(Reston, Va. - May 5) -- The American Academy of Audiology Foundation extends its appreciation to the Greater Minneapolis Convention and Visitors Association (GMCVA) for support of the AudiologyNOW! Hurricane Katrina Member Assistance Program. While planning the AudiologyNOW! convention, it became apparent to Academy staff that some Gulf Coast audiologists would not be able to attend. This program was established to provide registration and travel assistance to Gulf Coast audiologists impacted by the devastating storms and made it possible for eight audiologists to attend AudiologyNOW! in Minneapolis in April.
"In the course of analyzing our state by state registration data, we discovered many audiologists who had attended past conventions who indicated they would be unable to attend this year due to financial stresses resulting from the storm," said Cheryl Kreider Carey, the Academy's Deputy Executive Director, Convention, Education and Exposition. Carey joined forces with Kathleen Devlin Culver, AAA Foundation Manager, to establish the Hurricane Katrina Member Assistance Program with the goal of providing travel funding to Gulf Coast audiologists.
"It's hard to comprehend the enormity of the loss those from the Gulf experienced," stated Culver. "Cheryl and I thought a trip to Minneapolis and the AudiologyNOW! experience might provide a brief respite from dealing with the storm's aftermath."
Culver continued, "One of the first organizations to step up and help us in our efforts was the Greater Minneapolis Convention and Visitors Association. Greg Ortale, President and CEO of the GMCVA, informed us that the Association would provide complimentary airfare to our Gulf Coast attendees. I can't tell you how excited they were when we informed them they would be flown to Minneapolis free of charge! In addition, Ruth Warden of the GMCVA was a great help at enlisting assistance from local businesses as the AAA Foundation worked to raise additional funds through its Silent Auction. The Foundation is extremely grateful for the generous support we received from all our friends in Minneapolis."
Laurie Schmidt, a resident of New Orleans and recipient of donated airfare, wrote to thank the AAA Foundation for its assistance, "Thank you for helping me attend this year's [AudiologyNOW!] convention. I was pleasantly surprised to learn the Minneapolis Convention and Visitors Association had donated roundtrip airfare. These past months have been difficult and your support means a lot. I cannot begin to express my gratitude..."
The American Academy of Audiology's AudiologyNOW! 2006 attracted over 7,000 audiologists and exhibitors to Minneapolis in April for an educational, technical and scientific showcase in the hearing sciences.
The American Academy of Audiology Foundation's mission is to raise funds and support for programs of excellence in education, research and public awareness in audiology and the hearing sciences. The AAA Foundation works closely with the American Academy of Audiology to fund promising research grants, sponsor educational opportunities for audiologists and other hearing professionals, and increase public understanding of the causes, treatments and prevention of hearing loss. The AAA Foundation is exempt under 501(c)3 of the IRS code and all gifts to the AAA Foundation are tax deductible as allowed by law. For more information visit the AAA Foundation Web site at www.audiologyfoundation.org.
The American Academy of Audiology's AudiologyNOW! is the premier event for audiologists and the hearing health industry. This annual event allows hearing science professionals to preview the latest technologies, gather information on ground-breaking discoveries, and learn about state-of-the-art procedures for diagnosing and treating hearing loss and balance disorders. For more information on AudiologyNOW!, please visit www.audiologynow.org.
