THE LIONS HEARING FOUNDATION OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA

THE LIONS DRUM In This Issue

Chairman’s Report

Lions Hearing Screening

Bus Chairman’s Report

and Update

Lions Hearing Dogs

helping school kids

Teacher given new

lease on life with hear-

ing aids

FM System changes the

life of young Isaac

New Award—The Ar-

thur and Lorna Dodd

Award Winners

Chairman’s Report

I feel very honoured and privileged to be Chairman of the Lions Hearing Founda-tion. It is a position I have now held for two years and I have just been re-elected for another year. It has been great watching the Board grow in confidence and now for the first time, thanks to DG Allan Cooper of W2, we now have a full num-ber of Lions members on board.

We always had the four members of W1 but W2 has always struggled. Also, we have lost Professor Harvey Coates due to ill health but are thrilled to welcome Sandra Bellekom, CEO of the Ear Science Institute Australia (ESIA) and Dr Peter Santa Maria, surgeon scientist at the ESIA. This is the first time we have had two professionals on our Board so we warmly welcome them. They will bring a wealth of knowledge and experience to the Board.

At the start of the 2016-2017 year in July, we say good-bye to IPDG Maxine and

welcome 1st VDGE Grant Hewitt for W2. IPDG Ivan was elected to the Board at the last Convention so for W1 we will also welcome 1st VDGE Sue Lowe together with IPDG Colin Heap after his year as DG.

I would like to thank outgoing member Toni Whiteaker who has been on Board for many years. She has been a very loyal member of the Foundation so ‘Thank You’ Toni for your contributions. She will be replaced by Lion PDG Ivan Sturgess.

We also say goodbye to our secretary Lion Mary Hodgson who is having a ‘year at large and thank Marg Glenn for offering to take on this position. Welcome to our Board Marg.

Chairman, Lion Chris Smelt

Bi-Annual Newsletter September 2016

PDG Ivan Sturgess with Chairman Smelt

Screening Chairman’s Report

After five years of holding the position of Screening Chairman for the Li-ons Hearing Screening Bus, I am delighted to announce that at the last Board meeting PDG Ivan Sturgess was elected to take on this portfolio. This involves the booking of the bus, arranging drivers, screeners and liais-ing with the event organisers for accommodation for them. Chairman Chris felt the time was right to hand-over and delighted he agreed to take on this position. I am sure you will give him the support you have shown to me over the years. All bookings for the bus will be made through Lion-shf@gmail.com and no doubt he will contact you to arrange your book-ings.

The bus now has a new home at Malaga. We thank Philip Couper from Whitford Lions for offering us this safe place to store our bus. It is wonder-ful having a locked facility to ensure the safety of the bus. Many thanks from the Board.

FM System for Isaac

The Board has funded

a personal FM System

for Isaac who has audi-

tory processing prob-

lems which means he

can hear but his brain

cannot process the

sound. He has been

assessed as needing a

personal FM sound sys-

tem. These systems

cost around $3,000

each.

I have known Isaac for

over five years and he

is a happy and intelli-

gent boy. It was a joy

to be present at the

Joondalup Lions Hear-

ing Clinic to witness his

fitting. It was awesome

watching his face as it

was switched on. He

could hear but also

process what was be-

ing said. This makes it

all worthwhile.

- Chairman Chris Smelt

Letter from Isaac’s Mum

Dear Chris and the Lions Hearing Foundation,

Adam, Isaac and I wanted to say thank you for your donation of the Phonak Focus’s with the Roger pen for Isaac when he was in Year 1 (and part of Year 2) His teacher this year (Year 2) has said he now has no problems processing sound in noise and he does not need them anymore which is fantastic.

We have seen such a profound difference in his ability to hear/understand speech and the improvement in him socially, emotionally and educationally is just wonderful, he’s like a different child, no longer the kid in class who plays up/doesn’t listen.

He just turned 8 and his end of Term 2 report was fantastic and there were no longer any “does not pay attention in class” comments. He often thanks me and “Bus Chris” for giving them to him as it has helped so much. Anyway if I keep typing I’ll end up in tears so I’ll again thank you for your generosity.

