo Tomas
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Mission: jalandhar karnal
The Goal
Connect with the people of India.
India Mission team delivers joy.
nashik pune
AS A LAST STOP ON a more than two-month mission swing, India’s color, culture and gratitude rejuvenated the mission team. Crisscrossing the country with missions in four cities over the course of two weeks, we worked closely with the Starkey India team to fit more than 12,500 hearing aids to people in need. The mission team arrived in the midst of the annual Hindu festival, Holi. It is a celebration of the arrival of spring, where people gather together to throw vibrantly colored powders at friends and strangers. We were excited to give thousands of people in need something else to celebrate. Dozens of patients arrived for their hearing aid fittings with smiles on their faces and colorfully stained skin. One member of the Starkey India team showed up for work with florescent pink hands, explaining with great zeal, “I have been playing Holi!” Throughout the mission the team continued to be blessed with unexpected surprises. We were supposed to fly out of a remote military base near Jalandhar after our mission there, but weather caused a major delay. Bill Austin and mission partner Indian Senator Kuldeep Bishnoi had other plans, however, and we hopped into vans and drove two hours to Amritsar for a 2 a.m. flight. Once in Amritsar, we had some extra time before our flight, so the team visited the Golden Temple, the central worship place of the Sikh religion and a place of pilgrimage. Everyone was exhausted, but the temple’s beauty refreshed us. After a quick dinner, we made our flight and were up bright and early to start our mission the next day. On the team’s final day in India, an elderly woman was dropped off at the mission but was too weak to go any further than the entrance. We jumped into action to make her comfortable and provide the care she needed. As soon as she was fitted with hearing aids, her strength was renewed, and she began smiling and hugging everyone around her, blessing the team. The joy she experienced seemed to relieve her pain.
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What We Did
Brought understanding with the gift of hearing.
April 2013
special thanks: Senator Kuldeep and Renuka Bishnoi, Balaji Rao and Venky’s, Devi Lal, Sanjeev Bafna, Subha Aviation, Sandi Young
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Mission: minneapolis
The Goal
Give back to Minnesota.
Minneapolis, Minnesota Minnesota Twins discover a lucky charm at homegrown mission. FARIBAULT SCHOOL DISTRICT CHILDREN, ranging from 6 to 18, arrived bright and early at Foundation headquarters excited to receive the gift of hearing. Many came with their parents who also needed hearing help, and when Bill Austin found out, he offered to fit them too! The students’ excitement bubbled over when Minnesota Twins Justin Morneau and Scott Diamond stopped by to see them and sign autographs for the children. Bill Austin also received a special surprise when longtime patient and baseball fan Lucas Morang, showed up with a sizable donation to the Starkey Hearing Foundation. Austin has been fitting Morang with hearing aids since he was 4. Seeing the impact the gift of hearing had on his life, Morang began raising money for the Foundation through garage sales, bake sales and carnivals. Now 14, Morang has raised more than $33,000 to help other children receive that special gift. Morneau was so moved by Morang’s dedication and generosity that he gave the young man tickets for his family to attend that night’s game, saying, “This is amazing to me! It makes as big a difference in my life as it does in the lives of the people who benefit from it. Lucas was touched by the gift of hearing and is passing the good along. We see a lot of negativity in the world, and it is always inspiring to see good things happening. For someone who is doing so much for other people, the least we can do is give him tickets. He will bring us luck.” Morang did in fact turn out to be good luck – the Twins beat the Angels 8-2.
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What We Did
Brought joy and hope to students and their families.
special thanks: Justin Morneau, Scott Diamond, Faribault School District, Lucas Morang
April 2013
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RECYCLING SOUND Follow a pair of hearing aids on a journey to the other side of the world.
Every year thousands of hearing aids are donated to our Hear Now program from hearing professionals and other individuals looking to help. Those hearing aids open up the world of sound to someone in need. Many of the hearing aids used on international missions come from the recycling program, making hearing aid donations vital to the success of the Foundation. However, the journey from donation to the mission field is an absolute labor of love.
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Generous donor mails in hearing aids
Receiving
Sent to: Starkey Hearing Foundation ATTN: Hearing Aid Recycling 6700 Washington Avenue South Eden Prairie, MN 55344
Hearing aids are received and documented. A letter of acknowledgement and thanks is sent to each donor.
Buffing Rebuild Hearing aids are rebuilt and brought back to specification.
Hearing aids are cleaned and buffed.
Ear Hooks Ear hooks are installed to prepare for fittings.
Quality Assurance Salvage
Each hearing aid is inspected, listened to, tested for sound quality and graded by power level.
