Twin Cities

July 2015 USA

Two tables sit in the hall across from the Center of Excellence fitting area, their tops hidden by over 20 Build-A-Bear bears of varying colors. The bears are each dressed in a unique outfit, but all of them wear hearing aids, symbolic of the children eagerly waiting in the room down the hall.

This year’s Gala week kicked off with the annual Starkey Hearing Foundation Gala hearing mission, graciously sponsored by Delta Zeta Sorority. Members of Delta Zeta were on hand to help many people in need with hearing aids, along with some friends from the NFL including Greg Jennings, Charles Johnson, Kyle Rudolph and Hall-of-Famer Carl Eller. Jennings and Eller got into the spirit early on, helping us provide 11-year-old Cameron with hearing aids.

The mission was a huge success, with children smiling and hugging their bears as they heard new sounds through their hearing aids. But, one special little girl, Kiley, 6, and her mom Shannon captured our hearts. Shannon had brought Kiley to the mission all the way from Nashville. Kiley was so excited about her new hearing aids and showed her bear’s matching hearing aids to Viking’s wide receiver Charles Johnson. Towards the end of the mission, Shannon asked to look inside an ear, and Bill Austin happily volunteered.

Special Thanks

Delta Zeta Sorority: Diane Stecher; Kyle Rudolph; Charles Johnson; Greg Jennings; Carl Eller

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