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AAA Foundation Focuses on Fun (and Fundraising!) at AudiologyNOW!®

AudiologyNOW! 2009 offered the AAA Foundation several opportunities to showcase the research, education and public awareness initiatives it funds. And of course, it also offered Academy members, exhibitors and other attendees the chance to support its annual fundraising events.

The Foundation kicked off the festivities with the always-popular Happy Hour-and-a-Half cocktail fundraiser. Once again, HearUSA Hearing Care Network underwrote the event, held on Wednesday, April 1, from 5:30pm to 7:00pm at the beautiful and historic Union Station.

The Honors and Research Awards Banquet was held on Thursday, April 2, 2009. This first class dinner celebrated the “best and brightest” in our profession, and was held from 6:30 to 8:30pm at the Hyatt. Many joined in the festivities as we honored colleagues who made significant contributions to the hearing sciences, and we recognized the young researchers who are the future of our profession.

The Foundation focused on research at several other annual sessions in the Dallas Convention Center. The Student Research Forum (Fri. April 3, noon to 1:30pm) showcased the findings of five young researchers. The Forum is funded annually with a generous gift from Plural Publishing. In addition, three young researchers received the James Jerger Award for Excellence in Student Research for projects featured at the Poster Presentations. These three $500 awards are funded annually with a contribution from an anonymous donor who seeks to encourage and reward research by those new to the field of audiology.

On Friday, April 3, the AAA Foundation continued its tradition of excellence with the presentation of the 2009 Marion Downs Lecture in Pediatric Audiology. Richard Miyamoto, M.D., gave this year’s presentation. The Marion Downs Lecture is funded annually with a grant from The Oticon Foundation.

Finally, we had many visitors to the AAAF booth in Academy Central where foundation staff had the most up-to-date information on funded programs and initiatives, and items from the 2009 Online Auction were available for preview. As always, the AAA Foundation had Turn It to the Left CDs available as thank you gifts for those making contributions to the 2009 Annual Fund.

HAT DVD Available for FREE to Academy Members at AAAF Booth
In 2008, the Academy developed the HAT Clinical Practice Guidelines for Children and Youth from Birth-21 Years. This document resides on the Academy's Web site and is available to Academy members. As a follow-up to the practice guidelines, the Academy partnered with Boys Town Research Hospital to develop a training DVD, demonstrating the fitting and verification procedures. This DVD was underwritten by the American Academy of Audiology Foundation (AAAF) with support from Audioscan, Oticon, and Phonak. The DVD was playing at the AAAF booth in Academy Central. Only a limited number of DVDs were created and were available for free to members at the AAAF booth (nonmembers may purchase the DVD for $40). You can also receive your HAT DVD through the Academy’s online store.

Proceeds from all AAA Foundation events support its mission to raise funds for research, education and public awareness in audiology and the hearing sciences. For information on all of the Foundation’s fundraisers and programs, contact Tara Conte at 703-226-1048. The AAA Foundation is tax exempt under IRS code 501(c)3, and all contributions are tax deductible as allowed by law; consult your tax advisor.