Wrapping it all up
Amanda Womac

Sometimes when I look at my calendar, I have a hard time believing the year 2011 is almost over. It seems just like yesterday I joined a team of volunteers with HSF and traveled to Jamaica to help with our Jamaica Mission Project. And now it’s time to start thinking about heading down again to test hearing and see how the earmolds and hearing aids are holding up. If you are interested in traveling to Jamaica as a volunteer with HSF, contact me and I’ll be happy to share more about this wonderful experience.

Speaking of wrapping up, ladies, how would you like to be wrapped in style this holiday season? Our 3^rd Annual Wrapped in Style Fashion Show & Luncheon takes place Nov. 3 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at The Barn Event Center of the Smokies. Featured fashions for this show are from Janice Ann’s Fashions in Knoxville. Tickets are $45 and on sale now. Click here to reserve yours by email.

Want to join me on the runway? I’m looking for four more ladies to help model in the show…email me for your chance to strut your stuff!

On the new program front, we’ve almost wrapped up all the design and planning for our new building and will be starting construction within the next week. I will provide pictures and updates via my Director’s Desk blog, so please be sure to check back for details…especially for the date of our Open House in January 2012!

And finally, it’s almost that time of year again when everyone’s mailbox starts to fill up with requests for end-of-the-year donations to various organizations and charities you and your family have supported over the years. Did you know that 50 percent of all donations take place during the last four months of the year? This is one reason why year-end giving is so important to most nonprofit organizations.

Well, the Hearing and Speech Foundation is no exception and will soon be sending our own holiday mailing. However, this year we’ve added a little twist.

In the next month, we will be sending out cards to all of our supporters via Send Out Cards, an online greeting card company that makes sending cards easy as 1-2-3. With help from a volunteer, the Hearing and Speech Foundation has become a Send Out Cards independent distributor. This means that if you like what you see, in addition to your year-end contribution, you can support HSF by opening a Send Out Cards account of your very own.

What a better way to stay in touch with family, friends and clients while supporting one of your favorite nonprofits?

As we wrap up 2011 and look ahead to 2012 and beyond, I just want to say thank you to everyone who has helped us along the way. We would not be here without your love and support. Thank you for being part of our community and helping us provide the Gift of Sound.