Oticon, Inc. Partners with American Academy of Audiology Foundation to Benefit Public Awareness, Education and Research InitiativesSomerset, NJ - February 9- Oticon, Inc. today announced a partnership with the American Academy of Audiology Foundation (AAAF) that will give hearing care professionals attending AudiologyNow! 2009 a unique opportunity to choose how an Oticon donation of up to $50,000 will be dispersed among AAAF programs. Through the Hearing With Our Hearts™ program, Oticon will donate $10 for each AudiologyNow! participant who casts a heart-shaped ballot for any of three AAAF initiatives supporting programs of excellence in education, research and public awareness in audiology and hearing science.
"Our goal is to engage audiologists and empower them to designate where the donation from Oticon will be applied within American Academy of Audiology Foundation programs," states Oticon President Peer Lauritsen. "AAAF accomplishes much good for the audiology community and for the hearing impaired community and the Hearing With Our Hearts program will enable hearing care professionals to participate in this good will on a very personal level."
Hearing With Our Hearts ballots will be attached to the tote bags distributed to registered attendees at the AudiologyNow! 2009 in Dallas. To cast their ballots, participants must visit the Oticon exhibit, booth #1621, and select the program areas they would like to support. Oticon is also planning a special benefit event during AudiologyNow! 2009 in support of the Hearing with Our Hearts program.
Among the programs that will benefit from the Hearing With Our Hearts campaign are the Public Awareness fund which includes the Turn It to the Left® campaign, public service announcements and other media aimed at seniors and their families;the Education fund supporting science fair outreach and awards in audiology and acoustics and scholarships and awards for graduate students to attend the CAPCSD Summer Institute and other educational conferences;and the Research fund which includes an annual Awards program that funds several different types of awards as well as scientific gatherings such as the upcoming meeting on new research in geriatric audiology. Following the conference, Oticon will tally the votes and disburse the company's donation proportionate to the number of votes each project area receives.
"We encourage all of our friends to visit the Oticon exhibit at AudiologyNow! 2009 and cast their 'heart ballot' for the program area of their choice," says Brad Stach, Chair of the Foundation Board. "If everyone gets behind this campaign, we will be able to take full advantage of Oticon's generous offer to support Foundation initiatives benefiting Public Awareness, Education and Research. The AAA Foundation appreciates Oticon for being our generous partner in audiology philanthropy."
For more information about the Oticon and hearing health, visit https://www.oticonusa.com/ or the Oticon web channel on Audiology Online.