We have now donated the Phonak Focus’s back to Lions Hearing Clin-ics, to their paediatric program in Joondalup. This will enable more children with processing problems to access the help that they need.

Thank you from us (and our extended family, friends, teachers and community), life is looking brighter for Isaac now.

Sharon

Lions Hearing Foundation of Western Australia Inc

Annual General Meeting

The AGM of the Lions

Hearing Foundation

will be held at the ESIA

Boardroom on the 2nd

Floor on Monday, Oc-

tober 31st 2016 at

7pm. There is parking

available under the

building but payment is

required.

We hope that Clubs

will send representa-

tives to our meeting.

Speakers are yet to be

arranged but Clubs will

be notified in advance.

We now have our own Facebook page, Lions Hearing Foundation Mobile Screening Bus WA, and all bookings can be seen on the web, 201w1.lions.org.au/hearing bookings.

Lions Hearing Screening Bus The last Lionistic year has been very busy with the Lions Screening

Bus attending many events in Districts W1 and W2. Grateful thanks

go to all drivers and screeners as without them, the bus would go

nowhere. I thought this year was going to be quieter but bookings

still flood in. The bus has even been up to Newman late last year

and we are grateful to the hospitality they provided. All Clubs are

great in providing accommodation etc to us when we visit and it is

much appreciated. We have recently gained two new drivers, one

of whom is our first female driver. Welcome to our team. I hope to

organise a training morning for new screeners at the bus during

September.

Where have we been? IPDG Ivan and his wife Carol took the bus up

to Newman and we have visited the Avon Descent, events at

Newdegate. Northam, Kelmscott, W1 and W2 Conventions, Ned-

lands, Narrogin, Rockingham. Bunbury, Burswood, Nannup, Lancel-

lin, Duncraig, Curtin University, Mt Lawley, Wagin, Ballajura, Al-

tone, Dunsborough, Geraldton and Bassendean. We have many

bookings for the

next Lionistic year

and hope to get

more.

Lions Hearing Aid Bank

Recycle your old hearing aids and provide hearing to some-one less fortunate

Since its establishment in 1982, Lions Hearing Dogs has delivered 550 dogs to deaf and hard of hearing people across Australia.

The only accredited Hearing Dog training facility in Australia is located just outside of Hahndorf in the Ade-laide Hills. Every 16 days a new Lions Hearing Dog completes its training and is delivered to a deaf and hard of hearing person.

What sets Lions Hearing Dogs apart from other service dog programs is the fact that most of the dogs are sourced from pounds, shelters and rescue organisations. A Lions Hearing Dog has no standard size, shape or colour and no two dogs look alike. Sourcing dogs in this way not only provides a service to those who re-ceive a dog, but also to the lost or

rejected dogs who have been rescued off of death row.

It takes 6-8 months to fully train a Lions Hearing Dog. Each dog is allo-cated to a Trainer who is responsible

for teaching the dog how to respond to sounds within the home, and to work on the socialisation and obedi-ence to fully utilise its public access rights.

Despite popular belief a Lions Hearing Dog doesn’t bark to indicate sounds, how would that help if you could hear the bark? All dogs are trained to phys-ically alert their owners and lead them to common sounds around the home that could be a door knock, baby crying, alarm clock or most im-portantly a smoke alarm.

Lions Hearing Dogs also have the same public access rights as guide dogs for the blind. This means that they can accompany their owners to restaurants, shops, hospitals, work-places and on public transport. Dogs should be at the highest level of be-haviour in these situations and as

such Lions Hearing Dogs has a com-prehensive and thorough assessment program to ensure that all dogs carry-ing our name are at the highest quali-ty.

As a Lions Australia project we rely heavily on all Clubs across Australia to keep the program going. Clubs help in several ways. The first is financially, through our annual appeal we receive donations that run the Training Cen-tre and allows us to train the dogs. Clubs also sponsor dogs going into their area through a monetary contri-bution. Most importantly Clubs and Members donate their precious time. Members are trained to visit and re-port back to the Training Centre on how the dog is settling into its new role and how it work is going.