Nothing goes to waste! Components are removed from custom hearing aids for use in the rebuilding process.
Packaging Hearing aids are packaged and made ready for missions.
Sorting Hearing aids are sorted by make and model.
Gift of Hearing Hearing aids are fit to a patient in need, changing a life forever.
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RECLAIMING POTENTIAL
Rick Baran has spent his life transforming donated hearing aids into life-changing opportunities for people in need around the world, but for him, it’s all in a day’s work.
It’s a toss up. It is impossible to say whether Bill Austin or Rick Baran has touched more hearing aids than anyone! Regardless, as director of Starkey’s All Make Repair department, Baran understands the ins and outs of the thousands of different models of hearing aids that have been on the market in the last four decades. His department is home to the largest collection of hearing aids in the world. It is also home to Starkey Hearing Foundation’s hearing aid recycling program. Baran began working as a technician in 1972, repairing any make and model of hearing aid that was set in front of him. Knowing he found a home where his considerable skills could make a profound impact, Baran has worked diligently for more than 40 years, and people in need in more than 100 countries have had their lives changed because of it. The recycling program Baran oversees will recycle its 75,000th hearing aid this year. These donations help supply many of the hearing aids that go on international missions, and Baran and his team source and build the rest. Baran’s soft-spoken and gentle manner belies all of the sleepless nights and hard work he has put into something that could be considered nothing less than an obsession. In 2010, when Austin met with President Bill Clinton and committed to providing 100,000 hearing aids to people in need annually—and one million this decade, Baran’s workload doubled overnight. He shrugs when asked about the challenges of providing so many hearing aids for missions, saying, “Keeping up with the ever growing demand is a bit difficult, but somehow we always manage it.” 46
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Over the years, Baran has taken many 3 a.m. calls from the other side of the world; worked through the night to get an extra 1,000 hearing aids to a mission; ensured aids small or large enough to fit all sizes—from a newborn to a 100-yearold African chief—were available on every mission for any possible scenario… all without skipping a beat. When asked about the deep personal commitment he’s given the Foundation, he laughs, shakes his head and returns his focus to the task at hand. He seems almost unaware of the impact his work has had on the world. However, his contributions have not gone unnoticed. Paying homage to Baran’s efforts, Austin says, “Starkey Hearing Foundation would not be where we are today without Rick Baran. His dedication has made it possible for us to open up a world of potential for hundreds of thousands around the globe.” Even with such high praise, Baran’s Minnesota work ethic and unassuming manner keep him grounded and ensure his focus remains on strengthening his team and building the recycling program. Looking out across them, Baran shows uncharacteristic emotion and pride saying, “The most rewarding part of my job is helping people be successful. Everyone has value. The trick is identifying their skills and guiding them in the right direction.” He has helped do just that for generations.
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THE BUSINESS OF DOING GOOD Can you tell me about the relationship between the Foundation and Starkey Hearing Technologies? The Foundation is an independent non-
profit, and Starkey Hearing Technologies is a close partner and the Foundation’s biggest supporter. Our work with the Foundation is the lifeblood of our company. It defines why we go to work every day.
The Foundation gives us purpose, demonstrating that our company is more than just a hearing aid manufacturer – we are active contributors to making this world a better place.
For Starkey Hearing Technologies Senior Vice President For Brandon StarkeyL.Hearing Sawalich, Technologies giving Senior back VPisBrandon the onlySawalich, giving back path to is success. the only path to success. 48
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We operate under the philosophy that people don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care. Starkey Hearing Technologies’ commitment to the Foundation demonstrates active caring and how we lead with our hearts. In addition, our customers can see firsthand that the business they do with us supports something bigger than a bottom line. Our customers want to do business with people who care – people they can trust – and they know that when they buy products from us, they are helping change the world.
our reputation as the gold standard for corporate social responsibility in the industry.
How has the Foundation impacted the lives of your employees? The members of our leadership team How have you seen the relationship between Starkey Hearing Technologies and the Foundation grow over the years? I was on the Foundation’s monumental mission to El Salvador in 1997. It was the first time we sent a large team to fit several hundred children at once. We had been providing hearing aids for years, but El Salvador was something completely different. When we finished with the patients, everyone was overjoyed. The feeling was indescribable. Large missions were always something Bill [Austin] wanted to do, and with this first one, we knew everything was about to change. We were all addicted. Over the next 15 years, as the company continued to grow, our capacity to give back through the Foundation grew at the same time. This work has also created a closer connection with our customers. More and more of them are getting involved — fitting people in need through the Hear Now program, helping fund the Foundation’s missions and collecting hearing aids to be recycled. Customers are also very engaged in the So the World May Hear Awards Gala because it brings their work to life. Their partnership allows us to do missions around the world.
