The following is an excerpt from an article in the August 2012 monthly newsletter from the Early Hearing Detection and Intervention Pro-gram by Alert Mehl, MD. “...My father, for example, now has a moderate high frequency hearing loss. He tried using hearing aids for a period of time, and finally decided that, at least for now, he likes his life without hearing aids better than his life with hearing aids. I’m OK with that, he’s a grown up. He can make choices. “When I visit dear old dad, though, I realize that he is missing information. Every minute of every day, there is some auditory information that he isn’t receiving, but that those around him can register easily. He hears my male voice and other male voices pretty much just fine. Female voices, not much. And so he appears to be inattentive, or distracted, or perhaps rude, when he reconnects intermit-tently with the conversation…

Early Intervention is Important voice cooing and whispering in the delivery room at the hospital (and, in

fact, hearing that same voice for months prior to birth while captive inside the womb). Hearing the father’s verbal celebrations. Hearing the bedtime story being read to the older sibling, or the praises of the many aunts and uncles, or the doctor’s ramblings

at the first check-up in the office. Every waking hour of every day, it’s school. And for a tiny baby newly en-rolled in life’s ‘school’, missing infor-mation is not a choice, it is a tragedy. “We’re in the business of making sure that newborn babies aren’t faced with a life of time spent missing infor-mation. Thanks for being part of the effort. It’s good work.”

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“Of course, wind the clock back some eighty years when he was a student entering grade school, and missing infor-mation every hour of every day would be a really bad idea. “Slow to learn, slow to read, slow to comprehend, not listening to directions, not cooperating with instruc-tions, easily distracted…” I can just imagine the shock-ing report card he might have brought home if he were hard of hearing as a kindergar-tener. “Even more important than the

school-aged child, a new-born baby enrolls in ‘school’ on the first day of life. Hearing the mother’s

“I can just imagine the shocking report card he might have brought home if he

were hard of hearing as a

kindergartener.”

Director’s Update

Pam Dawson, Executive Director Dear friends of hear ME now,

What a lovely early autumn we are having here in Maine!!

Fall always marks a busy time at hear ME now as we provide sup-port to returning students and their teaching teams. The num-ber of school districts we are working with continues to grow – and this year we are adding an exciting new dimension to our school age programs. We will be trialing the use of video telecon-ferencing to provide consultation and equipment trouble shooting to two school districts in remote areas of Maine. We are excited by this potential to reach stu-dents and schools in need in a responsive and cost effective way!

In July, we received the welcome news that our contract with the Department of Education would be renewed for the 2012-2013 school year. This multi faceted collaboration provides technical support and professional devel-opment to Child Development Services teams and early inter-vention to children with hearing loss and their families.

One very exciting aspect of this partnership is the opportunity to pilot the use of video conferenc-ing equipment and a secure

Fun in the Sun

The gazette of hear ME now

It’s Back to School Time! Fall 2012

Cont. on p. 3

Hear ME! Hear ME!

Emily and Will—3rd Grade

Thomas—Kindergarten William and Matthew

3rd Grade

Taylor 3rd grade

Sarah— HS Freshman and sister Ella

Seth 7th

Grade Maddy

6th Grade

Zach—3rd grade

Nearly twenty family members and friends joined hear ME now for our second annual Summer Picnic! An afternoon thunder-storm held off long enough for the adults and kids to have a great time together.

Page 2 Fall 2012

Board of Directors

Gregg Lagerquist, President

Dick O’Meara,

Treasurer

Connie Ouellette, Secretary

Harriet Gray Deb Feagans

Matthew Hearst, M.D. Gregg Novick

Executive Director Pamela R. Dawson,

M.Ed.

hear ME now PO Box 896

Portland, ME 04104 207-781-7199

www.hear-me-now.org

“Where children with hearing loss learn to

listen and speak.”

We’re Sharing What We Know…

Where in Maine is hear ME now?

