Kentucky

Starkey Hearing Foundation set up a hearing mission to take place in Lexington, Kentucky all along knowing there would be a looming threat of rain.

Set up took place the days leading up to the mission with no weather problems, and even the morning of the hearing mission, the Kentucky skies remained clear. 

That is until about an hour before the hearing mission was set to begin. Without much warning, dark clouds rolled in and thunder began rumbling in the distance.

As we rushed to get the more than 100 patients inside the gates of Whitaker Bank Ballpark, the hearing mission site, heavy rain began to down pour.

Yet as the hearing mission was getting soaked, nobody’s spirits dampened. Instead, the umbrellas came out, patients were moved from station to station, and our team, along with a cast of volunteers, worked to give hearing health care to Kentucky residents in need.

University of Kentucky Men’s Basketball Head Coach John Calipari came out to the mission along with his entire 2017 team to share in the joy of patients receiving the gift of hearing.

Coach Calipari, a Kentucky legend in his own right, continued to surprise patient after patient, greeting them with a warm smile and making their hearing mission experience all the more memorable.

“What a delight to be here and see people’s eyes light up as they receive their hearing devices,” Calapari said from the hearing mission. “It’s great to think about how life-changing this will be for these Kentucky residents.”

A couple of Minnesota athletes joined the scene as well, as rising Timberwolves star Karl-Anthony Towns and NFL Hall of Famer Cris Carter came out to meet and inspire patients as they received their hearing aids.

By the end of the day, what had begun as a bit of a chaotic hearing mission to keep patients dry and comfortable, ended with so many of them giving their sincerest thank you for getting hearing care they would have otherwise not received.