Posted by Nick Aroutzidis on Aug 06, 2018
August 2, 2018: Melissa Black, “First nations 1st hand experience”, Rheo Thompson will introduce our speaker.

Head Table:  Our President Paul Roulston, invites Rheo Thompson , Kevin Silver, Dave Skinner, Alex Smith, Mark Smith, Jim Snider and Rena Spevack Orr, to join him at the head table.
 
Today at Rotary – Our speakers today were introduced by their father and grandfather, Kevin Silver.
 
Guest speakers Dhillon and Shane Silver introduced by grandfather and dad Kevin about Canadian Hearing Society and Hearing loss and Dhillon’s  experience with Cochlear Implants.
Son Shane is employed by the Canadian Hearing Society, an organization that he became familiar with when his son. Dhillon was born with total hearing loss.
 
The Canadian Hearing Society, which has 24 offices in Ontario and is working to become a truly national organization within the next few years, is dedicated to enabling access for people with hearing loss ranging from total to partial.  It strives to break down barriers for its clients so that they can fully experience life in their communities.
 
Through the use of several videos, Shane showed examples of technologies that are now or very soon will be in use to enable communications between non-hearing and hearing people.  One such example was an on-site real time sign language interpreter service that people could access via a computer screen.  This would have applications for public sector services.
 
Dhillon presented his own set of slides that he has used to explain his hearing loss to his fellow students at school.  Dhillon is ten years old and was diagnosed with total hearing loss at a few months of age.  At 13 months his parents chose cochlear implants for Dhillon after trying other options that were unsuccessful.  Dhillon showed the structure of the ear and explained how the implants work to send the sound to the cochlea, where it is transferred to the hearing nerve and on to the brain. 
 
In school, Dhillon’s teachers use an FM transmitter in conjunction with the implants so that he can hear what is being said.  Distractions in the classroom can include the sounds of chairs scraping on the floor, and children doing group work, among others.  His classroom uses various strategies to assist Dhillon in hearing what is being taught.
 
Dhillon answered several questions about his experience with cochlear implants.  He is able to go swimming with some protection for his implants in place.  At night he turns the implants off and has complete silence.  The cost of the implants was $22,000.00.  The processor that he wears behind his ears can be upgraded from time to time but the technology that is inside his skull is permanent.
 
Dhillon and Shane were thanked for their very informative talk by Wendy Anderson.
Scribe: Wendy Anderson
 
Guests:  Today we welcomed: Jane Homan – Stratford, Colleen Silver – Burlington, Shane Silver – Burlington, Ethan Silver – Burlington, Suzie Silver – Burlington, Lexi Brown – Burlington, Cassie Brown – Burlington, Oriah Silver – Maple, Philip Silver – Maple, Karina Rasmussen – Denmark, Mark Schroeder - Austin, Texas, Laurie Mitchell - Stratford 
 
Silver fan club here to support.
 
New generation exchange student Karina Rasmussen from Denmark . She goes back on Aug 16.
 
Draw: The draw prizes today was donated by Roger Black, won by Kevin Silver.
 
Rotary Announcements
 
  • We are in need of young able bodied volunteers to set up the stage for the Car Rally. Volunteers should come to The Stratford Perth Museum on August 11th at 9 a.m. for set up. People are also required to take down the stage around 9:30 p.m.  We are in need of 4-6 people. Please let Brent Shackleton or Mark Smith know if you are able to come. 
 
  • Catch the Ace jackpot is currently at $14,600 with the odds of picking the Ace at 1 in 15. As the excitement around this game increases the need for volunteers also increases. We are now the only game in town. 
 
 
Make-ups: no report
 
August’s Attendance Committee: Bob Gulliford (I/C), Nick Aroutzidis, Mike Gruszcynski, Bryan Lapier, Arlene Pol, Steve Monteith, Dan Scarborough, Josef Frank, Norm Bird
 
September’s Attendance Committee: Steve Rae (I/C), John Hood Tidman, Ken Nesbitt, Berny Nymeyer, Gordon Sherwin, Harry Brightwell, Ian Fisher, John Fisher.
 
 
 
Sponsors