Coming Soon – A Community of Practice for Speech Pathologists

Last winter, we provided a short course in Listen-ing and Spoken Language Development to over 30 speech pathologists throughout Maine who work with over 50 children with hearing loss collectively. We will be building upon the relation-ships formed in that three day course through Maine’s first online community of practice in Listening and Spoken Language for speech pathologists. Communities of practice provide a new model for connecting people in the spirit of learning, knowledge sharing, and collaboration as well as individual, group, and organizational develop-ment. Communities of practice are important because they:

Connect people who might not otherwise have the opportunity to interact, either as frequently or at all.

Enable dialogue between people who come together to explore new possibilities, solve challenging problems, and create new, mutu-ally beneficial opportunities.

Stimulate learning by serving as a vehicle for authentic communication, mentoring, coaching, and self-reflection.

Capture and diffuse existing knowledge to help people improve their practice by provid-ing a forum to identify solutions to common problems and a process to collect and evalu-ate best practices.

Generate new knowledge to help people transform their practice to accommodate changes in needs and technologies.

We are looking forward to this exciting way to increase the capacity of the educational system in Maine for children with hearing loss. FMI contact Carrie Chojnowski, CCC-SLP at cchojnowski@hear-me-now.org . Children with hearing loss

listening and speaking.

Counties with hear ME now

clients

Page 3

Vroom! Vroom! The second annual “Break the Sound Barri-er” Motorcycle Run was another wonderful success! Sixty riders took off on a ground shaking run which took riders 100 miles from Waterboro, to Brownfield, to Buxton and back. Participants, friends of hear ME now, families and their children enjoyed a pig roast with all the fixings on a beautiful July afternoon. A special thanks goes out to April and Ty Morin and Sandy Kinney who organized the Run. This year’s event raised nearly $2,000 for hear ME now!

Director’s Update ...Cont from page 1

Get ready for the 11th Annual “Break the Sound Barrier” Ski Race

Get your skis tuned up and save the date of Sunday, March 3, 2013 for the 11th annual ski race to benefit hear ME now. Each year, this family, fun filled day raises $30,000 to support the pro-grams and services hear ME now provides to deaf and hard of hear-ing children and adults throughout Maine! Look for more information coming in the mail soon! Want to sign up early? Contact Donna at dbetts@hear-me-now.org to register your team. We hope to see you on the slopes!

Parker and his grandfather, John.

network to provide coaching to parents of young children with hearing loss. As their child’s first and best teacher – we want to make sure they have the skills and resources they need to promote listening and spoken language development all through their typical family routines. We are so pleased to be part of a larger national effort to study best practices and outcomes of tele-intervention for children with hearing loss as compared to traditional face to face home visits. We feel strongly that tele-intervention will offer an avenue for us to further our mission of providing opportunities for children with hearing loss to learn to listen and speak.

Our work with adults with hearing loss is also expanding. In collaboration with the cochlear implant program at Mercy Hospital, we are providing rehabilitation therapy to adult cochlear implant recipients – ages 24 to 88! We welcome this new group of stake-holders to our community, and look forward to exploring together how hear ME now can support them. Pilot efforts are also un-derway to provide therapy via a secure network for this group of patients.

We are excited by the plans and programs we have in store for this school year. Don’t forget the 11th annual Break the Sound Barrier ski race on March 3rd, 2013. We hope to see you there!

Pamela Dawson, M.Ed. Executive Director

A Generous Gift hear ME now has received a generous gift in honor of Steve Doiron from his wife and children. The family are friends with April and Ty Morin – who have two children receiving support from hear ME now. The gift will be partially used in our SHIPs program and will provide coaching to preschool teachers in community schools that have chil-dren with hearing loss in their classroom.

2012 Best Wipe Out

“To listen well is as powerful a means of influence as to talk well,

and is as essential to all true conversation” Chinese Proverb

Foundation Friends

THANK YOU TO OUR GENEROUS DONORS!

Distinguished Friends Gifts of $500+

Advanced Dental Concepts at Windham Crossing, PA

Advanced Physical Therapy Albin, Randall & Bennett, CPA Anne Pratt Giroux Audiology

Bangor Savings Bank Berlin City Auto Group

BMP Maintenance California Environmental Controls

Champoux Insurance Agency Countrywide Trailer Registrations

Cunningham Photography Duffy’s

Drummond & Drummond, LLP GE foundation Matching Gifts

Google Matching Gifts Gray-New Gloucester Animal Hospital

Irwin, Tardy & Morris J.S. McCarthy Co.

