Lend An Ear Outreach Blog

2-6-2020. Lend An Ear was invited to give a recap presentation to the Rotary Club of Ponte Vedra Beach on our results of the Hastings Florida Hearing Event on December 13th. We are very Thankful for the personal contribution of a very special member of the Rotary who started this Journey! The Ponte Vedra Brach Rotary matched that personal donation and then the Rotary District 6970 also matched these funds. Because of this 38 recipients from 4 Counties and 8 Cities received Hearing Aids at no cost to them along with a years supply of batteries and a cleaning kit! Also a Special shout out to our Volunteer Audiologists and the Deaf and Hard of Hearing teachers from St. John and Putnam counties who gave so much to make this a success!!! Final note to the Hastings Rotary, Hastings Public Library and the Harrison Center for the use of there great facilities. ... See more

12/24/19 Christmas Eve was a joyous time for Ms. L. B. The Lend An Ear Team went to Brooks Rehabilitation & Hospital to do a Hearing Aid Fitting just for her. Due to a untimely illness she could not make the December 13th Hastings Florida Fitting Event so we came to her!!!! Being in the Hospital she was having difficulties hearing her Doctors and Nursing Staff on a daily basis. Before she was fitted with her Hearing AIDS today she said the one major challenge for her was Isolation from family- she refused to go to Family Reunions or any other functions because she just could not hear. Special Thanks to Dr. Burns one of our Volunteer Audiologist for Lend An Ear to do this very special fitting today. ... See more

Back in May of this year The Lend An Ear Team wanted you do a Major Project in a location that meets our Mission Statement!!! In October we did the First Phase of the Hastings Hearing Event yesterday December 13th we did phase 2 - our Volunteer Audiologists and DHH (Deaf and Hard of Hearing) Teachers from various counties fitted close to 40 recipients at no cost to them and gave them the Gift of Hearing just in time for Christmas and New Years!!! Some Tears were shed as the recipients were so grateful for this gift. Some of them said just want to hear my Grandkids open there presents!!! This was a great Way to end the year for the Lend An Ear non-profit organization! What to Thank the Rotary of Ponte Vedra Beach and Vicars Landing for all your resources you provided for this event. ... See more

Lend An Ear Volunteer Appreciation tailgate party at the Jaguars vs Chargers game Sunday December 8th!! Representatives from St. John Schools System, Hastings Library, Suntrust Bank, Vicars Landing, and our Volunteer Audiologists, etc. Had a great time socializing and building friendships! ... See more

On Friday November 22nd Lend An Ear had a Appreciation Night for Volunteers and St. John School Teachers at Pusser’s Bar and Grill Ponte Vedra Beach. Many Thanks go out to all who have made this year very successful. Also we discussed our newest Partner CapTel phones which help hard of hearing individuals and give them another vehicle for better hearing. Scott presented a recap of 2019 and Goals and Objectives for 2020! He also discussed the December 13th 2019 event down in Hastings Florida when 40 individuals will be fitted with Hearing Aids (At No Cost for any Recipients ) our Volunteer Audiologists and Teachers will be providing this service! ... See more

Lend An Ear Outreach participated in the Jacksonville Beach Council of Aging Engage At Any Age Senior Event. Excellent Event for Seniors to find new Resources to grow and maintain there mental and physical awareness and overall Health!!!! ... See more

Hearing Day with Rotary and Lend An Ear in Hastings Florida we did hearing tests for 40 People in the greater Hastings Marketing Area Elkton, St. Augustine, Palatka, etc. December 13th Hearing AIDS will arrive just in Time for Christmas these Hearing Aids are at No Cost for the recipients through a Grant from Ponte Vedra Rotary!!! ... See more

Press Release:

Two Ponte Vedra Beach nonprofits are joining forces to provide free hearing aids to First Coast residents in need.

Thanks to grants received from the Ponte Vedra Beach Rotary Club and Rotary District 6970, Lend An Ear Outreach will be able to provide low-income residents with new, free hearing aids. To identify and select recipients, Lend An Ear will host two intake screening events next month in Hastings.

“We decided to host the screenings in Hastings because we identified a particular need in that area for our services,” Lend An Ear Executive Director Scott Hetzinger said. “Thanks to the generosity of the Rotary Club, we will be able to provide 40 people with brand new hearing aids.”

Hetzinger said the Rotary grants will be used to purchase new hearing aids at significantly reduced prices through the Starkey Hearing Foundation’s Hear Now program.

“Typically, new hearing aids cost around $3,000,” he said. “So, through this outreach program, we hope to provide $120,000 in free hearing aids to local residents in need.”

Screening Events
In order to qualify to receive the free hearing aids, residents must meet certain income guidelines and be screened by an audiologist. Hearing screenings will occur from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 24 at the Hastings branch of the St. Johns County Library, 6195 S. Main St. A second screening event will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday, Oct. 25 at the W.E. Harris Community Center, 400 East Harris St.

Those who qualify will complete an application and return in December, when they will be professionally fitted with their new hearing aids. Recipients will also receive a cleaning kit, instructions on the proper use and care of their hearing aids and a year’s supply of free batteries.

Hetzinger noted that those who do not qualify for the new hearing aids may be able to receive a refurbished hearing aid from Lend An Ear.

Ponte Vedra Beach Rotary Club President Vickie Cavey credited Rotarian Bruce Jones – head of the Vicar’s Landing continuing care community and president of Lend An Ear – with alerting the club to the need for hearing aids in the local community.

“The theme of Rotary International this year is ‘Rotary Connects the World’ – and hearing loss can be so isolating,” Cavey said. “By funding this program, we hope to help those with hearing disabilities connect to the wider world.”

For more information on the Hastings hearing screenings, contact Scott Hetzinger at (904) 241-HEAR (4327), information@lendanearoutreach.org or visit www.lendanearoutreach.org. ... See more

8-9-19 Beaches Health Jam - Carver Center Jacksonville Fl. Big Thanks to the Rotary Clubs of Jacksonville-Oceanside, PonteVedra Beach & Fletcher Interact!
Rotary brings together a global network of volunteer leaders dedicated to tackling the worlds most pressing humanitarian challenges!!! Rotary connects 1.2 million members of more than 34,000 Rotary Clubs in 200 countries and geographical areas.
Thank You for making this event a success!!! ... See more