Who doesn’t love a good celebration? The Hearing Loss Association of America (HLAA) is hosting its seventh annual Walk4Hearing events around the country to raise funds to support people of all ages living with hearing loss, and to bring the community together to celebrate.
Brenda Battat, the executive director of HLAA and someone who is living with hearing loss, emphasizes the importance of acceptance in this community:
“Our main goal is to try to eradicate the stigma of hearing loss in our society and that we shouldn’t feel embarrassed about seeking help for it,” Battat said in a video on the Walk4Hearing website. For one attendee featured in the video, his favorite part about the HLAA event was that it brought people together from all parts of the hearing loss community – children, teenagers and adults.
Joining a team
Teams can consist of entire families, groups of co-workers or friends, all wearing bright matching T-shirts with a team name, or organizations that benefit from HLAA’s services or that work with those with hearing loss. If you’re interested in forming or joining a team for Walk4Hearing, glance at the FAQ page for more information.
The events
If you are interested in joining this awesome, community-focused event and getting friends and family members involved, you’ll be in for a fantastic time because it’s for everyone. There will even be jugglers and balloon artists putting on a show for the kids. One year, Washington Redskins professional football player Reed Doughty, who has had limited hearing ability since he was a child, made an appearance to offer his support.
Walk4Hearing events will (or already have) taken place in 22 cities throughout the country this year. The first walk kicked off on May 5 in Rochester, New York, and upcoming summer walks will be held in select cities in June. The majority of remaining walks take place in the fall, giving walkers plenty of time to prepare and raise funds for this worthy cause. If you’d like to take part in Walk4Hearing, first check to see if there is a walk taking place near you.
CapTel has been a major sponsor since the inception. “We’re thrilled to again help raise funds and awareness nationwide,” John Kinstler, CapTel Outreach Manager said. “It is one of those wonderful opportunities where shared hearing experiences bring people together. You realize – I am not alone in this, there are people across the country coming together in support and awareness.”
Come join this uplifting community of people to celebrate and advocate for the 36 million Americans – one in 10 people – living with hearing loss today and walk for a worthy cause.