Leach Engineering Consultants Lebel & Harriman

Martin’s Point Health Care Med-El Corporation

Mercy Hospital Cochlear Corporation MKM ENT Associates

Murray Plumb and Murray Nadeau Orthodontics, PA

New England Development Northeast Delta Dental

North East Mobile Health Services

July 1, 2011 through June 30, 2012

Jessie D. Bullens-Crewe Foundation The Davis Family Foundation

The Homer Family Foundation Option Schools, Inc. Red Sox Foundation

A special THANK YOU to our volunteers Ben Dawson Bart Haag Chuck McCatherin Gregg Soper Bill Dawson Cathy Janelle Kathie McCatherin Ed and Raylene Stewart Jake Dawson Sandra Kinney Robbyn Mooradian Chad & Jennifer Weber Anne Doiron Gregg and Leslie Lagerquist Pam Moriarty Katie Wellman Katelyn Driscoll Amanda and Rob Landry Tonya Ng The Widow’s Sons Hillary Fais David Latulippe Tina Novick Harriet Gray April and Ty Morin Sue Slivinsky

Tom and Diana Allen Anonymous

Maddy Corson Bill and Pam Dawson

Anne Doiron and Family Harriet Gray

Bart and Ilse Haag Gregg and Leslie Lagerquist

Dick O’Meara and Chris Bulsa-O’Meara Connie and Mark Ouellette

Gregg and Laurie Piasio Carolyn Pollock

Peter and Susan Slivinsky Marc and Eva Stern

Corporate Friends

hear ME now

Portsports Social Club Shaw’s Sanford

St. John Valley Pharmacy SoundWorks for Children, Inc.

S.R. Cycles Stormwater Compliance, LLC

Time Warner Cable, New England Division

Twin Cities Air Service, LLC Unger & Associates, LLC UNUM Matching Gifts

Walmart Sanford Wm. J. Clark Electrical Contractor York County Federal Credit Union

Nancy Lindbom Kenneth Lloyd and Jane McGraves Peter Lloyd Mike Lytle Lynn MacGregor Erin Macintire Randy and Christen Male David Mandelbaum Marlow’s Robert and Tricia Martin Chuck McCatherin Frank and Susan McGinty Bruce and Lori McKay Charles Mercer Howard Mintz Stephen and Pamela Moriarty Laurine Morin Phil Morin Motorhead Judy Munson Kitty Murray Holden and Sue Nelson Gregory Nemi Julie Neumann and Brian Driscoll Jacqueline Nichols Matthew Nightingale Ruth Noble Deborah Noone Sylvio Normadeau Ernie and Liane Novick Gregg and Tina Novick Stephen and Stephanie Novick Dennis and Anne O’Donovan Richard and Shirley O’Meara Dr. and Mrs. Harold Osher J. Paul and Cleo Ouellette Tom and Marilyn Ouellette Debra Paiement Stephen and Jane Parker Ralph Pascale Pat’s Pizza Pauline’s Tire & Auto Daniel Pelletier Rod and Denise Pendleton Gail Pfeifle Louis Pfeifle Poor People’s Pub Portland Sea Dogs Alex and Jen Pozzy Rich and Sue Pullen Roger Putnam Patricia Rabidoux David and Julie Rand Charles Patricia Reade Garrett Richardson Mish Rioux Phil and Mary Ripa Lauren Roesing Daniel and Julie Rosenthal David and Ann Rossignol Robert Rowse Rugosa Tours Cindy and Justin Russell Laura Russell Brian Rustia John and Chrissy Sampson Myron Samuels Sanford Police Dept. Antonella Santacroce

