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Volunteers Needed for Teen Day!
 
Volunteers
 
The saying, "it takes a village" applies in every way to our annual Teen Day event on Tuesday, April 27, 2010! Are you looking for opportunities to give back to the deaf and hard of hearing community? Would you like to interact with teenagers with hearing loss? We are in need of volunteers to make Teen Day a success!
 
Volunteer
Opportunities include:
* Registration for students and teachers
 
* Coordinating an outdoor activity station
 
* Setting up and tearing down lunch at General's Park
 
* First Aid station
 
* Putting together Welcome Bags
 
Call us at 720-848-3042 or email us at [email protected] to sign up to volunteer at Teen Day!
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Save the Date! - Annual Wine & Chocolate Gala on Friday, June 4, 2010
 
Marion Downs Hearing Center Foundation
 Wine & Chocolate Gala

Wine&Choc2010 

Friday, June 4
 7pm-10pm
Grant-Humphrey's Mansion
Denver, Colorado
 
A fundraising event to support the programs and services of the Marion Downs Hearing Center. Attend and help us celebrate the lives we touch and the differences we are making in the deaf and hard of hearing community. Tickets will be $50 per person.
 
Consider making a donation to our Silent Auction! We auction off restaurant gift certificates, jewelry, travel vouchers, artwork, etc. Contact us for more information or to make a donation: 720-848-3042 or email [email protected].
The Adolph Coors Foundation Grants $10,000 to the Marion Downs Hearing Center
Coors Foundation logo The Adolph Coors Foundation has honored the Marion Downs Hearing Center with a $10,000 grant that will be used to expand services for the Connect & Grow Teen Program.  The MDHC is starting the fourth year of Teen Program which is a youth development program for deaf and hard of hearing teenagers designed to help them transition to independent adulthood.  The Teen Program offers educational opportunities with adult mentors who have overcome their hearing loss obstacles to achieve success in their personal and professional lives. The transition to independent adulthood is a critical period for teenagers with hearing loss. Unfortunately, many will drop out of their first year of college or struggle with their first jobs because they are ill equipped to handle the obstacles they will face.
 
The first part of the year-long Connect and Grow Program is Teen Day scheduled on April 27, 2010.  The focus of Teen Day is to educate and empower deaf and hard of hearing high school students in Colorado to take charge of their future.  Over a hundred teenagers will be provided with information on technology they can use in the college classroom or workplace; community resources that support the needs of those with hearing loss; and strategies for becoming strong self-advocates for themselves.  The program is open to youth ages 15 to 21, from any part of the state, and is open to any teen who is deaf or hard of hearing, regardless of communication mode or  ability to pay.  The summer program consists of several days of working with the teenagers on these same topics but on a more individualized, in-depth basis in a fun and interactive environment.  The year-round program offers the teenagers an opportunity to participate in events and social gatherings in order to promote on-going communication with other teens they meet in the program. 
 
With the help from the Adolph Coors Foundation, the MDHC is now looking at offering teleconference options for deaf and hard of hearing teens in the remote parts of Colorado as well as the surrounding states.   "The information presented at the Connect & Grow Teen Program is too important not to be shared with every deaf and hard of hearing teenager in Colorado," says Director of the MDHC, Sandy Gabbard.  "We feel that by reaching out, including using teleconference equipment, we will still be able to make a difference in the lives of these teenagers."
  
For more information, and for the Teen Program Registration Sheet, please visit www.mariondowns.com, or send an email to [email protected].
Sign Language Immersion Day - March 13
sign class 1On Saturday, March 13, we will host our 2nd Immersion Day at the Marion Downs Hearing Center. Immersion Day is a learning experience where participants will use sign language ONLY for an entire day! Through group activities, games, and mock dialogues in a "voice-off", fun environment, participants will expand their vocabulary and understanding of the language. All skill levels are welcome, including beginners. No talking allowed! Come prepared to have fun!
 
