Dawnings News for the AURORA of CNY Community Honorary Chair and Presenting Sponsor Dr. Lawrence Stewart Thursday, May 23, 2019 Skaneateles Country Club Sam & Carol Nappi Follow AURORAofCNY on Facebook! Dawnings— News for the AURORA of CNY Community Spotlight on Partnerships We received this letter from a long-time colleague and community provider who recently retired, summing up our work together: “I have found that one of the most impactful conditions with our residents can be loss of hearing. The sense of isolation often results in depression, social withdrawal and rapid de- cline. Many residents are unable to afford hearing aids or imple- ments and become very frustrated. I have been very fortunate to partner with AURORA Hearing and Vision Service…Together, we have worked with a number of people here to assist them with the process and have had wonderful success. I especially recall two ladies that had profound hear- ing loss, but received devices after making arrangements with AURORA. They lit- erally cried upon receiving them, then being able to hear well enough to partici- pate in conversations and communicate. We feel very fortunate to be able to work with this agency to improve the quality of life for our residents. Thank you again for all that you and your agency do to help bring the joy of improved sight and hearing to people in need.” We value the working partnerships and collaborations we have with other service providers in the community. We are “better together” as we meet the needs of our community members with vision or hearing loss. CNY Community Foundation Continues Commitment AURORA gratefully received additional grant funding from the CNY Community Foundation to continue the Chil- dren’s Hearing Aid Program, also known as CHAPS. To date, the program has served over 80 families, distributing 84 hearing aids to 52 children. From start to finish, Lucas and his mom were involved in the process of getting his much needed new hearing aid. Here’s what his mom, Nichole, had to say about the experience: “The CHAPS program was imperative in helping my son. I'm a single mom, and although I have excellent medical insurance, it doesn't cover the cost of a new hearing aid, and Lucas was in dire need of one! The CHAPS grant allowed me the peace of mind knowing Lucas would continue being able to hear with the latest technology and as a mother, there's nothing better than knowing your child has what he needs. I didn't have to stress out about how I was going to afford a new hearing aid for Lucas, and the look on my 2 Issue 48, Spring 2019 (Continued from Page 2) boy's face when he tried on his new hearing aid and could hear even better than before, made me cry. I'm eternally grateful for the CHAPS grant and for all who contributed.” We, too, at AURORA remain grateful to our community partners for making this program happen. CODA’s Come Together Thanks to a grant from the Jim and Juli Boeheim Foundation, the first of two eight week classes for children of Deaf adults, or CODA’s for short, is underway. This opportunity is important because it brings chil- dren together who would otherwise never have the chance to meet, to talk and share about the one thing they have in common.. a deaf parent. Growing up at the crossroads of the Deaf and hearing worlds can present challenges for children and parents alike. Communication is the key to family har- mony and personal growth, so teaching American Sign Language is the primary focus of the class. Parents remain with their children who are taught by instructor, Jessica Bray. After the very first class, feedback was positive: one parent asked, “after the 8 weeks are over, what will AURORA have next for our children?” The second class will build on the first and a field trip and graduation ceremony are planned. Did You Know??? There are more than 200 different sign languages used around the world. (French and American Sign Language are the most alike!) After English and Spanish, American Sign Language is the third most used language in the United States. Babies can communicate using sign language 6-8 months prior to communicating verbally. Are you interested in learning American Sign Language? Check out AURORA’s website: www.auroraofcny.org or our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/AuroraofCNY to see when upcoming classes are open for registration. 