Do you see a connection between corporate social responsibility and the success of the company? In this industry you need relationships and technology to be successful. Starkey Hearing Technologies has both, and because of this, we are able to work with more people and organizations in the industry, helping us grow. Our strong relationships have a great deal to do with
go on a mission at least every two years. Missions give them an opportunity to see what they are a part of. They return humble, appreciative and energetic because the experience reinforces how the work they are doing every day helps change lives.
What impact has your involvement with the Foundation had on your life? It’s good to be reminded every once in a while to be more humble. It’s easy to get caught up with the business side of things, and missions remind me why I do what I do. My wife, Stacy and I took our kids on a mission to Mexico in 2011 and the experience was priceless. It’s about helping your family, friend, neighbor and a total stranger reconnect with life. Giving back is part of what make us human – we all just need to find our passion.
What advice would you have for an individual wanting to give back and change the world? Find your passion. If you really want to make a difference, you have to believe passionately in what you are doing. It can’t be about money. It has to be about finding your why. Find out what drives you day in and day out to get out of bed.
What advice would you have for other companies wanting to make a positive impact? Do it for the right reasons. Some companies are now getting involved with “cause marketing” because their competition is leading an initiative. People know very quickly if the company is in it for the right reasons or is just creating a billboard to look charitable. Doing it for the right reasons means getting the employees involved in the campaign and active in giving back. Leading with your heart needs to start at the top, and that is certainly true at Starkey.
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INTO THE BREACH Keith Becker risks it all in service to others.
AN INNATE DESIRE TO SERVE is what drives Keith Becker. In 2011, Becker, an officer in the United States Naval Reserves and employee at Starkey Hearing Technologies, followed his heart and volunteered for deployment to Afghanistan. Blogging about his decision while in Afghanistan sitting under a new moon at a U.S. military base with a blackout order, Becker explained, “Faith in total darkness requires an inner strength to believe the next step you take won’t be your last, and even if it is, the strength to step forward on your chosen path anyway. There is something special about knowing your eyes are not leading the way.” In Afghanistan, Becker faced the reality of fallen comrades, suicide bombers and his own mortality. He also formed ties with local children and villagers, willing to
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risk their lives for a chance at the kind of freedoms and opportunities often taken for granted in the U.S. Their faces will forever be etched in his memory. He returned home with a powerful understanding of the harsh realities faced by so many around the world and an even deeper dedication to service. After settling back into his role at Starkey Hearing Technologies, Bill Austin approached him with another opportunity to serve. Starkey Hearing Foundation’s 2013 spring mission swing was about to cross three continents and last more than two months. Without questioning, Becker volunteered for his next deployment, but this time, he was putting his considerable skills to work for the gift of hearing.
“From Minnesota to Afghanistan, South Africa to Uganda, when people are shown the love, care and dignity they deserve, they will always stand taller.”
During the mission swing, Becker worked diligently with the team to bring hope to the people he met and reflect caring into their lives. Through the gift of hearing, he was able to reconnect families and communities. Looking back on his experiences, Becker wrote in a recent post on the Foundation blog, “This mission trip with Starkey Hearing Foundation has reaffirmed for me a very important belief, that regardless of personal circumstances, happy people will make the best of any situation. Hope North, one of our Uganda mission partners, works with former child soldiers forced against their will to kill and steal by the brutal regime of Joseph Kony’s Lord’s Resistance Army. I cannot even begin to imagine the horrors these children have faced in their short lifetimes, and yet, they smile and are forever thankful for the love they are shown. It brought tears to my eyes to see them sing and dance in gratitude
for the gift of hearing. How could any person ever complain after witnessing such an event?” Now back at Starkey Hearing Technologies, Becker’s desire to serve has only grown stronger. He has seen the impact of service from all angles and understands the truth of it, saying, “From Minnesota to Afghanistan, South Africa to Uganda, when people are shown the love, care and dignity they deserve, they will always stand taller.” To read more about Keith Becker’ experiences in service, please visit: http://www.starkeyhearingfoundation.org/blog/ and http://thesecondcalling.weebly.com
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KEITH BECKER shares his vision for changing lives.