Lions Hearing Dogs also runs a pro-gram where the organisation donates Sound Field Systems to Primary Schools. The program is run nation-wide and gives the systems in the name of local Clubs as a thank you for the ongoing, generous and continued support to Lions Hearing Dogs. The sound system program is self-funded from a bequest received in 2006

After a Lions Hearing Dog is delivered it has cost an estimated $30,000 to get to that stage, but of course it goes to its new owner free of charge as a gift from the Lions Hearing Dogs and the Lions Clubs of Australia to the deaf and hard of hearing.

hearingdogs@picknowl.com.au

We Come in All Sizes And Breeds LIONS

HEARING DOGS

Lions Hearing Dogs History The idea for Lions Hearing

Dogs in Australia was con-

ceived in 1980 when two

Lions Past District Gover-

nors, who were attending

a Lions International Con-

vention in the USA, saw

the good work of a hearing

dogs training centre in

Colorado.

The Lions Clubs of Austral-

ia agreed to support and

fund a hearing dogs train-

ing centre in Australia.

Lions bought a property at

Verdun in the Adelaide

Hills of South Australia and

Gail Gould from the Amer-

ican program came out for

two years to start the Li-

ons Hearing Dog program.

The first Lions hearing dog

was delivered in 1982 to a

recipient from Adelaide.

The dog’s name was Am-

ber and the Lions Club of

Edwardstown sponsored

the dog. Amber died in

1995.

Since 1982 the Lions Hear-

ing Dog Centre has placed

nearly 500 hearing dogs

with recipients Australia

wide.

Who benefits from a classroom sound

system?

All students benefit from a classroom

sound system— however it has special

benefits for children who are deaf or

hearing impaired and for those who

suffer from the various attention deficit

disorders. Some comments from teach-

ers.

“It is easier to keep noise levels down

as all children can hear and lower

their noise level. I am not competing

with them.”

“The biggest help/improvement I have

seen is the ability of children to hear

the teacher regardless (just about!) of

what children are doing beside and

around them. The distraction level is

halved. Even noises from outside

don’t affect the children inside the

room as much.”

Increased on-task behaviour

Seventy-three percent of teachers noted

increased on-task behaviour, with learn-

ers remaining on-task for longer periods.

Off-task behaviour was reported as easi-

er to address as the teacher used a

friendly voice at a lower volume.

“Children remained on-task for longer

periods when using the system and it

was easier to refocus when they went

off-task.”

Why is it aimed at primary schools?

Primary school students use a ‘home’

class room where they spend most of

their day. In secondary schools, students

move from room to room. The equip-

ment is not portable.

Why is it being offered by Lions Hearing

Dogs?

The service we have provided for the last

28 years is suitable for adults and chil-

dren. We received a bequest which al-

lowed us to expand our services to in-

clude provision of this equipment free of

charge.

How do schools apply?

Simply contact your local Lions Club or

make direct contact with our office.

There will be a limited number of these

units supplied each year and we will

maintain a register of applications which

will carry over to the following year. The

equipment remains our property and the

school will be asked to sign an agreement

to maintain the equipment and advise

our office if it is no longer required. We

pay for the equipment and the installa-

tion costs.

Sourced from the Web

LIONS HEARING

DOGS

Classroom Sound System

The Arthur & Lorna Dodd

Award

The Lions Hearing Foundation are proud to announce their

new Award. This is for purchase by Clubs to present to

members who have given good service over the year. It is

a free standing crystal glass plaque as per photograph.

To apply for, or find out more about an Arthur & Lorna

Dodd award, either e-mail lionshf@gmail.com or call our

Chairman Chris Smelt on 0417 170 058.

We have had requests for six Awards this end of year but

will wait until the next newsletter to let you all know who

the recipients are. We do not want to spoil their surprise!

Lorna and Arthur

Dodd Award

Presentations

Joy Sinclair, former District Hearing Chairman for many years, receiving her award from President Mary Gregory

Lion Jeanette Simpson receiving her LHF Award from IPP Tim Powell of North Beach Lions.

