CALIFORNIA HIKE PRESENTATION

SUBMITTED BY CHERYL FLECK

 A HIKE Award presentation was made on June 17, 2010 at the Masonic Lodge in Simi Valley, CA, to Miranda and Jenna Kutsov.  The award was presented by Barbee Groshko and members of Job’s Daughters at a formal ceremony where there was an audience of about 15 people.  Miranda and Jenna each received a bouquet of lilies and a card with their check enclosed.  Afterward, there was a reception with pizza and refreshments.

OREGON HIKE PRESENTATION

SUBMITTED BY ASHLEY LEE, PHQ, MM #40, Wyoming, BG #10, Oregon

 A presentation of $3500.00 was awarded from HIKE on July 19, 2010 to Spencer Rutz of Canby, Oregon.  Spencer and his family attended a ceremony hosted by Oregon Job’s Daughters in the Milwaukie Masonic Lodge.  Also in attendance was Del Warkentin of Heritage Hearing Aid Center.  Mr. Warkentin addressed the members and friends of Job’s Daughters present at the award ceremony and spoke about the difficulties faced by someone with hearing loss like Spencer’s.  Mr. Warkentin asked the crowd to imagine being in school trying to learn something new and difficult but not being able to hear the teacher speaking because the background noise of the classroom drowned out the teacher’s voice. Spencer is all too familiar with this particular scenario. He can hear pretty well when in a quiet environment or talking one on one with another person, but can’t hear as well in a crowded environment such as a classroom.  Mr. Warkentin explained that all hearing loss is specific to the person and in some cases it’s not enough to have hearing aids that simply amplify the sound.  Some people need hearing aids that are intelligent enough to amplify the sounds the listener needs to hear and suppress the sounds the listener doesn’t want to hear.  The funds presented to Spencer through HIKE. will be put toward a new set of Starkey Series S iQ hearing aids.  The Series S hearing aids are specifically designed to increase speech volume and lower background noise and will be especially helpful to Spencer.  

In the photo:  Kristi, Oregon Grand Bethel Honored Queen 2009-2010, Jennifer, Oregon Daughter HIKE Coordinator, Spencer Rutz, Katelin Oregon Grand Bethel Honored Queen 2010-2011, and Julie Miss Oregon Job’s Daughter, 2009-2010.