W I N T E R

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Annual Winter Skate Event 2014

The Annual Mass AG Bell Winter Skate event is coming up and its open to the entire chapter. This is a free event and arguably, the best event of the year! It will take place at the Buckingham Browne & Nichols School (in the Stone Street Room) on January 11th at 5:30pm. This will be a fun evening as always with skating, pizza, silent action and a raffle! Come and join your friends and meet new ones. We hope you can make it! Please RSVP at massagbell@gmail.com Directions can be provided per request. **Please note: Skating equipment is not provided by the facility. **All children must wear helmets on the ice.

2014 Events: Save the Dates

2014 is going to be another exciting year for Mass AG Bell. We have many events throughout the year that appeals to children and teens of all ages. Events are a great opportunity to meet families who share similar experiences from having a child that is deaf or hard of hearing. Mark your calendars!

Save the Date!

December 27th, 2013:
Bells Kids snowshoeing event

June: AG Bell 2014

January 11th: Chapter wide

2014 Winter Skate Event

National Convention, Teen LOFT program in Orlando FL

August: Explore the

February 8th: Theater

Workshop for Teens at Clarke Mens Basketball Game in Worcester

Outdoors through Clarke for Teens

October: Walk 4 March 1st: Chapter wide BU Hearing

**Stay tuned for more announcements of Bells Kids Events!

May 10th: Photography,

drawing and creative writing for Teens

Contact us at massagbell@gmail.com and visit our website at www.massagbell.org Follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/massagbell

Spotlight Family of the Season THE LOREM IPSUMS

Meet the LaBrecque Family
Normally we spotlight a child for the season, but for the Winter season, we are honoring the LaBrecque Family! The members include Kim and her husband Jeff LaBrecque, son, Cameron Siciliano, age 13 and daughter Tia Shay LaBrecque, age 4. Tia uses bilateral hearing aids since 3 months of age. They are Oticon.

WINTER 2012

Kim keeps her family busy with the great work she is doing for the Hard of Hearing community. Kim is the New England Walk4Hearing Chair for the Hearing Loss Association of America (HLAA). The entire family participates on Team Tia Shay, and typically recruits 25-30 walkers! They are very successful in donations and collected over $3,000 in one year! Kim is most proud of being part of the Massachusetts Hearing Aids for Children Coalition (MassHAFCC) that helped get House Bill 52 passed into law as of January 2013. This law mandates health insurance companies in MA to cover the cost of hearing aids for children 21 years of age and younger. The LaBrecque family is also a member of Mass AG Bell and the Hear Together support Group, which both have activities for parents and family for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing. We love having Kim and her family at our events since she has so much to share with our organization and is an inspiration to all!

LOFT Program 2014

The 2014 LOFT program has been announced and it consists of two sessions, which will accommodate 20 teens each in Orlando Florida in July! The Loft (Leadership Opportunities for Teens) Program is designed for teens with hearing loss to develop skills in individual leadership teamwork, understanding group dynamics and communication, public speaking, and self-advocacy. LOFT is a great opportunity for high school and college-bound teens interested in a leadership experience away from home with their peers. Need help with the cost? Mass AG Bell will help defray the cost to two applicants accepted into the LOFT program per calendar year. The winner will receive a $250 scholarship from Mass AG Bell! Those who receive partial scholarships from LOFT are eligible; full scholarships are not. Applicants will be required to complete a short essay or video. Please email massagbell@gmail.com for more information.

New Mass AG Bell Board Member

Meet Mass AG Bells new Director of Teen Programs, Kaitlyn Millen! She is currently working as a Teacher of the Deaf and the Social Programming Coordinator at the Clarke Schools for Hearing and Speech in Northampton, MA. She completed her bachelors degree at Hampshire College in Deaf Studies, Outdoor Education, and Environmental Science and her masters degree in education of the deaf at Smith College. Please join me in welcoming her to the board and send teen event ideas to her at kaitlyn.millen@gmail.com Contact us at massagbell@gmail.com and visit our website at www.massagbell.org Follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/massagbell
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