Thursday, June 12, 2008
“Look at Me! I Am Blogging Again”
By Barbara Kelley
(Photo: Yours truly and George Kosovich from Maryland enjoy the food at the dinner for our memebrs who volunteered at the convention site. Notice the computer-assisted real-time trasaction. Each session had this available as well as assistive listening technology.)
Today begins with business. The board of trustees finish their meeting before the annual meeting (reported on below). The first workshop is going on from 8:30 a.m.-Noon titled, What Children with Cochlear Implants Need at School. Other meetings are state leaders’ meetings, and Newcomer’s Session. But, we must get this “business” out of the way to begin the fun.
And, oh boy, there is fun today: The grand opening of the Exhibit Hall (passes free), includes a lovely reception sponsored by Advanced Bionics. Then the Opening Session with keynote speaker Ollie Cantos, assistant attorney general for Civil Rights in the U.S. Department of Justice. Mr. Cantos is well known in Washington. He also happens to be blind and tells me he runs marathons, roller blades and ice skates. Personally, I can’t wait to meet him. I was the first to volunteer to meet him in the “green room” and escort him to the Opening Session.
Tonight is the Bowlerama sponsored by AT&T. They have ordered up pizza, wings, YUM-O (in the words of Rachel Ray from the Food Network). I am there…with an AT&T polo shirt, my appetite, bowling shoes, and a competitive spirit. I dare anyone, anyone, to take me on!
Until then, here is this morning’s report. I will surely get on here later to tell you all about the Opening Session and the Bowlerama and the Exhibit Hall grand opening. And, by the way, thank you to our members and guests who are here. You are all great. And, thanks to the Motorola Foundation for sponsoring this Blog.
Did I mention this convention is totally communication accessible? Yes, everyone can “hear,” no one is left out.
Annual Meeting
Reporting on the State of the Organization
10 a.m. – Noon
Anne Pope Reports
Anne Pope, president, reported on the advocacy work done at the national levels – hearing aid compatibility for cell and cordless phones, Web CapTel, hearing aid tax credit, HDTV, working with Department of Transportation for captioning on airlines, access on cruise ships, and more. She said, “Members are the lifeblood of the organization and I encourage you to take this message back to the chapters and thank you for everything.”
Regarding finances: enormous generosity of members. Encourages people to engage people with hearing loss and be ambassadors from hearing loss. Central part of mission, help us out to let people know how HLAA has helped each of us.
Pete Fackler Reports
Pete Fackler, treasurer, reported on the finances and where HLAA stands fiscally for this year. Annual audit report is available from the auditors. The report will be posted on www.hearingloss.org. If you would like a hard copy contact the HLAA national office at info@hearingloss.org.
Recap of Pete’s comments: 2007 was a watershed year. During 2007, we suffered an operating deficit. Expenses exceeded revenues. We had substantial write-offs from the balance sheet. Shortfalls in revenues were due to a drop in ad income, challenges with the Hearing Loss Academy of Support Specialists, and reduced fundraising revenues. Some of the shortfall was offset with the Walk4Hearing.
For 2008 and beyond, we will rebuild the capital base which has been depleted over the past six years – five of those six years we ran deficits. That process to rebuild funds has begun under new management. Actual fundraising results are already well ahead of budget for 2008. Fundraising efforts are strong. In summary, management projects an operating surplus of 40K. This amount is modest but way ahead of problems we have suffered in the past five years. We are grateful for this news and encouraged by the new sense of entrepreneurship and the savvy that Brenda Battat as the new executive director is bringing to the table. Beyond 2008, the past years’ stagnant revenues must be addressed. We must grow our base of recurring revenues in order for HLAA to fully redeem its promise to work to improve the lives of persons with hearing loss. We run a national scope of operation of advocacy and supporting people with hearing loss. We have grown the Walk4Hearing due to the leadership initiative of Anne Pope two years ago. The importance of the walk can’t be understated, — we might not be here if we have not grown the walk the way we have due to volunteers across the country who undertook this huge project. The Walk, in our two-year’s experience, is more than about the money raised. We have other dividends, awareness about hearing loss, attracting new people, more younger people, helping to eradicate the stigma of hearing loss, putting hearing loss forth as a health issue. HLAA is no longer the best-kept secret. The Walk4Hearing has created immeasurable awareness about hearing loss and we are just at the beginning. All those who have been involved, get some rest and get ready for next year. If you haven’t been involved, think about getting involved. Do what you can in your community.
Other challenges, we must address membership issues and work to grow our base of membership and supporters.
Questions from the audience at the Annual Meeting
Question: Do you think there is concern about the economy and how we can raise money?
Answer (Pete Fackler):There is no question the economy affects us but there is not much we can do about it and, for a lot of us, HLAA is one of those few important things we hold dear. So my own guess is that while we are affected we won’t quantify how. Donor support…that probably won’t see the effect. The portion of budget affected by advertising is connected to businesses and the economy. For us we move full speed ahead.
