Speech and Hearing Month | Ellen Hamby & Katie Faulkner

May 17:  Dr. Asp introduced Ellen Hamby who was the first female grad to come on board in 1977. The object was to improve life’s connections  for a forgotten population who had been locked up, locked away and locked in. Ridiculed, despised, feared, dehumanized and used for amusement. Aristole: let there be law that deformed child shall live. Serving people with intellectual disabilities; Knoxville has 12 group homes, 8 homes have 8 clients each. The day program serves 80 clients ranging in age from 8 to 84 with a severity of handicap from mild to profound.

Report on the board meeting: It was determined to pass on the biscuit festival. We will look at it again next year.  We are greatly in need of sponsors for Oktoberfest, if you would like to attempt this all the paperwork is ready for you and you can be the “man of the hour”.

May 24: Dr. Asp introduced Dr. Katie Faulkner who told us about the surgical procedure of the Cochlear Implant. This is a surgical prosthesis for both adults and children with profound hearing loss. It takes approximately a year from the time a person receives the implant until they are comfortable and able to hear normally and are released.  For a person that is unable to hear with regular hearing aids this is close to a miracle. Unfortunately, it cost about as much – around $80,000. Medicare for us old people will cover part of the cost.

Housekeeping: 05/17 Jacob Tippens read the prayer, Jason Grahl led the pledge. We had one guest brought to us by Jacob Tippens; Matt Hall and he joined!  Carl Asp had an additional guest Dr. Nola Radford.

07/24: Bob Rentenbach read the prayer, Jim Thompson led the pledge. We didn’t have a single visitor.