UT Speech and Hearing | Jennifer Wilson Futures Program

We had the first in a series of May Better Hearing Month with our speaker, Jennifer Wilson. She started with UT in 2015 and prior to that had her own practice. Her job is to get students ready for the work place by teaching them social and life skills. This includes communicating with their employer and co-workers, managing a task from start to finish and problem solving. They also must learn to work independently without continue guidance. She helps students realize their strengths and weaknesses and how to increase one and eliminate the other. We sometimes fail to appreciate where these people are coming from the handicap they are starting out with; we’ve certainly come a long way from 1800 and 1900 hundreds when we just ignored them.

Next Week:  Dr. Helen Hamby

We have received a thank you letter from Lisa Hood Skinner for the check we presented to her on behalf of the Sertoma Center. She stated that the “support helps to make life much brighter for the individuals with intellectual disabilities we are privileged to serve.” Sertoma exists to provide hope, housing, community involvement and job skills to people whose disabilities often segregate them from society. Our role is to bring life and all its richness to those we serve.

We also received a letter from Sertoma on the endowment fund with stated we are up a faction but the market was flat for March. The economy appears to be on track for a solid year and if that plays out then the market should benefit.

Housekeeping:  Janet Bigelow read the prayer, Jerry Winton led the pledge and we didn’t have a single visitor.

Next Tuesday, May 16 is the board meeting. Scheduled for 6 pm at Chesapeake’s.  Serious drinkers get there early, it’s Dutch treat (buy your own) and if you’ve never attended much more fun than the regular meetings. This is where all the important decisions are made and if you show up you get to weigh in on whether we participate.  If you’re not a board meeting you can’t vote but you can sure give your opinion.  Join us!