Question:Your presentation is just so great and this encourages me. Raising money…I don’t know enough about HLAA, but I belong to the Lions Club – largest service organization in the world – they heard a speech by Helen Keller in the 1920s and adopted sight as their mission. I am now planning to talk to my Lions Club about hearing and see how they can help. My own club is looking for ways to give money. Has our organization approached clubs like the Lions Club for financial support?
Answer (Brenda Battat):We connected with them because they run a low-cost hearing aid project. But, have not worked on their international program for fundraising, no. We will follow up on this, thank you for coming.
We were thenn reminded by Dr. Paul Hammerschlag, BOT member from NYC, that someone asked Helen Keller which of the two senses she missed the most. She said hearing loss, not vision. Hearing loss cuts you off from people and you can’t communicate. Vision loss cuts you off from things.
Brenda Battat Reports
Brenda Battat, executive director, comments on the first 100 days and her vision for HLAA.
What we have done from March until now:
Staff has worked very hard, I challenged them: we have an organization that has never been so needed and we must be strong and reach people who need help, the financial situation is weak and that is our primary focus. We have to turn a huge ocean liner around before we can go forward and do programmatic things. Staff all worked hard together to turn things around and I am even surprised at how fast we have seen movement and already have ‘started’ to turn he ship around. We are heading in the right direction financially. Important because if you don’t have money you can’t do your work.
Focus for March – June: build a strong team. I can’t do this alone – I needed a committed team, not just a team of skills. I got Barbara Kelley, who has been with organization for 20 years, as deputy executive director. She can handle the day-to-day operations so I can strategize, but she is still editor of Hearing Loss Magazine. Lise Hamlin came on as advocacy director to keep that area strong, she moved right in and is taking it and running with that program which is very important to the organization. Christopher Sutton moved into development and fundraising, he is good at it. Then, we got an interim event planner, our convention planner left one month before the convention. A former employee, Nancy Macklin, moved right in and picked up planning the convention like she never left.
Reconnect with chapters and members. I was getting vibes that people needed to be reinvigorated. We started recognition evenings of long-term supporters to thank them and get to know me in a different role. We have done four of these evenings in members’ and staff homes. We would like to do more, so if you would like to host these intimate evenings in your home, let me know. People can ask questions. I challenge you now because you believe in HLAA and know a lot about us and you are our best ambassadors. Completely as a byproduct, we did not ask for money, but we did raise money as a result of these meetings… they liked what they heard. People told us they hadn’t given for awhile because they weren’t’ quite sure of the direction of the organization, and now they would like to give.
States and chapters: went to Rochester. I also visited NTID who is sponsoring our research symposium this year. We already lined up more travels to get out and meet people in their home states.
Wanted to make my vision clear – I spelled it out in the spring appeal letter and executive director column. I will do this in the exhibit hall here during my session. Please come and ask questions.
I send out every week “This Week in Bethesda” to board and staff, summary of what has happened that week in the national office. I want to also do this with chapters to have them read at their meetings or put in their newsletters and on their websites. I want to have a better way of getting the message across.
I put a lot of focus on finances and fundraising. We revamped some giving programs. Promote more online giving, giving circles, and corporate connections to develop relationships beyond isolated sponsorships. We have funding from diverse sources – penetrating other sources. We have already reached Aetna –health insurance Company –they are supporting the walk because it is a health issue and they are behind it. They will be at tomorrow’s award ceremony. I want to start dialogue with the healthcare industry and help them understand what people with hearing loss need. We hope to go after pharmaceutical companies.
HLAA has some great programs. In second half of this year, we want to enhance existing programs – Academy, convention (done differently?), the Walk4Hearing (look closely). Then want to revamp some programs and start new ones. When we have enough financial resources we will introduce new programs We will need input as to what people really want to have biggest impact in today’s world.
There is a new directory for professional members found on our website. Many audiologists and hearing specialists are joining.
I set up a meeting with the U.S. Surgeon General and he has agreed to talk more about prevention of hearing loss on his talking circuit. He has invited us to send him sound bytes when he speaks. Hopefully, that will get picked up with the media.
We have ideas for programs, one is helping teens transition to college and beyond, leadership, advocacy training – these are only a few things. And, we are all working on making all of this country communication accessible. Please let us know your ideas.
Many of you have asked about returning vets from the war. Lucille Beck, Ph.D., head of audiology at the Veterans Administration in Washington, Michael Stone, and myself are going to meet with her to make an effort of what HLAA and the VA can do for the vets We are trying.
*End of Annual Meeting Report*
I am done for now! I am off to find some more fun. Later….
Regards from Reno,
Barbara
Photo below. Staff members Ronnie Adler, National Walk4Hearing Manager, and Christopher Sutton, Director of Development and Education.
About our blogger: Barbara Kelley is deputy executive director and editor-in-chief of Hearing Loss Magazine. Her writing and demeanor are usually quite more formal than here. She is enjoying letting her hair down and just blogging – a very 2008 thing to do. Please join in with your comments. If you aren’t here, please come next year in Nashville.