WHEN
Saturday, March 13
9:00am - 4:30pm
 
WHERE
Marion Downs Hearing Center
1793 Quentin Street, Aurora
 
TUITION
$50
Lunch and snacks included
Previous and current MDHC sign language students receive a $10 discount!
 
REGISTRATION REQUIRED
Call 720-862-3681 or email [email protected] for questions
 
Deadline to Register: Thursday, March 11
 
4th Annual Teen Day Event - Tuesday, April 27 
Registration Is Open
SIGN UP NOW!
Tuesday, April 27, 8:30am-2:30pm
 
At this no-cost event, deaf and hard of hearing (DHH) high school students will learn about community resources and technology available to them as they transition from high school to emerging adulthood. They will also meet DHH adult role models who have overcome their personal hearing loss obstacles to create successful personal and professional lives for themselves. Students will have the opportunity to interact with peers from other schools, fostering positive relationships with individuals who share the common experience of personal hearing loss.
 
NEW THIS YEAR: For the first time, this event will be accessible to rural schools in Colorado via teleconferencing! See the Teen Day Registration Packet for more details.
 
TO REGISTER
The deadline to register is April 13, 2010.
 
Call 720-862-3681 or email [email protected] for more information.
MDHC Staff Spotlight
KATHLEEN
When Kathleen Zaccaro enrolled in college as a Speech Pathology major, she originally thought she wanted to work with kids. After completing an Introduction to Audiology course, she discovered she found the medical side of hearing more interesting and decided to pursue a career as an Audiologist. She received her Master's in Audiology from University of Northern Colorado in 1992 and never looked back.
 
With 17 years of experience being an Audiologist at University of Colorado Hospital, Kathleen is one of the veteran members on the Marion Downs Hearing Center team. She found her niche specializing in vestibular disorders and working with patients with developmental disabilities.  In addition to performing diagnostic vestibular tests, Kathleen has also worked in the Benign Positional Vertigo (BPV) clinic which focuses on repositioning inner ear particles that get out of place and contribute to balance and dizziness problems. Kathleen's other weekly clinic is for testing developmentally disabled adults for hearing loss. She loves this clinic, fully embracing the challenges of testing individuals with developmental disabilities. She also enjoys the long-term relationships with her patients who return for their yearly hearing tests.
 
Kathleen has had a long history working here at the MDHC and wouldn't choose to have a career anywhere else. "The best part of my job is working with everyone on the team," she says. "I came back from being a stay-at-home-mom after my third son was born because the office environment is amazing. I work part-time which is perfect for me.  At work, I can be an audiologist, but I also have a schedule that also lets me be just " Mom".  This wouldn't be possible without the support of my fellow audiologists."  
 
Kathleen has been married for 11 � years and has three boys ages 10, 8, and 5. She enjoys spending her free time outdoors with her family and new puppy "Rigby" and reading just about anything she can get her hands on.
MDHC Offers Fire Safety Technology for People with Hearing Loss
fireAccording to the U.S. Fire Administration and the Fire Protection Research Foundation, 44% of people with hearing loss do not wake to the sound of standard fire alarms due to their high pitch frequency. Most people believe that if they don't wake up from the smoke alarm, the smell of smoke will wake them up.
 
Unforunately, statistics more than one in three people who die in a fire never woke up. Smoke is a mixture of deadly gases that can actually drug a person into deeper sleep. Considering approximately half of all home fire deaths occur between 11pm and 7am, this is a significant safety concern for those with hearing loss.
 
The good news: fire safety technology is available to persons with hearing loss! The Marion Downs Hearing Center Assistive Listening Device (ALD) program includes demonstrations of smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors that are accessible to people who are deaf or hard of hearing. These detectors come with alerting features including strobe lights, bed shakers, and low frequency signals.
 
Be sure deaf and hard of hearing members of your family, including YOURSELF, have an accessible fire alarm system in the home! They could save your life!
 
Call us at 720-848-3042 to set up an appointment for a fire safety technology demonstration and order your equipment today!
Sincerely,
 
MDHC Staff