Jeanne Demers-Watts George Denno Tim and Lorena Dexter Daniel and Diane Doiron Ellen Donahue William Dorne Katelyn Driscoll and Andy Spalding Dunkin Donuts William and Bonnie Dunn Eastern Propane Bethany Eisenberg Dorothy Eisenhaure David Eldridge Charlotte Engleman Richard Epstein Laura Everett Peter Farnum William and Deborah Feagans Eric and Erica Ferguson Elizabeth Flaherty Darryl Frank Nancy French Alan Fried and Sharon Kuhrt Lynn Gallagher Bertha Gardiner Marc Girard Pierre and Cynthia Giroux Michael and Lisa Glidden Steve Gruverman and Marie Wendt Stacie Hamilton-Waldron Donald Hankinson Hannaford Kennebunk Thomas Harden Scott Harwood Bernard Herman Joyce Hieber Jennifer Hittle Mark Holmes Al Howlett J. Trevor Hughes Robert Hunter Giovanna Hurley John and Alison Jacobs Paul and Margaret Jaleski Cathy Janelle and Gregg Cohen Susan “Bubbles” Janosik Eric and Mary Johnson Frank Jones Erin Kalakowsky Janet Kantz Charles and Linda Kemp David Kennedy Joan Keyser Rodney and Nancy King Dick and Ellen Klain Kevin Kline Sue Konkel Erika Kuhn Oren Kuhn and Hillary Fais Charles and Linda LaFreniere Chris and Tabitha Lamontagne Rob and Amanda Landry John and Cynthia Langer David and Janice Latulippe Robert Lemire Eric Levasseur Lynne Lewis

Friends Gifts up to $499

Richard and Debra Abbondanza Ace Hardware Kimberly Adams Ann Marie Albert Louis Albert William G. Allen Samuel and Sheran Andrews Anonymous Applebee’s Sanford Aquaboggin Ruth August Marilyn Austin Auto Zone Sanford Ron and Sally Bancroft Heather Barbour Brian Belanger Ronald and Constance Bennett Donna Betts Ron and Carol Beyna Big Moose Harley Randall and Nancy Billmeier Steven Biron Bonanza Thomas Bowen Martha Bradley Emerson and Nancy Brooks Phil and Janet Bruen Melissa Bubar David and Brenda Buck Bull Moose Music Rep. Meredith Strang Burgess Cynthia Burnell Buxton Tavern Paul and Polly Camp Cape Porpoise Motel Michael Caruso Woody and Jean Carville Jason Chadbourne Charnette Chadwick David Chamberlain and Cheri Walker Edward Cheney Bruce and Frances Chojnowski Dan and Carrie Chojnowski Paul Cincotta Erik and Lynda Clapp Kendall Clark Coastal Discount Ryan and Shaunacy Cobb Colin Canning & Sons Celine Couillaut Barry and Barbara Crommett Mary Jo Cross Mike and Sue Curato Robin Cyr Michael and Vickie Daigle Benjamin Dailey Joseph Daniels Zach and Rebecca Daniels Wendell and Pamela Davis Billy Dawson and Annie Tafel Marie Dawson Suzanne Dawson Tom Dean Ellen Deering Milton and Anne Deletetsky

Michael Santacroce Tom Saucier Shireen Shahawy Shields Meats Nathan Sicard Nancy Simpon Eileen Skinner Jeff and Sara Sloan Bob and Cathi Smith Joan Smith Kim Smith Mia Smith Greg Soper and Pam Shay Diana Stack Staples Ed and Raylene Stewart Michael and Dawn Stillings Stone Ridge Paul Stonemetz David and Linda Strathdee Adam and Kristen Sturtevant Michael Sullivan Donna Sutton James and Elizabeth Taylor Peter Thompson Eddie Thyng Christopher Tolford Heather Toothaker Toy Co. Kenneth Trask James Vanesse Alan and Joanna Veilleux Kathy Velek Ron Vitarelli Waterboro Eagles Danielle Watkins Thomas and Judith Watson Andrew Watt and Sarah Cotsen Bryan Watt Douglas Watts Roger and Dianne Weber Deb Welch-Thompson Christopher and Katrina Wellman Jeanine West Bryan and Dana Wiggins Fred Williams Jeffrey and Norma Willis Richard Wolfe and Janet Puistonen Camille Wolfertz Jo Ann Puleo Woods York County Sheriff’s Dept. Jeffrey Zabel Kristen Zinkand

Every effort has been made to include all our

donors on this list. We apologize if we have

accidentally omitted anyone’s name.