Basball Legends and MLB Help Children to Hear

New York City, NY (July 13, 2008) - For 120 underprivileged children from the New York Boys and Girls Clubs, today was a special day at the All-Star Game Legends Hotel (aka the Intercontinental Barclay). As part of its "good works" civic activities surrounding this year's mid-summer classic, Major League Baseball teamed up with the Starkey Hearing Foundation to custom fit these children with free hearing aids worth US$6,000 each.



The initial tests and ear impressions were conducted previously at the Kips Bay Boys and Girls Club in the Bronx. This morning, with the assistance of Major League Baseball legend Rollie Fingers and others, the children received their final fittings and training to use the devices. In addition, each child participating in the program received a new pair of athletic shoes from Reebok.



There was once a time when hearing hearing aids was considered a stigma. This is not the case so much anymore, and Starkey works to help children around the world have the full gift of hearing. This is the type of corporate responsibility that when witnessed, like I did this morning, is very cool indeed.