Lion Richard Tunmer receiving his Award from President Sue McDonald of Ballajura Lions Club

The Lions Hearing Foundation Award

When the Foundation decided to introduce an Award for Clubs to purchase

for members of their Clubs, the discussion on what to name it was decided

very quickly. The late Arthur Dodd was a former Chairman of the Board and

his wife, Lorna is still a member of the Board. The Lions Hearing Foundation

Board decided that the inaugural Award of the Arthur and Lorna Dodd Award

should be presented to Lion Lorna Dodd. The photograph shows her receiv-

ing her Award which came as a complete surprise to her.

Pictured from Left DG W1 Colin Heaps, Chairman Lions Hearing Foundation Lion Chris Smelt, Lion Lorna Dodd and DG Allan Cooper W2

Support the Lions Hearing Dogs

The 2017 Lions Hearing

Dogs Calendars

are $10 each and now

available!

The calendars are very

popular and will be avail-

able at the Lions Hearing

Foundation stand at the

W2 Convention at

Manjimup, 6-8th October 2016.

You can also purchase one by emailing:

ceo@lionshearingdogs.com.au

Your Board Mem-

bers

W1

DG Mike Wolf

1st VDG Sue Lowe

IPDG Colin Heap

District Hearing Chairman

Lion Sandra Laundry

Christina Smelt, Cheryl

Meehan, PDG Ivan Sturgess,

Derrick Wright

W2

DG Terry Collinson

1st VDG Grant Hewett

IPDG Allan Cooper

District Hearing Chairman

Lion Robert Halford

Lorna Dodd, Robert Halford,

Marg Sparkman, Les Castle

Non-Lion Members

Sandra Bellekom

Dr Peter Santa Maria

Secretary

Marg Glenn

Treasurer

Philip Caunt

Once one of the great leaders of change in WA's education system, Beverley Pascoe had dedicated her life to teaching generations of children, while helping to redevel-op the state syllabus behind the scenes.

At the height of her career, she put her expertise to use in manag-ing an overhaul of WA’s arts cur-riculum, across all years from Kin-dergarten to Year 12. She was al-so an active member of the com-munity, and loved chatting to and playing with her grandchildren.

As her hearing declined though, Bev began to withdraw from her cherished livelihood and the com-munity activities that had once brought her so much joy and chal-lenge.

“Hearing was such an important part of my work. I couldn’t hear my colleagues during meetings; I couldn’t hear my students in the classroom. I didn’t want to give up my career, but my ears were letting me down,” she said.

“I had trouble hearing my grand-children, particularly when we

visited restaurants. Realising I was losing my hearing was a very diffi-cult time.”

When Lions Hearing Clinic Audiol-ogist Angela Liew heard Bev’s sto-ry, she knew she had to help.

“Bev told me of her struggles, and it was such a heartbreaking sto-ry,” Angela said.

“It was hard to watch her confi-dence flounder, and her wonder-ful, admirable career breakdown because of her hearing.”

Angela organised Bev to be fitted with two brand new hearing aids and, three months after her fitting, was thrilled to find out how her new hear-ing capa-bilities had impacted her life.

Bev is now back in the

classroom, assessing burgeoning teachers on their classroom per-formances.

“I’m also loving chatting with my grandchildren without having to always ask them to repeat them-selves,” she said.

“My new hearing has really brought back all the most im-portant activities I cherish about my life. It’s a real blessing.”

____________________________

Bev was helped by Lions Hearing Clinic and Ear Science Institute Australia’s Gift of Hearing Appeal

Lions Hearing Clinics

Lions Hearing Clinics are a part of Ear Science Institute Australia: a not-for-profit

centre of excellence dedicated to helping people with ear and hearing disorders

through research, education, prevention and treatment.

Lions Hearing Clinics are commission-free – which means they will only recom-

mend a hearing solution that suits your needs and your life.

We welcome you to find out more about our ear and hearing services.

CALL 1800 054 667

EMAIL book@lionshearing.org.au

CLICK lionshearing.org.au

Renewed Hearing Gives Teacher New Lease On Life