Firsthand
A Servant’s Heart War veteran and Starkey Hearing Technologies employee Keith Becker reflects on a life lived for the betterment of others. How did your experience in Afghanistan change you? Afghanistan taught me more about the power of the mind than I ever could have imagined. Often in our lives we are so caught up in all the things that need to get done that we allow our circumstances to define us. From the moment we wake up we are surrounded by crying children, smart phones beeping with new emails and social networking updates, and the television newsperson informing us on the latest scandal. In Afghanistan, away from family, friends and the comforts of home, I knew about the importance of mental fortitude and positive attitude. The power of the mind is truly an amazing thing to discover. Your mental attitude at the beginning of a day often dictates how your overall day will play out physically, mentally, and emotionally. Our mind is undeniably the most powerful part of our body. It tells us when to eat, when we are tired, when our muscles are sore. The mental barriers we put up for selfpreservation often cause us to limit rather than protect ourselves. Often times the biggest challenge we will face in our own life is mental determination. I also learned it is easy to find what is wrong. In fact, it is the easiest of all mental functions. It requires no active thought, no inner guidance, nothing. There is fault in everything and everyone around us. We wouldn’t be human without it. But if we define others and ourselves on the basis of that fault, we are doomed to misery. It is important to take time each day to properly focus the mind, to find the good that can come from a new day. Start each day with a smile and you’ll be much more likely to finish it with one!
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How has your mission experience changed you? It simply cannot be explained by watching a mission video. It’s unimaginable—from the first moments of hesitation on the parts of our patients who seem unsure what to make of us, to that look in their eyes when you know you’ve helped change their life. The rush of life you see in a person’s eyes when you help give them back the ability to hear is overwhelming… as Bill Austin would say, it’s addicting. There is something profoundly special about taking the time to share life with others. Personally, I know I need to do more in my own community. People in need of love and compassion are all around us.
What is the biggest life lesson you learned doing missions? Missions have taught me that the less contented you are by material possessions the more happiness you will find in the natural beauty and joy of life.
What advice would you give someone who wants to contribute to the greater good? Each and every one of us has it within ourselves to serve to the fullest extent of our capacity. The greatest mistake we could ever make would be to believe small acts of service don’t make a huge difference in the lives of others. We are called to be stewards of each other and to be ever present to the needs of those next door as well as around the world. Your actions do not have to be grand. They only need to be pure. Consider how simply you can provide service to those around you. A smile, a helping hand, a cheerful attitude and a positive outlook can provide more service to another individual than you could ever imagine. We all have the ability to help make the hope of a more tranquil world come true. Our only limitation is the amount of effort we are willing to give. Not everyone has the ability to spend a month doing mission work in Africa but we all do have the ability to serve those who need us. We are obligated to serve the oppressed, lost and forgotten whether they are half way around the world or just down the street. It’s important to do your part to give back to life. When you do you will receive a gift more valuable than anything that can be purchased with money.
“ We are obligated to serve the oppressed, lost and forgotten whether they are half way around the world or just down the street.�
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Sounds Good Can you identify that sound?
Frozen, it creaks, cracks and startles with warnings of potential danger or refreshment. As a vapor, it can whistle if backed by force or detoxify if densely collected. But its liquid form creates the sounds we so often think of. These sounds can lull us to sleep, terrify when Mother Nature wields it as a weapon or create powerful nostalgia for lazy summer afternoons. 5 4 S TA R K E Y H E A R I N G FO U N DAT I O N
From the moment we enter this life to the time we leave it, water surrounds us creating sounds as varied and dramatic as human emotion. As you watch thunderstorms roll in and children rush to their local swimming hole, consider all the different melodies of water, and drink in the sounds of summer.
listen carefully.
Music: we want you to be able to hear it. The sounds of a guitar. The lyrics to your favorite song.
The majority of teen hearing loss can be prevented. Join the movement at www.starkeyhearingfoundation.org
One in 5 teenagers has hearing loss due to high-volume sounds in daily life. Like the blare of car horns. Or the music pumping through your headphones. You can’t control the volume of the world around you, of course. But you can lower the volume of your headphones. It’s such a simple thing to do. You’ll save your hearing. Your hearing is fragile. So don’t listen loudly. Listen carefully.
Protect your hearing. Lower the volume.
2013 Honorees Include:
July 28, 2013
Sir Richard Branson Founder, Virgin Group
ASHTON KUTCHER Thorn
Barbara bush Global Health Corps
Jimmy Walker Celebrity Fight Night
Dennis & Leslie Hansen Hearing Angel Humanitarians
Angel Chun Li Zhao Partners in Excellence
Entertainers Include:
LIONEL RICHIE
MARC ANTHONY
JESSICA SANCHEZ
MATISYAHU
Sinbad
ARIA
Please join us to celebrate the spirit of giving and help us reflect caring around the world!
Event Sponsor:
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