3 Dawnings— News for the AURORA of CNY Community Meet Our Presenting Sponsor and Honorary Chair Dr. Lawrence Stewart, our valued colleague and advocate "extraordinaire" for AURORA, is this year's Presenting Sponsor and Honorary Chair. He has been an integral part of our organization for more than a decade, when he became a member of our Board of Directors. Dr. Stewart, along with his wife and fellow medical professional Dr. Pamela Sunshine, have been long-time supporters of our organization. During three decades of professional practice, Dr. Stewart has performed thousands of surgeries and pioneered eye care treatment as one of the founding members and first medical director of the Specialty Surgery Center of CNY, the largest provider of eye surgery in the greater Syracuse area. He was also instrumental as a founding member of Laservue of CNY, a premier provider of Lasik refractive surgery. Community service is an important part of Dr. Stewart's life at the local, national and international levels. He has traveled to both Central and South America to provide eye surgery to the poor, and provides free eye surgery for the uninsured in the US through Operation Sight. He traveled to New Orleans to help in recovery efforts with Habitat for Humanity and Operation Southern Comfort after Hurricane Katrina. He supports local city schools with science projects, Meals on Wheels, and local scouting organizations. He is currently serving as a board member of Operation Northern Comfort and as a Board Member of Tiny Homes for Good, an organization dedicated to building homes for and providing assistance to the homeless in order to allow them to reintegrate into the Syracuse community. We thank you, Dr. Stewart, and look forward to a magnificent Musical Feast this year. For more information about the Musical Feast, visit our website at auroraofcny.org 4 Issue 48, Spring 2019 Thank you to the following members and donors who are committed to the continuation of AURORA’s vital services for those with vision and/or hearing loss. Names listed are those who have contributed from January 1, 2018 to Decem- ber 31, 2018. We apologize for any name that may have been omitted from our list. Thank you!! $5,000 and Over: Pompey Lions Club Dr. & Mrs. Chris Fatti Central New York Community Ms. Martha Potter Ms. Earleen Foulk Foundation, Inc. Mr. & Mrs. Robert D. Reidy Mr. & Mrs. J. Ronald Fox Mrs. Ruth Ferrar Mrs. Carol M. Saul Ms. Diane Galko Flora Bernice Smith Ms. Bonnie M. Scolaro Ms. Theresa Marsh Foundation Solvay-Geddes Lions Club Mr. & Mrs. William A. Harfosh Dr. Selma Sheridan Vanguard Charitable Mr. & Mrs. Robert E. Hibbert Bernard Weinberg Estate $499-$250: Ms. Mary Maresco $4,999-$1,000: Mrs. Aminy I. Audi Mrs. Nancy N. Marsden Central Square Lions Club Mr. & Mrs. Doug Burns Mr. John B. McCormick Dr. & Mrs. Murray Grossman Mr. Gregory Clos Dr. & Mrs. James Monaco Dr. & Mrs. John A. Hoepner (G. A. Clos LLC) Mr. & Mrs. Frederick A. Noack Mr. Robert H Kemper Jr. Mr. W. Carroll Coyne Mr. Bruce B. Phelps Mrs. Vera B. Lange Estate Chittenango Lions Club Mrs. Virginia J. Quinn Dr.& Mrs. William V. Mr. Walter Garbacik Mrs. Leslie E. Rapson Delaney,Jr. Mr. & Mrs. Neil Gold Mr. Tom Rhoads Mr. Richard MacDonough, Dr. & Mrs. Michael Gordon Mr. & Mrs. Gerald W. MacDonough Enterprises Mr. & Mrs. David G. Hardy Rothschild Construction Services, LLC Mr. Susumu Ikuta Mr. Ted Sarenski Ms. Jeanne Mathews-Fox, Mr. David M. Minahan Dr. & Mrs. Walter Short Geddes Federal Savings and Mr. & Mrs. Theodore M. Mr. Lawrence Steinburg Loan Pasinski Dr. & Mrs. Richard J. Fulton Lions Club, Inc. Ms. Bonnie Philipps Steinmann, MD Hon. Karen M. Uplinger Mr. & Mrs. J. Daniel Pluff Mr. James W. Whitney $999-$500: Mrs. Nancy Ridings United Way of Metropolitan Ms. Elaine Coppola Mr. David A. Rothschild Chicago Ms. Jo Anne Falcone Mr. Theodore A Rupracht University Otolaryngology Mr. Robert Ferri Dr. & Mrs. Robert Slavens Associates of CNY Fulton Savings Bank Ms. Laura Smith $124-$50 Mr. & Mrs. Richard C. Gray $249-$125: Mr. & Mrs. Antone J. Aboud Lions Club of Skaneateles Mr. Robert Andrews Ms. Kathleen Albright Mr. & Mrs. Lawrence D. Luisi Ms. Eleanor Barber Ms. Alice E. Andrews Mr. & Mrs. Albert Morton Mrs. Phyllis Berinstein Mr. & Mrs. Albert F. Antonini Mr. & Mrs. John Mott Ms. Therese C. Brady Smith Ms. Anna Antonucci National Grid Mr. George O. Caron Ms. Marion Appleby Nucor Steel-Auburn Mr. Mark Cavanaugh Mrs. Ann E. Araniti 5 Dawnings— News for the AURORA of CNY Community Mr. Donald Argus Mrs. Patricia DeAngelis Dr. Joseph Karpinski, Sr. Mr. & Mrs. Frank H. Armani Mr. Robert L. Deisz Ms. Mary Kelly Ms. Jeanette Arthur Ms. Sandra G. Denniston Mrs. Susan Kelly Ms. Liz Ayers Mr. & Mrs. Thomas E. Mr. Richard Kimber Mrs. Louise M. Banick Dermody Ms. Meg Klamm Ms. Mary K. Barbano Mr. & Mrs. Robert Dice Mr. & Mrs. John H. Klein Mr. Manuel Barbas Ms. Donna DiFulvio Mr. & Mrs. John Klink Ms. Suzanne M. Becker Mrs. Mary Jo DiLallo Ms. Janice Klodowski Mr. & Mrs. Niles F. Bell Ms. Phyllis M. DiRaddo Mrs. Frances M.